By AppaRao Mukkamala, MD
President
Michigan State Medical Society
msms@msms.org
Dr.
Mukkamala, a Flint radiologist, became MSMS president
in April. E-mail him, at msms@msms.org. The
Michigan State Medical Society is the statewide professional
association of 15,000 medical doctors in Michigan affiliated
with the American Medical Association.
By
Paul O. Farr
Past President
Michigan State Medical Society
Paul
O Farr, MD, is a gastroenterologist at Saint Mary's
Health Care in Grand Rapids. This year
he is serving as the 141st president of the 15,000-member
Michigan State Medical Society.
During his year-long term as MSMS president, Doctor
Farr will focus on promoting the Michigan State
Medical Society's
efforts toward developing a system of universal coverage
that preserves what is good about the current health
care deliver system while ensuring coverage for all.
"MSMS
intends to be an even stronger leader in the health
policy debate in Michigan," Doctor Farr said. "As
physician leaders, we have the obligation to communicate
our ideas about health care to our patients, colleagues,
communities, payers, purchasers, and government."
As part of that leadership role, MSMS recently asked
67 Michigan health care leaders for their thoughts
about where medicine should be in five years. A
consensus formed
around nine themes that MSMS subsequently boiled
down into four Guiding Principles for the Future
of Medicine
and Health Care including wellness, quality, value,
and universal coverage.
"We
are now seeking collaboration from all stakeholders
to work on implementation of our action steps
toward a better health care system," Doctor Farr said.
Doctor Farr, a graduate of Harvard University
and the Boston University School of Medicine,
is a
past Speaker
of the MSMS House of Delegates where policy
on various health care topics is set each year.
He is also a
past president of the Kent County Medical Society.
Doctor
Farr has served on various foundation boards
in Grand Rapids. His passion is classical music. |
