S TATY o u r F l o r i d a M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n A l l i a n c e N e w s :
2 0 0 9 S p r i n g / S u m m e r
Always learning, always prepared 6Boca Raton is waiting 9Easing the pain during a disaster 12
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2 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
S TATY o u r F l o r i d a M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n A l l i a n c e N e w s :
2 0 0 9 S p r i n g / S u m m e r
3 President Seven steps to FMAA success
4 Executive Director Preparing for the future
5 FMAA Nominations 2009-2010 Nominated Slate
16 The Core Local county alliances showcase health projects, legislative advocacy, and community involvement.
18 Granted Alliance members head to the Capitol, working to promote physician friendly legislature.
20 AMAA: Develop A Plan Tips on how to prepare your children, home, and business for disaster
Copyright © 2009
STAT is published bi-annually by the Florida Medical Association Alliance, Inc. 123 South Adams Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32301. This publication is copyrighted by the Florida Medical Association Alliance, Inc. Views expressed in this issue represent those of the individual authors and may not necessarily represent the views of the Florida Medical Association Alliance, Inc.
The Florida Medical Association Alliance, Inc. does not necessarily represent the accuracy or reliability of any of the advertisements displayed in this publication or endorse any of the advertisers in this publication.
p 12
“we were the f irst to arrive at ground zero
“9 FMA Alliance & FMA Annual Meeting
12 Reaching Out
Join us in Boca Raton, Florida, for infl uential meetings, exciting guest speakers, and unforgettable evenings.
Discovering the needs of others and doing something about it is just one of the many faucets of an Alliance member.
6 Lessons Learned
Liz Kagan is always learning through her entrepreneurial ventures and prepping them for what lies ahead.
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3FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
This issue of STAT is all about planning. Recognizing its
importance, I would like to take this space to share with
you a plan which will guide the actions of FMA Alliance.
This is an effort that your leadership has worked to
develop, with your input, over the last several years. It
relies on shared vision and commitment to mission. It
is the FMA Alliance Strategic Plan.
This plan outlines the steps the FMA Alliance Board of
Directors believes it must take to ensure the viability
and future of the Alliance. Seven broad goals have been
adopted. They are:
1. Increase membership annually through integrated
recruitment, retrieval and retention strategies.
2. Provide opportunities for both the membership
and those in leadership positions to engage in
activities which enhance their ability to address
the mission and vision of the FMA Alliance.
3. Promote the distribution of programs, information
and resources which support health related
initiatives.
4. Partner with the FMA to promote legislative issues
as identified by the FMA and FMA Alliance.
5. Raise funds to support the activities of the FMA
Alliance Entrusted Fund.
6. Increase non-dues revenue to support the
activities and programs of the FMA Alliance.
7. Ensure that assets and liabilities of the FMA
Alliance are effectively monitored and managed.
Each statement is accompanied by specific strategies
and actions which will guide the work of the
Board of Directors and FMA Alliance committees.
Responsibilities for action have been delegated,
timelines established and desired outcomes identified.
By adopting this plan and committing itself to the
identified actions, the leadership of the FMA Alliance
affirms its commitment to you, the members. You have
placed your trust in us to lead this organization on your
behalf. This plan will help us do that and allow you to
hold us accountable for the goals we have put forth. I
invite you to visit our web site and view the document
when it is available in the month of May.
There are many to acknowledge for their efforts in
crafting this document. Those responsible for leading
this organization have carefully reviewed and analyzed
all aspects of our operations. We spent time speaking
with you as we traveled around the state. We specified,
clarified and prioritized those strategies we believe
necessary to build an organization grounded in the
present and focused on the future. Finally we agreed
upon those actions which would direct our efforts. Ann
Anderson, FMA Alliance President-Elect championed
the final push to bring all of this hard work together.
This document will assist our future leaders in directing
the work of this organization. Ann Anderson was joined
by Rita Seymore, Liza Battaglia, Shar Donovan, Anne
Grenitz, Elaine Hale, Joan Harmon, Kathy Johns and
Joni Routman. These individuals have been involved
in this project since its inception. I encourage you to
seek them out and thank them for their hard work and
dedication.
{ Diane Andrews, President }
strategy to succeed
4 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
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We are in a constant s ta te o f prepar ing for the
future - f rom put t ing our c lo thes on in the morning
ant ic ipat ing the work that lays ahead to s tock ing
our homes wi th suppl ies expect ing , and fear ing ,
the wors t o f d i sas ters . Take a look a t each moment
in your day and you ’ l l f ind over 50 percent i s
spent ge t t ing ready for the next pro jec t , emai l ,
conversat ion , meal , event - the l i s t i s endless .
