Page 6 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_January-2018
P. 6
President’s Letter
To Unite, Serve and Represent
By Scott L. Furney, MD In paying your dues, you should expect representation for taxation.
In advocating for our physicians, we have the dual role of advocating
A s I start my one-year term as president of MCMS, I on behalf of our patients. For those of you who struggle, on occasion,
must first express my profound thanks to Dr. Stephen to take good care of your patients, it is important to step back and
Ezzo, who selflessly agreed to serve a second term identify the core issues. If we speak with one voice, issues like
in 2017 as president of this great organization. I pre-authorizations and scope of practice can become currency for
can think of no better person to have served two terms while I meaningful discussion. For those new to the topic, I would strongly
completed my MBA and the new officers learned of the deep roots suggest the vlog “Bowtie Briefing” by Chip Baggett of the North
and connections of the Medical Society. Steve also is a gifted writer, Carolina Medical Society. You can access his most recent five-minute
drawing on patients, colleagues and history for his musings. I have video (come on, you have time) at www.ncmedsoc.org/bowtie-
big shoes to fill, with few of his talents. Thank you, Steve (and briefing-special-sessions-re-cap-your-chance-to-be-doctor-of-the-day/.
Janice, his wife), for your service.
A year is a long time, and it is also very short. The Board of
As we start a new year, in a rapidly changing environment rife with Directors needs to hear from you on what we can do to help unite,
conflict and angst, I am comforted by our mission statement: To unite, serve and represent our members.
serve and represent our members as advocates for our patients, for the
health of the community and for the profession of medicine. In humble service,
Divisions can deepen in chaotic times, in medicine as in politics. “All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.”
In the Medical Society, I have found a comradery that transcends — Samantha Power
practice, employer and political leanings. We unite as a medical
society to work on behalf of the patients of Mecklenburg County CHARLOTTE AHEC COURSE OFFERINGS
— those we serve and those who need services but cannot access
them. While it is easier to keep our heads down and work on what Charlotte AHEC is part of the N.C. Area Health Education Centers
we know than to examine what we do not see, we can unite around (AHEC) Program and Carolinas HealthCare System.
the common goal of promoting health for all the patients in our
county. Each of us can struggle in our practices, but together we can JANUARY 2018
drive changes none of us could accomplish alone. Unity in purpose Continuing Medical Education (CME)
and advocacy for high-quality care for our patients, and for our
neighbors, should be our top priority. 1/26 Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Cardiovascular Symposium 2018
O nline Breaking the Cycle: Opioid Series
As a physician-administrator in CHS, I have long-held beliefs in Online Electronic Medical Record on Trial: Risk Management for
servant leadership. I first was inspired after being exposed to Robert
Greenleaf’s work a decade ago. For physicians, it calls to our nature to Nurses and Physicians
care for those in our charge. A brief summary of this from his website O nline Healthcare Communication
www.greenleaf.org: Online Protecting Your Patients From Air Pollution
O nline Risk Management: Patient Identification
A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth
and well-being of people and the communities to For more information or to register for these courses, call 704-512-6523
which they belong. While traditional leadership or visit www.charlotteahec.org.
generally involves the accumulation and exercise of
power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant
leadership is different. The servant-leader shares
power, puts the needs of others first and helps
people develop and perform as highly as possible.
And so I ask, “What can the Medical Society do for you, our
patients, and our community?” We need to hear from you so we are
working on our shared mission — with your help, of course!
6 | January 2018 • Mecklenburg Medicine
