MSDC commitment to create more opportunities to network was evident at the Annual Meeting, we had great opportunities to mingle and connect during the various receptions. I urge you to get involved by participating in one of MSDC’s many physician groups (
Here's how
). You will have the opportunity to meet with members of different specialties and implement some of our goals.
1. We will continue to advocate for affordable insurance, equitable medical care and for fair payment to hospitals and physicians across the city, especially East of the River.
2. MSDC will press for easing practice of medicine, through non content-specific CMEs and no MOC requirements to obtain a license to practice.
3. MSDC believes that medications should be affordable. We are happy to say that MSDC’ s biosimilars bill will receive a hearing on November 13th.
4. MSDC is helping to fight well known public health threats. Some of them are the opioid crisis, poor maternal health outcomes, childhood immunizations and food desserts in some parts of the city. Another threat is unconscious bias
.
In DC, a reason for race disparity in maternal mortality during childbirth is blamed on physician unconscious bias. MSDC is committed to teach physicians how to be cognizant of it. However, if the bias is not present, we will protect the physicians from the blame of a public health threat.
It is well known that the medical practice is in danger due to moral injury or burnout. We are spending endless hours in front of the computer, tired of working under mandates and frustrated at losing the freedom to treat our patients.
This year,
my number one priority is the creation of a comprehensive Wellbeing Program for physicians
. The Wellbeing Committee, formed with representatives of DC's medical institutions, has been working for you. We are obtaining data specific to DC and will create a Counseling Program for all DC’s physicians which will be independent of your workplace. This program will be funded by a generous grant of the Institute of Technology in Health Care.
I want to assure all the doctors in DC affected by any form of moral injury that a new day is here now, and that help will be coming soon.
Sincerely yours,
J. Desiree Pineda, MD, FACP
President, Medical Society of the District of Columbia