A l l o f th is preparat ion serves a greater purpose .
Confuc ius sa id i t bes t , “Success depends upon
prev ious preparat ion , and wi thout such preparat ion
there i s sure to be fa i lure . ” I t i s to our benef i t that
we p lan for the next th ing , whatever i t may be .
The FMA Al l iance has been d i l igent in i t s
preparat ion for the future . Our great organizat ion
has researched to d iscover what i s necessary to
mainta in an opt imum leve l o f member serv ices . One
o f our d iscover ies was the need to make a change
in branding and market ing . The or ig ina l FMA
Al l iance sea l and logo have been g iven new l i fe .
We have a l so rev i ta l i zed two long-s tanding hea l th
promot ions pro jec ts : HandsCAN and Medi-F i le
cards .
Once the re juv inated and wel l prepared programs
are completed we wi l l prov ide them to you and
he lp you incorporate them in your communit ies . I t
i s these smal l but s igni f i cant changes that make a
d i f ference in our organizat ion .
The FMA Al l iance ant ic ipates success , as we
cont inuous ly work to improve our serv ices and
member benef i t s . Great th ings are wai t ing for us -
we bet ter be prepared .
{All ison Finley, Executive Director}
prepwor k
5FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
President-Elect - Shar Donovan
First Vice President - Joni Routman
Treasurer - Lissette Gorman
Secretary - Joan Harmon
North West District Vice President - Kathy Johns
North East District Vice President - Betsy Ponte
Central District Vice President - Nimisha Chheda
South District Vice President - Janice Justiz
Nimisha Chheda
Karen Chouinard
Karen Dehgan
Lauren DeIorio
Susan Flaten
Joan Harmon
Nancy Jablonski
Kathy Johns
Mary Macchiaroli
Rosemary Xavier
Nominating CommitteeFinance Committee
Maureen Soliman
Dena Pulley
The Alliance Nominating Committee met February 3, 2009, at the Hillsborough County
Medical Association office in Tampa. The Committee is proud to present the following
proposed slate of officers for 2009-2010:
Finance Committee nominations may be given by Alliance members, who are not seated on the Board of Directors, from the House of Delegates floor during the 2009 FMA Alliance Annual Meeting. All other nominations are open to all Alliance members.
2009-2010 FMAA
nominated s late
N o m i n a t e d f o r E l e c t i o n
L e a d e r s h i p
6 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
l e ssonsLearnedWhen starting a new business, there are many important decisions to make. One of the most
valuable is to create a disaster preparedness plan. As Floridians we should be accustomed
to the onslought of natural disasters. Hurricanes and tropical storms are so common to our
state that one would be wise to be prepared for the unexpected.
Liz Kagan is always prepared.
7FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Liz and her husband have started multiple businesses
which include an aviation company, restaurant,
surgery centers, residential developments, orange
groves, medical equipment business, and insurance
company. Each business offered growth and
sustainabil i ty for the next generated enterprise. Liz
has kept each entreprenuerial venture successful and
running through her business savvy and abil i ty to be
prepared in al l s ituations - even disasters.
Most small business owners are unprepared for
emergencies. As a result , 25 percent of small
businesses that close because of f ires, f loods, or other
disasters never reopen, according to the Institute for
Business & Home Safety in Tampa, Florida.
Liz has made sure her businesses have a disaster
plan that caters to each individual need. The
aviation business has, of course, airplanes and
major equipment stationed in hangers. “We have to
physical ly move the equipment depending on the
emergency,” Liz states. “The restaurant’s preparedness
is different in that we make sure we don’t have
lots of perishables during a disaster. If a storm is
approaching we l imit the order of food.” With the
residential development, vigi lance is necessary with
contractors to make certain sites are cleaned and
won’t damage neighboring homes.
Much is required for her husband’s medical practice
to be adequately prepared. There’s more loss at stake
than equipment or perishables. Losing power may
knock an off ice out for a few days, but losing patient
history, f inancial records, or system software can do
more lasting damage. The most crit ical part of a plan
is determining how to back-up data and where to store
i t .
An entreprenuer at heart,
8 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
“We rely heavily on computers
and I can’t emphasize enough the
need for routine and daily back-
up of systems” states Liz. It is
also imperative that software can
be replaced i f not revived. In the
event of an approaching storm
several back-ups are required.
