Margaret Beed, MD * Guillermo Valenzuela, MD * Beth Karlan, MD * George Sarka, MD * Richard E. Anderson, MD * Mitchell S. Karlan

As the 2007 regular legislative session closed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and vetoed a raft of bills reaching him from the state's legislative branch. Here is a look at how healthcare bills supported or opposed by the California Medical Association did this year, according to the association's government relations department.

President George W. Bush's congressional opponents failed to override his veto of a bill expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and now the face-off starts again.

With Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez' AB 8 off the table after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Oct.12 veto, the debate among lawmakers and constituents now centers on the merits of the governor's new plan introduced Oct. 9. Physicians will be pleased that the new version lacks the 2-percent doctor's revenue tax that the California Medical Association fought all year.

Here is the scoop on three common misunderstandings about pandemic influenza.

AMA Meet and Greet Sessions Yeild Lively Discussion * Physician Fights Back in Wrongful Liability Case

Despite fundamental misunderstandings about its practice and goals, palliative care is expanding across the nation at a rapid pace. Practitioners say that's because society and the healthcare industry traditionally overlook--or want to ignore--the most difficult stages of life.

An overview of the practical support that medical staffs need by Brian Johnston, MD, a physician who participates in Organized Medical Staff Sections for the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

Medical staff leaders have an ally in their quest to function effectively in the hospital environment-the Organized Medical Staff Section of the California Medical Association. Pro-physician model bylaws and a bylaws- analysis service also bolster medical staff leadership and ensure patient advocacy.

Here are five tips to navigating the real estate market to lease or buy office space.

In October, KCET Channel 28 interviewed me about medical tourism. While many physicians who hear the term medical tourism may think of continuing medical education programs held in vacation locales, that is not the type of medical tourism I was asked to discuss. Rather, there is a growing trend of patients seeking medical care overseas to avoid the higher cost of healthcare in the United States.

To keep physician employers within the law, Stacy Rochelle, California Employer Association Southern California regional director, explained upcoming labor law changes and offered hiring tips at a Sept. 25 seminar at the Los Angeles County Medical Association headquarters.

After three years as the vice president of government relations at the Los Angeles County Medical Association, David Pruitt has taken over as the executive director of the California Medical Association Political Action Committee, where he will directly influence the CMA's interactions with the state Legislature.

Although I am president of the Orange County Medical Association, I question whether it is really my medical association. Or is it our medical association? What exactly is a medical association?

As the Orange County Medical Association's newest staff member, I was fortunate to participate in a Board of Directors retreat in September. The timing could not have been better, as the retreat was over the weekend just prior to my first day on the job as director of operations/membership development.

In the past decade, the measurement of physician actions has increased drastically. Insurers have launched pay-for-performance programs designed to reward physicians for demonstrating measurable value. Specialty boards have instituted requirements to size up physicians' skills with more frequent recertifications. The latest development in physician measurement comes from the Joint Commission.

By the end of the session, the 2-percent tax was off the table, the attempts to expand scope of practice were defeated, and the Legislature passed a bill clarifying that insurance companies cannot cancel or modify contracts after a physician provides treatment--all due to the hard work and dedication of the fantastic California Medical Association government relations team.

Here is resource information for doctors who need to contact school districts about Individual Education Plan Assessments.

On Oct. 24, the Riverside County Medical Association Annual Fall Association Meeting celebrated the achievements of two doctors. The 2007 Outstanding Contribution to Organized Medicine Award was given to Cecilia A. Smith, MD, and the 2007 Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award was presented to David B. Kaminsky, MD.

As physicians, how we address death is influenced by our own personal growth and view of life itself.

The Physicians' Memorial, Gift & Benevolence Fund is a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its federal tax ID is 33-0219397.

Three events highlight the increased presence of the San Bernardino County Sheriff Medical Reserve Corps.

Troy Elander, MD, is challenged at home and abroad, performing the first corneal transplant in Uganda and serving as a leader of organized medicine.