STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Interview with Dr . Bruce Scott , AMA President
Dr . Bruce Scott speaking as a GLMS Delegate during the KMA Annual Meeting , August 2014 .
Dr . James Patrick Murphy presented Dr . Bruce Scott with the Presidential gavel at his inauguration during the GLMS President ' s Celebration , May 2014 .
Dr . Bruce Scott and Dr . Deepak Azad pose with outgoing AMA President Dr . Ardis Hoven at the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago , June 2014 .
Louisville ’ s own Dr . Bruce Scott was recently inaugurated as the 179 th President of the American Medical Association . But before that , he held many other medical leadership positions including GLMS President from 2014-2015 and KMA President from 2018-2019 . He generously found some time in his schedule ( now busier than ever ) to sit down and talk with us about his journey through organized medicine over the years and why he thinks it ’ s more important than ever to be involved .
Q : How did you get started in organized medicine ?
A : I attended my first AMA House of Delegates meeting when I was in medical school in Texas . I remember standing in the back of the room at that first meeting , being in awe of the process taking place – physicians from every state and specialty working together to impact the lives of our nation ’ s physicians and our patients . I was hooked , and I ’ ve been involved ever since – 73 consecutive meetings . I believed then , and I continue to believe today , that the AMA can and does make a difference for our profession and our patients .
I became active in my state medical association , the Texas Medical Association , later as a resident and after returning to Louisville to practice , I joined GLMS and KMA . So , I did things a bit backwards .
Q : Why do physicians need organized medicine ?
A : Sometimes I ask those that question the need for organized medicine – if not the AMA , then who will continue to respond to the challenges and obstacles that undoubtedly lie ahead – the continued financial assault on physicians and the impediments that payors place on the care we prescribe for our patients ? Who will respond to the next cyberattack on a health insurance giant that disrupts our practices ? Who will address and assist us with the next pandemic ? Who will advocate on a federal level for our patients and our profession ? It won ’ t be the insurance lobbyists or the pharmaceutical companies , and it certainly won ’ t be private equity investors . Perhaps the national hospital association is a potential ally . But can we just leave it up to the bureaucrats ? I think not !
This work – to advocate … to stand up for patients … to fight for this profession – that charge belongs to all physicians . We need a unified voice for a stronger profession and healthier communities . Organized medicine is that voice . I believe that a united profession has the power to create solutions , to implement policy , and to improve health care to better serve our patients and support physicians .
6 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE