Standing Committees
LSMS Leadership

Budget and Finance

Charter and Bylaws

Chronic Diseases and Geriatrics

CME Accreditation

Council on Legislation

Disaster and Emergency Medical Services

Evolving Trends in Medicine

Insurance

Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health

Medical Education

Medical/Legal Interprofessional Committee

Membership

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders

Physician/Patient Advocacy

Public Health

Public Relations

Sports Medicine

Specialty Society Committee

The following is a list of LSMS Standing Committees. According to the Bylaws, all committees are expected to meet at least once annually. Each committee is composed of 6 to 18 members, including the chair. Terms of membership are for three years. Appointment, as well as the replacement of a committee member unable to complete a term, is the responsibility of the President. The President also appoints the chairs of all standing committees.

Ad Hoc Committees, Task Forces  -  The House of Delegates and the Board of Governors have the authority to create committees to handle specified tasks that may not be appropriate for one of the standing committees. In such cases, ad hoc committees or a task force is formed. Ad hoc committees are usually formed to research and/or evaluate a particular issue and make recommendations on a course of action. A task force generally has a larger scope of concern. Usually, it has a specified amount of time to accomplish certain goals. The most notable task force in the LSMS was the 1985 Task Force for Management of Health Care Delivery.

Any committee member with more than two unexcused absences from meetings is dropped from the committee roster. Meeting minutes are forwarded to the Board of Governors for review and action, if necessary.

The Committee on Budget and Finance consists of seven Society members. The committee develops the annual budget for presentation to the House of Delegates, reviews the annual audit of the LSMS, advises the Board of Governors on emergency expenditures and reviews and makes recommendations on the general financial affairs of the Society. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Administration and Member Services)

 The Committee on Charter and Bylaws serves as a resource and advisory committee on matters pertaining to the Charter and Bylaws of the LSMS and develops language changes as directed by the House of Delegates. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Legal Affairs)

 The Committee on Chronic Diseases and Geriatrics reviews and monitors all aspects of medical care and treatment related to major chronic diseases and geriatric conditions affecting the people of the state of Louisiana, and serves as a liaison and source of expertise to those seeking information regarding such. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Public Affairs)

The Committee on CME Accreditation accredits continuing medical education programs for physicians of hospitals/organizations within the state of Louisiana which seek to confer AMA/PRA Category 1 credit in CME offerings they conduct. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Administration and Member Services)

The Council on Legislation consists of a representative from each of the ten medical districts. The Council on Legislation directs the Society’s legislative activities and advises the Society as to the course of action deemed desirable to obtain its legislative goals. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Governmental Affairs)

The Committee on Disaster and Emergency Medical Services provides planning, direction and coordination of LSMS activities relative to disaster and emergency medical planning. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Governmental Affairs)

The Committee on Evolving Trends in Medicine examines and evaluates the changing moral, ethical and scientific issues in the practice of medicine and recommends to the LSMS appropriate positions or policies relative to these changes. In addition, serves as a coordinating body with hospitals, pharmacists, dentists, and nursing to establish and maintain mutual understanding with related health professionals on common concerns and interests. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Governmental Affairs)

The Committee on Insurance acts as a liaison with the insurance industry and third-party administrators as an advocate for the membership of the LSMS relative to matters of insurance that affect both the physician and patient. It also serves as the principle forum for the development and recommendation of LSMS policy regarding public and private insurance. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Governmental Affairs)

The Committee on Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health functions as a depository of knowledge and information germane to the public health and the practice of medicine as it pertains to maternal and child health and serves as a liaison and source of expertise to those seeking information on such. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Public Affairs)

The Committee on Medical Education serves as a resource of information on both undergraduate and graduate medical education for members of the LSMS and concerned lay audiences. It expresses to the medical schools and CME programmers the changing educational needs of practicing physicians both in clinical training and socio-economics. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Administration and Member Services)

The Medical/Legal Interprofessional Committee receives and makes recommendations on complaints from members of the LSMS and the Louisiana State Bar Association relative to physician/attorney relationships and/or problems. It identifies those areas in which improved interprofessional relations can be achieved in order to foster greater harmony between the two professions, while working strictly within the membership of the two professional associations. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Legal Affairs)

The Committee on Membership fosters the interest of licensed physicians and medical students in Louisiana in membership and involvement in the goals and objectives of the LSMS. It also periodically reviews and investigates existing and potential association member benefits and makes appropriate recommendations. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Administration and Member Services)

The Committee on Mental Illness and Sustance Abuse Disorders reviews and monitors the incidence and prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse problems within the state of Louisiana. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Legal Affairs)

The Committee on Physician/Patient Advocacy was formed to protect the basic rights inherent in the physician/patient relationship through monitoring the functions of utilization and quality review organizations as well as other third party administrators that may operate in the state, whether they are government-sponsored or private organizations. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Public Affairs)

The Committee on Public Health serves as a monitor of the social issues and government policies that affect the public health. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Public Affairs)

The Committee on Public Relations serves as a research-gathering and planning body for the development of materials and programs designed to enhance the image of the medical profession in the eyes of the various publics. It also serves as an advisory body, when requested, to other state committees, component societies or individual members in the handling of public relations opportunities and/or problems that have public impact. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Public Affairs)

The Committee on Sports Medicine serves as the primary source for the LSMS in studying, evaluating and making recommendations for the prevention and treatment of injuries and illness to participants in athletic activities at all levels, including schools and colleges, professional and recreational sports. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Administration and Member Services)

The Specialty Societies Committee promotes coordination and improved communications between the LSMS and the organized medical specialty societies in Louisiana on issues of mutual interest in an effort to unify and strengthen physicians advocacy and organized medicine in Louisiana. It is made up of statewide specialty societies who apply for representation and meet the requirements established by the committee. (Staffed by the LSMS Department of Governmental Affairs)