SEPTEMBER EDITION, VOLUME 2019, NO. 9
YOUR PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE 2019 FMA ANNUAL MEETING By Maribel U. Lockwood, M.D., CMS President The 2019 FMA Annual Meeting was held from August 9-11 in Orlando, FL at the Hilton Bonnet Creek Hotel. Capital Medical Society was entitled to eleven delegates as its representatives, based on the number of its members who are also FMA members. Our delegation included John Bailey, D.O., Andy Borom, M.D., David Dixon, D.O., Michael Forsthoefel, M.D., Rohan Joseph, M.D., Alma Littles, M.D., Maribel Lockwood, M.D., John Mahoney, M.D., Winston Ortiz, M.D., Ken Whithaus, M.D., and Gary Winchester, M.D. We were joined by Christie Alexander, M.D., FMA Board of Governors Delegate; John Katopodis, M.D., 2017 FMA President and FMA Board of Governors Delegate; Andrea Friall, M.D., American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) District XII Florida; and Brence Sell, M.D., FL Society of Anesthesiologists. Avon Doll, M.D. was in attendance as a delegate for the Florida Society of Nephrology. The Northwest Florida (NWFL) Caucus combines eleven Capital Medical Society delegates, eight delegates from the Emerald Coast Medical Association, and eight delegates from the Escambia County Medical Society. As a caucus, we are very passionate about the practice of medicine and the resolutions we reviewed. The leadership of the NWFL Caucus rotates among the three delegations every year. This year, it was Capital Medical Society’s turn, so I was tasked to this role as the current CMS President. It was my second year attending the FMA Annual Meeting. I knew our NWFL Caucus is a passionate group, so I was hesitant, but determined to fulfill my role. With the help of our excellent CMS Executive Director Pam Irwin, we were able to navigate the issues in a timely manner. Capital Medical Society Foundation’s new Development Director Judi Wills also attended and helped Pam with the meeting setup each morning. Shannon Boyle provided her assistance in advance by handling the event-side of things like reserving the meeting space, AV rentals, and food orders. We discussed all of the proposed resolutions, were able to discuss and debate them, and end our caucus meetings with a unified position to present, as needed, to
the Reference Committees. I truly appreciate all members of the NWFL Caucus for their ideas and willingness to work together for the good of the practice of medicine. I believe we all felt good with the work accomplished. There are 4 Reference Committees. Reference Committees are groups of at least five delegates, selected by the Speaker to conduct open hearings on matters of business of the House of Delegates. Having heard discussion on the subject before it, the committee draws up a report with recommendations to the House for disposition of its items of business. Capital Medical Society’s members participated in three of the four as committee members: Rohan Joseph, M.D., Reference Committee I- Health, Education, and Public Policy; Brence Sell, M.D., Reference Committee II- Finance and Administration; and I served on Reference Committee III- Legislation and Miscellaneous.
Delegates and Members from Capital Medical Society: (standing, l-r) Rohan Joseph, M.D., Judi Wills, Brence Sell, M.D., Andy Borom, M.D., Michael Forsthoefel, M.D., Ken Whithaus, M.D., David Dixon, D.O., John Katopodis, M.D., Pam Irwin, (seated, l-r) Christie Alexander, M.D., Maribel U. Lockwood, M.D., and Alma Littles, M.D. (Not pictured: John Bailey, D.O., John Mahoney, M.D., Winston Ortiz, M.D., and Gary Winchester, M.D.) CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
CAPITAL MEDICAL SOCIETY 2019 MEETINGS CALENDAR September 17, 2019 CMS Membership & CME Meeting Disaster Preparedness Speaker: Joe Mazziotta, M.D. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks
October 15, 2019 CMS Membership & CME Meeting Prevention of Medical Errors Speakers: Julia Weeks, M.D. and Jesse Suber, Esq. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks CONTINUED ON PAGE 3