Secretary
The Missouri State Medical Association had 3,450 members as of December 2019. This was a net loss of 281 members from our membership of 3,731 as of December 2018. Following is a breakdown according to classification.
| Year | Students | Residents | Active | Honor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 835 | 112 | 2,381 | 403 | 3,731 |
| 2019 | 740 | 115 | 2,226 | 369 | 3,450 |
The number of member deaths reported during 2019 totaled 17.
The Committee on Nominations, which is appointed by the President, from the House of Delegates, must submit nominations for the following offices:
Three Vice Presidents to fill the expired terms of Michael Weaver, MD, Kansas City; Sandra Ahlum, MD, Hannibal; and Rebecca Hierholzer, MD, Leawood, KS.
Speaker and Vice Speaker to fill the expired terms of Sam Page, MD, Creve Coeur, and Tim Swearengin, DO, Springfield.
Two Delegates and five Alternate Delegates to the AMA to fill the vacancies created by the expiration at the conclusion of the 2020 Annual Convention of the terms of Delegates: Edmond Cabbabe, MD, St. Louis; Warren Lovinger, Jr., MD, Nevada; and Alternate Delegates: Ravi Johar, MD, Chesterfield; Michael O’Dell, MD, Kansas City; George Hruza, MD, Chesterfield; Joseph Corrado, MD, Mexico; and Samantha Lund, St. Louis (oneyear term). The new two-year terms will begin at the conclusion of the 2020 MSMA Annual Convention and end at the conclusion of the 2022 MSMA Annual Convention.
The terms of the following Councilors will expire in 2020: 3rd District – Elie Azrak, MD, St. Louis; Chris Swingle, DO, St. Louis; 5th District – George Hubbell, MD, Lake Ozark; Lisa Thomas, MD, Lake Ozark; Lancer Gates, DO, Kansas City; Marc Taormina, MD, Kansas City; 8th District – Matthew Stinson, MD, Springfield; 9th District – Lirong Zhu, MD, Rolla; Organized Medical Staff Section – Peggy Barjenbruch, MD, Mexico; International Medical Graduate Section – Sri Kolli, MD, Fenton; Women Physicians Section – Joanne Loethen, MD, Prairie Village, KS; Resident and Fellow Section – Daniel Young, MD, St. Louis; Medical Student Section – Scott Berndt, Kansas City.
Alliance
The 2019–2020 Alliance year began in April during the MSMA convention in Kansas City when the Alliance officers were installed. Millie Bever, Kansas City, installed Gill Waltman, who was re-installed as president, and Diana Corzine as president-elect, both for second terms. Also installed were Vice presidents Kelly O’Leary (Health), Kirk Doan (Legislation), Jennifer Gast (Membership), Sana Saleh (Recording Secretary) and Debora Snyder (Treasurer.)
Looking through Rose-Colored Glasses was the theme selected by Mrs. Waltman as a carry-on from her Look on the Bright Side Monty Python-inspired theme from the previous year. This was an optimistic approach to reflect changes in the world around us with many natural disasters, economic problems, the political climate, and health-related issues including the opioid crisis and now the new electronic cigarette or vaping epidemic affecting our youth. Burnout wears down the medical profession from all sides with the need to defend medicine and patients from public opinion, invasive hospital and insurance influences, and scope-of-practice usurpers.
Mrs. Waltman presided over an Alliance Executive Board Meeting on May 29 in Columbia. Additional officers were appointed to the board and all members presented their plans for the year. The dates and venue for Fall Conference in Hannibal was circulated and plans for Day at the Legislature to be combined with the MSMA White Coat Day on March 3 were discussed.
At the AMA Alliance Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2019, MSMA Alliance Past President Sue Ann Greco was sworn in for a second term as the national AMA Alliance Board Secretary. Missouri had excellent representation at the meeting. Due to the resignation of the AMA Alliance President Elect, Sue Ann will be installed as the AMA Alliance President at the annual meeting in Chicago in June 2020. The installation will take place on Tuesday morning at the Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile Hotel. Sue Ann is only the 6th Missourian to be installed as AMA Alliance President. The Missouri contingent will be honoring her with a suitable celebration event and those MSMA members who will be in Chicago are invited to attend in support.
