I’ll begin by thanking all of you for being part of an incredible year, for your leadership, and for your support of the work the Massachusetts Medical Society has done on behalf of our profession and our patients.
As we wind down 2018, we all should make efforts to find moments to rest and “shut down” in order to spend time with our family and friends. Make a promise to yourself that you will make every attempt to “be in the moment” and set aside distractions.
Once recharged, we can shift our focus to the future — the near future, as in health care trends that will affect our work in 2019.
One trend that has been on our radar for quite some time and will remain a priority in 2019 is physician burnout, which, as you know, has been a primary focus of the Medical Society for the last several months and is a subject about which I am passionate.
In looking to what 2019 will bring at the Massachusetts Medical Society, I’m confident that the time and energy we have put into studying burnout and formulating a series of directives and best practices intending to identify and diminish the effects of burnout will begin to be socialized and implemented.
Whether it’s burnout, the rising cost of prescription drugs, social determinants of health, or the advantages and dangers of emerging health care-related technologies, I want to assure our membership and the physician community that the Massachusetts Medical Society will continue to monitor health care trends and drive relevant conversation, advocacy, and education.
I’ll conclude by wishing you and yours a peaceful holiday season and a happy and healthy 2019.
— Alain A. Chaoui, MD
