PIERCE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY ULLETlN January, 1999 1998 Annual Meeting James M. Wilson, M.D. passes the gavel and the 111th PCMS Presidency to Lawrence A. Larson, D.O. see highlights page 5-7 Inside: 3 President's Page: 'Old Tacoma - New Medicine' 4 In Meiuoriam: C.B. Ritchie, MD, co-founder of Doctor's Hospital dies at 95 5 1998 Annual M eeting in review 9 John Coombs, MD address concerns about expanding UW clinics to Pierce County 11 'Into the Political Arena,' a profile of Dr. Shay Scliual-Berke's journey to the legislature 15 'Mangled Care,' a commentary on the current practice of medicine by Teresa Clabots, MD 17 Health Departm ent offers guidance for new HIV names reporting regulation PCMS Bulletin PCMS Officers/Trustees: Lawrence A. Larson, DO ......................P re sid e n t Charles M. Weatherby, M D ............ President Elect PIERCE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY Marilyn E. Pattison, M D ................... Vice President Patrice N. Stevenson, M D Secretary/Treasurer Janies M. W ilson, Jr., M D ............... Past President Michael J. Kelly, MD Maria J. Mack, MD Doris A. Page, MD ULLETIN J. James Rooks, Jr., MD B Susan J. Salo. MD Edward 1. W alkley, MD Nikki Crowley, PCM SA President January, 1999 W SM A Representatives: Past President: Peter K. Marsh. MD Speaker of the House: Richard Hawkins, MD Trustee: David E. Law, MD AMA Delegate: Leonard Alenick, MD * Executive Director: Douglas Jackman * Committee Chairs: A g in g ,R ich a rd Waltman; AIDS. Lawrence Schwartz, B ylaw s. Stanley Tuell; Budget/Finance,Nicholas V R ajacich; College of Medical Education, W . D ale Overfield:. Credentials. Susan Salo; E m ergen cy Medical Standards, Ted Walkley; E th ics/ Standards Of Practice, David Lukens; G rievance. Stan Harris; Legislative, William Marsh; M ed ical- Features L egal, Pat Donley; Membership Benefits, Inc., Keith Demirjian; Personal Problems Of Physicians, Robert Sands; P rogram , C harles President's Page: Old Tacoma - New Medicine .... 3 Weatherby; Public Health/School Health, L aw rence PCMS Annual Meeting in Review ................................ 5 S chw artz; Sports Medicine, John Jiganti. New officers and trustees for 1999 ............................. 8 The Bulletin is published monthly by PCMS John Coombs, MD answers clinic questions 9 Membership Benefits. Inc. for members of the Pierce IIow to contact legislators............................................. 10 County Medical Society. Deadlines for submitting articles and placing advertisements in The Bulletin arc Dr. Shay Sclmal-Berke talks about politics 11 the 15th oftlie month preceding publication (i.e. Doug Jackman talks of his tenure at PCMS 13 O ctober 15 for theN o v em b erissu e). 'Mangled Care' by Teresa Clabots, M D .................. 15 The Bulletin is dedicated to the art, science and delivery of medicine and the betterment of the health and medical welfare of the community. The opinions herein are those of the individual contributors and do Pep artments not necessarily reflect the official position of the TPCIID Update.................................................................. 17 Medical Society. Acceptanceof advertising in noway constitutes professional approval or endorsement of PCMSA: The Pulse ............................................................ 19 products or services advertised. The Bulletin and Pierce Applicants for Membership ........................................... 20 County Medical Society reserve the right to rcject any Physician Directory changes........................................ 20 advertising. College of Medical Education ..................................... 21 E d ito r: David S. Hopkins MD Classified Advertising ..................................................... 23 M anaging Editor: Douglas Jackman Editorial Committee: David S. Hopkins, (Chair) Stanley Tuell, W. Ben Blackett, Richard Hawkins News briefs Advertising Representative: Tanya McClain Subscriptions: $50 per year, $5 per issue In Memoriam: C. B. Ritchie, MD, dies at 95 ......... 4 Interested in an asthma adventure............................. 14 Make all checks payable to: M BI February General Membership meeting info 14 223 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma W A 98402 (253) 572-3666, Fax 572-2470 Keep some patient charts indefinitely ...................... 22 Pediatric experts against oral vaccine for polio ... 22 E-mail address: [email protected] Home Page: http://www.pcmswa.org 2 PCMS BULLETIN January, 1999 President's Page President’s Page......... Old Tacoma - New Medicine I look forward to serving the PCMS Rhodes, Sears and the Bon Marche. as president in 1999. 