December 16, 2022 Newsletter
December 16, 2022
Dear friends,
It was good to see so many (about 60) colleagues at Salty’s on Alki — and 20 others via live stream — for our November 16 luncheon. Our guest speaker, Chris Himes Fordyce, MD, gave a wonderful and well-received talk. Dr. Michael Vaughan, WPMG’s executive medical director of operations, and Dr. Binesh Batra, the COO of the new KP Medical Foundation, also gave updates. If you were unable to attend the lunch, or other recent events, we’ve included links to recordings in the 'Events' section below.
Thank you to those who suggested topics and/or speakers for our gatherings. For those who volunteered as speakers, we will get back to you as we plan future luncheons. If you have suggestions or would like to speak, please let us know!
We would also love to hear about your post-retirement activities, including travel, hobby interests, research activities, and family events. If you’d like to share them with our group, please send a note to WPMGretirees@kp.org. We’ll include your message (and pictures) on our website and in upcoming newsletters.
ARMS currently has over 300 members. If you know of colleagues who have retired or who are planning to retire soon, let them know about ARMS by forwarding this newsletter to them.
Finally, we wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays and a good New Year. We hope to see you, either in person or virtually, in March.
Annie Iriye, MD, and Ruth Krauss, MD
ARMS co-coordinators
🤝 EVENTS
March Luncheon
We'll be gathering at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma on March 21, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Lester Thompson discussing his soon-to-be-released memoir, "Lucky Medicine: A Memoir of Success Beyond Segregation." Learn more about Dr. Thompson's book — and how to order your copy — in the 'News & Updates' section below.
July Luncheon
Our summer event will be at Salty’s on Alki Beach, July 11, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special guest(s) will be announced soon.
Mark the dates for our 2023 lunches on your calendars now. We'll send invitations prior to each event.
If you missed recent gatherings, or would like to revisit the discussions, you may watch the videos by clicking the underlined links below.
Kaiser Senior Caucus December webinar discussing 2023 legislative issues
November 2022 Luncheon featuring Chris Himes-Fordyce, MD, and her talk, “Continuing the Journey”
July 2022 Luncheon featuring WPMG President Paul Minardi, MD, and Mike Vaughan, MD, EMDO
ARMS March Virtual Gathering featuring Cynthia Burdick, MD, WPMG Medical Director for Medicare & Medicaid
📋 NEWS & UPDATES
Lester Thompson, MD, publishes memoir
From the publisher's note: "In 1961, a skinny African American boy from Indianapolis arrived at Indiana University determined to become a doctor. For the next three years, Lester Thompson kept a detailed, intimate diary of his journey to graduation. In his memoir, 'Lucky Medicine,' Dr. Thompson returns to his long-ago journal and, with honesty, humor, and a healthy dose of rueful self-reflection, shares stories from his college years." >> Click here to learn more and to order your copy.
WHAA pays for license renewals and malpractice insurance
WA Healthcare Access Alliance, Washington's free clinic association, provides programming focused on charitable care and health care volunteerism. To support their work and mission, WHAA pays for renewals and insurance for retired clinicians who volunteer with registered organizations and most free clinics. >> Click here for details.
KPWHRI researchers begin trial for mRNA flu vaccine
This investigational vaccine is in the third phase of trials and targets flu strains expected to circulate this winter. KP's research institute is recruiting volunteers ages 65 and older who haven’t yet had this season’s flu vaccine. >> Click here to read more.
Dr. Iriye advocates for reproductive health care
Annie Iriye, MD, was recently featured in a Washington Post article where she stated, "Many of us were alarmed by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Women of all ages had grown accustomed to being able to make their own personal health care choices for multiple decades. This ruling will have far-reaching consequences in our society..." >> Click here to continue reading.
ARMS and Senior Caucus collaborate to create ‘Ask the Expert’
"There are so many medical topics providers are unable to fully explain in short clinic visits, from overviews of preventive care and chronic medical problems to the nuances of advance directives to talking with your doctor, to name a few," says Chris Himes Fordyce, MD. "We are developing a set of pilot programs, led by retired medical staff, to help fill that gap." >> Click here to learn how to participate.
We're communicating in new ways with each other
The days of our printed and snail-mailed newsletter are long gone. We have 3 new ways to communicate within the ARMS community:
Our website (www.wpmgretirees.com) features events, milestones, news, and passages. Please visit it often.
Send messages and share stories via email to WPMGretirees@kp.org. Some notes will be answered by WPMG staff; others will be forwarded to Ruth and Annie.
Digital newsletters, like this one, will provide you with an overview of news, activities, and opportunities between each ARMS Luncheon.
💓 IN MEMORIAM
Pat Bennett, MD (1925 - Aug. 16, 2022)
Wayne Dodge, MD (1950 - Sept. 5, 2021)
Walker Douglas, MD (28, 1939 - March 19, 2022)
Sara Faulkner, MD (1950 - Oct. 18, 2022)
Elmer H. Green, MD (1929 - Nov. 20, 2022)
Dennison Charles Kerlee, MD (1945 - July 18, 2022)
David LeFevre, OD (1956 - June 24, 2022)
Ute Hanna Ochs, MD (1937 - Nov. 16, 2021)
Please take a moment to learn more about our colleagues and leave a comment on our website. We sincerely apologize for any omissions.