By Allison Howard
This article was originally published in the May/June 2022 issue of the Tarrant County Physician.
On April 30, 2022, longtime TCMS member and past president Dr. Gary Floyd was installed as TMA’s 2022/2023 president. A pediatrician who has practiced in Tarrant County for over 40 years, Dr. Floyd sat down with the Tarrant County Physician to talk about everything the led him to this point, and what he anticipates for this next year as he takes the helm of one of the largest medical associations in the country.
Q So Dr. Floyd, what would you say, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a doctor?
A You know, I think the best part or the most amazing part to me is that people, and in my case families, trust you enough to take care of their children. And for adult docs, those patients trust them enough to take care of them. I have always just stood in awe of that. The second part for me has been the collegiality, and that has come both in the workplace and through organized medicine. I have over the years made many acquaintances, many friends, and that’s just not replaceable.
Q Speaking of the physicians you’ve worked with, how do you think organized medicine – TMA specifically or any of the multiple organizations you’ve worked with over the years – impacts both physicians and patients?
A I think organized medicine gives us a collective voice for the issues that plague all of us. We can usually come to common consensus, and it gives us a large body of people, a large number of physicians, who will speak out for our issues. And instead of just one person crying in the wilderness alone, you go representing fifty-six thousand members of TMA. People start listening in.
Q That makes a lot of sense. So, on advocacy: what do you think are some of the most important ways that advocacy has impacted the practice of medicine? I know there’s a pretty long laundry list.
A There’s a long list, yes. I think for Texas physicians one of our biggest achievements or wins was our liability reform that occurred back in 2003, almost 20 years ago. Thanks to work with the public and literally grassroots in the office in talking to patients, this went before the public in a proposition for a constitutional amendment and passed. So hats off, not only to the physicians who worked so hard on that but to the public who understood the need to bring in more physicians to Texas.
I think you’d also have to hallmark [that TMA] sued CMS and won in the district court in Tyler and now we’re waiting for their appeal. This had to do with the No Surprise Billing act. Congress got it right in their wording and had a very fair independent dispute resolution process. But in writing, CMS’s rules initially came out very much in favor of insurance companies and detrimental to physicians. So that’s why Texas sued and won. It’ll be interesting to see how this will pan out, and whether the federal government will appeal to a higher court. But we’re ready for that battle. It’s an expensive battle, but it’s well worth fighting for physicians and for patients.
Q You’ve talked about some issues that are clearly important to you. Focusing on your leadership roles: a lot of physicians are involved in organized medicine but only so many choose to actually get involved on the leadership level, which allows you to really participate in creating change. What inspired you to do so?
A I think every leadership position I’ve ever run for or been elected to, it’s been because others have asked me to do it, so I think it’s been because of the relationships that have been built with colleagues as we went through our normal course of work. Showing up to those meetings and participating in committees. And with respect to TMA, not only committees but councils; apparently people agreed with some of the things that were important to me and with the way that I could express that, and those were the folks that asked me to serve in various positions with TMA. And my wife says it’s because I can’t put my hand down and haven’t learned how to say “no!”
Q Looking back at some of your leadership roles between TCMS, TMA, AMA, and the different organizations you’ve been with, what have been some of the highlights along the way?
A I’ve had the incredible privilege to serve as president of Tarrant County Medical Society, now president-elect for the TMA. I’ve been very honored to serve as president for Texas Pediatric Society and president of the Texas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. One of my most fun jobs was when I got to chair the TMA Council on Legislation. That was really a fun time – there was a lot of interaction at the capital, and I’m looking forward to that as president next year since it’ll be a legislative year starting in January.
But perhaps one of the most challenging positions was serving as chair of our TMA Board of Trustees during the pandemic when we had to become an emergency disaster board. Thanks to the great teamwork by all members of our Board, we got through it and managed to take care of the TMA business that needed handling.
Q Going back to the legislative session, what are some of your overarching goals for that? And what are some of the things you hope to accomplish during your presidency?
A My agenda is mainly just serving my fellow physicians in the best way I can. You know, I think we’ve really taken it on the chin with COVID. For two years there have been challenges from appropriate equipment shortages to a lot of garbage on the internet that has been very misleading. So my main goal for this year is for us as physicians to reclaim trust, to try to unify better, to try to communicate better, and try to find the common issues that we need to stress and push that really impact our patients. Also, to protect the autonomy of the patient-physician relationship however we can so physicians can address issues comfortably without either [patients or physicians] fearing interference from any of those other entities, be it government, be it insurance, be it hospital – whatever.
Q That concern is definitely a top issue. So what would you tell someone who is right at the beginning of their career, or the beginning of their involvement with organized medicine?
A For any physician just starting it’s really important for them to know who they are, so they have to have a support base. And for me that starts with faith, with my faith in the Lord. For them it may be something else, I don’t know, but I think that has really helped ground me. The other part of that is my family; they keep you grounded, and they keep it real. And then joining in with colleagues. Being not just a participant or a member but being and getting involved in organized medicine.
There’s a lot to be done. We have a lot of committees and councils that are doing excellent work and it’s finding what’s important to you and making the time. You literally have to make the time to get involved. You sacrifice some family time and time working in your practice. So you have to be aware of that; you have to plan. But I just can’t encourage people enough, to know how rewarding and how worthwhile it is to make that time to join with your other colleagues and be involved in organized medicine and join the leadership team.
Q So looking at this next year, it’s a very exciting time for you. You’ve had a great career; you got to help a lot of people in both practice and in organized medicine, but now you’re starting something new. Do you have anything you’d like the physicians of Tarrant County to keep in mind this next year?
A One thing I would say, not only to the Tarrant County physicians but those throughout the state, is to stick to issues. State opinions about issues, but insulting public officials is never going to get us anywhere, not even into compromised territory. Call me, call [TCMS CEO] Brian Swift, get it off your chest. But don’t put it out on social media; it rarely achieves anything.
For the folks in Tarrant County, I know practice and family and faith life are demanding, but I am an example that you can do organized medicine with all of that. I would encourage you to show up. Just come. The biggest part of getting involved is showing up. We are always looking for people to serve on committees and councils. I didn’t do anything special; I don’t have any special knowledge. The experiences I’ve gained are because I’ve shown up. It’s important to be involved now, because the practice of medicine is being challenged in many ways, and it is your chance to make a difference for your practice and your patients. So show up; you’ll be glad you did.
In our next issue, you will again hear from Dr. Floyd as he reports on his experience as TMA president and highlights TMA’s top priorities.
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