President’s Message

Righting some wrongs, together

Watching the images of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer on television in May was nothing less than horrific and sickening and outrageous. And while we shouldn’t paint the police (or anybody else) with any broad brushes – as I appreciate what the vast majority of them do to protect me and my family every day – this man’s senseless death has required everyone to be open-minded and listen and consider the African American and minority experience of living in the United States. It has also forced us, as physicians, to look in the mirror and ask how we can make a difference. The first action that the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) took was to issue a strongly-worded joint statement with the Georgia State Medical Association (which is the leading voice for African American physicians in the state) that stressed that “we will not tolerate inequality, injustice, or racism.” The statement emphasizes that… MAG and GSMA condemn violence and systemic oppression and will not tolerate inequality, injustice, or racism. MAG and GSMA are greatly saddened by George Floyd’s senseless death. MAG and GSMA condemn senseless acts of violence and systemic oppression, and MAG nor GSMA will tolerate inequality, injustice, or racism. Given the demonstrable links between violence and racism and poverty and patient health, MAG and GSMA will continue to advocate for health equity for every Georgian – and MAG and GSMA will continue to take steps to mitigate any disparities in the accessibility of medical care, especially when it comes to our most vulnerable or historically oppressed populations. As they have throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, MAG and GSMA and their member physicians will remain focused on ensuring that every Georgian is safe and secure and has access to the medical care they need. MAG and GSMA will also continue to promote diversity within their organizations and our society at large. Shortly after we issued this statement, MAG hosted a virtual ‘Race, Equality & Justice Town Hall’ for MAG member physicians. The goal of this “conversation” – which was moderated by MAG President-elect Lisa Perry-Gilkes, M.D., F.A.C.S., who became the first African American woman to serve as MAG’s president in October – was to listen and discuss ways for MAG to begin to help eliminate societal inequality, injustice, and racism.

Andrew Reisman, M.D.

docreisman@gmail.com

And in July, MAG formed a task force that Dr. Perry-Gilkes chairs that will promote diversity on multiple levels and recommend how to address health care disparities in Georgia’s health care system in permanent and sustainable ways. This will, of course be a collaborative process – but some of the actions that I believe that we can take to bring about the change that is needed include… • Increasing Medicaid payments to ensure that low-income patients have access to the care they need while the physicians who deliver the care do not have to lose money in the process • Allocating more resources to educate Georgians about the crucial need for primary and preventive care • Doing a better job of ensuring that our patients understand and follow physicians’ instructions when it comes to their health care, medications, and appointments – and taking the extra time that is needed to address any language or cultural barriers • Encouraging physicians and allied health care professionals to become more familiar with the obstacles and other social determinants of health that low-income and minority patients face on a day-to-day basis and to formulate strategies to help them overcome those barriers By the time you read these words, I will be one of MAG’s past presidents. But I am confident that Dr. Perry-Gilkes and the members of the new task force that she is chairing will develop some thoughtful and credible recommendations for ways that MAG can help effect meaningful change within Georgia’s health care system. The task force will address health disparities, cultural competency, and the social determinants of health to “enhance patient care and the health of the public.” It would be disingenuous to suggest that this challenge is anything less than considerable, but I have seen firsthand what physicians can achieve when they are determined and united – I have seen what we can achieve, together. In addition to Dr. Perry-Gilkes, the MAG Diversity Task Force includes Carl Czuboka, M.D., Emile Pinera, M.D., Fred

Flandry, M.D., Julianne Birt, M.D., Keisha Callins, M.D.,

and Lattisha Bilbrew, M.D. Contact Christiana Craddock at ccraddock@mag.org for details on the MAG Task Force on Diversity. Go to www.gsmanet.org for more information on GSMA.