LEGISLATIVE KEY CONTACT PHYSICIANS

The Florida Legislature meets annually for a consecutive 60-day session. Legislative activity, however, takes place year-round with a constant schedule of legislative committee meetings and sometimes special legislative sessions.  To protect physicians and their patients, the DCMA must cooperate and coordinate efforts to promote pro-medicine issues and oppose unwarranted governmental intrusions proposed by legislative adversaries.  To accomplish this, the DCMA works closely with the FMA's Legislative Council.  DCMA has four members on the FMA Legislative Council; currently they are:  Carlos Buznego, M.D., Frank Maderal, M.D., Hugo Salinas, M.D., and DCMA EVP Patricia Handler.

 The Key Contact program is a means of legislative advocacy that provides local expertise to legislators while at the same time solicits lawmakers' views on issues of concern to organized medicine.  Even the most eloquent and effective lobbyist cannot always prevail in Tallahassee without a strong hometown constituency supporting the effort.  The concept of the Key Contact involves having designated physicians contact their elected officials on matters of concern to organized medicine, including political involvement, at the local level. With the Key Contact physician taking an active part in medicine's legislative program, the DCMA and FMA will be much more successful over time. 

Working in tandem, the DCMA and FMA can effectively promote your interests and those of your patients, and increase the reality that the medical community is a strong, unified voice that deserves attention and respect by the Florida Legislature and administrative agencies.

 If you are interested in serving as a Key Contact physician please contact the DCMA at 305 324-8717.