HJNO Jan/Feb 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  JAN / FEB 2022 53 Tanya Busenlener, MD 2020-2021 Co-President Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana Michael Wheelis, MD, an emergency physician, leader, educator and medical practice compliance expert, is the new president of Orleans Parish Medical Society, a professional association formed in 1878. Wheelis is a graduate of Louisiana State University School of Medicine inNew Orleans, is board-certified in emergency medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. During his more than 30 years of work in this specialty, Wheelis has experienced emergency medicine from many different perspectives. As a clinician and emergen- cy medicine manager, he has witnessed the challenges of caring for our region’s patients. This firsthand experience led Wheelis to have an interest in educating physicians about the importance of ac- curate and timely documentation. He has now developed online educational oppor- tunities for physicians and other health- care professionals about topics including documentation improvement and CMS regulations and requirements. Wheelis, who also serves on the board of directors of the Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana (MASELA), sees ed- ucation as a core responsibility and val- ue for the member physicians of OPMS and MASELA. “Patient care policies, laws and regulations are always changing. Our medical societies are perfectly positioned to offer valuable education to physicians and their staff throughout Southeast Lou- isiana. I look forward to the opportunity during my term as president to help our physicians stay informed and compliant.” Joining Wheelis in the leadership of OPMS are Juan Gershanik, MD, immediate past president; Floyd A. Buras, Jr., MD, president-elect; and Robert Maupin, MD, secretary-treasurer. Other board members areMyraKleinpeter,MD,member-at-large; Cathi Fontenot, MD, member-at-large; William Daly, Jr., MD, member-at-large; and Gabriella Pridjian, MD, member-at- large. Members of the OPMS council of gov- ernors are: • James Aiken, MD. • Ann Borreson, MD. • Patrick Breaux, MD. • George S. Ellis, Jr., MD. • John Heaton, MD. • Charles Hilton, MD. • William LaCorte, MD. • Maria Reinoso, MD. • Jay Shames, MD. • Maurice Sholas, MD. • Roger Smith, MD. • Royce Dean Yount, MD. When Eric Ehrensing, MD, became pres- ident of Jefferson Parish Medical Society, he was well aware of the traditions and history of the parishmedical society, which was founded in 1959. He understands the importance of recognizing and celebrating that history while also bringing innovative thinking and problem-solving skills to the issues faced by today’s physician. Ehrensing is a progressive and innova- tive healthcare leader with both clinical and nonclinical interests in this profes- sional opportunity to lead JPMS. He re- ceived a medical doctorate from the Uni- versity of Virginia in Charlottesville and completed an internal medicine residency, followed by fellowships in infectious dis- ease and critical care at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is currently the vice chairman of in- fectious diseases and the physician advi- sor for utilization management at Ochsner Health. He is also an adjunct professor at Tulane University in the department of biomechanical engineering, helping engi- neering students develop innovation and design skills. He recently completed a master’s de- gree in healthcare management at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University, focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in healthcare. Additionally, he serves on the board of Ochsner Physi- cian Partners and Prometheus Advisory Board for Change Healthcare, focusing on creating value-based solutions that im- prove patient care. Ehrensing brings this practical experi- ence and innovation to Jefferson Parish Medical Society as its president in 2022. He plans to focus on how physicians’ pa- tient care challenges can be represented in changes in policy to improve the envi- ronment of care delivery. He is also on the board of directors of the new Medical As- sociation of Southeast Louisiana. In addition to Ehrensing as President, the 2022 board of directors of JPMS in- cludes: • Mark Rice, MD, immediate past pres- ident. • Jonathan Boraski, MD, vice president. • Harold Miller, MD, secretary. • Lindsay York, MD, treasurer. • Lisa Casey, MD, board of censors chair. • Marideli Scanlan, MD, member-at- large. • Luis Arencibia, MD, member-at- large. n JEFFERSON PARISH MEDICAL SOCIETY ORLEANS PARISH MEDICAL SOCIETY