HJNO Jul/Aug 2026

60 JUL / AUG 2026 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS MEDICAL SOCIETY COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY FINDING our purpose as members of our medical societies sometimes comes down to trusting the process. If we are moving forward and committed to our organiza- tions, we create meaning and do not simply evaporate into thin air. We as physicians and members must believe that where we were yesterday — and where we find our- selves today with our medical societies, MASELA, JPMS and OPMS — matters be- cause our past and present help shape who we become and the future of those who come after us. Organized medicine remains essential because it allows physicians to maintain a meaningful voice in the decisions affecting healthcare delivery, physician recruitment, patient access to care, and the future of medicine in Louisiana. Healthcare policy is increasingly shaped by legislative, regula- tory, and economic forces, and physicians must continue to participate in those con- raised that increasing malpractice expo- sure and insurance costs could contribute to fewer younger physicians choosing to stay in Louisiana to practice medicine, par- ticularly in underserved areas and high-li- ability specialties. Those conversations were especially timely given the number of medical mal- practice-related bills considered during this year’s legislative session. Senate Bill 500 (SB500) would have modified Lou- isiana’s medical review panel process by allowing plaintiffs, under certain circum- stances, to bypass the traditional panel requirement through use of a physician expert “certificate of merit” filing. Senate Bill 366 (SB366) proposed broader revi- sions to the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act, including increasing the current mal- practice recovery limit from $500,000 to $1 million. Additional legislation, including SB212 and House Bill 984 (HB984), would versations. If physicians are absent from these discussions, others will define the future of medicine for us. That purpose was clearly demonstrated this May during the Louisiana State Medi- cal Society’s White Coat Wednesday at the Louisiana State Capitol. Physicians from across Louisiana gathered to meet directly with members of the Louisiana House and Senate, discuss legislation affecting health- care delivery, and advocate for both our profession and our patients. Many physi- cians also had the opportunity to observe legislative sessions firsthand and witness the policymaking process in action. During discussions with legislators, several representatives and senators em- phasized that they value hearing directly from practicing physicians regarding how legislation could affect patient access to care, healthcare costs, and physician reten- tion throughout Louisiana. Concerns were PURPOSE, ADVOCACY, ANDMOVING FORWARD TOGETHER Physicians from across Louisiana gathered at the state capitol to meet with legislators and advocate for policies that support physicians and improve patient care during LSMS’s White Coat Wednesday.