Contact: Richard Gulla
781-434-7101
rgulla@mms.org
Waltham / Boston – May 5 – MMS President Dennis M. Dimitri, M.D., in his report to the membership at the Society’s annual meeting today, called attention to the accomplishments of the organization over the last year in two critical but widely disparate areas affecting physicians: opioid abuse and electronic medical records. He began by citing the MMS efforts addressing the opioid epidemic.
“Once Governor Baker decided to make this issue [of opioid abuse] a major effort by his administration,” Dr. Dimitri said, “there arose a heightened resolve, both inside and outside our organization, to tackle the problem with unprecedented focus and resources.”
MMS efforts addressing the opioid abuse issue began in May of 2014, and “Physician’s voices were critical in addressing the issue,” Dr. Dimitri said, “and this medical society played a major role in determining the outcome…. Our work ensured a balance between the need to address substance abuse and addiction, with our responsibility to those who suffer from acute and chronic pain.”
Dr. Dimitri noted that when the conversation on how to attack the opioid epidemic began, “very few people were talking about this balance. We were sometimes quite alone in voicing these concerns,” but by the time the Governor signed the opioid legislation, “our concerns about balanced legislative remedy was accepted by all constituencies.”
“All of us can be proud of the fact that the MMS voice was heard loud and clear,” he said.
“We found our traction on this issue,” Dr. Dimitri continued, “by acknowledging that there are too many opioid medications in the community. We had to start with this acknowledgement, or we would not have had a place in the public dialogue.”
He said that it took a long time to get to a final bill and that the road was at times bumpy, but the legislation is better because physicians participated in the process.
“I’m very proud of the fact that this medical society is now recognized across the country as a leader on this issue. We’ve shown how to work with stakeholders, remain true to our values, and get the job done.”
He acknowledged, however, that the fight against opioid abuse continues, and said “Our next focus should be on treatment and recovery. That’s going to be more difficult… [but] If we do this right, the number of overdose deaths will decline. That’s the true end goal.”
With regard to electronic health records, Dr. Dimitri said the Society has been active for some time in the effort “to introduce some sorely needed common sense” into the federal government’s meaningful use program for electronic health records.
“This has been an important cause throughout organized medicine,” he continued, and “I believe that Massachusetts played an important part in the education and advocacy process.”
He recounted the trip of CMS Acting Administrator Andrew Slavitt to Massachusetts and his visit to the office of Dr. Leonard Finn, a family physician in Wellesley. Dr. Finn showed Mr. Slavitt precisely how cumbersome the EHR can be, even for routine tasks.
Following his visit, Mr. Slavitt declared “the Meaningful Use program as it has existed, will now be effectively over and replaced with something better. We have to get the hearts and minds of physicians back. I think we’ve lost them."
“We weren’t the only players to move things in the right direction,” said Dr. Dimitri. “The AMA deserves all praise we can muster for doing the behind-the-scenes work that helped Mr. Slavitt get to that point.”
Dr. Dimitri concluded his remarks by welcoming Lois Cornell, the new executive vice president of the Medical Society, and acknowledging the career of Executive Vice President Corinne Broderick, who will retire at the end of May.
Ms. Cornell, said Dr. Dimitri, brings to MMS “an exemplary record of accomplishment in health care and who will be great partner of physicians for many years to come,” and Ms. Broderick was “an amazing advisor, sounding board, mentor and partner in the pursuit of this mission that all hold so dear.”
The Massachusetts Medical Society, with some 25,000 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society, under the auspices of NEJM Group, publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading global medical journal and web site, and Journal Watch alerts and newsletters covering 13 specialties. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education providing accredited and certified activities across the globe for physicians and other health care professionals. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country. For more information please visit www.massmed.org, www.nejm.org, or www.jwatch.org.
