ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY in conjunction with SANTA ROSA COUNTY
MARCH/APRIL2012 Volume 42, No. 2
President’s Message
A Well Kept Secret by George A.W. Smith, MD
Upcoming Events Friday March 23, 2012
ECMS Doctors Day Celebration Ice Flyers Hockey Game, 7:05p
Dr. George A.W. Smith
I have a very exciting discovery that I can
beds of the Institute were designed into the old
hardly wait to share with you. I have been
Medical Center Clinic on Palafox Street and full
practicing medicine in Pensacola for the past
rehabilitation hospital services were available
seventeen years and perhaps this may not be
in 1976. It soon became apparent that a signif-
news to you. I suspect however that with the
icant number of the severely disabled needing
exception of the past presidents of the Escam-
rehabilitation had no funding source. Thus in
Pensacola Civic Center Please rsvp by March 16
bia County Medical Society this is a well-kept
1980 the Foundation was started with several
secret. Having just assumed the presidency of
small contributions and a $20,000 grant from
Tuesday April 10, 2012
the Society, I learned last month my responsi-
the Gannett Foundation. In 1983 the Institute
bilities include representing the medical soci-
Trustees voted to sell to any local hospital in an
ety on the Rehabilitation Foundation of North-
effort to secure funds for the foundation. The
west Florida. Of course having never heard
West Florida hospital’s offer of about $3.3mil-
of them before I was very happy to meet with
lion was accepted and most of this money was
their Executive Director Robert Bowman, Ed.D
transferred to the Rehabilitation Foundation to
to hear more about this organization and the
fund rehabilitation services to individuals with
role I would play.
physical disabilities who were needy and had
Florida State Representative Doug Broxson “Update on Florida Regulation”
McGuire’s Irish Pub, 5:30p Wednesday May 9, 2012
Annual Mini Health Fair
Paul’s on the Bay, 5:30p
RSVP: 478-0706
info@escambiacms.org Founded in 1873
www.escambiacms.org
no other funding source. Foundation invested It turns out that the Rehabilitation Foundation
assets grew over the years and although the
of Northwest Florida followed the successful
Institute Trustees stipulated that only the in-
initial funding and establishment of the Reha-
vested earnings would be used, to date over
bilitation Institute of West Florida in 1975. In
$6 million has been awarded to local citizens
1973-74 a community based feasibility study
of both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
concluded that the community needed and
Most of the funds have been awarded for inpa-
could support a combined inpatient rehabili-
tient rehabilitation, but awards are also made
tation and a vocational rehabilitation center
for out-patient therapy, orthotics and prosthet-
for the physically handicapped. The initial 38
ics and rehabilitation equipment.