NEW YORK – Celebrating ‘Transitions in Medicine’ was the theme of the 2015 Scholarship and Awards presentation of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York on December 3 at the Einhorn Auditorium of Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
The theme was double edged as the joy over achievements and promise of the gifted young scholarship recipients was tempered by concern over the future of the practice of medicine in America, a topic covered in excellent presentations by distinguished physician Dr. Jack Soterakis, VP Physician Clinical Services Quality Improvement, CHSLI and attorney Catherine Patsos, and a lively and fascinating Q &A moderated by HMS President Dr. George Liakeas.
The event’s traditional Continuing Medical Education portion featured a fascinating presentation by Dr. Stavros N. Stavropoulos, adjunct professor of clinical medicine at Columbia and Temple universities titled “The gastroenterologist as surgeon: The New Era pf Endoscopic Surgery.”
HMS Scholarship Chair Dr. Sotirios Stergiopoulos presented the scholarship and urged the young honorees to talk to the HMS veterans. “Get to know them. This is your network…whatever you need, we are all here for you.”
The high school students were called up first and Eve Frangopoulos, Raphael Kirou and Nikolaso Kostaras were the Christ Bozes essay winners.
Research grants were awarded to Myra Trivellas of the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, who won the award sponsored by the Leonidas Lantsounis Research Fund and the Stavros Hartofilis Research sponsored grant presented to Christos Ioannis Mouzakitis.
Medical scholarships were presented the following five students, Katrina Krough, who attends New York Medical College and won the Dr. Spyros and Vivian Mezitis Hellenic Fund; Anastasis Meletios of SUNY Downstate College of Medicine wpm the Dr. Constantinos Vardopoulos Scholarship, Alexander Orfanos of the Geisel School of Medicine of Sartmonth won the scholarship sponsored by Dr. Anthony Vasilas, Andrew Sideras of the NYU School of Medicine won the Polyvios N. Coryllos Memorial Scholarship and Andomachi Trivelas of Tulane University School of Medicine was presented the HMS-NY Scholarship.
Dr. Soterakis preceded his presentation with a call for a moment of silence to honor the memory of their dear friend and noted colleague, Dr. Antoine C. Harovas, but he also happy for the students, saying “we see they will have a bright future.”
Hope was expressed by many that by graduation the healthcare sector will have sorted its profound problems.
Soterakis, given that he is now on the management side of the field, expressed his sympathy as a past practicing physician for today’s doctors who feel like “deer caught in the headlights” of oncoming industry and government demands.
He then gave an overview of how healthcare industry has been addressing the challenges of quality of care and skyrocketing costs, and of the dramatic shift from the “free for service” model to “value-based care” guided by the “triple aim” goals of 1) population health 2) experience of care, and 3) per capita cost.
The content of his comprehensive presentation can only be hinted at with key terms like “accountability” and advice such as “physicians will have to become members of team” and “pay attention and be active.”
He and Patsos noted, however, that government agencies want to get it right, for physicians and patients, and that they are reaching out for input. Dr. Soterakis urged doctors “to be involved in the healthcare redesign process.”
Dr. Soterakis also made a personal appeal for his colleagues to support the work of the Hellenic Relief Foundation, which provides food and medicine to the needy in Greece, and acknowledged the presence of one of its founders, past HMS president Nicholas Mezitis, whose brother, Federation of Hellenic Medical Societies of North America president Spiros Mezitis also attended.
Patsos also offered a thorough and sympathetic presentation – sometimes in an “I’m just the messenger tone. She urged doctors to “really pay attention to billing and coding errors” and make sure staff is properly trained to avoid penalties and other problems.
The lively Q & A addressed what is driving the bureaucratization of medicine, and the role of lobbyists and insurance and pharmaceutical companies were also addressed. One sympathetic non-physician decried the virtual “enslavement” of doctors.
The featured speakers and guests bemoaned the process that disrupts the doctor-patient relationship, and limits doctors’ ability to advise and guide. While it was noted that the slack is being picked up people like physicians assistants, HMS Vice President Stella Lymberis told TNH “there is no substitute for hearing it from your doctor.
SURGERY’S NEW FRONTIERS
Dr. Stavropoulos spoke of the evolution of techniques for radically new methods of minimally invasive surgery for the removal of tumors and other interventions.
Blurring the lines between the work of surgeons and gastroenterologists, doctors gain access though the mouths and other orifices of patients, eliminating for scar-creating piercings of the abdomens and the need to remove large portions of organs like the stomach, esophagus, and colon.
Past HMS president Dr. George Dangas, echoing Dr. Soterakis, congratulated Stavropoulos on his pioneering work.
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