Q3 2021 | Los Angeles Medicine Magazine

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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

LACMA Welcomes 150th President JEFFERY LEE, MD

QUARTER 3 2021

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PUBLISHER Gustavo Friederichsen | gustavo@lacmanet.org EDITOR Sheri Carr | sheri@researchgroupllc.com HEADQUARTERS LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 801 S. Grand Ave, Suite 425, Los Angeles, CA 90017 Tel 213.683.9900 | Fax 213.226.0350 www.ladocs.org

QUARTER 3 2021

LACMA OFFICERS PRESIDENT | Jeffery Lee, MD PRESIDENT-ELECT | Omer Deen, MD TREASURER | Jerry Abraham, MD SECRETARY | Po-Yin Samuel Huang, MD IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT | Diana Shiba, MD

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER | Jeffery Lee, MD

LACMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS COUNCILORS-AT-LARGE Richard Seidman, MD | 1 Stacey Ludwig, MD | 1 Karen Sibert, MD | 5 Valencia Walker, MD | 5 Samuel Fink, MD | 6

A MESSAGE FROM LACMA CEO Gustavo Friederichsen INSTALLATION OF PRESIDENT & OFFICERS

TRUSTEES & CHAIR DELEGATION Jerry Abraham, MD | CMA Trustee Stacey Ludwig, MD | Chair of the LACMA Delegation Sion Roy, MD | CMA Trustee Resa Caivano, MD | CMA Trustee COUNCILORS Robert Bitonte, MD, JD | D1 Emil Avanes, MD | D2 Stephanie Booth, MD | D3 Heather Silverman, MD | D5 Marc Mendes, MD | D6 Kambiz Kosari, MD | D7 Steven Sawelson, MD | D9 Sharon Jakus-Waldman, MD | D10 Diego Caivano, MD | D14 Nancy Ellerbroek, MD | D17 Lisa Firestone, MD | SCPMG Roxana Yoonessi, MD, JD | SCPMG Troy Elander, MD | SSGPF Muntu Davis, MD | LA County Cristian Rico, MD | AltaMed Atul Nakhasi, MD | 1, YP Councilor Hector Flores, MD | 1, EPC Chair Cecilia Leggett, MD | Resident Councilor Anna Yap, MD | Alt. Resident Councilor Aileen Arevalo | Student Councilor, UCLA

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2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Awards

LACMA’s Board of Directors consists of a group of dedicated physicians working hard to uphold your rights and the rights of your patients. They always welcome hearing your comments and concerns. You can contact them by emailing or calling Lisa Le, VP of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, at lisa@lacmanet.org or 213-226-0304.

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Acceptance of advertising in Los Angeles Medicine in no way constitutes approval or endorsement by LACMA Services Inc. The Los Angeles County Medical Association reserves the right to reject any advertising. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and not necessarily those of Los Angeles Medicine, LACMA Services Inc. or the Los Angeles County Medical Association. Los Angeles Medicine reserves the right to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submitted. Los Angeles Medicine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Los Angeles Medicine (ISSN 1533-9254) is published quarterly by LACMA Services Inc. (a subsidiary of the Los Angeles County Medical Association) at 801 S. Grand Ave, Suite 425, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Periodicals Postage Paid at Los Angeles, California, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright ©2021 by LACMA Services Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Los Angeles Medicine, 801 S. Grand Ave, Suite 425, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Advertising rates and information sent upon request.

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LACMA PRESIDENT

JEFFERY LEE, MD

Greetings to the Physicians of Los Angeles!

So much has happened in the past several months. As COVID numbers declined and people were getting vaccinated, patients felt more comfortable resuming their previously deferred healthcare. Surgeries were rescheduled and office visits resumed in the “post-COVID surge”. People started gathering again and moving about. Restaurants opened and masks came off. Kids started to go back to school.

Similarly, LACMA has been active. In April, the LA Healthcare Awards celebrated the praiseworthy work being delivered by exceptional LACMA will attend physicians in Los Angeles in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic. to the needs of LACMA partnered with neighborhood clinics to deliver badly needed PPE to staff and patients. In June, the Health Equity Council hosted Dr. Tung physicians struggling Nguyen as part of the Race Against Time lecture series. LACMA leaders did to continue their their part to promote vaccinations on video and social media.

But as life seemed to be coming back to normal these past few months, practices in an the Delta variant and the stalling of vaccinations have merged to cause environment that was a bit of a setback – even causing LACMA to change our Installation Ceremony plans. difficult even before Despite this setback, I nurture much optimism for the future. The clear message is getting out - vaccinations work! Mountains of data show that coronavirus. the vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective. And there’s story after story of COVID patients expressing regret for not getting the shot earlier.

Angelenos are plainly seeing that the tragic deaths occurring are totally preventable and unnecessary.