The Alliance Fall Conference was held October 29–30 in Hannibal. Sandra Murdock, conference coordinator set the venue at the Holiday Inn Express opposite the Medical Center. The program on Tuesday afternoon included invited speakers from the Hannibal Clinic recommended by Sandra Ahlum, MD. Eric Meidl, MD, an internist specializing in obesity working closely with the bariatric surgical team, spoke on the current management of obesity and discussed the pros and cons of various weight loss therapies and current trends, including intermittent fasting. Patricia Hirner, MD, a general surgeon, presented the American College of Surgeons’ new initiative called Stop the Bleed. This was a hands-on course aimed at the general public on how to stop hemorrhage at a trauma site, such as a road traffic accident or a shooting. Michael Bukstein, MD, a vascular surgeon at the Hannibal Clinic, assisted in the demonstration which included the correct methods of applying compression to a bleeding wound, packing the wound with clean cloth or hemostatic gauze, and the use of tourniquets. Dr. Hirner recommended that everyone carry a trauma kit with these contents (can be purchased online) in the glove compartment of their vehicles.
The Tuesday evening event was held at the Hannibal Country Club courtesy of members Sherry and Michael Bukstein. Henry H. Sweets, III, the Curator and Executive Director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum spoke to the group on Medicine and Pharmacy in the time of Mark Twain.
The Alliance Board meeting continued on Wednesday morning. Pertinent board issues discussed were the transfer of the Alliance Scholarship funds to the MSMF which will handle future distribution to the Missouri medical schools. Kathy Weigand announced that the (also British) theme for the Friday night Foundations event would revolve around James Bond.
In December, the Alliance Holiday Sharing Card was published with donor names in Show Me Alliance News, Missouri Medicine, and on the MSMA website. Proceeds from donations amounted to more than $3,300 to benefit the MSM and AMA Foundations. Thanks to all who participated. The Alliance hosted many charity and fundraising events over the holidays to provide support for local food banks, a mobile food drive, shelters, school programs and local charities.
This year, the Alliance has moved its traditional Winter Board meeting and Day at the Legislature to coincide with the MSMA White Coat Rally to be held on Tuesday March 3 in Jefferson City. Legislative Vice President Kirk Doan has arranged for members to stay in a Holiday Inn & Suites and coordinated his efforts on behalf of the Alliance with the staff at MSMA. Alliance members will attend the winter board meeting the previous day and meet for dinner the night before for a briefing by the MSMA lobbyists.
The MSMA Alliance Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the MSMA convention in St. Louis April 2–4. For the business sessions, there were two topics of interest: the St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired – an extraordinary organization that gives many opportunities to teach skills to individuals to empower them at home and at work; and the neurophysiologic, neuroanatomic, and neurocognitive changes from vaping on the teenage brain, which will be heard as part of MSMA’s General Session on vaping by Washington University Associate Professor of Psychiatry Donald Bohnenkamp, MD.
The Alliance Foundation Fundraiser Dinner will be held on Friday April 3 at the Renaissance Airport Hotel. Kathy Weigand chose The British Invasion last year in keeping with Mrs. Waltman’s heritage and this year the theme is The Alliance Celebrates James Bond- 007.
Current Alliance Issues: Pertinent issues and challenges discussed at board meetings this year continue to include maintaining membership numbers and identifying current members to take on leadership positions. The Nominating Committee did a good job finding some new faces to join the leadership. The Alliance worked hard to increase membership, round up former members and recruit new ones. The former Boone County Medical Association Alliance is in the process of being resurrected and will take on a new name of Central Missouri Alliance.
Continuing Medical Education
The Commission reviewed and approved the following accreditation actions:
Institute for International Medicine-Kansas City, MO
Mercy Hospital St. Louis-St. Louis, MO
Hannibal Regional Hospital-Hannibal, MO
St. Louis STD/HIV Prevention Training Center-St. Louis, MO
Missouri Baptist Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
Mercy Hospital Springfield-Springfield, MO
The following entities submitted Progress Reports that were approved by the Commission:
North Kansas City Hospital-Kansas City, MO
Lake Regional Health System-Osage Beach, MO
Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Society-Cape Girardeau, MO
The Commission planned and approved the 2019 Annual Convention CME Program approved for 10.00 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Additionally, the program was approved for 7.5 American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification Points.
Following the Annual Convention, attendees were able to participate in an online survey that measured outcomes based on questions designed by the Commission.
