TAFP inducts officers for coming year

The academy held its official induction ceremony on the night of Aug. 4 at TAFP’s most exciting event of the year, the President’s Masquerade Ball. Familiar faces comprise the inductees as former parliamentarian Erica Swegler, M.D., traded positions with former vice president S. Tim Coleridge, D.O., and David Schneider, M.D., retained his position as treasurer. Justin Bartos, M.D., ascended to the rank of president and Robert Hogue, M.D., is the new president-elect.

Speaker of the AAFP House of Delegates, Michael Fleming, M.D., of Shreveport, Louisiana, inducted the 2001-02 officers, and Lloyd Van Winkle, M.D., presented Bartos with the TAFP Presidential Medallion.

After the induction ceremony, Bartos spoke to the assembled crowd. You can read his speech in this quarter’s issue of Texas Family Physician.

 
From left: F. David Schneider, MD; Robert Hogue, MD; Justin Bartos, MD; Erica Swegler, MD, S. Tim Coleridge, DO

Academy awards physician leaders

The following awards were presented during TAFP’s 51st Annual Session, Aug. 2-5, 2001, in Houston:

Donald Niño, M.D., of Channel-view, Texas, was honored with the academy’s most prestigious award, the Texas Family Physician of the Year award. Nominated by the Harris County Chapter, Niño is known as a dedicated physician and community volunteer. He works with a variety of groups aimed at helping young people such as the Girl Scouts and the YMCA. Niño is also involved with the Texas Statewide Preceptorship program and was instrumental in setting up the Invest In Care for Tomorrow Scholarship and Mentoring Program aimed at students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Arnold N. Krause, M.D., of North Richland Hills, Texas, was honored with the TAFP Physician Emeritus award. A longtime resident of Wyoming, Krause moved to Texas in 1993 to join the faculty of John Peter Smith Family Practice Residency Program in Fort Worth. He immediately became involved with TAFP. In 1999-2000, he served as president of his local chapter, the Tarrant County Academy of Family Physicians. He is currently a member of the board of directors and chair of the Commission on Annual Session and CME.

“Not only is Dr. Krause a proven leader, he is a great mentor to those family physicians following him,” says Linda Siy, M.D., president of the Tarrant County Chapter of TAFP, adding “I can personally vouch for his ability to encourage, support, and nurture younger family physicians in their practice and their involvement with organized medicine.” 

Each year the outgoing president is given the opportunity to present the Presidential Award of Merit to individuals who have shown exemplary service on behalf of Texas patients and physicians. This year, Lloyd Van Winkle, M.D., honored Representative Craig Eiland of Galveston. Rep. Eiland has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 1995. He currently serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and is vice chair of the House Insurance Committee.

Rep. Eiland has authored or co-authored every major piece of managed care legislation for the last four years and this session he championed the Prompt Pay/Clean Claims bill, HB 1862. He also helped secure $50 million in new funds for Medicaid rate increases for physicians. Eiland truly understands the issues that impact health care and the problems and challenges family physicians face on a daily basis.

 The Fourth Annual TAFPPAC Awards were presented to Joane Baumer, M.D., of Fort Worth, Texas, and Thomas David Greer, M.D., of Henrietta, Texas. Baumer exemplifies the qualities of a true advocate for Family Practice. She was honored for her generous financial contribution to the PAC as well as her willingness to serve as a Key Contact for her elected officials, educating them on issues important to family physicians and patients. As director of the John Peter Smith Family Practice Residency Program, Baumer takes every opportunity to impress upon new physicians the importance of being politically active.

Thomas David Greer is in solo practice in rural North Texas. His dedication to Family Practice goes well beyond contributing to the PAC and serving as a Key Contact. During the last election cycle, Greer hosted a fundraiser for his state representative, held a press conference with other local doctors, nurses and hospital administrators touting his representative’s health care credentials, and served as a resource to his representative for health policy issues. Greer has gone above the call of duty to make sure the voice of Family Practice is heard in the Legislature.

