HJNO Jan/Feb 2024

56 JAN / FEB 2024 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS MEDICAL SOCIETY COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT: MASELA’s Glance Back at 2023 and Visions for the Future AS we mark another year anniversary of the Medical Association of Southeast Louisi- ana, we reflect with immense gratitude on the incredible journey we have undertak- en together. It has been a year filled with remarkable achievements, collaborative efforts, and a steadfast commitment to ad- vancing healthcare excellence in our region. Our collective dedication to the well-be- ing of our communities has propelled us to new heights. From groundbreaking initiatives to transformative patient care programs, each milestone stands as a tes- tament to the unwavering spirit of our es- teemed members. I am thrilled to share a comprehensive update on the strides we have made, the challenges we have overcome, and the ex- citing initiatives that lie ahead. First, let me introduce LifeBridge Physician Revitaliza- tion Program. The program was created in late 2020 by Jefferson and Orleans Parish Medical Societies, recognizing that a unified approach to addressing enhanced profes- sional satisfaction, medical practice chal- lenges, and public health crises was needed in the region. The programwent live in Oc- tober of 2022 and has been a success in 2023. MASELA’s board of directors recognizes the importance of physician well-being to our entire community: We believe “Healthy Phy- sicians = Healthy Communities.”The func- tion of LifeBridge is to support and assist physicians in achieving and maintaining personal and professional balance. MASELAhas worked with other local and regional organizations this past year, ad- vocating for physician-led healthcare. The political winds in our state seem to always be turbulent, but MASELAcontinues to nav- igate the landscape well. Our organization is committed to physician-led healthcare and will continue to advocate and work for what is best for our regional physicians and, most importantly, our patients. We have goals to continue improving relationships with legislators to better inform our community leaders on the challenges of physicians and the doctor-patient relationship. MASELA continues to plan our regular social outings around the New Orleans Metro area. Last year, the “Thirsty Thurs- day” meetings were successful in bringing together our members. Meaningful con- versations were had between new and old friends. These gatherings have given great value to membership and promise to be a wonderful addition to our event calendar. Direct physician collaboration in our area has always been a recipe for success. Join us as we celebrate the collective impact of our organization and acknowl- edge the outstanding contributions of our members and partners with the Celebration of Medicine. This gathering will take place March 8, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Metairie Country Club . Last year’s event honored several area physicians for their efforts in public health leadership, physician and pa- tient advocacy, physician well-being, and be- ing a medical role model. These distinctions will again be awarded this year. In addition to those awards, MASELA will honor local physicians who graduated from medical school 50 years ago. Please come out and celebrate with us as we honor our members.