So there is still much work for physicians to do – to talk to our patients about why they are hesitant, what the data shows, and speak clearly about the potential side effects.

And physicians are setting a great example. A recent AMA survey showed that over 95% of physicians have been vaccinated! What better way to lead by example.

And we see light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. We all acknowledge the need for physicians to attend to their wellness and avoid burnout. LACMA will be announcing some bold programs to assist physicians “make-over” their practices. LACMA will attend to the needs of physicians struggling to continue their practices in an environment that was difficult even before coronavirus. In November, we will be holding a Member Appreciation Event celebrating the 150th Anniversary of LACMA’s founding.

So to the thousands of physician members of LACMA, thank you for your dedication to your patients, communities, and to each other.

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LACMA CEO

G U S TAV O F R I E D E R I C H S E N

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” ― Buckminster Fuller

As we continue to celebrate our 150th year amid a pandemic that has morphed into a more contagious enemy, I remain optimistic about the future of medicine in Los Angeles for two reasons: the pandemic has galvanized us, brought us together and our leadership for the next four years represents the deep, rich diversity of the region. What concerns me, however, is how the pandemic has exacerbated physician stress, anxiety, PTSD, and systemic racism in medicine. Yes, even here in Los How to connect: Angeles. It’s not about LACMA’s response to these issues, it’s how info@lacmanet.org we prevent them, eliminate them, openly about them.

760-685-2823 talkThis issue of Los Angeles Medicine showcases our future.

Four young physicians who will leave lasting legacies for generations to come.

Each understands the power of rest, family, community, connecting and restoring passion for medicine.

That said, LACMA launched MD Lifeline this year to create a foundational model to

150TH ANNIVERSARY

MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION CELEBRATION

help struggling physicians. Resources to help practices to transform, retreats to recharge and recalibrate mind, body, and spirit, supplies to protect staff, patients and communities, an assessment tool to better understand problems while LACMA shares solutions and grants to give financial help to those practices struggling to remain resilient, impactful, and resourceful. While we helped more than 3,000 practices with free PPEs and grants in 2020, few members access the free resources available online or by contacting myself, staff or CMA and even less have taken the Well Being Index Assessment which gives real time results and showcases solutions and resources instantly, confidentially. In the infamous words from “Jerry Maguire”, the 1996 movie classic featuring Tom Cruise: “Help me, help you!”

Our board members, executive committee, districts, staff, 20 partners and our young, diverse physician leaders are all here to help.

We just need to hear from our most valuable asset: You. Congratulations Dr. Lee, Dr. Deen, Dr. Abraham, and Dr. Huang!

LACMA Members, Join Us November 6, 3-5pm at the Huntington Library

SPACE IS LIMITED, RSVP TO LISA@LACMANET.ORG

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INSTALLATION OF PRESIDENT & OFFICERS

LACMA Welcomes 150th President

Jeffery Lee, MD

In July, The Los Angeles County Medical Association welcomed Dr. Jeffery Lee, MD, its 150th president.

Forgoing the traditional in-person celebration due to COVID, outgoing president Dr. Diana Shiba passed the torch virtually, and preparations are underway for a grand online event to take place in the coming weeks.

With the commemoration of LACMA’s historic 150th year in mind, Dr. Lee hit the ground running with a focus on physician well-being, and innovative new programs already taking shape.

“As we look at LACMA’s 150-year history, we’ve been through the Spanish Flu pandemic and now the COVID-19 pandemic, 2 World Wars, and the Cold War, the Great Depression, the Great Recession, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement, and the George Floyd demonstrations,” Dr. Lee said. “In our 150 years, Louis Pasteur

”Even though times have changed, LACMA has always been dedicated to support the physicians of Los Angeles in their noble effort to care for the people of LA.” established the germ theory of disease and we’ve witnessed vaccine development for cholera, anthrax, rabies, tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid fever, Bubonic plague, whooping cough, typhus, influenza, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, human papillomavirus, shingles, and now the surprisingly controversial SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

“But as much history LACMA has been through, we have always been the recognized voice of LA’s doctors,” Dr. Lee continued. Even though times have changed, LACMA has always been dedicated to supporting the physicians of Los Angeles in their noble effort to care for the people of LA. (continued on page 8) 6 LOS A N G EL ES M ED I CI N E | Q UA RT ER 3 2021

Dr. Jeffery Lee is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and has practiced primary care in the San Fernando Valley for the past 18 years. He serves as the Assistant Medical Director for Facey Medical Group where he serves on the Board of Directors. He serves as chair of the group’s Fee and Coding Compliance Committee and is a Certified Professional Coder. He also has experience in areas of information technology, quality improvement and improving the patient experience.

He is a graduate of the 7-Year Accelerated

Omer Deen, MD President-Elect Torrance

Jerry Abraham, MD Treasurer Los Angeles

Liberal Arts/Medical Education school program at Boston University and completed his training in internal medicine at Boston Medical Center. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

He also completed the California HealthCare Foundation Leadership Program through University of California, San Francisco.