In 2019, SSM St. Mary’s Hospital of Jefferson City chose to not seek reaccreditation as an accredited provider. The Missouri State Medical Association currently accredits twenty-three entities statewide. MSMA staff conducted a spring and fall new staff training at MSMA headquarters.
The Missouri State Medical Association and Kansas Medical Society hosted a provider training in Lenexa, KS. Staff from the ACCME and the AMA provided attendees with an update of information as it related to the updated commendation criteria and the revisions to the AMA PRA handbook. Benita Stennis, MSMA staff, attended the state medical society meeting sponsored by the ACCME April 29–May 2, 2019 in Chicago, ACCME’s Annual Conference where attendees discussed issues and trends relevant to CME. Benita Stennis, MSMA staff, also attended the 2019 ACCME State Medical Societies Meeting in Chicago, IL December 11–12, 2019. Additionally, staff participated in the ACCME’s monthly noon conference calls.
Executive Vice President Report
You should be proud that your Missouri State Medical Association is widely recognized as the voice of medicine in Missouri. Be it the Missouri General Assembly, the state government departments and divisions, the business community, the insurance industry, hospitals, advocacy groups, or the media, MSMA is considered the leading advocate for your profession and your patients. Following is just a sample of the many things your MSMA did for you in 2019.
State Advocacy Activities
Your MSMA lobbyist team enjoyed a very good year in the state Capitol in 2019. They are quick to credit you and your MSMA colleagues with much of that success, not only for your active involvement in the political process, but also for the respect you command in your community. MSMA is involved in more legislative issues (>400) than any other organization in the state; everything from prior authorization to medication assisted treatment (MAT) to scope of practice and PDMP. Your two lobbyists are among the first to arrive at the Capitol and among the last to leave – every day. Their diligence and effectiveness are unsurpassed. Rather than overwhelm you with details here, I’ll refer you to our Legislative Report, which members receive weekly during the legislative session and twice monthly August through December. If you are not reading this publication, you’re missing out. If you are reading it, please reach out to your local senator and representative to ensure they know which issues matter to you. Your personal contact amplifies your lobbyists’ efforts. MSMA initiated local advocacy outreach in 2019 with 29 meetings in various parts of the state. This is designed to promote a better understanding of issues impacting members and non-members. Your lobbyist team received great input and will expand this activity in 2020.
Federal Activities
MSMA’s advocacy work is not limited to Missouri’s borders. We are involved in a wide range of federal government issues, year in and year out, both alone and with other organizations within the house of medicine. We lobbied federal authorities on such issues as opioids, surprise billing, and drug prices last year. Those efforts weren’t limited to letters, e-mails, and telephone calls to Washington, DC. Your MSMA leadership and staff traveled to Capitol Hill to lobby in person in the halls of Congress.
Other Notable Activities
Despite having the resources and numbers of a medium-sized state medical association, your MSMA is one of the most diverse and active state organizations in the nation. Here are just a few of the activities undertaken on your behalf over the last year.
Your President and MSMA staff attended a number of local component society meetings across the state in addition to the aforementioned advocacy meetings. Your medical association staff and leadership are available to all parts of the state, no matter how large or small.
MSMA boasts an outstanding group of member physicians who, twice a year, give the better part of a week to represent you and your patients in the AMA House of Delegates. It is significant and sometimes thankless work, but this is a valuable service they perform. Please thank them.
In addition to its regular duties, your MSMA staff also provides top-rate administrative services for one local medical society, several statewide medical specialty societies, and serves on or maintains liaison with many external governmental and private-sector committees, task forces, boards and commissions.
Membership Services and Benefits
Your MSMA staff and leadership are constantly striving to bring even more value to your membership. One constant priority is to improve communications with our members and respond more quickly to answer questions and resolve issues. In recent years, MSMA has increased its email communications to provide additional content without increased costs. The website and social media are two additional areas of electronic communication which receive frequent updates.
Missouri Medicine, MSMA’s outstanding scientific journal, is included with your membership. It has won seven prestigious Ranly Awards, and is published in digital format in addition to the print copy you receive. The journal’s scientific content is accessible in the renowned PubMed database, and it enjoys a unique partnership with MedHelp, the world’s largest online health community, joining such other notable partners as Johns Hopkins, the Cleveland Clinic, and Cornell University. You can find current and archived electronic editions on our website.
