“We are at the tip of the iceberg, particularly
regarding the mega-mergers in health care. ...
No question, these will be game-changers in
Texas health care, and we must be cautious of
the unintended consequences of these unions.
December 2018 Dallas Medical Journal 3
Affordable Care Act (without destroying
the positive changes), relieving the
redundant and unnecessary regulations
affecting physicians, and controlling the
cost of pharmaceuticals. We have enough
work ahead of us. We can do this, if we
stick together. Together, we can walk far.
To finish this page, I would like to
thank some special people I have had
the honor to work with in the last year.
Through the years I have been blessed to
be associated with extremely intelligent
colleagues who have expanded my
limitations. It is impossible to mention
each one of them, but I would like to
mention a few. Dallas County Medical
Society has had a special group of
physician leaders on its board of directors
since its inception in 1876. Their advice
and direction have been key in the
success of your Society. I want to thank
Dr. Lee Ann Pearse and Dr. Jim Walton,
with whom I have closely worked. Aside
from becoming friends, they have been
wonderful mentors and dreamers of how
we can improve health care in Texas.
They have opened my horizons of what
could be possible.
And then there is Dr. John Carlo,
DCMS immediate past-president, who is
extremely organized and focused on the
problems facing medicine. His advice has
been key in many of the difficult tasks
ahead of us. I could never thank him
enough for his support, friendship and
leadership.
In addition, DCMS has incredible
staff that have become my second
family. They have taken good care of me
through this journey; they’re dependable
and focused. Two of these staff members
with whom I have been more involved
are Tracy Casto and Cara Jaggers.
Tracy has kept me well-organized and
on track. She has been my “Siri” with
DCMS. Cara has been the driver of
special events. She keeps them wellorganized
and keeps me out of trouble.
Her experience makes the task at hand
easier. This wonderful staff is led by two
special people: Michael Darrouzet and
Connie Webster, who have become my
friends for life. They have been the heart
and soul of the Dallas County Medical
Society because of their experience and
history with DCMS, but more because
of their personalities and positive
attitudes. The Society should be grateful
and honored to have Connie and
Michael’s leadership, loyalty and hard
work. Thank you to both.
And now at the end of this year, I
leave you in the capable hands of Dr.
Kevin Klein, an anesthesiologist. He
has the wisdom and tools that will take
DCMS to the next level. I once asked an
anesthesiologist friend about being paid
to put people to sleep. He responded
that his work is more important than
putting people to sleep. It’s to keep
patients healthy and stable during
difficult times and waking them up, and
they’re in better health than when they
went to sleep. Dr. Klein also will help us
wake up to a better healthcare system.
As parents, we teach our young
children what many of us were taught:
to be inclusive, play with everyone in
the play yard, share the toys. I leave
these simple words to our new political
leaders. DMJ