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FOGS and the Florida Section ACOG recognize their corporate supporters
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Liability Issues Report
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On Call Medical Coats
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FOGS Endorsed Malpractice Carrier offering a 5% discount to FOGS members
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Lubell & Rosen
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Pre-Paid Legal Defense
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Your practice could receive a dividend of up to 24.8% of your workers compensation premium.
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The Chairman's Message
Communication => Spring 2006
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists gets high marks in its efforts to communicate with Fellows. This information stream primarily runs in only one direction. This is one of the reasons I have chosen COMMUNICATION as a topic to pursue during my elected term.
The Florida Section of our district has an Advisory Council with membership established for 11 regions in the state as well as representatives from our medical schools and Junior Fellows. The members of this council meet periodically and should be the key contact for Fellows, Life Fellows and Junior Fellows wanting to send thoughts, needs, and wishes to the state, district, and national arms of ACOG. The advisory council members give their regional reports at our annual and interim meetings. This process is best designed for macro issues such as Medicare/Medicaid and liability. The process is bureaucratic and feedback and results are slow. We should improve the opportunity for communication on both local and statewide topics.
The Section leadership needs feedback as to how well an e-mail network might help. Please send a note by e-mail to your regional representative with a copy to Karen Harris, MD and me. We currently have vacancies in Region 5 (Pasco, Pinellas counties) and Region 7 (Brevard, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties), so if you practice in these counties send your response to Dr. Harris. This will allow the council to get an idea of how robustly our current network performs. With an established network in place, a local problem could be shared with your regional representative who would look for an answer locally (or statewide if appropriate). This would allow members to help the fellowship with both small and larger practice issues.
Finally, please communicate with your local legislator. The "session" will soon be underway with real opportunities to improve our liability situation and of course protect and advance the healthcare of women in Florida. A personal letter on office letterhead offering to provide expert information on women's health issues is appropriate and most often appreciated. We are the experts in women's healthcare and our elected officials should know that we are available to provide scientific, evidence-based advice when consulted.
The interim District Advisory Council met early in March. The College continues to work on many important issues including tort reform, pay for performance, and concerns with lay midwifery. The Florida Section will host the Annual District Meeting at the Breakers beginning October 27, 2006. It is my hope that we will have an outstanding registration for this event. The opportunity to visit with our colleagues from the South Atlantic and Caribbean (District IV) regions is only occasionally available in our home state.
Springtime is here even in this northern "Big Bend" region of our state. Flowering trees are in bloom and our azaleas not far behind. I hope this note finds you and your families healthy and your practices off to a productive and satisfying start in 2006.