President’s Message

situation. Large hospital systems are also not immune to the devastation of this virus. From a health care standpoint, the system could be crippled if the numbers of infected patients outpace the available medical resources. Already many of us are seeing shortages of fairly standard things such as cleaning supplies, masks, gloves, goggles, etc. Even the large medical institutions face a tremendous economic crisis with the current pandemic.

Due to limited access for patients in our offices, it is imperative that we have the ability to utilize telemedicine as an option to take care of our patients. However, Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that still do not provide full coverage for telemedicine. The PSG is working hard to try to push for insurance coverage for this very important tool in treating our patients. Although the PSG is almost 40 years old, we have always strived to maintain relevance and advance the needs of our members as we adapt to the changes in medicine.

We are fortunate here in Pennsylvania to have a very robust specialty society for gastroenterology. I do not take for granted the hard work of my predecessors who had built our great organization to what it is today. Our team continues to strive to grow the organization and remain impactful.

The field of medicine is constantly changing. Our field of gastroenterology, in particular, is no exception and is undergoing rapid changes. In the current environment, there has been increased consolidation of medical practices, hospitals and health systems within our own state. As mentioned in our previous communications, private equity investment has been a relatively new player in healthcare.

Over a short period of time, there has been a large expansion of private equity across our country. Indeed, Pennsylvania is one of a select number of states that has seen more recent private equity investment in gastroenterology. It is highly likely that this influence will continue to grow in our state and across the USA. The PSG will keep you updated with these changes and other news as it relates to GI in our state.

As healthcare providers in the field of gastroenterology, we need a strong voice to represent our interests as well as our patient’s interests. The PSG is that voice and we will continue to advocate for legislation that aims to optimize our ability to take care of our patients in an efficient and compassionate fashion. However, we cannot do it alone. We need your support and your input more than ever. What we are experiencing currently as it relates to the pandemic is frightening, and we must work

together to get through these trying times. If you are already a member of the PSG, I thank you for your support. If not, please consider joining. The streamlined application process only takes a few short minutes with nominal membership dues. I encourage you to become a member of the PSG which has been the voice of gastroenterology specialists in our great state of Pennsylvania for almost 40 years.

In this issue, you will read about advances in gastroparesis in addition to the latest updates on COVID-19. Also, we will provide the best tips and tricks on navigating the prior authorization process for our medicines. We will provide the latest updates on the Mcare statue, a summary of recent legislative proceedings and a highly relevant review on how to tidy up your financial strategies to accomplish your future retirement goals.

I would like to give a special thank you to Dr. Neil Nandi as he was one of the driving forces to help modernize and socialize our newsletter. Also, Dr. Nandi in collaboration with Dr. Austin Chiang and other members of the team, is helping advance the PSG social media presence. In this light, we also welcome back our Fellows In Training (FIT) leaders and our inaugural class of Social Media (SoMe) Ambassadors who help advocate GI focused education through digital platforms to reach our members and the lay public with trustworthy information. We hope you enjoy this latest issue of Rumblings!

Sincerely,

Ravi Ghanta, MD President Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology

In Memoriam Michael M. Geduldig, M.D. Past PSG President 1992-1993

The PSG family mourns the loss of Dr. Michael Geduldig of Mechanicsburg

who passed away peacefully at his home on December 13, 2019 at the age

of 89. Dr. Geduldig was the President of the PSG from 1992-1993. Originally

from Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Geduldig started his college education at

Cornell University at age 16, graduating with a degree in biochemistry. He

earned his medical degree from New York University College of Medicine.

Dr. Geduldig served as a captain in the United States Army Medical Corps,

stationed in Germany, in the late 1950s. He completed his internship,

residency, and a fellowship at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. He

then moved to Harrisburg in 1964 to establish a medical practice. He was

the first board-certified gastroenterologist in central Pennsylvania. Dr.

Geduldig was recognized for his clinical expertise and compassionate care

of patients and their families. Throughout his career, he held appointments

as Professor of Medicine and Director of Gastroenterology at Hahnemann

Medical College, Professor of Medicine Emeritus at Hershey Medical

School, and as noted previously, President of our Pennsylvania Society

of Gastroenterology. For years he served in leadership positions at local

hospitals, and was a member of multiple professional organizations

and associations. Michael was a relentlessly curious person, a Civil War

buff who audited college history classes well into his late 70s. He was a

voracious reader, an avid gardener, worldwide traveler and master bread

baker. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.