November 2023 President’s Message

Early cooperation, advocacy set stage for today’s MSSC

by Maurice Duggins, MD —

One hundred and twenty years is a significant amount of time on Earth. When we speak of human life spans, 120 years is near the record.

When the Medical Society of Sedgwick County was founded in 1903, I doubt those early physicians could have imagined what MSSC would look like 120 years later. But for the sake of the people and the profession, they had a “coming to Jesus” moment to set the stage for working together. That cooperation and advocacy are what set the stage for today’s MSSC.

One of the many things that I’ve learned from my service at MSSC is that advocacy never ends. As with time, there’s a constant change, and with that comes new challenges. What can we do to improve service to our patients? What can we do to keep the respect and trust of our profession? What do we need to do to reduce burnout of our partners? How can we make legislative changes that benefit the most people while not leaving out the most vulnerable?

Most of us want to help others. That is why we chose medicine. It has not always been easy. Caring can be easy to forget when we get caught up in the daily grind, the repayments of debts and the disappointments when appreciation is not shown for the work we have done or the lives we have saved.

But we must be hopeful about medicine. Hope is what keeps us motivated, encouraged and willing to serve. We have done well over the past 120 years. We must continue to advocate for physicians for the next 120 years.

We must continue to advocate for physicians to be free to help patients without non-science intrusions from others. We must continue to speak truth to all legislators, and we must educate them on what we do and why we do what we do. Our system is sometimes so complex that many people could use a navigator to help guide them through. As we look to the future, we must dream of what “better” looks like and then do the work needed to make that happen.

I always try to remember to remain humble no matter where I am in this highly regarded profession. Without humility, we miss teachable moments. When the patient questions my judgment, it is a teachable moment. When they doubt the diagnosis I just confirmed, it becomes a teachable moment. When they want to get a second opinion, it is also a teachable moment. No love lost, no animosity, and no taking offense. We know we are not gods. We are not invincible. We are not unbreakable. And, yes, sometimes we are wrong and must be willing to admit it.

I want to thank MSSC for allowing me to serve during this celebratory year. I really appreciated the leadership and support at MSSC. It is very strong. Its executive director, Phillip Brownlee, and his right-hand person, Denise Phillips, have been great to work with. They are our best advocates, and I am profoundly grateful for having the opportunity to work with them over the past year.