Suffolk Hospital Doctors Join State and County Medical Societies en Masse to Achieve Goals

WESTBURY, NY (02/10/2011)(readMedia)-- The Medical Society of the State of new York (MSSNY) is proud to announce that all the medical staff physicians of the of the John T. Mather Memorial and St. Charles Hospitals in Port Jefferson have united to join MSSNY and the Suffolk County Medical Society (SCMS), the state and county's only professional organizations that represent the interests of patients and physicians of all specialties. They joined as a group, instead of individually, and, in so doing, became the first-ever "institutional" members of the societies.

"By joining as an organized force of almost 600 physicians, these doctors have strengthened their profession's ability to take the lead in healthcare issues, to strengthen its positions, and to achieve its goal of quality medical care for all New Yorkers," said MSSNY President Leah McCormack, MD. "This group of trailblazing physicians serves as a model of professional leadership. When other hospital groups throughout the state realize that unification of purpose is no longer an option but a necessity, MSSNY is optimistic that they will follow Mather/St. Charles' lead."

Dr. McCormack said, "We thank these physicians for recognizing that to go up against the forces of big government, big insurance and the latest addition to modern medicine - big hospitals- they need to be informed, involved, and most importantly-united. The support of these hospital staffs has already been first-rate at past lobbying events of the medical societies."

"The Mather and St. Charles physicians' decision to forge a new organizational model of membership in the medical societies is impressive," she said. "It strengthens their voice, the power of the profession and the overall healthcare environment. As the challenges facing physicians in the delivery of healthcare have become more and more acute, our societies need to be more proactive; we need to be able to anticipate and respond quickly to physicians' and patients' needs. We need to meet challenges everywhere, especially so in Albany, where others seek to control us. The breadth and depth of the work that needs to be done is extensive and costly. We need every physician to be a part of the effort."

In addition to thanking all the physicians at Mather and St. Charles for making our voice stronger, MSSNY thanks the Suffolk County Medical Society for seeing the importance of professional unification and having the foresight to launch this new institutional membership model.

For additional information and/or to set up interviews related to this announcement, please contact Lynda Lees Adams (ladams@mssny.org or 516-750-7344) or Stu Friedman (631-851-1400 or stuscms@optonline.net).

Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state's principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.