HJNO Jan/Feb 2021

46 JAN / FEB 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Juan Gershanik, MD Co-President Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY NEW MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA LAUNCHED TO ENHANCE SERVICE TO PHYSICIANS AND THE COMMUNITY READERS of the Healthcare Journal of New Orleans have read about the enhanced col- laborative efforts of the two parish societ- ies over the last year. This collaboration, with input from physicians via survey and several focus groups, resulted in a decision by the respective boards and membership of both organizations to form this new or- ganization in October 2020. During the focus groups, physicians in- dicated they wanted leaders of Jefferson and Orleans Parish Medical Societies to “build a better boat” – a new and improved organization to advocate for and serve physicians. In addition, the focus group physician participants shared the impor- Jefferson and Orleans Parish Medical Societies are excited to announce the formation of a new unified and stronger organization to represent physicians and patients in our region – the Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana. tance of needing a stronger, trusted voice in the community. They indicated the need for a unified voice on medical and pub- lic health matters, health equity, medical education and the physician workforce, healthcare access, financing and delivery, and physician autonomy. The leaders of the parishmedical societ- ies were listening intently and have created an organizational structure, which ensures an effective governance structure, and which encourages collaboration, leader- ship development and physician member engagement. That new boat has been launched as the Medical Association of Southeast Loui- siana (MASELA). Jefferson and Orleans Parish Medical Societies will continue to be the voice of physicians to the Lou- isiana State Medical Society. Most other responsibilities and operations are being transferred to the new organization to guarantee a more responsive approach to serving physicians and their medical practices. Membership is open to all phy- sicians in the Southeast Louisiana region, and if a physician resides and/or practices in Jefferson or Orleans Parish, they may join both MASELA and the parish medical society. MASELA has a board of 10 physicians – five from each founding society. Initial-