New director looks toward role with county medical society

With a background in journalism and as a certified public accountant, Phillip Brownlee says he has experience that will help in his new role as executive director of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County.

Brownlee, now editorial page editor at The Wichita Eagle, will be the third director of the society in a half-century. He also has worked as public information director at Sterling College and as a certified public accountant.

Q. Why are you looking forward to this new role?

A. I’ve long admired the Medical Society. I respect the work they do ... and how dedicated they are to this community. That’s one of the things that drew me to this position is how involved and engaged they are and how mission focused.

Q. How will your roles at The Eagle in editorial work help you in this new position?

A. My job is typically to write about policy issues and wrestle with policy issues, and health care is an important subject that we’ve had to write about and study. I also think the ability to communicate complicated issues … and being able to communicate them in an easy to understand way but also an accurate way is important.

Q. Your background isn’t in medicine.

A. I think I’ll certainly have a learning curve, learning about the practice in medicine, specialties and how they work with each other. I think the journalism background will aid me in being able to learn that quickly and see connections, but clearly I’ll have a lot to learn. That’s one reason I’m excited about the job. It’s a challenge.

Q. What are some of the main issues facing local health care?

A. On the state level, Medicaid expansion has been a key issue. There’s also frequently debates in Topeka about scope of practice issues related to APRNs (advanced practice registered nurses) and other nonphysicians. Those likely will continue. Obviously, nationally (with) the Affordable Care Act, there’s great uncertainty still. Is that going to continue? In what form is that going to continue?

Q. What are some of the strengths of local health care?

A. One thing that most people don’t realize about the medical society is how much it’s involved. It has affiliated organizations that direct the Project Access program, which provides donated care, typically specialty care to underinsured or uninsured residents. It has the Health ICT program, which works in fostering public health. It has a doctor provider network. It has run a health information exchange, one of the early adopters of electronic records, so it’s very active and is very respected.

Q. Is there anything else you want readers to know?

A. They should take great pride that we have such a dedicated and skilled medical community. We have terrific hospitals. ... And then the society ... for 114 years, it really has been a champion for quality health care, high ethical standards, and it is a model society in the nation. We should really be proud of our physicians and how dedicated they are both to their patients and to the community.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 6:30 PM with the headline "New director looks toward role with county medical society."