Page 17 - WCMS2Q22

daunting experience to provide the medical student perspective amongst accomplished physicians, but thankfully, my fellow committee members were kind, patient, and thoughtful throughout the day. In the breakout session in the afternoon, while the committee members were discussing our final positions, I was impressed and inspired by the considerate and detail- oriented conversations. A few of the resolutions were directly related to medical student education, so I felt proud when the other committee members around the table looked to me for insight.
Our committee’s conversations were robust, lasting a few hours, which meant I missed the keynote speaker after lunch. My classmates told me they were surprised by the resounding theme of “professional encroach- ment” that was underscored during that speech, and throughout the entire conference. Since we do not yet have experience practicing in the current medical landscape, we were unaware of the evidently acrimoni- ous relationship between advanced providers and primary care physicians. While we understand the importance of maintaining high quality care, we also recognize the importance of access and evolution of the field. Personally, I was a bit taken aback by the choice to stress “professional encroachment” to all the members while there are still many far-reaching systemic inequi- ties and public health crises (hint, the COVID-19 pan- demic, hint) that are dramatically impacting the state.
Sunday morning, after having spent a lovely evening connecting with fellow medical student delegates from across the state, we were prepared for a spirited and potentially lengthy debate over the resolutions. We had heard from previous delegates to be ready to stay until the afternoon. It was a relief, but also a little under- whelming, when practically all of the decisions by committees were passed without discussion. It seemed as though the burdensome and oftentimes inscrutable parliamentary rules hindered what could have been spirited debates. One notable exception was Dr. Burney’s resolution calling for the repeal Michigan’s abortion law. Disappointingly, the group decided to refer it to the Board of Directors, and just the next day Politico leaked the Supreme Court’s draft opinion to strike down Roe v. Wade. This unfortunate turn of events seemed a quintes- sential demonstration of both the need for conviction and courage in a group, as well as the limitations of bureaucratic, cumbersome institutions.
All in all, it was an honor to attend and participate in MSMS’s annual House of Delegates. My classmates and I learned so much from interacting with fellow medical students, physicians, and as always, our fellow Washt- enaw County members. Two of us will be attending the AMA’s HOD in Chicago in June and look forward to
l e a r n i n g e v e n• m o r e f r o m d o c t o r s a n d s t u d e n t s a r o u n d the country.
Volume 74 • Number 2 Washtenaw County Medical Society BULLETIN 17
LT H C A R E LAW FIRM
Wachler & Associates represents healthcare providers, suppliers, and other entities and individuals in Michigan and nationwide in all areas of health law including, but not limited to:
• Healthcare Corporate and Transactional Matters, including Contracts, Corporate Formation, Mergers, Sales/Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures
• Medicare, Medicaid, and Other Third-Party Payor Audits and Claim Denials
• Licensure, Staff Privilege, and Credentialing Matters
• Provider Contracts
H
H
H
E
E
EA
A
A
L
Wachler
• Billing and Reimbursement Issues
• Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), and Fraud & Abuse Law Compliance
• Physician and Physician Group Issues
• Regulatory Compliance
• Corporate Practice of Medicine Issues
• Provider Participation/Termination Matters
• Healthcare Litigation
• Healthcare Investigations
• Civil and Criminal Healthcare Fraud
• MedicareandMedicaidSuspensions, Revocations, and Exclusions
• HIPAA,HITECH,42CFRPart2, and Other Privacy Law Compliance
S E R V I N G H E A L T H C A R E P R O V I D E R S F O R O V E R 3 0 Y E A R S