Missouri State Medical Association - MSMA

10/14/2026

We are excited to share this episode of Suture & Soul, hosted by Dr. Deepu Sudhakaran, M.D. This conversation between two of our members focuses on women in medicine, leadership, advocacy, and the importance of having a voice in shaping the future of healthcare.

Featuring Dr. Joanne Loethen, M.D., President-Elect of the Missouri State Medical Association, this discussion celebrates the women helping to lead and transform medicine.

Watch the full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHbvjp8CEMg

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/14/2026

From the latest edition of MoMed: Report of the American Medical Association Annual Meeting

"As the policy-making body of the AMA, the HOD considered issues in particular artificial intelligence (AI), public health concerns, Medicare payment reform, and Medicaid eligibility restrictions. Other issues considered were scope of practice, physician burnout, and corporate practice of medicine."

Read more from Charles W. Van Way, III, MD & the Missouri AMA Delegation: https://heyor.ca/uYi9jj

10/12/2026

Did you experience a pay increase in your specialty this year? Learn more about how physician pay has grown in every specialty group in 2026 according to this survey: https://heyor.ca/sFq7RE

Median work RVUs rose no more than 2.8% in any group, while nearly 65% of surveyed organizations plan to add physicians in the coming year.

10/12/2026

October is Health Literacy Month! Health literacy improves when patients and doctors communicate openly and clearly. It matters because confusion about a diagnosis, medication, or follow-up plan can lead to mistakes, missed appointments, or delayed care.

You can increase your health literacy by asking your doctor things like,

- “Can you explain that another way?”
- “What should I do next?”
- “What warning signs should I watch for?”

Working together with your physician makes it easier to understand your health and take the right next steps.

10/11/2026

From the latest edition of MoMed: The Future of Care: Augmented Intelligence as a Partner in Patient Care

"The administrative burden of medicine has grown so profound that doctors often spend more time with their keyboards than with our patients. This has led to profound burnout and cuts into the spirit of why we entered medicine: to care for people. Time spent in the evenings and weekends updating the notes are crushing to family time. I remember looking through the doors of my study, at my children, in the other room, as a distant eight-paneled window separated me from their life. Augmented intelligence is entering the clinic—not as a replacement for the physician—but as a silent assistant ready to bear the administrative weight and give doctors their time in real time."

Read more from Kevin D. Weikart, MD at the link in the first comment.

10/10/2026

Should Nurse Practitioners be practicing alone? Certainly not if their qualifications are coming from "diploma mills." Patient safety is at an enormous risk for allowing this pattern to continue.

🎥: Patients At Risk

This is just one of a series of videos we will be posting on this topic. View the full-length video at the link in the first comment.

10/09/2026

Missouri physicians want to keep caring for patients, but Medicare payment cuts and rising practice costs make that harder every year. The Patients First Act, H.R. 9693, would help create a more stable and predictable payment system so physicians can focus on patients instead of financial uncertainty.

Ask Congress to support this bipartisan bill and protect access to care in our communities. Take action today at the link in the first comment.

10/08/2026

"The number of emergency department visits for tick bites have reached near-record highs across the United States, with the Midwest and Northeast experiencing the highest rates of activity, according to the federal government’s tick bite data tracker.

Alpha-gal syndrome is a distinct allergic reaction triggered by an immune response to a sugar molecule known as alpha-gal found in beef, pork, lamb and sources such as wild mammalian game and organ meats. When certain ticks bite a human, it is believed they induce sensitization to this molecule, which predisposes the human immune system to recognize it as an allergic threat."

Learn more about Alpha-gal syndrome and what it means for Missourians at the link in the first comment.

A surge in tick bites has caused more cases of alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic condition treated by Maya Jerath, MD, PhD.

10/08/2026

Do you still get your flu shot each year? We’d love to hear your thoughts. What’s your reason for continuing, or for deciding not to?

10/08/2026

Registration is open for the 2027 Doctor of the Day program, and we’re glad to welcome Dr. David Barbe as a volunteer for the upcoming session.

This program offers physicians a powerful opportunity to engage directly in the legislative process and advocate for patients and the practice of medicine.

During the day, volunteers work alongside MSMA’s lobby team to connect with legislators, House and Senate leadership, and other influential policymakers. It’s a meaningful chance to share perspectives, build relationships, and ensure physicians have a voice in the conversation. Each participant is formally introduced during session.

, Reserve your spot today and help amplify medicine’s voice where it matters most! Click the link in the first comment.