TAFPPAC serves as the political voice for Family Practice and supports candidates running for office from across the state who are supportive of physicians, their practice and their patients. This award is given to individuals for their dedication to the political advancement of Family Practice.

The University of North Texas Health Science Center was honored with the Medical School Award of Achievement for meeting the goal of at least 25 percent of graduates entering family medicine. This was the eighth consecutive year that UNT has earned this distinction.

Merian to become TMA President in 2002

Frederick L. Merian, M.D., of Victoria was named president-elect by the TMA House of Delegates at their May 4 meeting in Houston. Board certified in family practice, Merian has been an active TAFP member since 1972 and has been actively involved with organized medicine for his entire career. He began his medical career with the U.S. Air Force and received the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1971. Merian went on to practice medicine in Yoakum for 20 years and in Victoria for the last 10 years.

Over the years, he has served as president of his county medical society, chaired two TMA committees and has been a member of the TMA Board of Trustees since 1993. He has also been a delegate to the American Medical Association and has served on several AMA committees. Merian has served as “physician of the day” during each of the last 15 legislative sessions and has been involved with the TAFP South Texas Chapter for years. He will take office during TexMed 2002 in Dallas next April.

Sanchez named Texas Commissioner of Health

Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., of Austin was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to become the next Commissioner of Health for the state of Texas. A TAFP active member since 1991, Sanchez will oversee the Texas Department of Health, one of Texas' largest agencies. He earned his medical degree from UT Southwestern in Dallas. He also holds masters degrees in public health and biomedical engineering. He previously served as chief medical officer for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department. Sanchez lists two of his priorities as improving the rate of immunizations and border health care.

Burross honored for helping young physicians

Don Clifford Burross, M.D., of Wichita Falls was honored with the Young at Heart Award by the Young Physician Section of Texas Medical Association. The award was presented during the TMA House of Delegates during TexMed 2001 in Houston. Burross was chosen for his assistance to young physicians and his commitment to the Young Physician Section since its inception.

A graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Burross served in the U.S. Army for three years before opening a private practice in Wichita Falls. Until recently, he served as program director for the Wichita Falls Family Practice Residency Program.

Actively involved in organized medicine for many years, Burross was a member of the TMA House of Delegates for 17 years. As president of the Texas Medical Foundation, he works to promote, develop, define, and encourage the delivery of high-quality medical care and health services while promoting efficient, cost-effective health care.

TAFP Foundation elects new officers

During their Aug. 1, 2001 meeting, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Board of Trustees elected a new slate of officers. TAFP past President Stephen Benold, M.D., of Georgetown replaced out-going president, Sam A. Nixon, M.D., of Nixon, Texas. The Foundation also elected a new vice president, Tim Lambert, M.D. of Garland and a new secretary/treasurer, Lewis Foxhall, M.D., of Houston, both TAFP past Presidents.

The new officers assumed their positions immediately. Benold’s first official act as president was to honor Nixon by moving that the TAFP create the Sam A. Nixon, M.D., Leadership Award, a $25,000 scholarship.

Pisacano scholarship awarded to Texas medical student

Allegra Melillo, a fourth-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is among the five students selected nationwide as recipients of the 2001 Pisacano Scholarship. Each year the Board of Directors of the Nicholas J. Pisacano, M.D., Memorial Foundation select outstanding medical students who have made a strong commitment to the specialty of Family Practice. 

Melillo graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She went on to Ohio State University where she received her M.S. in biochemistry before enrolling in medical school at Baylor. Her academic career has been filled with extracurricular activities and community service. Among her activities, she is the student founder and director of HOMES—Houston Outreach Medicine, Education, and Social Services organization for the homeless. She has been honored for her community leadership and service with several awards, including the Outstanding Student Leadership Award from Healthcare for the Homeless—Houston. 

The scholarship is valued at up to $50,000 and is given to applicants who demonstrate leadership skills, superior academic achievement, communication skills, character, integrity and a noteworthy level of community service. The American Board of Family Practice created the Nicholas J. Pisacano, M.D., Memorial Foundation in 1990 as a tribute to its founder and first executive director.