Thursday, February 23, 2012

Press Releases

Press Releases

2012

Blalock Assumes Presidency, released January 31, 2012 

2011

2010

New Leadership at State Medical Society, released October 1, 2010

 
 
21st Century Health Care Requires 21st Century Support
released April 4, 2011

The LSMS is profiled in the 2011 Annual Report Profiles of Success by the Baton Rouge Business Report. The article features up and coming LSMS leaders as well as the Society's role in 21st Century health care.

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LSMS Supports Physician, Patient Choice in Revamp of Louisiana Medicaid Program
released March 1, 2011

BATON ROUGE – After months of careful consideration and one-on-one deliberations with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) announces its support of the enhanced Coordinated Care Networks (CCNs) plan to reform the state’s Medicaid program, a program that serves our most vulnerable patients. By pledging its support to DHH, the LSMS is withdrawing its membership in the Coalition to Protect Louisiana’s Healthcare.  

Previously, the Society withheld support because of several critical flaws in the CCNs design, including a lack of a competitive request for proposal (RFP) process, a rate floor for providers and a defined medical loss ratio. After many hours of discussions and meetings with DHH, the LSMS is confident these issues are being addressed by the Department. However, opportunities still remain to make the CCNs even better, and the LSMS looks forward to working with DHH on these issues.

Furthermore, the LSMS, along with other health care stakeholders through the Coalition to Protect Louisiana’s Healthcare, has developed an additional model for providers to participate in the Medicaid program. LSMS believes this model should be considered as a third option for patients and providers.  With the major concerns addressed in the new CCN RFP process and the Coalition’s model scheduled to be presented to DHH, the LSMS believes that the needs of both patients and physicians have been weighed and balanced appropriately.

“As the largest physician organization in the state and the only one to represent all specialties, the LSMS has worked diligently to ensure that patients and physicians have options within the Medicaid program,” said Jeff Williams, executive vice president of the LSMS. “The Coalition’s alternative model affords physicians another pathway to participate as a Medicaid provider. Physicians can now research the plans available and choose the option that best suits their practice.”

The LSMS looks forward to collaborating with DHH and Secretary Greenstein, Louisiana’s lawmakers and the Administration in the coming months to ensure that the process of reforming the state’s Medicaid program progresses smoothly and continues to meet the needs of Louisiana’s citizens.

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Anthony P. "Andy" Blalock, MD, President-elect of LSMS
released February 21, 2011
 
altLAFAYETTE – On February 4, 2011, nephrologist Anthony “Andy” P. Blalock, MD, was nominated and voted in as president-elect for the Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS). As president-elect, Dr. Blalock will serve on the 2011 Board of Governors and assume the presidency of the Society in February of 2012.

Dr. Blalock’s election is particularly noteworthy because he will become the youngest physician to serve as president of the Society in its 133 year history. He is the third physician from Lafayette Parish Medical Society, following in the footsteps of Dr. James Vildibill (1987-88) and Dr. Edward Harrell (1971-72).  

“In the last decade, we have seen the changes in the practice of medicine evolve like never before. It is in leadership opportunities like this that I have been engaged to make a significant impact on physicians and our ability to provide high quality care for our patients,” said Dr. Blalock.

As a liaison to the medical staff and leader directing the hospital quality division, Dr. Blalock is a physician executive in senior administration at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.  He is also a partner with Acadiana Renal Physicians in Lafayette. He served as director of Renal Transplant Nephrology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Lafayette from 2008-10; and as clinical assistant professor of medicine, Louisiana State University Health Science Center from 2006-10.

Dr. Blalock has been active with the Society and Lafayette Parish Medical Society (LPMS) since 2000, beginning as a resident and participating in various committees and councils in positions of leadership. He served as president of the LPMS in 2005-06. Most recently, he served as vice president on the LSMS Board of Governors and as chair of the Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society, the organization’s peer reviewed, scientific publication for physicians.

Dr. Blalock was also instrumental in the establishment of the Louisiana Emergency Medical Units (LEMU), which were implemented after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. LEMU is model emergency response system capable of providing rapid assistance to supplement existing medical services in the immediate aftermath of disasters throughout the state.

Blalock graduated from Louisiana State University School of Medicine (New Orleans) in 1998. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Louisiana State University School of Medicine at University Medical Center-Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2000; and a fellowship in nephrology at Louisiana State University Health Science Center- New Orleans in 2003.