Progress Notes, our monthly newsletter (free to members), is full of timely news items, tips, and information. We began a monthly e-Progress Notes in 2018 to provide more specifics about your medical association’s activities in the capital city.
MSMA also offers you free CME credits at the Annual Convention, and numerous other opportunities to earn CME through our statewide CME recognition program. MSMA accredits 23 entities to offer CME, many of which participate in joint providerships across the state. Yet another membership benefit.
We know everyone struggles with providing health insurance for employees. Your Association staff and the staff of the MSMA Insurance Agency invested significant hours in 2019 working with other state medical associations in researching an Association Health Plan (AHP). This AHP will harness the combined numbers of many state medical associations on behalf of MSMA member physicians. We expect this Association Health Plan to be an important member and employee benefit. Ask Agency staff for additional information.
I would ask you to also be mindful of other direct benefits your MSMA membership offers. For example, we are partners with Moneta, an outstanding financial services firm that provides MSMA members with expert financial planning and investment services. SHINE is a health information exchange (HIE) which facilitates electronic medical records software sharing clinical information with other EMRs in addition to providing assistance with Medicare MIPS compliance. We also have a relationship with the Resolve Physician Agency, which offers a wide range of career services, including job placement, contract review and negotiation, practice evaluation, benefits analysis, debt management, and a lot more, all at a discount to MSMA members. We are partnered with the CCPA Purchasing Partners to give you access to up-front discounts on a variety of medical and office supplies, including some vaccines. We have an exclusive arrangement with DocbookMD, which offers you a secure, HIPAA-compliant tool to send messages, patient information, images, and more to your MSMA colleagues through an application on your smart phone or other handheld device (free to MSMA members). Medical Waste Services offers MSMA members significant savings on medical and biohazard waste removal and treatment services. Other partners include Officite, a medical practice website development and internet marketing provider and MedJet Assist, a medical transport service. All of these offer MSMA members a nice discount on their services. Other great offers include the Missouri Drug Card, coding and billing resources, and Go Next for your travel arrangements, all with special rates and savings for MSMA members. When put to good use, these benefits save MSMA members far more than the cost of membership dues.
MSMA’s Affiliate Organizations
Your Missouri State Medical Foundation has loaned more than $11.8 million to Missouri medical students since its inception more than fifty years ago. The Foundation board made the decision in 2017 to cease its loan program due to the significant number of private lenders already in the market. The focus is now on scholarships for Missouri medical school students. The Foundation is currently funding ten $4,000 MSMA Scholarships at each of the six Missouri medical schools ($240,000 in total). The Foundation also offers $5,000 in matching funds to component medical societies to create their own medical student scholarship funds.
Your Missouri Physicians Health Program is widely considered one of the most successful of its kind in the nation. Last year, the program served 94 medical students, residents, and practicing physicians who were dealing with chemical, emotional, or behavioral issues. You can assist your colleagues by asking your hospital medical staff and administration to contribute funds to assist this exceptional and vitally important program.
Your Missouri Medical Political Action Committee is one of the most respected and effective PACs in the state. In the last election cycle, MMPAC contributed close to $120,000 to support physician-friendly candidates across the state. Membership begins at the $100 Sustaining Member level, but you can demonstrate your political savvy by upgrading to Silver ($250), Gold ($500), or Diamond ($1,000) level. Your participation is essential to our political effectiveness.
Your MSMA Insurance Agency was formed by MSMA and is directed by physicians to serve you and your practice. This independent insurance agency is a trusted source for all lines of insurance and provides financial support for MSMA. Please visit with the Agency’s staff during the Convention.
The MSMA Alliance has dedicated and enthusiastic physician spouses who work tirelessly to promote health education and support health-related charitable activities, all toward improving the health and welfare of all Missourians. And they are a force to be reckoned with when they march on the Capitol every year to advance medicine’s legislative causes.
The Center for Patient Safety is a private, not-for-profit organization originally founded by MSMA, the Missouri Hospital Association, and Primaris. It is dedicated to being the leader in providing solutions and resources to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety, and was among the very first organizations in the nation to win federal designation as a Patient Safety Organization. We are very proud of the Center’s work.
