The outpouring of aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina is remarkable. I would like to recognize the local physicians and healthcare teams who anticipated the call and traveled long distances to provide medical care to hundreds of people displaced by the disaster.

In our quest to create a perfect holiday season for our families, let's not forget the children living in our communities who only become visible when we see them in our hospitals and clinics.

From local business coalitions to regional health plans to the federal government, sponsors across the country are experimenting with new ways to drive quality improvement through incentives.

One of a doctor's best trading partners is his or her malpractice insurance carrier. For San Bernardino County Medical Society members, that carrier frequently is NORCAL Mutual Insurance Co. SBCMS teamed up with NORCAL to help protect physicians' careers and reputations, selecting the company because of its core values.

A new UC Riverside medical school may be a step forward in alleviating a projected shortage of physicians uncovered in a number of studies during the past five years. San Bernardino County Medical Society members should participate however we can to make the medical school a reality.

Fifty physicians gathered for dinner at the SBCMS/ RCMA Conference Center on Tuesday, March 2. They met with California Medical Association representatives to discuss Workers' Compensation and provide input on action plans to deal with this critical problem.

June is a time of transition and reflection, and we look back over our achievements with a sense of satisfaction that we did our best work. This article reviews several highlights from the activities of the San Bernardino County Medical Society in 2005-06.