“Personally, i f my computer is
down for three to four hours I
feel lost . Compound that with
physician practices now relying on
electronic medical records (EMR).”
If a physician’s off ice is destroyed,
feel ing helpless would be an
understatement.
It is crucial to protect your
spouse’s practice. “You’re talking
about losing data for al l of your
patients.” Even i f paper records
have been converted to EMRs
remember, i t ’s not a matter of
paper versus electronic, i t ’s a
matter of preservation. An obvious
problem is storing data in one
location. If that location is wiped
out you’ve not real ly protected it .
Off-site storage in another area
of the state or another state al l
together is necessary. “You’re
taking personal health information
and making sure it ’s secure and
won’t be compromised.”
Office staff arrangements are
also a concern. Her husband’s
practice has a phone tree system
in place to notify employees. It ’s
designed to alert staff when the
off ice wil l reopen, offer alternative
means of completing work, and
to provide general concern to
those who experienced damage.
Hurricanes and tropical storms can
create power outages. However,
i f phone l ines are st i l l operating,
a means of communication, aside
from cel l phones, is to use phones
powered through a jack and not an
electronic base.
Even the best plan isn’t going to
rebuild your off ice or rent a new
location. Adequate insurance
coverage wil l be the only way to
start anew. There are three types
of insurance coverages al l small
business owners should have,
according to the Small Business
Administration: property insurance
to protect against losses from
fire and theft , l iabil i ty insurance
to protect against lawsuits, and
business-interruption insurance
to cover revenue loss. Whatever
best suits your business needs,
insurance is a small price to pay
to keep a temporary crisis from
becoming a true catastrophe.
“I ’d never been through a
hurricane, even though I ’m a
native Floridian. I ’m not sure
what I thought, but I didn’t know
Hurrican Charlie [ in 2004] would
last so long. We had no power
for f ive days. One of the things
I did learn with Charlie is you
could have a whole room fi l led
with batteries and sti l l never have
enough.” Liz has since researched
other means of l ighting, l ike
generators and l ight st icks. Secure
measures for personal belongings
are necessary as well . Water and
f ire proof safes are perfect to hold
important documents such as birth
certi f icates, l i fe insurance, and
f lash drives.
Valuable lessons were learned
during the 2004 and 2005
hurricane seasons. People look at
hurricanes a l i tt le differently now.
When June 1st comes around make
sure you have a plan in place for
both business and home.
Liz Kagan currently l ives with
her husband, John Kagan, MD, in
Fort Myers, Florida. They have
twin sons and one daughter. Liz
received her Bachelors in Nursing
degree at the University of Florida
and law degree at Samford
University in Birmingham,
Alabama. She is also a Licensed
Healthcare Risk Manager.
if a physician’s office is
destroyed, feeling helpless
would be an understatement
9FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Florida Medical Association & FMA Alliance
&Florida Medical Expo
July 24 & 25, 2009 Boca Raton Resort & Club www.fmaonline.org
Annual Meeting
10 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
ALL attendees must register for the 2009 FMAA & FMA Annual Meeting using the Registration Form (facing page).
For more information about this year’s Annual Meeting visit the web site at www.fmaalliance.org or call the FMAA at 800.762.0233.
Boca Raton Resort & Club • 501 East Camino Real • Boca Raton, Florida 33432Reservations: 888.491.2622
Use the adjacent form
to register for the 2009
FMAA & FMA Annual
Meeting. You must fill out
a registration form if you
plan to attend. If you do
not register by July 11,
2009 a registration packet
will not be available for
you on-site.
Friday, July 24
Saturday, July 25
Sunday, July 26
FMA/FMA Alliance CME : 10:30 am - 12:00 pmFMA Alliance Board of Directors Meeting : 12:00 - 2:30 pmFMA Alliance House of Delegates Meeting : 3:00 - 5:30 pmFMA & FMA Alliance President’s Reception, complimentary : 5:30 - 7:30 pm
FMA Alliance Board of Directors Meeting : 8:30 - 10:30 am
FMA Alliance Members Breakfast : 7:30 - 8:30 amFMA Alliance Gavel Club Breakfast : 7:30 - 8:30 amFMA Alliance House of Delegates Meeting : 8:30 - 11:30 am and Installation & Awards CeremonyFMA Chef ’s Sampler, complimentary : 11:30 am - 2:00 pmFMA & FMA Alliance President’s Installation : 5:30 - 10:00 pm & FMA Foundation Dinner
The 2009 FMAA & FMA Annual Meeting will be held at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida. Make your hotel reservations by calling 888.491.2622 and ask for the Florida Medical Association room block. The FMA room block deadline is June 21, 2009. You MUST make your hotel reservation by this deadline to receive the FMA group rates, which star t at $130.00 per night.