1 have learned W oolworth’s was my favorite a great deal from our recent past because of the soda fountain and presidents, John Rowlands, MD, cheap toys in the basement. Small Lawrence A. Larson, /). (). the eternal optimist; Stan Harris, businesses flourished in the streets President, 1999 MD, the pragmatist/sometimes of downtown Tacoma. I grew up journalist and Jim Wilson, MD, the valuing family, friends, my church steady visionary. We all owe a great and my elders. This sounds a bit deal of gratitude to these leaders for “corny” today but typified much of United Slates. their lime and energy put forth on life in Tacoma in the 1950s and our behalf. The staff at PCMS keep 60s. Today I am proud to see Tacoma return to more prosperous limes. us organized with their dedication to 1 was introduced to medicine by Not by merely sweeping the social the physicians of Pierce County. my father. I can remember hanging ills under the carpet but by con­ Doug Jackman received a very out at the pathology lab, playing fronting the issues of mental illness, deserved recognition for his service with the frogs kept in the refrigera­ substance abuse, domestic violence, to the society. This kind of effort is tor for pregnancy testing - a far cry youth violence, teenage pregnancy, necessary to keep the whole process from the plastic dip sticks used infant mortality and education. moving forward in a well ordered today. When I was “old enough” I Some solutions to these problems fashion. graduated from frogs to autopsies. have been found and Pierce County As an introduction to my first The whole process of dissecting to is moving forward to a brighter newsletter, I thought that a little discover disease and cause of death future. background information might be of fascinated me on one level and on interest. You may know that I another level I knew I did not want Much like the improved future of started into practice in Tacoma in to become a pathologist. This Tacoma, 1 see medicine moving 1980, joining G eorge T anbara, medical “initiation” occurred with forward from the “dark days” of big MD (PCMS President, 1986) my all of my siblings and to nobodies business medicine to patient and childhood Explorer Boy Scout surprise pathology lost its appeal family oriented care. As the leaders leader and tennis partner. His for all o f us! of health care in Pierce County, we have an opportunity to help ensure a guidance, mentoring and friendship My world changed with the healthier population. This will lake initialed my interest in pediatrics. assassinations of President Kennedy all of our efforts to successfully He has continued to be a positive and the Reverend Martin Luther provide access to quality care. influence on my professional career King, Jr. The innocent life of and remains a great tennis partner. childhood was erased by the Initiatives that face the medical I started my life in Pierce County; realization that good men could be community today include end of life born in 1950 at Tacoma General murdered for their great dreams. care, trauma management, pediatric Hospital, the fifth child of Charles Vietnam escalated and claimed my and adult access to care, and quality and Margaret Larson. Tacoma was childhood friends. Downtown oriented contracting for healthcare a sleepy town in those days. The Tacoma faltered with the develop­ We need to educate ourselves and taste of arsenic and smell of pulp ment of suburban malls; the shop­ the community about these issues. was thick in the air - producing pers and stores were soon replaced As we head into the new year I hope Tacoma’s famous aroma. The with bars, prostitutes, homeless Uiat 1999 will see positive solutions downtown bustled with activity. As people and derelict buildings. I still and improved care for the citizens a child I would hop on a bus and thought of Tacoma as I did in my of Pierce County, a ride to downtown with my siblings early childhood but it had changed to marvel at the department stores; forever - much like the rest of the January, 1999 PCMS BULLETIN 3 News briefs Personal Problems of Physicians Medical problems, drugs, In M em oriam alcohol, retirement, emotional, or other such difficulties? For impaired physicians Cyril Brown Ritchie, MID) your colleagues want to help Please call: C.B. Ritchie, MD, was bom October 17,1903 in Flanagan, Illinois. He died December 1, 1998 atthe age ♦Robert Sande........ .752-6056 of 95. Dr. Ritchie moved with his family to Idaho in B i ll D e a n ............... 272-4013 1909 where they homesteaded aranch near Hagerman. F. Dennis Waldron 265-2584 In 192 8 he graduated from the University of Illinois *C hair Medical School in Chicago. He then interned at Tacoma General Hospital. Dr. Ritchie began his medical practice in 1929 in Confidentiality Morton, Washington where he was responsible for Assured building the town's first hospital, today know as Morton General Hospital. In 1932 he married Mary Turnbull and in 1941 they moved to Tacoma with their family. Office Space Dr. Ritchie was very active in the medical community. ITe served as president of the Tacoma Surgical Club, Pierce County Medical Society 223 Tacoma Avenue South the Pierce County Medical Bureau, and in 1960 was Tacoma, WA 98402 president of the Pierce County M edical Society. lie also served as an elder of Immanuel Presbyterian Church for 183 square feet or 120 square feet many years. main or lower level Dr.