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In this Issue:
- Governors Message
- ACP Councils Seeking New Members
- Congratulations, Dr. Thomas Bledsoe
- INTERESTED IN JOINING RIMS CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
- Encourage Your Patients to Vote
- Green Bond Proposal
Kelly A McGarry, MD, FACP, ACP Governor
Governors Message
Dear Chapter Members:
Hope you had some down time this summer to rejuvenate and recharge. I also hope you get the opportunity to do some of the amazing activities that Fall has to offer in New England.
We are well underway with the planning of our RI Chapter Meeting which will take place at Kent Hospital on March 15th, 2023. SAVE THE DATE! Thanks to the co-chairs for all of their hard work, including Drs. Drew Nagle, Alisa Merolli, Stephanie Catanese, and Jenn O’Brien. Once again, the agenda is packed with important IM pearls for the internist!
Welcome to Dr. Mariah Stump, new co-chair of the Chapter Wellness Committee! Dr. Stump will be joining the current chair of the committee, Dr. Jennifer Jeremiah, helping to forward Chapter Wellness Initiatives. In the past year, Dr. Stump became a RI ACP Wellness Champion, joining several other of our members who have completed the national training. She will be a fabulous addition to the Chapter Wellness initiatives given her passion and areas of expertise.
Dr. Stump practices Women's Primary Care at the Women's Medicine Collaborative and is a medical acupuncturist at the Lifespan Physician Group, Lifestyle Medicine Center . Dr. Stump has pursued additional sub-specialty board certifications in integrative medicine (ABOIM) and lifestyle medicine (DipABLM), and completed a two-year fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine/Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. She is a certified Vinyasa yoga instructor and movement therapist and enjoys educating patients about the power of movement in managing chronic pain.
ACP Councils Seeking New Members
The Council of Early Career Physicians (CECP), the Council of Resident/Fellow Members (CRFM), and the Council of Student Members (CSM) are currently seeking candidates to fill vacant seats for 2023-24. Nominations are due by November 1, 2022.
The councils are responsible for responding to requests for review of programs, products and services; advising the College regarding ways to increase the value of ACP membership among their constituency group; and strengthening activities and relationships at the ACP chapter and local levels.
For more information on eligibility and nomination material requirements please contact ACP staff at acpgovernance@acponline.org.
Congratulations, Dr. Thomas Bledsoe
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Thomas Bledsoe, MACP, former RI Chapter ACP Governor, who will be taking over as President of the RI Medical Society.
INTERESTED IN JOINING RIMS CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
The RIMS Climate Change and Health Committee (chaired by Dr. Alison Hayward) is a group of healthcare professionals that has recently convened to discuss important climate issues affecting our state, our country, and our world. It has been very interesting to participate so far. We have had speakers help educate us and inform our work. We have heard from State Senator Josh Miller, Joanna Detz publisher of EcoRI News, and a leader from Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action and are starting to develop plans for working with local groups to address issues in our own state. For anyone interested, please fill out this sign up form we will make sure you are on the email list going forward.
Some climate change facts for you to ponder:
- Rhode Island is expected to experience between 13 and 44 more days per year with temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 30 years, leading to substantial increases in heat-related mortality.
- Climate change is estimated to have played a significant role in the doubling of reported cases of bacterial and protozoan tick-borne disease between 2004 and 2016. This includes extensive invasion of New England by the Lone Star Tick over the last twenty years.
- Hospitals are highly energy-intensive, using 2.5 times more energy per square foot than an office building. Health care organizations spend more than $6.5 billion on energy each year.
Encourage Your Patients to Vote
For Healthcare Professionals Interested in Helping Patients Register to Vote: You can request a badge that contains a QR code that can link patients to sign up to vote in the coming election
Green Bond Proposal
There will be a Green Bond Proposal to vote on in the upcoming election:
For a link to details about the Bond, please click here.
Hope you have a wonderful Fall. Stay safe. COVID (and the flu) have not gone away.
Please take care,
Kelly