July 24 - 26, 2009Annual Meeting
Tentative Agenda Registration
Reservations
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Registration2009 FMAA Annual MeetingJuly 24 - 26 • Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton, FL
For reservations call 888.491.2622
Please fill out the registration form below and return to: FMAA - ATTN: ANNUAL MEETING, P.O. Box 10269, Tallahassee, FL 32302 • Fax: 850.513.9477
Contact Information
Registration Fees
Last Name _______________________________________ First Name ________________________________ M.I. ____
Check all that apply:
State Officer/Board/Chair State Past President County Delegate for House of Delegates
County Alternate Delegate for House of Delegates Special Needs _____________________________________
Invited Guest of Above ___________________________________ Other _____________________________________
Enclosed is a check made payable to FMA
Charge my credit card: American Express MasterCard Visa
Name on card: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Authorized signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Credit Card Number
FMAA - ATTN: Annual Meeting, PO Box 10269, Tallahassee, FL 32302 • Fax 850.513.9477 For more information go to www.fmaonline.org or cal l 800.762.0233
Exp Date
Spouse/Guest Name ___________________________________________________ Badge requested? Yes No
FMAA Annual Meeting, includes FMAA Awards Breakfast Ticket: $100 per personAwards Breakfast Guest Ticket: $50 per guest, Number attending _______
FMA Special Event TicketsFriday, July 24FMA/FMAA CME, 10:30 am -12:00 pm Complimentary, Number attending _______Are You Prepared? : Know the Plan, Do Your Part • Prepare your family and your practice for natural disasters, bio-terrorism, and other public health threats • Engage effectively with state-wide and national disaster planning efforts Saturday, July 25 FMA & FMAA Presidents’ Installation Ceremony & FMA Foundation Dinner, 5:30-10:00 pm $110 per person, Number attending _______
ADA - In accordance with ADA requirements, if you are disabled and require special services, please check here. The FMAA staff willl contact you after we have completed your registration
Address _________________________________________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________________________ State ____________ Zip Code _______________
Phone ____________________________ Fax __________________________ Email ___________________________________
Address Change? Yes No
Payment: Please send me confirmation of my registration. (check one) Yes No
TOTAL REGISTRATION FEES: $
12 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Reaching Out
13FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
On Aug 13, 2004, Hurricane Charlie made landfall in Southwest Florida on Captiva
Island in Lee County. As the hurricane made its way through the intracoastal waters
it landed at Port Charlotte in Charlotte County. The hurricane’s compact eye caused
severe damage to the community with 80 percent of buildings devastated. All three
hospitals in the area were considered a loss. The Charlotte County Medical Society
(CCMS) building was impaired and the medical community lost many of its patient
care offices.
Community hardships have a tendency to bring out the best in us. When disaster strikes we find joy and purpose in helping those that need it more than ourselves.
14 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Ann Anderson, FMA All iance
President-Elect and Lee County
Medical Society All iance Past
President, contacted Noelle Lipkin,
then CCMS All iance President,
to address the needs of her
community. “It took me a number
of weeks to locate her due to
downed phone towers and a state
of emergency in the county,” stated
Ann. Once connected, Noelle
expressed the tremendous need of a
non-profit organization directed by
Dr. Mark Asperi l la.
St . Vincent de Paul Pharmacy,
located in Port Charlotte, Florida,
provides prescription medication
to qualif ied patients for as long
as they need them free of charge,
regardless of rel igion, race, color,
or creed. Uti l izing approximately
200 volunteers - who contribute
over 15,000 hours per year with
a value of contributed t ime close
to $600,000 - St . Vincent has
been instrumental in helping
county residents in need to receive
prescription medication with a
value averaged over $630,000
per year. Since opening in 1999,
St . Vincent has expanded to f ive
locations in Florida: Punta Gorda,
Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Arcadia,
and Angelwood.
