Welcome to the Duval County Medical Society

Welcome to the Duval County Medical Society website!

National Health System Reform Update

This afternoon (March 15), the House Budget Committee will begin consideration of a reconciliation bill that will carry refinements to H.R. 3590, the Senate-passed health system reform legislation. The Budget Committee is scheduled to begin meeting at 3:00 pm and plans to stay in session until midnight.

A 2,300 page bill has been posted on the Budget Committee website. Importantly, this bill is NOT the vehicle that House leaders intend to bring to the floor. The language contained in this “shell” vehicle will ultimately be stripped out and replaced with new legislative language that is not yet available for review. The true reconciliation bill language is not expected to be released before Tuesday.

Following the Budget Committee’s action, the House Rules Committee will meet later this week and insert the final language into the bill before it is brought to the House floor for a vote. The floor vote is not expected to take place until the end of the week, perhaps on Friday or Saturday.

This is the latest news in the health system debate, the DCMS will keep you updated as news unfolds.

Haiti Medical Relief Efforts

The Spring 2010 issue of Northeast Florida Medicine includes a special insert highlighting the relief work done by local medical professionals and relief organizations.

Click here to read more!

Several Jacksonville area physicians have long term relationships with Sacred Heart Hospital in Milot, Haiti, including Dr. John Lovejoy and Dr. John Mazur. Click here to read more about the relief efforts at Sacred Heart and the CRUDEM Foundation, which supports the hospital north of Port au Prince. Medical personnel interested in volunteering at Sacred Heart Hospital in Milot, are encouraged to email Dr. Mazur at jmazur@nemours.org.

Other local physicians have been working for years with the St. Boniface Hospital in the village of Fonds des Blanc. For more information about their efforts, visit www.haitihealth.org.