California Medical Association

The California Medical Association (CMA) filed an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on December 15 in a case brought by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association against the Healthy San Francisco program. CMA supports the state and local government using a wide array of options to offer universal health care.

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MSMS Mourns Loss of Kevin A. Kelly

Leaders of the Michigan State Medical Society today honored the memory of Kevin A. Kelly, immediate past MSMS executive director.

"Medicine in this state is fortunate to have had a man of such integrity, respect for family, and commitment to his community," said MSMS president Michael A. Sandler, MD. "Caring and considerate, Kevin Kelly was a visionary in health care. Michigan citizens will continue to benefit from his lifetime of leadership and dedication."

Mr. Kelly served the 16,000-member MSMS his entire career, beginning shortly after graduating from Michigan State University in 1978 in economics. He started as a legislative coordinator in 1979. In 1987, Mr. Kelly became managing director and in 2005 was named executive director, succeeding William E. Madigan.

"Kevin has been a mentor and an inspiration to many people, and his passion for life permeated everything that he did," said MSMS acting executive director Julie L. Novak. "The good fortune of knowing someone like him makes us all better people, and his influence will have a ripple effect for generations. We will miss him, but we will carry a little of him with us forever."

“The world is run by those who show up” is an adage Mr. Kelly adopted as his personal motto. He dedicated his life and inspired other to "show up" and work for improving health care for all Michigan citizens.

"Kevin Kelly truly was a force of nature the likes of which I've seldom seen," said Gregory J. Forzley, MD, chair of the MSMS board of directors. "Kevin had the ability to engender passion among leaders to focus on issues that matter. He was one of the most positive people I've ever known. With him, suddenly the impossible becomes possible. He will be missed by many people in many ways."

Successes during his career at MSMS include the MSMS Future of Medicine initiative, a Michigan Patients’ Bill of Rights, nation-leading medical liability reform, increased AIDS education, stabilized funding of the Medicaid program, domestic violence education, and improved end-of-life care. He also was dedicated to banning smoking in workplaces, improving childhood immunization rates, and patient safety education, among many other health care issues.

Mr. Kelly’s seemingly limitless energy was shared with a variety of organizations outside of MSMS including Ele’s Place, the Children’s Trust Fund, Michigan’s Children, Capitol National Bank board of directors, Michigan Hospice Organization, Michigan Health Council, Michigan Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance, Michigan Transplant Policy Center, Michigan Public Health Association, American Cancer Society, Gilda's Club, Michigan Festival, Michigan Political History Society, People's Church, MSU's Wharton Center, the Sparrow Hospital Foundation, and various advisory councils for the city of East Lansing, Lansing Community College, and Sparrow Hospital.

In 2004, Mr. Kelly received one of his alma mater’s highest honors, the MSU Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1999, together with Mr. Madigan, Mr. Kelly received one of the American Medical Association's highest awards, the Medical Executive Achievement Award. Other awards included the Strategic Association Leader Award from the Michigan Society of Association Executives and the Vernice Davis Anthony Ele’s Place Award recognizing his leadership of that agency’s efforts to counsel grieving children.

Most recently, on Dec. 9, the advocacy group Michigan's Children, named him the first recipient of the annual Kevin A. Kelly Children's Advocate Award.

A corollary to Mr. Kelly's motto of "showing up" is "Hard on issues, soft on people." This respectful attitude toward others in public policy development garnered respect from every quarter, ally and opponent, alike.

"We all owe Kevin Kelly a debt of gratitude for his time, energy and commitment to improving health care in Michigan," Doctor Sandler said. "We owe it to him to continue to fight for access to quality health care. Kevin Kelly was a wonderful person who gave of himself to everyone."

Cards may be sent to the Kelly family in care of MSMS, 120 W. Saginaw St., East Lansing, MI, 48823

Massachusetts Medical Society

The Massachusetts Medical Society has been named one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts in the debut of a project by The Boston Globe that recognizes the most progressive companies in the state based on employee opinions about company leadership, compensation and training, diversity and inclusion, career development, family-friendly flexibility, and values and ethics.

The Globe 100’s Top Places to Work was produced by the same team that compiles the newspaper’s annual Globe 100 report of the best-performing public companies in the state. The Globe 100’s Top Places to Work program is the first time that a Globe 100 report honors private companies and nonprofits as well as publicly-held organizations. The list appeared in the November 9 Boston Sunday Globe and is available online here.

Materials from CEO Meetings are Now Available

The materials from the 2008 CEO Meetings are now available in the Management Library.

PLEASE NOTE - You must be logged in to view these materials.

Click on the following titles to view the materials:

County CEO Meeting
State CEO Meeting
National Specialty CEO Meeting

Response to ACCME Call for Comment

To view the response from AAMSE to the ACCME's call for comment on their proposed new policy regarding the independence of accredited continuing medical education from commercial interests please click here.

Clarification Regarding Upcoming Meeting

Contrary to a recent announcement by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, its 2009 Healthcare Association Conference, scheduled for March 30-31 in Baltimore, MD, is not being developed in cooperation with AAMSE. AAMSE’s 2009 Annual Conference will be held in Baltimore July 22-25, at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

New Pinnacle Partner - Wisconsin Medical Society

AAMSE is happy to welcome it's newest Pinnacle Partner: The Wisconsin Medical Society!

Do you have more the 5 AAMSE members at your organization and are interested in taking advantage of the savings most societies receive as a Pinnacle Partner? Click here for more information.