Page 18 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS JULY 2022

DCMA - Looking Ahead

During my Presidential “The close link between clar-
Inauguration speech as ity in language and clarity of
the incoming Dade thought has not been lost by
County Medical Assoc - power-seekers of all stripes”.
iation (DCMA) President,
I shared my point of view III. Unify
about how we must work The DCMA shall continue, as
together as a collective it has in the past, to welcome all
group to protect the com- physicians who wish to join
munity standard of care our ranks. Our diversity is our
and provide the best qual- strength, but our unity will
ity healthcare to patients ensure our success. I encourage
in Miami-Dade County. It BY RAFAEL all members and non-members
is critical that this mes- FERNANDEZ, JR., MD to join our organization, to be
sage reaches the broader vigilant to important social
physician community locally so we can issues but to focus our efforts in defending
unify and advocate for the changes neces- the independent practice of medicine.
sary to reach our goals. If we are not at the They said that President Reagan was at
table, we will be on the menu. his best when they “let Reagan be Reagan.”
My goals for the year ahead were crafted Physicians are in my opinion at their best
from advice that I received from one of the when they are allowed to be physicians.
many mentors in my career, Dr. Gustavo
Espinosa. Dr. Espinosa is a Radiologist of IV. Challenges
half Cuban and half Colombian descent I encourage each member of the DCMA
who is at the University of Illinois and to reach out and recruit a minimum of one
winner of innumerable Golden Apple physician who is not a member and to
Awards. His opening line during our rota- devote at least one hour a week to the
tion was, “God gave you five fingers to DCMA.
The Road to remind you that you need to know the top time members, retired and semi-retired),
I encourage all retired physicians (life-
five causes for what you are seeing on the
x-ray.” to participate in the DCMA, mentoring
Your Child’s Best Health five causes for my tenure as President of medical students and residents through
Following his teachings, I developed the
real-life experiences, and also to serve as
the Dade County Medical Association. liaisons between organized medicine and
our elected officials (commissioners, legis-
The dedicated caregivers at KIDZ Pediatric I. Defend lature, and local government).
Multispecialty Center provide children with the The Dade County Medical Association
is the organization of choice for physicians V. Rewards of Involvement -
most advanced care, right in the heart of Naples.
who advocate for patients and for the qual- Why should we be involved?
Our medical team includes pediatric specialists in: ity and sustainability of the practice of Emma Webb of “Newspeak,” on St.
medicine. The practice of medicine, as George’s Day (St. George being the
Cardiology many of you well know, routinely provides patron saint of England who as legend
Critical Care us the unmeasurable joy and satisfaction has it, slayed the dragon) addressed a
of helping other human beings during group of viewers and supporters of an
Gastroenterology
some of their most difficult times, a feeling organization who were tired of hearing
Hematology/Oncology that few experience outside of medicine. about what was wrong with Britain and
Hepatology In order to protect this privilege, we, the the West without providing any solu-
physicians of Miami-Dade County, like the tions.
Infectious Disease
forefathers of the United States, should She referenced Jordan Peterson as well
Neurology continue to strive for a more perfect union as Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Peterson
Neonatology in medicine through organized medicine believed that there is a profound reward
Otolaryngology (ENT) (Dade County Medical Association). to standing up to and slaying dragons.
Solzhenitsyn stated: “If we shrink away,
Pulmonology II. Educate let us cease from complaining that some-
Surgery Let’s reinforce to the public that we are one does not let us draw breath, for we
physicians, not providers. We are men and do it to ourselves.”
We help your child achieve their best health and women skilled in the science and art of I personally invite you to join us and be
healing. That our vocation is the practice part of the DCMA (www.miamimed.com).
provide you with peace of mind.
of medicine. And that they are patients, Let us go forth together to slay some
not customers or clients. dragons!
K K I I Z Z

Medical

Providing care to infants, children
and moms since 1988

2600 Immokalee Road • Naples, FL 34110
Phone: 239-213-0690 • Fax: 239-552-4050

KidzMedical.com

18 July 2022 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News