A Change in Leadership

Richard T. Scholz, M.D.

President 

Neilson Andrews who has been the executive director of The Baltimore County Medical Association for 24 years has announced her retirement to take place early this spring.  Her tenure has been distinguished not just by the success of the Association but by the relationships she has forged with the medical community and members of the society.    

Neilson’s name became synonymous with the organization and her ability to facilitate the incorporation of new officers on the board by showing them the protocols and assisting with the many fixed tasks of the officers such as minutes, financial reports and the like was extraordinary.  She maintained absolute transparency in an organization whose officers are part time, having crucial information regarding finances, membership, meetings and events always current and readily available.  Her resignation letter is published here and is followed by some remarks by the current BCMA officers.                                                                                                                     

 Dear Dr. Scholz and Dr. Roca:  

The BCMA has been such an integral of my life now for more than 20 years, so it is with great trepidation that I inform that I am going to retire at the end of the 2012 session.  I will stay to see a smooth transition for the Association.   Working for the Baltimore County Medical Association has been an absolutely perfect job for me and I have been very lucky to have worked for you all.  However, I think it is time for me to step down and for you all to look for someone younger to interface with the physicians of Baltimore County.       

A changing delivery system is going to be at the forefront of all our thoughts for some time to come.  This will have a systematic impact on medical and specialty societies throughout the country.  MedChi and the BCMA must react and change to meet the needs of this changing delivery system and a membership with many different practice modes.  This will make membership critical, making a younger and more energetic executive very important for the BCMA. 

I want to tell you, the other members of the Board of Governors and the membership how much I have loved working for the BCMA and how important this position has been for me.  I have enjoyed every minute of my tenure with the BCMA and it has been an extraordinary learning experience, from totally private practice, to down-stream risk companies, to healthcare reform.  Just think what an incredible amount we have all learned in the last few years about the health care delivery system of this country and healthcare in Maryland and how it will change.   

The best part of this job has always been the physicians.  What an opportunity to work with dedicated and super intelligent people on a daily basis.  I have had the daily opportunity to work with dedicated physicians associated with every hospital in the county.   Not many people get to do that.  Not only that, but all of the physicians with whom I have interacted have been wonderful to me personally and to my family.

Again, thank you so much for the opportunity and for a wonderful tenure as the BCMA Executive Director.   You all will never know how appreciative I have been for this opportunity and the experience that I have had.   It has been very special.   Sincerely, Neilson                                      

Dr. Carol Ritter will become president in March, 2012.   “She sent me the following comments: 

Neilson Andrews is going to be missed by everyone, most poignantly by me as the president-elect of the BCMA.  My initial involvement with BCMA and MedChi is solely accredited to Neilson`s gentle urgings.   

In 2003, she heard I was stopping Obstetrics because of increasing malpractice premiums.  At her encouragement, I spoke out in public for the first time in front of a bevy of legislators gathered at MedChi to be educated on the subject. Only by her calm, nonthreatening manner was she able to get me to do something so far outside of my comfort zone.  Her inside knowledge of the local politicians, insurance administrators and MedChi leadership allowed me to connect and feel an important part of the process to keep the profession of medicine healthy.  I saw that her belief and commitment to MedChi and BCMA came from a deep love and respect for the docs that she worked with.  I recognized her dedication to this special work and wanted to continue learning from her.    

When Dr Patak asked me to be Treasurer on the Board of Directors of BCMA, I immediately called Neilson.  Could I get away with doing this?  I knew nothing about money, or BCMA, or Med Chi, or Components.  She assured me I would be fine and she would make the mandatory parts easy for me.   She was right.  She efficiently prepped me for meetings and literally became my personal GPS guiding me by cell phone and car to and from meetings on unfamiliar roads outside of my Towson base.   

We should all be happy for Neilson and her well-deserved retirement.  She kept telling us this would happen.  But I find it bittersweet and wonder how I will manage without her special attention next year as President of BCMA.  Although I feel a bit of the same worry I had in 2003, I know Neilson has taught me well and has helped me develop my own map for the future.  But most importantly I count her as one of my best friends and I know she`ll be only a phone call away.   Yeah.”  

Dr. Robert Roca served as president last year and chaired the Board this year.   He sent the following comments to me:  

“Two things come to mind. One was the help Neilson provided with the Presidential letter.  She had editorial suggestions, but beyond this offered very insightful creative contributions that showed great awareness and understanding of the forces shaping healthcare and how they might affect physicians.  I included a little poem about this in my outgoing presidential address.  It was in the newsletter that appeared right after your swearing in last April.    

Second, she took a great interest in the physicians of Baltimore County on a personal level and knew lots about their lives.  I have often thought that she could produce a tabloid rag featuring the exploits (actual and exaggerated) of County colleagues (County Confidential?) but her integrity and good taste held her back. .  .  .  Bob  

Dr. Gary Pushkin served as president and chairman of the Board in 2009 and 2010.  Here are his comments:     

I remember when Andy Greenberg was going to be President and his biggest requirement was that Neilson remain the exec.  Fast forward several years and that became my overriding concern.  I couldn’t imagine being President without her behind the scenes.  Good luck Carol.  

She has been a teacher of politics and especially MedChi politics.  While she would frustrate me with her continuous veering leftward I learned a lot just talking to her.  During my presidential year we would have many long talks, usually while I was in my car driving to different offices. We have dissected at length every local and national issue, especially Obama care.  She helped me to understand legislative issues and how we could try and make things work for Docs.   

I think all of my speeches and letters would start out as something written by Neilson after I selected a topic.  There would then be many rewrites.    

We also often spoke about old Baltimore. She knew that it felt strange for me, as a Jew to go to the Baltimore Country Club.  And we often spoke about her father’s very liberal attitudes during very un-liberal times.”  Gary  

It is noteworthy that there is such overlap in the remarks.  There is an underlying theme of enthusiasm and love for the entire process.  No one can be exceptional at their work if they do not have a passion for it.  I feel extremely fortunate to be the last president to serve a full term with Neilson as the director and look forward to maintaining a friendship with her for years to come.