He is passionate about wellness and restoring the “joy of medicine” to doctors and reducing burnout among physicians. He is a member of NewStory Church in downtown LA, leads a small group and regularly participates in the Food Pantry to local residents. He is married to wife, Janet, and has 3 daughters - Leanna, Myla, and Elisha. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, snowboarding, weight lifting, and playing piano.

Po-Yin Samuel Huang, MD Secretary Los Angeles

Diana Shiba, MD Immediate Past President Los Angeles

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“LACMA’s mission is to help LA’s physicians care for LA’s people through science-based compassionate care. LACMA advocates for our members in the areas of public policy, government relations, and community relations, in order that physicians might spend more time treating their patients and less time worrying about the challenges of managing a practice.

“And as we see light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, the heavy burden of attending to the wellness of our physicians is increasingly obvious.

“What do we do when providers of healthcare no longer care to provide? When burnout means that our fire and passion for medicine have been snuffed out by long hours, meaningless clicks, and never-ending frustration. Physicians have always worked hard, but when that effort has been disconnected from the reward of making a difference in a patient’s life, our profession suffers,” he concluded.

On behalf of LACMA staff, leadership, and physician members, we heartily thank Dr. Shiba for her leadership in a most challenging year, and we welcome Dr. Lee and look forward to working together in support of all LA County physicians.

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The 2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Awards HONORING HEALTHCARE HEROES

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2021 LOS ANGELES HEALTHCARE AWARDS SPONSORED BY

Warmly welcoming guests gathered together virtually via the Patient Care Foundation website, Dr. Troy Elander opened the 9th Annual Los Angeles Healthcare Awards on April 16.

“This is the 9th time LACMA has gathered to recognize true health heroes in our community. The truth is, every single one of us went above and beyond the call of duty this past year. We know COVID has been a war, the battle is still raging and in our own ways we’ve all been on the front lines. Our job has never been harder – or more heartbreaking.

“But tonight, LACMA will pin a purple heart on those who have done so much in this most impossible of years.

“LACMA is all about advocacy, being that vital voice for Healthcare in areas of public policy, government, and community relations. Nevermore has truth, facts and calm been more needed – and our members aren’t just Health Heroes, they’re superheroes. And we are proud to honor them.”

LACMA president Dr. Diana Shiba then took to the virtual stage to thank sponsors and set the stage for the evening.

“While we all look forward to a time, soon, when we can celebrate together, it means so much to be able to recognize the many health heroes who stepped up in ways that we never could’ve imagined when we last got together in 2019.

“And of course, we want to begin by thanking our wonderful sponsors who make our work possible.

“We are so proud to call them partners, colleagues and friends.

Tonight is a different kind of event, reflecting a very different kind of year.

Forget Spiderman and other Marvel characters – tonight’s show is filled with Superheroes who showed that when things got worse than we could possibly imagine, every single day they brought their best.”

LACMA Board Member and former president Dr. C. Freeman announced the first honoree of the evening,

presenting Dr. Jerry Abraham with the Independent Physician Leadership award.

“When the Vaccine wasn’t showing up in South LA and other underserved LA communities of color, Jerry Abraham snapped into action.

He runs the Kedren Community Health Center – which isn’t a facility designed or funded for vaccine distribution. His actions were decisive and his plan was [comprehensive]. By looking after his community – he’s built a model that will be used to save countless people in other communities. Already the Governor and Department of Health have checked in to see how to mirror Jerry’s magic.”

Presenting the 2021 LACMA Hospital Physician Leadership Award to Dr. Erika Flores Uribe was LACMA Patient Care Foundation Board Member, Elizabeth Kurihara. “[Dr. Uribe] is a passionate, brilliant physician whose every action is about serving the underserved of LA’s LatinX community. For more than a year, she’s spent every single day working in the COVID trenches at LA County USC. About 80% of the ER patients speak Spanish and her calm, her caring, and her masterful ability to care for her patients has consumed her life 24/7. While her stellar example has garnered both local and national press, she has no interest in publicity. She is too busy giving her all to her many patients, and setting a stellar example of leadership.”

Midway through the awards, Dr. Elander shared a video of Patient Care Foundation Scholarship Recipients, Ruth Miranda, MS4, CDU/UCLA, Aileen Arevalo, MS3, CDU/UCLA, and Danielle Gibson, MS4, Michigan State University, who brilliantly answered the questions: “What

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is your healthcare mission?” To see their full answers, visit patientcarefoundation.org/laha2021.

