1. To promote, provide and support medical education in order to maintain the highest scientific and educational standards.
   
   
2. To maintain the highest professional standards among its members.
   
   
3. To provide representation from its membership to the Medical Board, Credentials and Joint Committees.
   
   
4. To act as a spokesperson for the interests of the Active Medical Staff.
   
   
5. To promote social and professional fellowship among its members.
   
   

HEADLINE NEWS

September 2007

• NSPO/POCLI UNITE
  The Board of Directors of the Physician Organization of Central Long Island (POCLI) has decided to merge with the North Shore Physician Organization (NSPO). NSPO leadership welcomed this unification that brings the total number of participating physicians to over 3,000. NSPO members will now comprise the medical staffs of NSUH (Manhasset), North Shore-Plainview and North Shore-Syosset hospitals.
  
  
• NS/LIJ HEALTH SYSTEM TO EXPLORE FORMATION OF VOLUNTARY PHYSICIAN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE RISK RETENTION GROUP With the spiraling increases in medical malpractice insurance premiums, the NS/LIJ Health System in cooperation with Medical Staff leaders is exploring the feasibility of forming a risk retention group consisting exclusively of members of the voluntary medical staff. An actuarial analysis is in process to determine the financial benefits and related advantages of such an RRG approach.
  
  
• IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY NSPO LEADERS, ATTORNEY GENERAL ANDREW CUOMO WARNS INSURERS AGAINST PUBLIC LABELING OF PHYSICIANS USING IMPROPER PROFILING NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was the featured speaker at the annual meeting of the NSUH Medical Staff Society last May. In a private meeting held immediately before he spoke, Staff Society/NSPO leaders drew the Attorney General’s attention to the problematic use of claims data by leading health insurers to profile physicians and publically rate them in terms of quality and cost effectiveness to guide patients in their choice of physicians. The Attorney General subsequently sent warning letters to United Healthcare/AETNA and CIGNA insurance companies advising them not to use questionable methods in profiling doctors and demanded they provide detailed explanations of their data sources and methodologies so they can be assessed as to reliability and completeness. Responses are in process. Among his many other responsibilities, the Attorney General is the state’s leading consumer protector against deceitful business practices.