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Letter from the President

February 3, 2023

A Letter from the President

I am honored to be the President of KCMS for the year 2023. I’m inspired to follow in the footsteps of the leaders who have come before me. I started with the Society in 2012 as a board member representing St. Luke’s Hospital. The past decade has taught me so much about leadership and service to my community. I have seen the Society grow to include both sides of the state line with a thriving and effective Leadership Council representing all corners of the Metro area. It is exciting to be a part of making Kansas City a better place for its residents. I’m proud of the Kansas City Medical Society Foundation and its ability to unify healthcare to the underserved in our community.

With our new Executive Director, Micah Flint, we are looking towards a bright future. Our leadership Council, led by Dr. Greg Unruh, began the year with plans to combat the Opioid crisis. Our physician Wellness committee, run in conjunction with the KCMS Foundation, has a new chair, Dr. Anjalee Carlson. Along with Dr. Lancer Gates (MSMA president), Dr. Fariha Shafi, Dr. Steven Salanski , have three main initiatives. The first is to combat substance abuse and the opioid crisis. Dr. Steven Salanski, crafted a letter that was sent to the superintendents of schools in the greater Kansas City area petitioning that Narcan be available in all schools. Second, physician wellness is being addressed by attempting to combat burnout. We are engaging Chief Medical Officers of local hospitals for their involvement. In addition, an informal physician mentorship program is being explored. Our first happy hour took place in late April to allow for networking, which welcomed medical students and residents as well. Finally, our dedication to community strives to span the ages. We are in the beginning stages of developing a youth video competition by high schoolers to encourage teens not to use drugs. Dr. Keith Jantz and the retired physicians' group, are working on “walk with a doc”, an experience in which community members hear a short talk and can then ask questions one on one to physicians. We continue with physician advocacy by supporting MSMA and KMS. We greatly appreciate our hospital partnerships, as we could not thrive as we do without them.

As I reflect on our mission, which is to improve the health of all in greater Kansas City through leadership, advocacy and innovation, I am excited for the rest of the year in all that we can do as a medical community.

Sincerely,

Carole Freiberger-O’Keefe, DO

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Letter from the President 2025

January 6, 2025

I consider it a sincere honor to serve as president of the Kansas City Medical Society this year. As we look forward to this new year, we celebrate our previous accomplishments and look for new ways to meet the challenges of our ever-changing healthcare environment. As we recognize our recent successes, I want to take the opportunity to thank Dr. Greg Unruh, our immediate past president, for his excellent leadership, and I look forward to his continued partnership, providing much-needed wisdom and experience to our board of directors as well as a leadership council. I am also deeply appreciative of Micah Flint, our executive director, now in his third year with the Society. As a board, we are prioritizing key areas where we believe the Society can make a difference for physicians and the communities we serve. With this in mind, we will continue our focus on wellness, advocacy, and expand our opportunities for in person social and educational gatherings. Our journal connects us in a variety of valuable ways, and we will continue its publication and expand its distribution. Under the directorship of Karole Bradford, the Society’s Foundation continues to do invaluable work. We celebrate those accomplishments and the charitable care they provide to our community’s vulnerable population. We are grateful for our individual members and corporate sponsors and welcome your suggestions of how the Society can best serve physicians and our community. Please mark your calendar for the Society’s upcoming events and consider inviting physician colleagues to join you as we gather to learn and support one another.