Lancaster Physician Spring 2017 - 4

L A N C A S T E R M E D I C A L S O C I E T Y.O R G

President's Message

was recently reminded of the healing power of hope. It cannot only enhance the quality
of care we provide to our patients but also the satisfaction we experience as professionals
working in a challenging and ever-changing health care environment.

David Simons, DO,
FAOCA
President, LCCMS

Several months ago, I had the pleasure of evaluating a new patient in my pain management practice. She had a history of chronic low back pain. Despite conservative and surgical
treatments, she was still suffering and found only partial relief with oral opioid therapy. She
was depressed, despondent, and desperate to find another option. I recommended a procedure
I believed would provide her relief and instructed her to begin reducing her pain medication
by 50 percent.
Several weeks later, I reevaluated her and remarkably she appeared significantly less depressed
and much more comfortable. I asked her why she thought she was doing so well despite the
fact that she was taking 50 percent less of her opioid medication. She explained that I had
given her hope-something she had lost over the past year.
I had completely forgotten how powerful hope can be in healing and wellness. We need to
always remember that our medical advice, our kind words, or a gentle touch have the potential
to change the lives of our patients and their families.
This is true for us as well. Physician burnout is at an all time high and many of us, just
like our patients, feel desperate and hopeless in our inability to control and manage our daily
lives. The ever-changing landscape of medicine makes uncertainty a constant and produces
unwanted stress and unhappiness in our professional (and personal) lives.
Take the time to enjoy your profession and appreciate all the good you can do for your
patients. Remember to reach out to your medical society for assistance, and please take advantage of our upcoming networking and advocacy events. Staying connected to your profession
and making even a small contribution does make a difference.
The LCCMS membership continues to grow each year. If you are not a current member,
now is the time to join your society and exercise your influence to improve the health and
wellness of both your patients and yourself.
Many new LCCMS events are scheduled that will bring us together to better address the
changes that are happening at the local, state and national level. Please refer to the enclosed
event calendar, and make every effort to attend. I guarantee you will become more hopeful
about the future!
Sincerely,

DJS

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lancaster Physician Spring 2017