The Kansas City Medical Society welcomes Betty M. Drees, MD, FACP, as our 2020 president. An endocrinologist, Dr. Drees is Dean Emerita of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, where she served as dean from 2001 to 2014. Since 2018, she has been president of the Graduate School of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
Thanks to you, our members, the Kansas City Medical Society enjoyed a most successful year in 2019. We are reaping the benefits of the merger that created one metropolitan medical society. We look forward to even greater success in 2020. Here are some highlights that took place in 2019 ... because of you.
North Kansas City Hospital has appointed Stephen L. Reintjes, Sr., MD, as president and chief executive officer of the hospital and its physician network subsidiary, Meritas Health. A KCMS past president, Dr. Reintjes is expected to succeed current president and CEO Peggy Schmitt in early April when she plans to retire.
Health care costs weigh heavily on Americans’ minds, with 73% concerned about their ability to pay for an unexpected medical treatment, according to the 2019 biennial Survey of America’s Patients by the Physicians Foundation. In addition, the survey found that Americans are unclear about policy proposals for a single-payer system, with an overwhelming number (77%) confused about what a single-payer system means.
The fourth quarter issue of Kansas City Medicine, the Medical Society's award-winning journal, is here. Our focus on advocacy includes profiles of three physicians serving or who recently served in elected office: former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, MD; Kansas State Sen. Barbara Bollier, MD; and Missouri State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, MD. Also see a recap of the 2019 Annual Meeting and profiles of our 2019 KCMS Award recipients.
Over 250 Medical Society physicians and partners attended the KCMS 2019 Annual Meeting on September 26. Keynote speaker was Vanila M. Singh, MD, MACM. Former Kansas City Mayor Charles B. Wheeler, Jr, MD, JD, received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Patrick B “Rusty” Ryan, PharmD, received the Friend of Medicine Award. See who else was there!
Treatment of chronic and acute pain should take into account the patient’s individual needs and draw from a full range of interventions, according to federal inter-agency task force. Vanila M. Singh, MD, MACM, task force chair, summarized the recommendations to over 250 physicians and health care partners at the Kansas City Medical Society Annual Meeting on September 26.
The Medical Society is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2019 KCMS Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award to former Kansas City Mayor Charles B. Wheeler, Jr., MD, JD. The honors were presented at the Medical Society Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 26.
Vanila M. Singh, MD, MACM, who served from June 2017 to July 2019 as chief medical officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be the speaker for the 2019 KCMS annual meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26.
The KCMS Foundation has received the "Reviewed" designation from the Greater Kansas Community Foundation.