News & Media
Message from MSMS President Mark C. Komorowski, MD
Several decades ago John Fitzgerald Kennedy took office and part of his presidential inaugural address included the following:
“So let us begin anew - remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear but let us never fear to negotiate.” – President John Fitzgerald Kennedy
This has become the norm now with Tom George, MD, CEO at the helm. His time limited testimony during December in opposition to medical liability reform legislation was evident of that. He eloquently called out both the trial bar and uninformed legislators. Under his leadership, MSMS blocked the efforts of a lame duck pursuit to reverse a three decade long existing law capping noneconomic damages in malpractice cases. What took ten years to come to fruition, the trial bar attempted to dismantle in three weeks.
“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – President John Fitzgerald Kennedy
All of us are acutely aware of the fiscally responsible decisions MSMS has made due to a steady decline in membership over the past thirteen years. Although these decisions included staff reductions, morale remains robust. MSMS staff makes personal sacrifices for MSMS members all year long, with the Legislature’s lame duck session serving as a more recent example. Staff worked around the clock to analyze bill language, write testimony, monitor and attend session, partner with allied associations, track votes, and coordinate an effective communication strategy from physicians to their lawmakers. All the while, members were kept up-to-date via legislative alerts, Medigram, and social media. Unfortunately, their work is done without the spoils that their predecessors enjoyed years ago - a larger staff and budget.
Physicians will need to remain vigilant and prepare to activate again to protect our medical liability laws from actions by the Legislature and the courts. If we expect to thwart these efforts we need strong membership engagement and annual MDPAC contributions.
“We must act today in order to preserve tomorrow. And let there be no misunderstanding. We are going to begin to act today.“ – President Ronald Reagan
MSMS cultivated a bipartisan coalition to ensure the defeat of the troublesome medical liability legislation. This happened because of relationships developed through ongoing networking and campaign contributions such as those provided by MDPAC, my physician organization, Great Lakes Physician Organization PAC, and many individual physicians to legislators on both sides of the aisle.
“There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he does not mind who gets the credit.” – President Ronald Reagan
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I did not take the oath of the president of MSMS with the intention of presiding over the dissolution of this organization. I finish with this rhetorical question: Are you satisfied with your efforts to join organized medicine in support of the practice of medicine, forge relationships with state and federal legislators, educate your patients about health care policies, and make PAC contributions?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill
Yours in health,
Mark C. Komorowski, MD
President, Michigan State Medical Society