Your Organization
It is nearly impossible to list all of the duties and services MSMA provides for the physicians of Missouri. The advocacy and representation, the publications, the CME, the Foundation, the MSMA Insurance Agency, the Physicians Health Program, the Alliance, and your AMA Delegation all create an organization deeply rooted in service to its members and the patients they serve. The MSMA is YOUR organization, and your officers and staff welcome your thoughts on how best to serve you and your fellow members. Feel free to seek them out – at this convention or at any time – and share your ideas.
Staff
On behalf of the staff and the entire MSMA membership, I want to express gratitude for your officers, councilors, committee members, and other leaders who give so much of their time and resources for the betterment of the Association, the profession, and patient care in Missouri.
I also want to express my appreciation for allowing me to work with talented and dedicated MSMA employees whose creativity and diligence are unmatched anywhere. Liz Fleenor, the Director of Communications, is the Managing Editor of your award-winning Missouri Medicine and Progress Notes, designs all the MSMA pamphlets and logos you see, and oversees MSMA’s website. Benita Stennis, the Director of Scientific Affairs, does all of our meeting planning – including the Annual Convention – and also directs CME credentialing and programming. Jeff Howell is General Counsel and Director of Governmental Relations. In addition to handling legal affairs, he heads your extremely effective lobbying team and writes the Legislative Report. Heidi Geisbuhler is your Director of Legislative Affairs and contributes to Progress Notes and the Legislative Report. Haley Wansing, the Director of Membership, works tirelessly to maintain and grow the membership base, and travels widely to liaison with the local societies, residents, and students. Stephen Foutes, your Director of Marketing, has boosted our social media presence, travels the state to personally interact with local societies and staffs Boone County Medical Society. Sarah Luebbert, the Director of Specialty Society Services, staffs ACP, ACOG, and MO ACEP and staffs internal and external committees. Cheri Martin, the Office Manager, keeps the office running like a well-oiled machine, day in and day out. She also manages MMPAC’s day-to-day activities. Kelli Clemens, the Finance Manager, is new to our staff and keeps the books and controls cash inflow and outflow. Cassie Williams, the Membership Data Manager, tends to our complicated member database and coordinates all the membership billing and mailing for MSMA, and most of our local component societies. Carol Meyer, the Administrative Assistant, is an invaluable team member who helps a great deal with CME and convention details.
And finally, please allow me to thank you, the physicians of Missouri, for the opportunity to serve you in this outstanding organization.
Membership
The 2019 MSMA membership year closed with 2,226 active members, 115 residents, 740 students and 369 retired members. 173 physicians joined as new members in 2019. In addition to traditional recruiting methods, MSMA has had a positive response to MSMA Councilors sending hand-signed letters to nonmembers. Peer-to-peer outreach is very beneficial to maintaining and growing membership.
MSMA initiated 29 advocacy updates by MSMA lobbyists in 2019 at component society meetings, medical resident and student events, specialty groups and hospital leadership. MSMA will host similar meetings after the 2020 legislative session concludes, as well as district meetings and meetings with hospital CMOs.
All physicians, not just MSMA members, are encouraged to sign up for legislative text alerts through MSMA’s Phone2Action program. Physicians communicating directly with legislators is very persuasive. Text MOMEDICAL to 52886 for enrollment.
MSMA has launched an awareness-building campaign, aimed at non-members and lapsed members. Phase 1 has emailed non-member Missouri physicians to introduce/re-introduce them to MSMA through a four-part series focused on vaccinations.
On social media, Facebook was the most successful platform for connecting with physicians in 2019. MSMA placed ads and promoted posts on Facebook reaching more than 44,000 people.
On MSMA’s other social media channels:
Impressions on Twitter increased 19%;
MSMA shared 111 posts on Instagram and added more than 30 new followers;
Twenty-two videos were posted to YouTube and Facebook, generating more than 18,000 video views across the two platforms.
We encourage all members to follow us on social media and to share our posts with member and non-member colleagues.
Missouri Physicians Health Foundation
This has been a busy year as indicated by the number of referrals and the numerous Missouri physicians that were assisted. The MPHP provides a variety of services. This includes consultation, intervention, referral for treatment, monitoring and advocacy. The consultive service is especially active. Hospital administrators, physicians, colleagues and family members call the Program Coordinator or Clinical Coordinator to make a referral, discuss a potential referral or brainstorm about the necessity of making a referral. Information is often requested about how to identify problems, what services are available and how to handle issues of impairment should they occur. Many hours are required to meet their needs. The MPHP provides a safe and knowledgeable venue for any question or concern about physician health.
