Welcome to The Women and Children's Health Issue of MD-Update

In A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway wrote: “Write the truest sentence that you know.”

I was thinking about those words while putting together the Women and Children’s Health issue of MD-Update. The truest sentence that I can write is that I am very concerned about the health of Kentucky’s children and the healthcare that is available to Kentucky women.

We have many caring, well-trained practicing pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, and gynecologic surgeons in Kentucky. A few of them are profiled in this issue. What concerns me is the health of our children, as discussed by Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s commissioner for public health. Dr. Stack says that 24.6% of Kentucky’s children, 0 to 17 years old, are considered obese and that percentage is increasing. “That’s a worrisome trend,” he states.

I am also concerned about the reproductive care that women in Kentucky have access to, particularly high-risk maternal-fetal health. I am also concerned about the care that Kentucky doctors are allowed to provide in high-risk maternal situations. In more than one conversation over this last year, doctors have told me that current laws prevent the best practices that they were taught and have practiced for years.

KY Physician Day at the Capitol

Some encouraging news on healthcare legislation from this year’s session is recapped by our friends at KMA. Representative Kim Moser (R-64) sponsored several healthcare bills. In a show of white coats, Kentucky doctors went to Frankfort during the sessions to meet and talk with legislators. Details on page 4.

Golfing for Many Causes

The annual golf tournament presented by the Lexington Medical Society Foundation was May 29th. By all accounts it was successful. Over $30,000 was raised, which the Foundation will distribute to area healthcare organizations and medical student sponsorships. We had decent weather, which in Kentucky means sunny, cloudy, breezy, cool, and the chance of rain all in five hours.

The next issue of MD-Update will be in September. The MD-Update editorial calendar is on the preceeding page. Look for your specialty. I’m looking for some good stories. I’m sure you have one to tell. Give me a call or shoot me an email.