The Mississippi State Medical Association issued the following press release.
Claude Brunson, MD, one of Mississippi's leading healthcare voices, will be the new Executive Director of the Mississippi State Medical Association, the group announced Monday.
After a nationwide search, the Board of Trustees of MSMA approved Brunson to be the full-time professional voice for Mississippi's physicians. Brunson will take over the job of Executive Director full- time on April 1, but he begins transitioning immediately.
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| Dr. Claude Brunson |
"Physicians in Mississippi are on the front lines in the fight to make Mississippi a healthier state, and I am excited to be able to focus every day on supporting my colleagues through our state medical association," Brunson said. "MSMA has for decades been a vital advocate for healthcare in Mississippi, and that role is more important today as we all face a rapidly changing healthcare environment."
MSMA Board Chair Dr. Jennifer Bryan of Brandon said that Brunson's experience as a physician, an administrator, a regulator, a business executive, and his roles on multiple public policy entities made him the ideal choice. "All of the state's physicians know, today, they have one of their own at the helm. He knows medicine and he knows Mississippi," said Bryan.
An anesthesiologist, educator and today one of the most active voices in Mississippi in medical and health policy, Brunson had since 2010 been Senior Advisor to the Vice Chancellor and led the External Affairs division at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He previously served UMMC as Director of the Office of Government Affairs from 2015 to 2018.
Brunson, the former chair of the Anesthesiology Department at UMMC, has continued to see patients even as he led the External Affairs division at UMMC, building relationships with constituencies that interact with the medical school and hospital.
He was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to the MS Board of Medical Licensure, the state's physician regulatory group, and he currently serves as president of the board.
A native of Auburn, Alabama, Brunson earned his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama after a four-year tour with the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and Field Medicine Technician with the Fleet Marine Force. He completed his medical degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his residency in anesthesiology at UMMC. After graduating, Brunson joined the faculty of the School of Medicine and later served as Chief of the medical staff.
Among other accomplishments, Brunson is a graduate of the leadership course for physician executives offered by Harvard University. He has consistently been listed among the Best Doctors in America for many years beginning in 1988. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists since 2002, leading several committees including finance and scientific affairs.
He has also served on expert panels of the Food and Drug Administration. Brunson serves as one of two Mississippi Commissioners on the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission where he holds the position of Vice Chairman of the Commission. Dr. Brunson was also the Governor's appointee to the Emergency Medical Services Committee and the Governor's Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Abuse.
Dr. Scott Hambleton was serving as Interim Executive Director and will work with Brunson during the transition.
22 comments:
Excellent choice.
Superb selection.
Dr. Brunson will do an amazing job.
Much better than the previous administration--choice in the right direction.
Stan Ingram has been very effective in representing this Agency. I do hope the new Director sees fit to retain him. Physician should be subject to fair and impartial discipline when their actions do not conform to acceptable standards. Stan has proven that this agency will follow through on problems and I am sure this n ew Director will continue the good work of his predecessor.
Family practice is not in support of this.
Brunson a very capable leader and physician. Hopefully, once he geta out from under the Gestopo tactics of the UMMC leadership, he can exercise his political and management skill and lead the Medical Association out of the slump they’ve been in for many years.
Stan Ingram is the attirney for the MS Board of Medical Licensure and the MS Dental Boards.
He seems to provide good advice while follow orders from both boards.
Interesting you bring that up, 1:53, as both boards have had some unflattering headlines within the past couple of years.
A few folks are confused: this is the job of Executive Director for the Mississippi State Medical Association -- it is not a state agency. It is the voluntary association that advocates for physicians. Stan Ingram is counsel for the state agency, the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure, which reviews attorney misconduct issues. That said, I hope Dr. Brunson does a good job in this new position.
I know Dr Brunson very well. This is NOT a wise choice. From my first hand knowledge, he is arrogant, self-serving, egotistical, and LOVES the limelight (on himself). The Association could do better! Bad decision!
"Brunson a very capable leader and physician. Hopefully, once he gets out from under the Gestapo tactics of the UMMC leadership, he can exercise his political and management skill and lead the Medical Association out of the slump they’ve been in for many years." - Slim chance of that. OM manages everything they touch to benefit themselves only. So while they're trying to portray themselves as culturally competent and progressive, they have to appease their white supremacist alumni, and project an image that celebrates African-Americans so they can be allowed to hold on to their racist nicknames. It's like they're in black-face full-time with their Ole Miss' logo and blatant confederate Rebels pasted all over everything.
@10:49– Hey Charmain
Dr. Brunson is a great fit to lead the medical association. He has demonstrated professionalism with great communication skills always. He is a MS physician leader and truly a team player who has always been approachable, leading with a helping hand for medical students—the future of medicine in MS. There’s something to be said about a leader who thinks about everyone—physicians, physicians-to-be, and patients. That’s a tough combo to come across. Great choice, MSMA
Dr. Brunson is a terrible choice. He's the Peter Principle run amuck his whole career. He's always benefited from the color of his skin. He was actually fired at one time from UMMC under a cloud. I can tell you that most physicians have NO RESPECT for him whatsoever. What has he ever really accomplished? I doubt he can even administer anesthesia himself, as he only did it for a few years and found a place in administration from the get-go. This is exactly why MSMA membership falls every year. In addition, he should RESIGN immediately from the Board of Medical Licensure as a conflict of interest.
@10:32 . Charmain strikes again...
This was not a bona fide national search.
Regardless of the disputed issues of personality and reputation noted in prior posts,
there are conflict of issues here that should have been handled before
an offer of employment was made. The credibility of the MSMA Board of Trustees
and the entire MSMA is at stake. Transparency with this hire is very important,
especially in light of the events at MSMA for the past 10 years, which the
Board of Trustees has also kept secret. Can we please have some sunshine
at the MSMA?
How about we have some more sunshine here. Easy to blast off and hide behind “anonymous”. Have some integrity and put your name and reputation where your “anonymous” mouth is. Sincerely- Christopher Boston
Nice to see you survived Meydrech and Cannon.
I think Dr. Brunson is an excellent choice. This man has worked hard for all the things he has accomplished over the years. He carries himself in a professional manner and stands firm in what he believes in with much pride and dignity. His main concern for being in the medical profession is to provide the best healthcare he can for all of those in need. To those of you, who have so much to say, stop being a coward. Are you a friend or a foe? Apparently you feel some type of way to post your comments on here. When I speak my mind I want everyone to know who I am everytime. Question? What do you have to hide? Again, or you a friend or foe? Maybe it's jealousy, but since you are afraid to state your name to fame we will never know. God bless you Dr. Brunson and keep doing what you do and that is being the best in all you do.
KF @ 10:16 - What do you have against Ed Meydrech? I worked for him for about 10 years, and this is the first negative thing I ever heard. He did a great job as far as I could tell.
Nearly all of Dr. Brunson's staff has come down with COVID. He requires them to work from home and use their vacation days to do so.
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