“After Hurricane Charlie hit , we
were the f irst to arrive at ground
zero as medical rel ief to local
residents,” states Dr. Asperi l la. “It
was the f irst t ime FEMA allowed
a cl inic in a declared disaster
area.” St . Vincent set-up a mobile
pharmacy and cl inic, which al lowed
residents to receive medical care
and prescriptions without the
expense of attending an emergency
room. Charlotte CMS provided
the bulk of volunteers, with 15-
20 specialty physicains taking
rotations in the area for over a
year.
Ann saw this as an opportunity for
the FMA All iance to assist in a way
it never had before. She and other
FMA All iance leaders, along with
the Health Promotions Committee,
developed the Disaster Relief Fund.
This fund was established for
As F lor ida res idents we exper ience natura l
d isasters mult ip le t imes throughout the year.
Having d isaster preparedness p lans for both
your home and spouse’s of f ice are necessar y.
“My husband is in a large mult i -spec ia l ty
group with Anchor Health Centers . They
have a d isaster preparat ion p lan in p lace
for the whole organizat ion that covers
many sate l l i tes and out-pat ient urgent
care ,” states Ann, “and h is group uses EMRs
that have back-up s i los out of the state of
F lor ida .” In addit ion they col laborate with
the loca l hospita l systems to ensure that the
community fac i l i t ies have adequate sta f f a f ter
a d isaster event .
Ann a lso has a preparedness p lan in p lace
for her home and fami ly. “Our p lan helped
us stay in our home dur ing Hurr icane Wilma
on October 24, 2005,” Ann boasts . “ I t a lso
a l lowed us to provide volunteer ass istance in
the community.”
Ann Ander son l i ves w i th her husband , Char les
Ander son , MD, in Naples , F lor ida . Together they
ra i sed two daughter s . She rece ived her RN
degree f rom Massachuset ts Genera l Hosp i ta l
Schoo l o f Nur s ing . Her more recent occupat ions
inc lude Deve lopment Di rec tor Ch i ldren ’s
Advocac y Center o f Co l l i e r County, vo lunteer for
Co l l i e r County Pub l i c Schoo ls , Catho l i c Char i t ies ,
Co l l i e r County Medica l Soc ie ty A l l iance Board of
Di rec tor s and FMAA BOD, FMA PAC .
15FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
THE PREP
PLAN• Donatecannedgoodsthat mayexpire
over the next s ix months
• Replenishnon-per ishable food,paper
products , tarp ing , duct tape ,
f lash l ights and batter ies , etc .
• Haveat least threedaysof non-per ish
ab le food suppl ies for a fami ly of four
• Stockyour freezerwithbagsof ice
• Makesureyourgasgenerator is
working and has enough gas to operate
for three days
• Haveenoughbott ledwater forat least
one ga l lon a day per person
• Keepanextratankof propane forthe
gr i l l
• Checkwithyourcountygovernment for
i ts evacuat ion and re-entr y regulat ions
• Havea fr iend,re lat iveorhote l in
another par t of the state that you can
depend on for hous ing in case of
evacuat ion
THE MONTH OF MAY
THE MONTH OF JUNE
community-based programs that address the
health needs of their respecitve communities
after a disaster. All iance District Vice
Presidents are to contact medical societies
and medical society al l iances in their district
to help determine the needs in the affected
communities. Funds awarded are determined
by a committee of the FMA All iance.
The Disaster Relief Fund was widely accepted
by All iance membership, raising over
$120,000 in its f irst year. The Fund provided
St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy monies
specif ical ly for their Emergency Prescription
Program. As a result of the damage Hurricane
Charlie caused to medical faci l i t ies and
pharmacies, emergency sample medications
were not readily available to the St. Vincent
mobile cl inic. Their Emergency Prescription
Program would order such prescriptions
from physician off ices and pharmacies in the
surrounding areas. Couriers were used to
retrieve the medications. “Many people in the
FEMA trai ler camp were thankful for what we
did there,” remembers Dr. Asperi l la.
The Disaster Relief Fund has also provided
assistance to the Alabama State Medical
Association, Louisiana State Medical
Association and Mississippi State Medical
Association.
The FMA All iance is more than a membership
organziation. It ’s more than an association
with faceless actions. It is an extention of
ourselves, in that the FMA All iance reaches
out to our communities. We see a need and we
act swift ly to f i l l that need. The FMA All iance
Disaster Relief Fund is just one of the many
ways we show compassion for those in our
great State.