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F. Dean Griffen, MD, FACS Installed as 131st President of the LSMS
released February 11, 2011
 
altBATON ROUGE - The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) installed its 131st president, Dr. F. Dean Griffen of Shreveport, Louisiana, at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates. The meeting was held February 4-5 at the Hilton Capitol Center in downtown Baton Rouge.      

“I look forward with great anticipation to the opportunity to work with other leaders and staff of the Louisiana State Medical Society,” said Dr. Griffen. “Advocating for patients and their physicians, we will seek to identify and champion opportunities to achieve the best health care possible for Louisiana’s citizens during these especially challenging times.”

An active LSMS member since 1969, Dr. Griffen has served in several positions of leadership in over the years, including president of Shreveport Medical Society in 1997. Throughout his medical career, he has received numerous medical awards and honors. Most recently, he was awarded the Outstanding Clinical Instructor 2010 Clarence H. Webb Award, given each year by the LSUHSC-Shreveport graduating medical school class to the instructor of their choice; the Distinguished Service Award by the American College of Surgeons (2009); and the Resident Award for best teaching faculty at LSUHSC–Shreveport in the Department of Surgery (2007-8).

Dr. Griffen received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University and graduated from Louisiana State University Medical School - New Orleans. He completed his internship and residency at LSU Medical Center - Shreveport in general surgery. Griffen maintained a private practice in general, thoracic and vascular surgery with Highland Clinic in Shreveport from 1972 to 2007. During this time, he maintained an academic appointment in surgery at the LSU Medical Center. Since 2007, he has established his practice as a professor of clinical surgery at LSUHSC-Shreveport.

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LSMS Expands Legislative Team
released January 17, 2011

altBATON ROUGE – The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) announces the addition of Jennifer Marusak to its legislative team. Effective immediately, Marusak is the LSMS’ new associate director of Governmental Affairs.

Jennifer Marusak is a local public relations consultant and lobbyist who owns the online news clipping service, On Track With Marusak. The Natchitoches native and University of Louisiana-Monroe graduate formerly served as confidential assistant to Secretary of State Al Ater, executive director of the Louisiana River Pilots Association, legislative affairs director and communications director for former Governor Mike Foster, and served as government and infrastructure vice president and communications director for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.

“Jennifer has worked with us on special projects recently, and we have been impressed by her depth of knowledge and skill in handling legislative issues,” said Jeff Williams, executive vice president of the LSMS. “With so many critical health care issues inundating lawmakers these days, we need her talents to better navigate the political waters in this upcoming legislative session.”

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New Leadership at State Medical Society
released October 1, 2010BATON RaltOUGE – The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS), the state’s largest physician association, is now under the leadership of Jeff Williams. Williams, 40, assumes his duties as executive vice president of the LSMS effective immediately.

"I am honored that the LSMS Board of Governors and our physician leaders have given me an opportunity to help shape and guide the future of the organization," said Williams. "This December we will begin developing a strategic plan with a focus on building our membership and increasing name recognition for the Society."

Williams has more than 12 years of professional experience in financial and strategic planning, accounting, project management and general management. Prior to joining LSMS, he led multiple engagements for two national accounting firms conducting operational, compliance and financial reviews of business processes for Fortune 500 clients. Additionally, he has experience with the Louisiana Legislature reviewing and drafting fiscal notes for proposed legislation. He now serves as a member of the Louisiana Health Data Panel, the Louisiana Health Information Exchange (LaHIE), and the Louisiana Health Information Technology (LaHIT).
 
"For the past five years, Jeff Williams has been an exceedingly effective CFO for the LSMS and was selected by the Board through an exhaustive search process," said Dr. Patrick C. Breaux, president of the LSMS. "I think I speak for the Board and membership, in saying that we are pleased with his selection and look forward to his leadership in the challenging days that lie ahead for the doctors of Louisiana and their patients."
 
Earlier this year, the LSMS Board of Governors established an ad hoc search committee, chaired by Dr. Jeff White of Shreveport, to review and recommend candidates for the position of executive vice president. After a national search and extensive deliberations, the Board chose an internal candidate, LSMS Chief Financial Officer and Director of Administration Jeff Williams, to succeed Dave Tarver. Tarver, who served nearly three decades with the LSMS, announced his retirement in March.

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