HJNO Jul/Aug 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  JUL / AUG 2025 71 Bill Daly, MD President MASELA Key concerns with the bill • At-will removal by the governor: The bill allows the governor to remove board members at any time, bypass- ing fixed terms and opening the door to political influence. • Addition of a PA as a voting member: While interdisciplinary collaboration is important, this raises questions about role balance and physician rep- resentation. • Potential for a non-physician board president: The legislation permits the board presidency to be held by a non-clinician, such as a lawyer, which threatens the primacy of phy- sician-led clinical oversight. • Reduced geographic representation: By limiting board appointments to just two districts, the bill risks mar- ginalizing rural physician voices. Why it matters The LSBME is charged with oversee- ing licensure, discipline, and professional standards for all Louisiana physicians. Preserving its independence is critical to maintaining high standards of care and protecting the integrity of the profession. Increased political control and diminished clinical leadership could weaken the safe- guards physicians and patients rely on. Our advocacy commitment Throughout the legislative process, MASELA has worked closely with JPMS, OPMS, and other medical societies to op- pose provisions that undermine physician leadership. This fight is part of our broad- er mission to defend the role of practicing physicians in regulatory, legislative, and public health arenas. No matter the out- come of this bill, our commitment to pro- tecting medical professionalism and advo- cating for Louisiana’s physicians remains steadfast. J. Michael Conerly, MD, elected chair of MPL Association board J. Michael Conerly, MD, president and CEO of LAMMICO, member of the OPMS Board of Directors, and OPMS represen- tative to the MASELA Board of Directors, has been elected chair of the Board of Directors for the Medical Professional Li- ability (MPL) Association, the leading in- ternational organization representing the medical and hospital professional liability insurance community. “We are pleased to have Dr. Conerly at the helm of the Board,” said MPL Associ- ation Interim President and CEO Eric R. Anderson. “He has an extensive and dis- tinguished career in the healthcare and medical professional liability fields, and we will benefit greatly from his guidance and expertise.” Advocating throughout the year We are continuing our commitment to advocate for you, our local physicians, through meaningful action and direct engagement. One key opportunity is the LSMS Annual Meeting and House of Dele- gates, happening July 31 through Aug. 2 in Sandestin, Florida. Several JPMS, OPMS, and MASELA board members will be there to represent your interests, and we en- courage you to attend and take an active role in shaping the future of medicine in Louisiana. Register today at lsms.org/ page/2025AnnualMeeting. Another important moment to connect and advocate together is ourAnnual JPMS, OPMS, and MASELAMembership Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 16. Your involvement helps shape our shared priorities and strengthens our collective voice. n Please scan the QR code to join the fight!