16 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/SummerFMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/SummerFMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/SummerFMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
the core{the soul of the FMA All iance}
Dade CMAA
The past six months have been
exciting for the Dade County
Medical Association Alliance
(DCMAA). Under the direction of
new President, Sandi Chamyan,
the Alliance has entered an era of
renewal, growth and rebuilding.
Beginning in November, we held a
soup & salad luncheon meeting at
the Riviera Country Club in Coral
Gables with several of our Past
Presidents, our Immediate Past
President, our Current President
and our Treasurer to discuss the
state of our affairs and to create
a path for our future. We decided
our focus would be on membership
retention, new members at the
County level and recognizing our
current members for the all of their
volunteer accomplishments.
Our theme became “Baby Steps”
where recruitment efforts focus first
at the County level – the First Step.
Then as we achieve active County
participation, we will encourage
Florida Medical Association Alliance
(FMAA) membership – the Next
Step. Hopefully, we will then have a
member so excited to be an Alliance
participant that we will have an
American Medical Association
Alliance (AMAA) member – the
Final Step. Of course, if a potential
new member is ready to join at all
three levels from the start – all the
more exciting!
Following this model we added five
new County level members during
the first three months of 2009. One
of those new members also joined at
the FMAA level.
In December we held our Annual
Holiday Luncheon at the La Palma
Ristorante in the heart of Coral
Gables. A brief business meeting
with Alliance updates were given
from Immediate Past President
Johan Askowitz, President Sandi
Chamyan and District Vice President
Lissette M. Gordon. We also had
two special guests. The first was
Patricia C. Handler, the Executive
Vice President of the Dade County
Medical Association (DCMA).
Ms. Handler and Mrs. Chamyan
announced the DCMA and DCMAA
have entered a new era of bridge
building and working together
for the medical professionals of
Miami-Dade County. Our second
guest was a representative from
Creative Beginnings: A Fresh Hope
for Tomorrow. Creative Beginnings’
mission is to serve homeless women
and their children and to help them
transition out of homelessness. For
these women and children, items
such as underwear, socks and shoes
were needed the most. We presented
Creative Beginnings with several
hundred dollars in gift cards to
Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart. We
also brought new, unwrapped toys
that were donated to the Voices for
Children Toy Drive.
In January 2009, Mrs. Chamyan
was welcomed by the DCMA Board
of Directors and has since been
attending the every-other-month
Board Meetings. In addition, the
DCMA sent out an email to all of
their members encouraging their
spouses to join the Alliance with
a membership form attached. The
DCMA will print a 600-word article
in their monthly magazine, Miami
Medicine. They are also going to
build an Alliance section on their
website. We are pleased to report
these exciting opportunities to build
our relationship between the DCMA
and the DCMAA!
17FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
t h e c o r e
Rather than “recreating the wheel”
we have encouraged our existing
members to pick one or more
nonprofit organization that is near
and dear to them and as we recruit
new members we will pair up an
“old” and a “new” member together.
We would like to recognize the
volunteer efforts of our county
members. As of this writing, we can
report that our members have spent
countless hours volunteering for the
following organizations:
• The Guardian Ad Litem
Program
• Neat Stuff: New Clothing for
Foster Children
• Liga Contra el Cancer (League
Against Cancer): Free Medical
Care for Needy Cancer Patients
• Church of the Little Flower
• 1st Presbyterian Church
• The US Naval Sea Cadet Corps
• Miami Children’s Hospital
Foundation
• Healthy Start of Miami-Dade
• Creative Beginnings: A Fresh
Hope for Tomorrow
• Voices for Children
One member who volunteers with
the Miami Children’s Hospital
Foundation raised over $46,000.00
to help refurbish the Emergency
Department waiting room to make
it more comfortable and family
friendly.
In March, we met with two medical
students from the University
of Miami (UM) and we are now
exploring opportunities to add
medical student spouses to our
membership roles. We hope to have
the chance to make a presentation
at the UM Medical School in
the near future. Additionally,
we are seeking a contact at the
new medical school at Florida
International University (FIU).
Mrs. Chamyan also serves on the
FMAA Communications Committee
and looks forward to a continued
partnership with the FMAA.
- Respectfully submitted by
President Sandi Chamyan
This year has been full of events such as meetings, donations to the Brehon Maternity Home, and facilitating Faux Paws workshops. In January, Dr. Caulley Soto gave an excellent presentation on pediatric obesity. It was a great meeting made successful by hostesses Katrina Rolle and Jennifer Rackley.
Our February meeting was “heart healthy” for sure. We gathered at Premier Fitness center and trainer/teacher Portia Kershaw, talked about heart disease prevention and the importance of diet and exercise as it relates to the heart and preventable health problems. Hostesses Kathleen Smith and Mara Rumana made delicious arrangements for a healthy lunch.
The month of March brought Doctor’s Day festivities. Carol Fisher worked closely with CMS to organize a successful event honoring our physicians.
Now comes the month of April and the final meeting of this year. We are going to gather at Goodwood for coffee and have a springtime talk about “Landscape Gardening with Native Plants”. We will be joined by members of the Florida Medical Association Alliance executive committee to help facilitate installation of officers for the 2009-2010 year.
Our ongoing community outreach project is with Brehon Maternity Home. We provide them with diapers, wipes, household cleaning items, and gently used baby items.
I am grateful to everyone who has helped make this year a success. A bridge is only as strong as its supports and I have had a lot of support! While it is not possible for each and every member to be involved in the day to day business of the Alliance, just maintaining membership helps us to serve our physician community and the Tallahassee community at large. This is such a unique and important network of people, I have been honored serve. - Cay Ford, Capital MSA President
Capital MSA
18 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Anne Grenitz, Broward County, Ann Anderson, Coll ier County, and Ann
Angelastro and Bonnie Si lverman, Sarasota County, took advantage of
the Mission: Tallahassee Grant offered by the FMA All iance.
Arriving Tuesday, March 24th, the group took a tour of the Capitol
and later met with Michelle Jacquis, FMA Associate Director of
Governmental Affairs, at the FMA building in downtown Tallahassee.
Ms. Jacquis gave a detai led briefing of the most pressing issues this
legislative session, and armed the group with a schedule of Senate and
House Committee meetings for the fol lowing day.
Wednesday morning they met with Rep. Ari Porth from Broward
County. Representative Porth’s father is a physician practicing in
Broward and he has been a staunch al ly of the medical community.
They were then treated to a summary of the House bi l ls coming up in
committee discussions that afternoon. They also attended the Senate
Judiciary Committee meeting to hear testimony regarding SB 0462,
Prescription Drug Validation Program, sponsored by Senator Fasano.
SB 0462 Requires the Dept. of Health to establish a comprehensive
electronic system to validate the prescribing and dispensing of certain
controlled substances. This bi l l directly combats the “pil l mil ls” and
pain cl inics in Florida. The bi l l passed this committee and moved on to
Governmental Oversight and Accountabil i ty.
They were able to speak with several Health Regulation Committee
members including Sen. Eleanor Sobel , an All iance member from
Broward County, and Sen. Don Gaetz.
The group attended the House Health and Family Services Policy
Council to witness testimony and a vote on HB 0433, Prescribed Drugs,
an FMA identif ied bi l l to support. At the conclusion of this Council
meeting, they spoke with Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, from Sarasota County,
regarding a few bil ls expected to pass through this council .
The Mission: Tallahassee Grant afforded these four FMA All iance
members the chance to not only see the Florida Legislature at work,
but to also be an influence to i ts processes.
M i s s i o n : T a l l a h a s s e e , M i s s i o n : A c c o m p l i s h e d
F M A A l l i a n c e G r a n t s A w a r d e d
G R A N T E D
There are many dif ferent grants the
FMAA currently has avai lable for Al-
l iance members.
Such grants include:
Ariel Goldman Memorial Fund •Disaster Relief Fund •Health Policy Promotions •Mission: Tal lahassee Grant•
I f your county al l iance is in need of
start-up, support or survival for
local health programs then apply!
Health Promotions Grant appl ica-
t ions can be found on the FMAA
web site at www.fmaal l iance .org. You
can also contact the FMA All iance at
800.762.0233 or email
al l [email protected].
a c t i v e l ypply
19FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
Become involved with local and state members who • understand your needs better than any other organization
Strengthen the relationship between physicians & • legislators
Influence motion picture companies to remove • tobacco products from youth-related films
And much more!•
Visit www.fmaalliance.org
or call 800.762.0233 to
learn how you can do more
Renew your membership with the
FLO
RID
A M
EDIC
AL ASSOCIATION ALLIANCE, IN
C.
ESTABLISHED 1926
Do More&
FMAFMAAlliance
20 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
The AMA All iance aff irms that being prepared for
a disaster is the next best thing to preventing one.
Preparing for disasters can not only save l ives,
but also lessen the impact of these disasters. The
fol lowing information on disaster preparedness
f irst appeared in the May/June and July/August
issues of All iance Today magazine. Dr. Russel l T.
