A Word From Our President, Dr. Alison Schneider

Greetings,

I am very excited to serve as president for the Florida Gastroenterologic Society this next year and I want to thank all the FGS members for giving me this opportunity.  I have been working as a gastroenterologist in South Florida since 2007 and I consider this one of my greatest honors.  I want to thank Dr. Collins for his leadership over the past year and coordination of the 55th Annual Meeting that concluded yesterday. This was both an in-person and virtual high quality event where we were able to interact with our friends and colleagues.

Below are areas I hope to focus on this year:

Membership – There are many great resources available to FGS members including the educational sessions, legislative advocacy and support. Productive partnerships are increasingly vital as our country’s healthcare landscape evolves, along with the way care is provided. These relationships will require our members’ active participation. I want to us to reach out, collaborate, and build relationships.  Please encourage your colleagues, including Advanced Practice Providers, to join the FGS. In addition, I would ask everyone to encourage their nursing and tech staff to join the SGNA and attend their educational events (including the Fall session held in conjunction with the FGS).

Education–Educational activities have always been a strong area for FGS. This next year we hope to to have more virtual educational events beyond our Spring and Fall annual meetings. We will continue to have programs to groom our new generation of medical professionals through scholarships and mentoring of GI fellows.

Patient advocacy – The FGS has a focus on building and supporting programs and institutions that advance the wellbeing of our patients. We hope to have increased health equity and prior-authorization reform that benefits our patients.

Personal Resilience- We are all aware of the stresses and difficulties associated with medical practice. Especially this past year with COVID-19 pandemic, we have faced unexplored and unforeseen challenges I think it is important that FGS serve our members as we are all working to find a way through this pandemic. I would like to see FGS support its members and enhance their capacity for resilience; it will increase quality of care and reduce burnout, and attrition. We must care for ourselves as we care for our patients.

I look forward to working with FGS leadership, Justin Bouck (Bouck Management) and all the FGS members and their patients. We will always be aiming higher to improve the quality of health care by elevating our specialty.

Please visit our website periodically, read our e-mails, let us know your thoughts, and stay connected. If you would like to serve as part of a committee or in leadership, please do not hesitate to contact us.  

Alison Schneider, MD