Frustrations over reform are at the brink, concerns are high and solutions are still desperately needed. One organization that has been at the forefront of advocating for physicians is the Memphis Medical Society. For more than 130 years, the Society has organized physician efforts and lobbied for their causes in the state and nation's capitols.

 

Physicians are primed for healthcare reform, but many insist it be done carefully and over time. Rush and haste can lead to disastrous results, and in collaboration with the Tennessee Medical Association and other state and local groups, the Med Society is working hard to support lasting solutions.

 

With the organization for 25 years, executive director, Michael Cates, talks about the concerns of physicians and the benefits of consolidating efforts with physician groups like the Memphis Medical Society.

 

We advocate for the physicians. We lobby. We keep them informed on legislation and on whatever they think is important. We've gotten tort reform legislation passed in the state. We've seen a 60 percent decrease in suits. There are tangible things that organized medicine does for physicians they should be happy with. It's strength in numbers. The more physicians we have the bigger our budget becomes and the more things we can do for them. We represent all physicians in the community and we feel we provide a valuable service. Just in the last few years, the lobbying that we've done on behalf of Medicare reimbursement would pay for dues the rest of your life.

 

We also act as a bridge between doctors and patients. We field a lot of calls from the public. The referrals that we do now are much different than we did 15 years ago. Nowadays, people have a list of doctors from their insurance company and want help finding the right one.

 

Patients used to walk in with Reader's Digest, now they walk in with a ream of paper – what they've read on a Web site. We want patients to be more informed; we want them to be prepared with questions and be involved in their healthcare because that makes them a better patient and a healthier patient.

 

The biggest issue is healthcare reform and trying to figure out how we can get the Medicare reimbursements fixed. The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that we've been fighting about for years (is still a problem). The AMA supported the bill in the Senate that did not pass.

 

The state budget problems have reduced the med school budget a huge amount and they're looking at cuts for next year. That certainly affects your ability to attract qualified professors and specialists and teach our students and residents because there are other places that are better endowed. 

 

We're a couple hundred primary care physicians short in Memphis. There's no pool coming out to take their place, looking at the residencies. I think the system is stretched very, very thin.  

 

It's not all bad. Physicians get real pleasure out of taking care of their patients. It's still a satisfying profession. We have 165 medical students that just started in the fall. Applications are still up. Some of the people at the med schools that people applying for residencies in are outstanding in their specialties. We're still turning good physicians, caring physicians. 

 

TennCare has hurt physicians; it's hurt The Med; it's hurt the medical school. Memphis, right now, it's The MED emergency room. It's obviously very worrisome. We've been discussing it at our board meetings. Physicians are very concerned. It's a lifeline we can't do without. Losing any ER would be disastrous to the community.

 

We've been very public in the past supporting The Med. We talk to legislators about the importance of The Med and the UT medical school. It's all intertwined. 

In today's climate, for physicians, I think you'll see more consolidation of practices. It's always been difficult and expensive to do but you'll begin to see more of that. The economies of scale will have to be built into the practice – consolidation, sharing of systems; that will have to happen.

Hospital acquired practices – we've been through that before and it didn't work. But I've heard some discussion about it. If it happens it will be a different model than before. It won't be an outright buy; there will be some partnership.

 

Physicians have to get involved more in the political process. Many are reluctant to do that and it's not hard to say hello to somebody or put a sign in your yard or give a $25 check in a race. That is getting involved. We take physicians to Nashville and to Washington to let the doctors tell their story. It's important to be able to know someone you can talk to about the issues you feel passionate about. Why complain about something if you have never made a phone call or written a letter?