Jones, professor of Psychology at Virginia Tech
and researcher at the Child Study Center at Yale
University states, “Disaster preparedness means
being equipped to appropriately function both
physical ly and psychological ly prior to and during
a technological or natural emergency.”
According to Dr. James, the process of developing
a crisis plan for a private practice or business
is generally the same as school preparedness.
One additional aspect, learned from the Katrina
experience, is the importance of the need to back-
up sensit ive medical records to maintain the
viabil i ty of a practice in case of a disaster.
DevelopP L A N
a
{Article Submission by the AMA All iance}
1
2
3
4
Ar t icu late the needs to be addressed in the
p lan based on the school ’s vu lner ab i l i t ies . In-
depth explanat ions are needed to supplement
the pr act ice , which Dr. Jones ’ s tud ies ca l l
“e laborat ive rehear sa l .” Chi ldren are not on ly
taught the procedure and sk i l l s , but a l so the
r at iona le beh ind the s tep.
Pr act ice , Pr act ice , Pr act ice ! “Pr act ice makes
per fect ,” sa id Dr. Jones , repeat ing the fami l i a r
express ion . He has been tr y ing for year s to
get a Nat iona l Preparedness Day or Week
des ignated as pr act ice days across the
county.
Eva luate the resu l t s o f pr act ice dr i l l s . Af ter a
pr act ice , feedback should be prov ided on a l l
the d i f ferent aspects as a way of improv ing
the p lan of act ion .
Update the p lan based on lessons learned
dur ing pr act ice r uns , prev ious inc idents and
new technolog ies and sc ience ava i lable .
steps to ensure children and schools are ready for disaster :4
21FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
This organization defines a disaster as any event
that disrupts daily l i fe for any individual, family or
community, and is often the f irst on the scene when
a disaster strikes. The Red Cross has an “All-Hazard
Approach” to help people prepare for a disaster. They
recommend the taking fol lowing actions:
Preparing an emergency
supply kit : Get a kit of emergency supplies for the
home and a portable kit in case your family needs
to evacuate. Items to include in your kit are non-
perishable food and water to sustain you and your
family for three days, as well as the basic essentials ,
including a battery powered radio, f lashlight and
f irst-aid kit . For a checklist of i tems to include in
your emergency supply kit , visit www.ready.gov.
Making a family emergency plan:
• It is important to plan in advance how your family
will contact one another; how you wil l get back
together; what you wil l do in different situations.
• Finding a place to meet: If a family is separated
during the day with a designated meeting place, al l
family members wil l know where to go. Recommended
places are within and outside of immediate
neighborhood. It ’s best to identify several places, l ike
a motel , public shelter or a fr iend’s house.
• Establishing emergency contacts: All family
members should have a l ist of people to contact,
including but not l imited to family members, doctors
or veterinarians. It is also best to establish an out-of-
state emergency contact person.
Being informed : Be aware of the disasters to which
your geographical area may be predisposed and know
your local area to map out safe havens, shelters etc.
Also, identify local off icials who may help you connect
with local responders and who can educate you about
their views on the potential r isk and how you can
prepare and plan.
For more informaiton, visit www.amaall iance.org
The organization that is the most proactive in the face of disasters is the American Red Cross.
22 FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/SummerFMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
23FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer 23FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/SummerFMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
DAM
EDIC
ALAS
SOCIATATA ION ALLIANCE,
FMAA STAT 2009 Spr ing/Summer
June 13 - 15, 2009
AMAA Annual Meeting
Chicago Marriott Downtown
Chicago, IL
July 24 - 26, 2009
FMA & FMAA Annual Meeting
Boca Raton Resort & Club
Boca Raton, FL
October 23, 2009
Fal l FMA Board of Directors
and Membership Meeting
Location TBA
E V E N T SFMAA Calendar
November 7 - 10, 2009
AMAA Interim Meeting
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, TX
FLO
RID
A M
EDIC
AL ASSOCIATION ALLIANCE, IN
C.
ESTABLISHED 1926
S TATY o u r F l o r i d a M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n A l l i a n c e N e w s :
P . O . B o x 1 0 2 6 9T a l l a h a s s e e , F L 3 2 3 0 2
P R S R T S T DU S P o s t a g e
P a i dP a n a m a C i t y , F L P e r m i t N o . 2 3 0
AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT, FMA MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
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