Missouri State Medical Foundation
The Foundation made more than 3,000 medical school student loans over 50 years, totaling almost $12 million. The loan program has been closed and the Foundation funds the MSMA Scholarships awarded over the past 15 years.
In 2019, the Foundation awarded $4,000 MSMA Scholarships to ten Missouri medical students at each of the six medical schools.
Last year, 60 Missouri medical school students received $240,000 in MSMA Scholarships. This gives us a cumulative scholarship total of $1.2m awarded to Missouri natives who are attending a Missouri medical school.
The Foundation has also matched funding up to $5,000 for local medical societies and the MSMA Alliance which have initiated their own scholarship funds.
The MSMA Alliance has been an important partner to the Foundation through generous fund-raising activities. The Alliance closed their scholarship fund in 2019 and donated the entire $74,000+ to the Foundation.
MSMA Insurance Agency
Your MSMA Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency that offers professional insurance consultation to all Missouri physicians. The Agency offers policies primarily for professional liability and health, but also covers workers compensation, business office coverage, disability, and life.
Agency staff have been exploring with other state medical associations the formation of an Association Health Plan. Due to a highly regulated environment this has moved very slowly, but it remains a worthwhile pursuit.
The board is supportive of the Agency and encourages all MSMA members to contact the Agency for a competitive health insurance or professional liability insurance bid.
Commission on Medical Economics
The MSMA Medical Economics Commission addressed MSMA Resolution #5 (2018) which was referred to the MSMA Council by the House of Delegates. The commission submitted a motion to the MSMA Council that was approved at the July 2018 meeting:
Motion: the MSMA work with the Missouri Pharmacy Association (MPA) to identify measures to promote speedy and safe communication between physicians and pharmacies in the State of Missouri, including, but not limited to, seeking to have a physician access number placed very early in the automated queues of as many pharmacies as possible.
MSMA staff has developed a workgroup with the MPA staff to identify ways to work together toward a better communication system for both groups of medical professionals.
Committee on Publications
Volume Number 116 of Missouri Medicine showcased national authors and featured state of the art scientific articles. This volume published four issues featuring “theme” articles and two issues featuring a variety of scientific topics and micro-series. It contained 508 pages and 52 scientific articles.
The Journal received a satisfactory number of unsolicited articles; acceptance rate is about 75%. We continue to have an outstanding publication queue of high-quality papers. Papers published this past year were reprinted in two state medical Journals. Our theme issues are fully subscribed through November/December 2021. Two first literature reports appeared this past year in our Journal.
“The Science of Near-Death Experiences” (University of Missouri Press 2017) continues to do extremely well in sales, is now available as an audiobook, and was the Fall 2019 cover featured article by Proto the magazine of Massachusetts General Hospital.
In September 2018 Missouri Medicine announced that after a thorough review, PubMed, the indexing service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), would continue to index our Journal. PubMed has indexed Missouri Medicine since 1966. After a separate review, PubMed Central, a free full-text archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the NLM/NIH also approved Missouri Medicine for inclusion. Missouri Medicine has now completed the upload of all previous (digital-only) issues dating from 2010. These new and updated services are critical to our Journal to remain one of the foremost state medical journals in the United States, and to be certain all content is available at all world data bases and literature electronic literature searches. In January 2020, modifications were made to the masthead page for greater clarity.
Our thanks to the Contributing Editors and Publications Committee for their good work: Drs. David Fleming, Art Gale, William Reynolds, Charles Van Way, III, Justin Albani, Jeffrey G. Copeland, Betty Drees and Jessica Bauerle. Added experts in 2019 to the Editorial Board are: Stephanie L. Graff, MD, FACP, Hematology/Oncology; Michael S. Clarke, MD, Military Medicine; Laine M. Young- Walker, MD, Psychiatry; Gary A. Salzman, MD, Pulmonary Medicine; Patricia I. Dickson, MD, Genetics and Genomic Medicine; and Jacqueline L. Reiss, MD, Allergy and Immunology. We wish Kan N. Huang, MD, Gary S. Gottesman, MD, and Susan Berdy, MD, the best for the future and thank them for their service on the Editorial Board. A new board position for Women Physicians Section was created and now Chaired by Joanne Loethen, MD. Elizabeth J. Plogsted James, MD, a former Missouri Medicine Editorial Board member for Neonatology, passed away January 2, 2019, at her home in Columbia, Missouri. The founder of MU’s neonatal-perinatal medicine program, she served as medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit for 36 years until her retirement.
