PRESIDENTS’ CELEBRATION CONTINUED
Dr. Couch thanked his family, his practice and the GLMS for the years
of support they’ve offered him. Several members of his family were
in attendance including his wife, two daughters, and older brother
Tommy. “My deepest gratitude goes to my wife, Wilma, who is the
backbone of our operation. I couldn’t do it without her, and I’m so
thankful for her love and support.”
Dr. Couch then spoke to the crowd about what the future holds for
GLMS. After inviting GLMS members to attend GLMS Exec. Director
Lelan Woodmansee’s retirement celebration on August 16 at Whitehall, Dr. Couch spoke about the possibilities ahead. “I’m happy to
announce that GLMS is being equipped with new tools to better serve
our members. We realized long ago that we must adapt to remain
viable, and we’re doing that on several fronts,” he said, explaining
that GLMS would soon have a new streamlined database which will
expand the services available digitally to members.
“There are many reasons that I wanted to have this celebration at
the Ali Center, one of which is to celebrate triumphs in the long fight
we’ve been involved in,” said Dr. Couch referencing the recent decision by the federal government to overhaul the Sustainable Growth
Rate. “While giving relief to worries about how most of us will get
paid, the resolution of this longstanding problem could create a void.
This has been one of the principle issues facing medicine. Now that
it has gone away, we need to move on and tackle the next series of
major issues.”
Dr. Nina Vasavada (left) and Sarah Khayat (center) were presented their winnings by Dr. Mary Barry at the Presidents’ Celebration on May 31. Dr. Joseph
Bales received his plaque and check from Bert Guinn, MBA, CAE, at a later date.
In closing, Dr. Couch asked those in attendance to continue the support they’ve given the Louisville medical community for so many
years. “With your involvement, we can create a future that ensures
better health, more happiness and greater satisfaction. I thank you
all for the privilege and honor of serving as the GLMS President over
the next 12 months.”
Earlier in the evening, Dr. Scott gave the microphone to Louisville
Medicine Editor Mary Barry, MD, for the announcement of the 2015
Richard Spear, MD, Medical Essay Contest winners. Dr. Barry presented Nina Vasavada, MD, with a plaque and $1,500 check for
her essay, “The Unexpected in Front of Us” in the Practicing/Life
Category. Sarah Khayat, U of L medical student, was presented
with her plaque and $375 for her essay “Hold the Phone” which tied
in the in-training/student category. Joseph Bales, MD, the other
in-training/student winner for his essay “The Machine in All of Us”
was unable to attend but received his plaque and prize winnings
of $375 at a later date. All three essays will be featured in the July
edition of Louisville Medicine.
FIND OUT HOW YOUR LEGISLATOR VOTED
ON HEALTH CARE BILLS
Hundreds of bills are introduced in each state legislative session and
a large percentage of those are devoted to health care issues. The
decisions legislators make relating to these issues have a significant
impact on the practice of medicine in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Medical Association, which maintains a strong physical
presence in Frankfort each year and partners with the GLMS Policy
and Advocacy Team to speak with legislators about issues affecting
Kentucky physicians, has created a helpful document showing how
GLMS NEWS JUNE 2015
each member of the Kentucky Senate or House voted on the health
care related bills which made it to the floor.
To view the legislator voting summary, visit www.glms.org and
click the “How Did Your Legislator Vote on Key Issues in 2015?” link
under Physician Alerts. Stay tuned in the coming months for more
legislation news prior to the 2016 session.
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