The next award of the evening, the Innovation Award for Community Service, was presented to Dr. Muntu Davis by Dr. Jeffery Lee, 2021-2022 President of LACMA. “Dr. Muntu Davis’ work with the Department of Public Health has been courageous, pivotal, and – here’s that word again – lifesaving. While we all know how hard 2020 was on Physicians and Health Care Professionals, it was anything but easy on Public Health Officials. While giving 1,000% of themselves and working beyond physical and mental endurance, they’ve also had to face intense backlash from so many areas: notably anti-maskers, COVIDdeniers, and those who believe underserved communities don’t deserve health equity.

Dr. Davis has been an absolute advocate for those people who have no voice.”

To watch the 2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Awards visit patientcarefoundation.org/laha2021

LACMA CEO, Gustavo Friederichsen then took to the stage to announce this year’s Shine the Light Media Award recipient, Miguel Almaguer, stating, “this year’s choice was instantaneous. No contest.”

“Miguel Almaguer is a reporter with a strong national presence on NBC. He’s one of the most respected and notable LatinX journalists of our time. And every single day, he uses his platform to educate and be an advocate for his demographic, one hit so hard in so many areas...[H]is work from the epicenter of the COVID epicenter is saving lives in East LA, Boyle Heights, Compton, and South LA hospitals, ICUs, COVID units, Nursing homes, and even morgues. At a time when we’ve seen so much lethal misinformation, he faces his audience with facts of what he has seen and what he’s learned.”

Dr. Elander and Dr. Shiba next presented the 2021 LACMA President’s Award to Dr. Vanessa

Franco and Dr. Richard Kim. “I will begin with Dr. Vanessa Franco, an outstanding Emergency Medical specialist in the non-operative sports medicine department at UCLA. Of course, every minute of 2020 seemed to be a 4-alarm medical emergency. Dr. Franco described it as tumultuous, unpredictable, and everchanging – and that just describes the first 5 minutes of any shift. Trying to practice medicine during the pandemic was like threading a needle while on a roller coaster.

But Dr. Franco not only showed calm at the center of this unrelenting storm, but she also showed great leadership and a willingness to do whatever had to be done for both her patients and her colleagues. There were managerial changes, operational and procedural changes – all while caring for non-COVID patients, without endangering their health. She describes her colleagues as unwavering, tireless, brave, supportive, selfless, and agile amidst all the changes faced. Of course, this describes her perfectly as well.”

“Thank you, Diana,” Dr. Elander said before sharing Dr. Kim’s accomplishments. “I’m happy to note that this President’s award was your idea. It’s a great way to honor two very different physicians who have proven themselves true Superheroes in the war against COVID-19.”

“Dr. Richard Kim is a noted anesthesiologist who I truly believe has not had a day off in the past 14 months. Dr. Kim helped create an innovative workstream that allowed hospitals to take care of this surge of patients while keeping everyone in the unit safe. He also made sure that during the surges – times when so much other needed medical care was postponed – that nonCOVID-related care could continue. Dr. Kim developed medical swat teams in the ICU. He led a team of 200 surgeons and nurses.

He hosted a weekly ZOOM at 7 am designed to share the latest vital updates. He has shown brilliant leadership and constant grace under pressure.”

CORE - the humanitarian foundation created by Ann Lee and Sean Penn – was then revealed as the 2021 Healthcare Champion of the Year Award by Dr. Shiba.

CL AS S IF IEDS /J OB B OAR D

“Known for their international service around the world, CORE’s mission began in Haiti, but this dedicated citizen army is now focused nationally at 2 dozen domestic sites offering more than 12,000 vaccinations per day. A key goal of this initiative. is ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccine to high-risk, low-income, and communities of color.

Their results are extraordinary. Their commitment is absolute. They exist only to help as many people as possible, while equipping the next generation for any number of potential catastrophes from the next pandemic to emergency preparedness for national disasters that are linked to climate change.

The memorable evening honoring healthcare heroes was topped off by Dr. Elander announcing the Lifetime Healthcare Champion honoree in posthumous recognition of a man who was a national and athletic icon: the incomparable Rafer Johnson.

“Perhaps you know of him as the UCLA student who took silver in the 1956 Olympic Decathlon, only to top every known record when he took the gold in 1960. Or perhaps you know of him as a close friend and advisor to Robert Kennedy, with him on the fatal night at the Ambassador Hotel in June of 1968 – he was the man who took the gun from Sirhan Sirhan and delivered it to authorities. Or perhaps you know him as an actor, a newscaster or most importantly, one of the founders of the Special Olympics, designed to allow physically challenged children to compete to their Olympic Best. Or possibly you remember his Olympic return in Los Angeles, 1984, when he spectacularly lit the torch to start the games. Or as a father in the stands, a regular dad, cheering on his athletic children. He was a champion athlete, humanitarian, community organizer, leader, social activist and American hero. He did all of this with humility, empathy and compassion.”

Congratulations to all of the 2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Award Winners and thank you to each and every Healthcare Hero!

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