Palm Beach County Medical Society Holds Successful 12th Annual Future of Medicine Summit
AMA President-elect Dr. Patrice Harris and Dr. Pedro J. Greer Deliver Inspiring Talks
Inaugural Medical Challenge and Annual Poster Symposium Winners Announced
Boca Raton, FL — The Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS), which is recognized as one of the premier medical associations in the United States, recently presented the 12th annual Future of Medicine Summit in West Palm Beach.
Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, President-elect, American Medical Association, spoke on “Physician Leadership and the Urgency of the Moment in Medicine.” Dr. Harris’ principal message was threefold:
- The AMA is attacking the dysfunction in health care by removing the obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care
- The AMA is improving the health of the nation by confronting the increasing chronic disease burden
- The AMA is reimagining medical education, training, and lifelong learning for the digital age to help physicians adapt and grow at every stage of their careers
Since 2014, Dr. Harris has chaired the AMA’s Opioid Task Force to combat the epidemic and save lives. She outlined the myriad ways that the AMA has strived to work and advocate for expanding access and coverage for treatment of substance use disorder.
Corey L. Howard, MD, President, Florida Medical Association; Chair, Florida Delegation to the AMA, and President/CEO, Howard Health and Wellness, says the FMA is committed to improving the health of all Floridians, and their members understand that physicians have an obligation to participate in the choices and initiatives that contribute to a better health care system and a healthier Florida. Thus, the Healthy Living Toolkit was created to guide physicians and Floridians to better health outcomes.
Reporting on the State of Medicine 2019, Marc J. Hirsh, MD, president of the PBCMS, says, “Times have never been better” and cites three main reasons. “We have better, more impactful technology to offer our patients than ever before. We practice medicine in a country and an economy that promotes innovation, and we have the power to shape the future of health care.”
Hirsh emphasized that the PBCMS “will continue to advocate for our local physicians and for the patients they care for.”
Pedro J. Greer Jr., MD, delivered an inspiring and motivational 45-minute keynote speech that brought the crowd of nearly 500 attendees to their feet for several minutes. Punctuated with humor and heart-rending real-life stories, Dr. Greer, known fondly throughout the Miami area as “Joe,” recounted his decades of caring for patients including the homeless, undocumented, uninsured and low income. A tireless advocate for social justice, Dr. Greer worked for two administrations, received numerous awards including a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom and a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” Fellow. Dr. Greer is Professor of Medicine; Founding Chair of the Department of Humanities, Health, and Society; and Associate Dean for Community Engagement at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU HWCOM) in Miami, Florida.
Dr. James Goldenberg Honored
The Palm Beach County Medical Society Excellence in Medicine Award is the highest honor awarded by the Society. The award recognizes Palm Beach County Medical Society members whose lives encompass the true spirit of being a physician. The award is presented to the physician who exemplifies the highest values of altruism, compassion, leadership and dedication to patient care.
A Board-Certified Neurologist who practiced in Palm Beach County for 25 years, Dr. Goldenberg currently serves as Medical Director for a regional, clinically integrated network (CIN) representing over 1,700 physicians and 170,000 lives responsible for strategy, value-based care initiatives, population health and patient safety.
Dr. Goldenberg is responsible for the development of the Physician Leadership Academy of South Florida. He is serving the Florida Medical Association on the Board of Governors and the Council on Medical Economics and Practice Innovation. Dr Goldenberg is an Alternate-Delegate to the American Medical Society. He is serving the American Academy of Neurology on the Board of Directors, Government Relations Committee, and Leadership Development Committee. He also is a PBCMS Past President and a current member of the Board of Trustees.
James J. Brynes, MD Poster Symposium
The winners of the annual James J. Brynes, MD Poster Symposium and Memorial Fund for Medical Education and Physician Wellness, are as follows:
Vignette Category
- Shayne Polley–FAU
- Christina Mesoraco, DO–FAU
- Sameer Gupta, MD–UM
Honorable Mention: Evan Stuchin, MD–WRMC
Research Category
- Danielle Steinberg–FAU
- Nicole Lin–UM
- Matthew Stankard–FAU
Honorable Mention: Peter Edemekong, MD, MPH–Nova Southeastern/Department of Health
FAU Wins Inaugural Medical Challenge
Florida Atlantic University Internal Medicine Residency 2019 won the inaugural medical challenge at the Future of Medicine Summit XII. The team included Dr. Kevin Almerico, Dr. Wayne Fluss, and Dr. Elizabeth Hidlebaugh.
The presenting benefactor of The Future of Medicine Summit XII was Michael T.B. Dennis of Palm Beach. Trustbridge was an exclusive Platinum Sponsorship. For more information, contact Palm Beach County Medical Society at www.pbcms.org or call 561-433-3940.