The petition of the majority of the members residing in Hampden
County was accepted at the meeting of the Council on May 28,
1840. According to the 1840 catalogue there were fourteen
members in the County. Records show that the Hampden District
Medical Society had been organized previous to the meeting of the
Council in 1840 and is one of the oldest medical societies in the
Country.
The overall mission shall be to do all things as may be
necessary and appropriate to advance medical knowledge, to develop
and maintain the highest professional and ethical standards of
medical practice and health care, and to promote medical
institutions formed on liberal principles for the health, benefit
and welfare of the citizens of Hampden County.
The Hampden District Medical Society is in its 170th year and is
a dues member organization that serves as a referral service for
the public.
There are 1120 members and 8 working committees to which any
member may chose to belong. The purpose of the
committees is to work and support the ongoing strategic direction
of the Society.
Hampden District serves as the model for what a district medical
society should be in the context of a state medical society and a
national medical organization. Although the membership may be
small, the influence is large and positive. The leadership is
much greater than that of many districts that are much
larger.
While the Society is not organized around any specific hospital,
it partner's with hospitals and healthcare facilities within the
District for programs such as High School Dr. for a Day, Medical
Ethics Seminar, Legislative Breakfast and Doctor Appreciation
Day.
The Medico-Legal Committee was created in Hampden County in 1992
between Hampden District Medical Society and the Hampden County Bar
Association, the first of its kind in Massachusetts and perhaps a
national prototype was developed. The goal was in the
interest of both parties to try to work out the differences because
it was found to make life easier and most importantly, it helps the
client and the patient who are one and the same.
Whatever differences, the two professions have much in common and
this is the only local event which brings the two groups
together."
Programs and participation that might be unique to the District
and should be a part of the district's collective history
include:
- Annual High School Doctor for a Day/Student/Doctor mentoring
program
- "Soapy" MMS, Hand-washing Mascot participation in Springfield's
Community Baby Shower and Hand-washing program to elementary school
children in Hampden County.
- AMA MAC's Doctors Back to School program, minority physicians
from across the country visit schools in their communities to
encourage young people, especially in underrepresented minority
groups, to pursue medical careers. Lincoln School in
Springfield was the first school in the nation to present the
Doctors Back to School program.
- Senior Physician Writing Workshop: Writing Your Life
Story
- 2001, World Trade Center and Pentagon Relief Fund ($28,785.71
collected and sent to the," September 11, 2001 Victim Fund".
- Bioterrorism Program for health care professionals.
- Task Force on Medicare and Medicaid.
- HIV/Aides & Pregnancy Workshops: Springfield Boy's &
Girl's Club & area faith based organizations.
- Massachusetts State House Health Care Disparities Hearings,
Testimony Forum
- Dr. Appreciation Day, Red Carnation Distribution to Hampden
County hospitals and doctor offices.
- Resident's from Baystate Medical Center: Partnership with
Springfield Boy's and Girl's Club Intervention programs and
workshop series/Sexually Transmitted Disease, Prevention in
Adolescents
- Participation in Springfield Health & Human Services Health
Month
- Steps to Success Career Day, Springfield Boy's and Girl's
Club: Mission is to afford youngsters ages 10-13 grades 5
through 8, the opportunity to better understand and become award of
the options available to them and the steps they can take toward
successful careers.
- Springfield Forest Park Petting Zoo: Sanitary measures taken
for Children.
- Springfield MMRS Steering Committee, Pandemic and Biological
Incident Operations
- BIOMASS Project ongoing/Stop the threat to the environment and
people in Western Massachusetts: Resulting in Resolution to
the MMS, House of Delegates
- Doctor On the Hill Day, Boston
- Alliance, Family's Make a Difference
- September, Women in Medicine Month: Health & Wellness Spa
Party: "When you don't fit the Mold"
The district nominates deserving members each year for the
following awards.
- HDMS Member Awards
- Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Stethoscope
- Senior Volunteer Physician of the Year
- Community Clinician of the Year
- Young Physician Leadership Award
- 2000 Henry Ingersoll Bodwitch Award for
Excellence in Public Health
Dr. Robert Kasper - MMS, 2001 Senior Volunteer Physician of the Year
Award
Dr. Alonzo Sheffield - MMS 2005 Award for Distinguished for Service to
the Massachusetts Medical Society
Dr. Claudia L. Koppelman - MMS 2004 Henry Ingersoll Bodwitch Award for Excellence
in Public Health
Dr. Deborah Hoadley
The Community Clinician of the Year Award was adopted at the
Interim House of Delegates meeting in November 1998. It was
established to recognize a practitioner from each district medical
society who has made significant contributions to patients and the
community
Recipients of the Community Clinician of the Year
Award:
- 2010 Michael D'Alessandro, M.D., Springfield
- 2009 Thomas E. Judd, M.D., Holyoke
- 2008 Richard Courtney & Barry Sachs, M.D.,
Springfield
- 2007 Sarah Mullan, M.D, Chicopee
- 2006 Alicia Ross, M.D., Holyoke
- 2005 Mark Mullan, M.D. Springfield
- 2004 Winthrop Whitcomb, M.D. Springfield
- 2003 Jean Talati, M.D. Springfield
- 2002 James Wang, M.D., Westfield
- 2001 Mohan Rao, M.D. Springfield
- 2000 Claudia Koppelman, M.D., Holyoke
If you know of a doctor who is deserving of being honored with
the 2011 Community Clinician of the Year Award, please send a
nomination letter to, Suzanne Skibinski, Executive Director, 1111
Elm Street, Suite 22, 01089-1540
