MDNews - Central New York

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ONONDAGA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY ++ + ++ + Embracing the Revolution in By Gerald N. Hoffman HAT WAS THE theme of the 2011 annual meeting of the American Association of Medical Society Executives held in Boston, July 20-23. The revolution goes far beyond the health care law. It is about electronic medi- cal records, outcomes research, accountable care organizations and an array of many other issues related to patient care. The opening session and keynote address was titled "Turning Physicians Into Leaders." The presenter was Thomas H. Lee, M.D. Dr. Lee is professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He is Chair of the editorial boards of the Harvard Heart Letter, a publication he helped found. He is CEO of Partners Community HealthCare Inc., the integrated health care delivery system established by Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and their parent company, Partners Health Care System, Inc. Dr. Le e des c r ibed how the Massachusetts health law was developed in 2006. He admitted that the state is small compared to the rest of the country and differs from many states. The dominant health insurers in the state were not-for-profi t companies. The stakehold- ers, he said, were stuck with each other and could not ignore the challenges of each other, and we all felt that we should Health Care T take on problems together. The physician expressed optimism that physicians will play a leadership role in the ongoing health care revolution, which "physicians should embrace." He commented, "We are living in a Golden Age. Something historic is happening. If you die from myocardial infarction, it is malpractice." Looking back, he reminded the audience that in the 1960s, there was no CPR and no beepers. Dr. Lee says, "The bad news is that progress brings cost and chaos." He said that the rapidly changing medical world has many implications for physician leaders: the importance of team care, the extension of teams beyond hospitalization to continuation of care and the need to answer the question, "What can I do to meet the needs of the marketplace?" Another interesting session was titled "Cohesiveness of Medical Groups in the Brave New World." The presenter was Gregory S. Meyer, M.D., M.Sc., of Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Meyer is Senior Vice President for the Edward P. Lawrence Center for Quality and Safety at Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts General Physician Organization. Dr. Meyer said that the key capability today is to provide high-quality, patient- centered care efficiently. He stated that physicians probably need to be organized in a different way. Physicians have a number of options, in his opinion. Dr. Meyer outlined them as follows: + "Let's make a deal with government." + Do nothing. + Shared savings programs He commented that making no deci- sion "is a decision." Physicians, Dr. Meyer observed, have a "fear of being shut out." Furthermore, in these times of change, physicians "have the comfort of a large raft in a stormy sea." Like many others, he realized that "lifestyles in the workplace for a new generation" are different than in the past. Medical societies, he said, need to make people aware of what is coming. Whether physicians like it or not, a train is coming down the tracks. Physicians need to "think of what you can do for your patients." Who is going to be in charge? Having government in charge, he said, "does not work." To suc- ceed in the new environment, he exhorted, "Physicians must band together." Gerald N. (Jerry) Hoffman is Executive Vice President of the Onondaga County Medical Society and is co-author of two books, Medical Malpractice Insurance, A Legislator's View, and The History of Local Medical Care, 1806-2006. n

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