HJNO Nov/Dec 2021

48 NOV / DEC 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Juan Gershanik, MD Co-President Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY Since MASELA was founded in late Oc- tober 2020, by Jefferson Parish Medical Society (JPMS) and Orleans Parish Med- ical Society (OPMS), MASELA’s board of directors and staff have made great strides toward accomplishing the shared vision of a unified, stronger voice for all physi- cians, physicians-in-training and patients in the Southeast Louisiana area. 2021 has been a formative and foundational year. Actions and initiatives have focused on the effective functioning of the organiza- tion and positioning it for future success. As co-presidents of MASELA, we are very pleased with the progress made to date and look forward to continuing to achieve the vision that JPMS and OPMS initiated. Governance, Mission & Vision, and Strategic Priorities The initial board of MASELA was cho- sen, which ensured equal representation from JPMS and OPMS: • Juan Gershanik, MD, and Tanya Busenlener, MD, co-presidents. • George Ellis, MD, president-elect. • Mark Rice, MD, secretary . • Gabriel Pridjian, MD, treasurer. • Jonathan Boraski, MD, at large mem- ber. • Eric Ehrensing, MD, at large member. • William Boles, medical student mem- ber. • Blake Denley, MD, resident member. • William Daly, MD, board member. • Robert Maupin, MD, board member. • Harold Miller, Jr., MD, board member. The board of directors established the following mission and vision statements: • MASELA’s mission is to unify and em- power physicians in Southeast Loui- siana to enhancemedical care and the quality of life in our community. • MASELA’s vision is to create a med- ical practice environment, which supports and encourages physicians’ professional satisfaction and well-be- ing and enables them to provide ac- cessible, equitable and quality medi- cal care. In March 2021, MASELA’s board of di- rectors convened to establish organiza- tional priorities based on the focus groups and survey that were conducted: • Developing resources, services and programs to enhance physician well-being. • Creating public relations campaigns to celebrate physicians. • Engaging physicians to better under- stand their challenges and needs. • Improving the environment in which physicians practice and patients re- ceive care. • Creating public and stakeholder ed- ucation to improve public health and health equity. • Educating physicians on the business of medicine. • Initiating services for physicians in employed and private practice set- tings. • Bringing socioeconomic and public health trend information to the medi- cal community. • Helping physicians find career op- portunities, and locating quality clini- cal and nonclinical staff. Membership Marketing Strategy Launched To increase awareness of MASELA, a corporate brand was chosen, and a website was created — www.masela.org. The web- site includes an online application. Social media sites were activated: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ company/71060368. • Facebook: https://www.facebook . com/medicalassociationsela. • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ MedAssnSeLa. • Instagram. Email communications and virtual and MASELA Shares Its Mission, Vision, Value Statements & Priorities