Missouri Medicine would like to publicly thank the following non-Editorial Board experts who have done peer-review of submitted manuscripts in 2019: Angel Baldan, PhD, Doug Bogart, MD, Stephen Braddock, MD, J. Patrick Brooks, MD, Sophia M. Chung, MD, Joel Eissenberg, PhD, Muhammad Ishaq Farhan, MD, Sean Gratton, MD, Richard Hellman, MD, Charles M. Lederer, MD, Lenard Politte, MD, and Stephen Reintjes, Jr., MD.
Missouri Medicine provides reprinted papers for several prestigious medical specialty magazines and journals, and also selectively reprints articles from the medical component societies in Missouri and from national publications appropriate for our audience.
The Publication Committee Chair and Editor, John C. Hagan, III, MD, and Managing Editor, Lizabeth Fleenor, appreciate the many contributions of the MSMA, Alliance members, and others who have contributed to Missouri Medicine. The Committee appreciates the Association’s continued support of the Journal. By any objective criteria Missouri Medicine is among the top three state medical society journals in the United States.
Sections - Young Physician Section
MSMA’s YPS elected its governing council members for 2020. They are:
Chair – Marc Mendelsohn, MD, assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.
Vice-chair – Kunj Patel, MD, director of oncology at Encompass/Barnes Jewish Rehabilitation Hospitals.
Secretary – Sara Hawatmeh, MD, internal medicine specialist in private practice at Sam Hawatmeh, MD PC, in St. Louis.
Treasurer – Ramona Behshad, MD, dermatologist and Mohs surgery specialist at SLU Care and assistant professor of Dermatology at Saint Louis University.
Daniel Lovinger, MD, an internal medicine specialist at University Hospital in Columbia, was selected to serve as the section’s Alternate Delegate to the MSMA House of Delegates for Annual Convention.
Sarah Florio, MD, an internal medicine specialist at St. Luke’s Health System in Lee’s Summit, will serve as the section’s Delegate for 2020, having been voted to the position at the 2019 MSMA Annual Convention.
Sections - Resident & Fellow Section
The Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) primary objectives are increasing MSMA awareness among non-member colleagues, increasing RFS membership, and implementing strategies and events for ongoing membership recruitment. The RFS continues to network and collaborate with the Medical Student Section (MSS) and Young Physician’s Section (YPS), both at local institutions and at national meetings.
RFS members continue to participate in the Resident Ambassador Program, Physician of the Day opportunities in Jefferson City, and the MSMA White Coat Rally. New membership enrollment and advertisement for these opportunities has targeted new fellows and residents (interns), many of whom have recently moved to Missouri.
The RFS governing council meets quarterly with representation at the AMA Annual and Interim meetings, as well as the MSMA annual meeting.
Please contact Frances Mei Hardin, MD, at hardinf@health.missouri.edu with any thoughts, questions, or concerns regarding the MSMA RFS.
Sections - Medical Student Section
The Medical Student Section had a productive year statewide. Individual medical schools hosted a wide variety of events throughout the year including events that focused on advocating for our patients. Medical school chapters hosted naloxone workshops where students learned more about the opioid epidemic and were trained to teach their patients about the importance of recognizing the signs of opioid overdose and how to obtain and administer naloxone. Other medical schools hosted our MSMA lobbyists to learn more about important issues affecting our patients in Missouri.
Students participated in resolution writing workshops to learn how to write resolutions, effectively support them, and enact change through policy. Additionally, many students represented our Missouri medical schools at the AMA Annual and Interim meetings, where they authored and passed resolutions at both the MSS and AMA HOD on trauma-informed care, incorporating gun violence education into medical school curricula, and addressing the healthcare needs of children with incarcerated parents.
The Medical Student Section Board implemented a new quarterly newsletter for all medical student members with updates from each medical school about events they have hosted or projects they have been working on, information about upcoming MSMA and AMA programs, recaps about important policies passed at MSMA and AMA meetings, and information about bills affecting healthcare in the Missouri legislature.