Overheard: "Is anyone concerned that what we do is called 'practice'?"
--John Close, MD, Chief Medical Officer, H.G. Stark Youth Correctional

Charles M. Hair, MD * George Sarka, MD * Peggy J. Fritzsche, MD

Will the burden of medical student loans turn aspiring doctors away from primary care?

The bill supported by the CMA failed to achieve cloture, but compromise legislation will have many similarities.

While the U.S. Congress scrambles to fix Medicare's strategic growth rate-related cutbacks, the drug component's premiums have risen by as much as 16 percent in the past year for new enrollees in its ten most popular prescription plans.

Mid-summer brings in a new executive team for Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

Healthcare information technology experts share their views on must-have devices for doctors of the (near) future.

I'm old enough to remember a time when there were only two people involved in the physician-patient relationship. Today there are thirty-two: thirty-one of them want to get paid and one wants his parking validated and doesn't want to pay the doctor. Go figure.

The Los Angeles County Medical Association hosted a seminar on May 16 at its downtown headquarters publicizing three prescription assistance programs for helping the uninsured and underinsured obtain medicines at reduced prices.

On May 8, the Los Angeles County Medical Association hosted a reception for Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes.

Find out how to present workplace rules, requirements and rights at the Aug. 6 Employee Handbook Workshop presented by the California Employers Association, the Los Angeles County Medical Association and Valley Presbyterian Hospital.

Los Angeles' House of Medicine is already making big political strides in 2008. LACPAC, the political action committee affiliated with the Los Angeles County Medical Association, donated money or otherwise lent its support to six state-level candidates facing primary battles, and on June 3, all six won.

On July 1, James J. Strebig, MD, JD, officially assumed leadership of the Orange County Medical Association as its 119th president.

We are pleased to announce that the 2008 OCMA Membership Directory has been published and delivered to members. Each member receives the first copy at no charge; additional copies may be purchased for $40 each.

Below are the rates for non-members and organizations:
$250-Non-members
$75-Hospitals
$75-Libraries
$75-Community Resource Organizations

For additional information or to place your order, please call 714/978-1160, ext. 200.

We're pleased to offer you this great opportunity to join or re-join organized medicine.

Dr. Patch Adams stated that physicians should never suffer burn-out if we focus on the giving of ourselves to assist others to restored health and a sense of well-being. Yet I struggle.

Despite our best intentions, even mildly sleepy physicians and nurses make mistakes and our patients may be suffering more than we recognize. 

On Sunday, May 18, the Riverside County Medical Association hosted a fundraiser to benefit the re-election of Riverside County Board Supervisor Robert Buster, District I incumbent.

This very successful event was attended by physicians and others from throughout Riverside County. In his remarks, Supervisor Buster expressed appreciation for the support of the RCMA and the local healthcare community, expressing his willingness to work with the leadership of the RCMA in addressing healthcare needs and issues within the county through a quarterly healthcare advisory council.

During the past few months I have been reflecting on why the nursing association was successful in having its demands met, and why the teachers union was able to get Gov. Schwarzenegger to back down from extensive cuts to the state education budget.

Dev GnanaDev, MD, former San Bernardino County Medical Society president and CMA president-elect, was honored by California State University, San Bernardino at a dinner held Friday, May 9 in Ontario.

Eighteen physicians, medical students and staff represented the San Bernardino County Medical Society at the 11th Annual California Health Care Leadership Academy May 2-4 at Disney's Grand California Hotel & Spa in Anaheim.

San Bernardino County Medical Society leaders joined Democratic state legislators, nurses and paramedics at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center on May 16 to discuss the impact of Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts.

Rodney Borger, MD, received a prestigious Molina Healthcare Professional Award during the second annual Molina Healthcare of California Community Champions Awards dinner.

The news came unbidden, unwelcome and-so far-unfunded. The court-appointed receiver operating state prison healthcare plans to build a 1,500-bed prison hospital at the site of the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility in Camarillo.

In nearly 20 years of cleft palate and lip surgery, Allan Perry, Jr., MD, gives underserved kids a chance to live like everyone else, often on his own dime.