Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH
LACMA member since 2000
Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, who served as public health officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services for eight years, was appointed director and health officer of the newly created Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a separate public health department this past summer in order to address disease control and bioterrorism preparedness. Dr. Fielding, a professor of medicine in pediatrics and public health at UCLA, was sworn in by David Janssen, chief administrative officer, in late August.

"I am delighted to lead and participate in the revitalization of the LA County Department of Public Health," Dr. Fielding says. "Now that it is separate from LADHS, we will have more direct access to the board of supervisors. This will bring about increased flexibility when it comes to establishing policy and handling budgetary issues. Because we're no longer part of a large organization, there are fewer competing priorities and less bureaucracy."

Since its inception, the Department Public Health has launched its new Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program. The department's mission will remain the same: to protect and improve the public health of Los Angeles County.

"We will strive to focus on public education for a wide range of healthcare issues, such as diabetes and hypertension," Dr. Fielding says. "But our priority is to ensure that LA County is prepared and equipped to deal with a potential pandemic or bioterrorism event."

Robert Splawn, MD, MPH
LACMA member since 2005
Splawn, the former medical director of emergency services at Cali- fornia Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, was appointed director of Torrance-based HealthCare Partners Institute in July. HealthCare Partners Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving community health through outreach and education. In his new role, Dr. Splawn plans to address health disparities, substance abuse, and consumer and provider education.

"We are proud to welcome a physician of Dr. Splawn's stature to HealthCare Partners," says William Chin, MD, executive medical director of HealthCare Partners. "Under his direction, we envision the institute making major contributions to clinical research by testing out various interventions that could substantially improve community health, especially in chronic disease management areas such as adherence strategies, standardization of medical care and resource management."

Active in medical staff leadership and community foundations and boards, Dr. Splawn has founded several innovative programs focused on services to victims of domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse, as well as programs focused on bioterrorism and disaster planning. He is currently chair of the Emergency Medical Services Commission of the County of Los Angeles, an advisory board member of the California Forensic Science Institute, a board member of the National Health Foundation, and vice chair of the board of directors for California Hospital Medical Center Foundation.

"Dr. Splawn has an outstanding record of leadership and accomplishment," Dr. Chin says. "As important, he has great heart and compassion--qualities in line with HealthCare Partners' dedication to the well-being and respectful, compassionate healing of our patients and our communities."

J. Michael Wormley, MD
LACMA member since 1960
Wormley, a Glendora family medicine physician and chair of Mutual Protection Trust since 1986, was instrumental in leading the company to a rating of "A+" or "Superior" from A.M. Best Co. MPT provides professional liability protection for members of the Cooperative of American Physicians, and the combined organization is known as CAP-MPT.

During Dr. Wormley's 20 years as MPT chair, the trust has grown dramatically. Today, it protects more than 9,000 California physicians.

MPT's financial strength rating, upgraded in July from its previous "A" or "Excellent" mark, is the highest of all physician-owned and physician-directed carriers in the United States, according to A.M. Best.

"This positive recognition from A.M. Best Co., the premier independent rating agency for the industry, affirms our role as a superior alternative provider of cost-effective professional liability protection services for California physicians," Dr. Wormley says. He adds that MPT now provides coverage to nearly 20 percent of the California physician market.

Alexander Gershman, MD
LACMA member since 2006
Gershman, chief of laparoscopic surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, was featured in a broadcast on ABC 7 Eyewitness News in July, promoting the use of robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery to perform prostatectomy. The minimally invasive procedure results in fewer side effects, limited blood loss and quicker patient recovery, Dr. Gershman said.

One of the founders of the technology, Dr. Gershman was the first physician to perform robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery on the West Coast.

The broadcast included the story of Joe Di Blasi, a 54-year-old patient with a diseased prostate. Without surgery, Di Blasi would have eventually lost his life, Dr. Gershman told ABC. "Within the next five or six years, he would have developed metastatic prostate cancer, and he would have died," he said.

Potential risks during prostatectomy include incontinence and impotence. So it's a delicate undertaking, and the surgical methods impact the success, Dr. Gershman said. For most men, robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is the way to go.

"We'll watch Joe very carefully with prostate-specific antigen tests and exams, but he has an excellent chance of never ever hearing about prostate cancer," concluded Dr. Gershman.

Priya Yerasi, MD
OCMA member since 2005
Yerasi, a hospitalist and internist at Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center, was a con- testant in late June on Jeopardy, the cerebral TV game show. Dr. Yerasi competed against Mark Edelson, a software developer from Canada, and Ryan McMillen, an English professor from New York. Although Dr. Yerasi came in second winning a nominal prize of $2,000, she says the best prize was the experience itself.

"I like Jeopardy because the show is all about what you know and when you know it," Dr. Yerasi says. "Jeopardy has no politics like other shows, such as 'Survivor.' Next, I want to audition for 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'"

Dr. Yerasi completed her bachelor's degree at Harvard University, majoring in English, American Literature and Languages. She earned her medical degree at UC San Francisco School of Medicine. Her mother is a practicing physician in Iowa. And her former college boyfriend was a Teen Jeopardy Champion.

"I've watched Jeopardy on and off for 20 years," Dr. Yerasi says. "When I play at home, I answer all the questions because I am a jack of all trades. I like to write, I love the arts, I take piano lessons with my kids and I enjoy reading. My books range from trash to the classics."

Her loss of the game wasn't a matter of her mind not being quick enough, but her hands, she says. "I wish I would've watched more television and played more video games growing up," Dr. Yerasi says. "It would've helped with my motor skills in working the buzzer."