MSNJ convenes several administrative councils and standing committees to advance the medical profession and run the business of the society. Councils and committees may initiate projects of their own choosing, as well as perform functions and duties assigned to them by the Board of Trustees and/or the House of Delegates. Their actions and recommendations are subject to Board of Trustees’ approval. Members of the councils and committees may be elected by the House or appointed by the president.

Below is a listing of the councils and brief descriptions, followed by the chair, vice-chair and MSNJ staff liaison. The calendar section of this web site will include schedules of council meetings, which are open to general membership. Please contact the staff liaison for information on council membership and current issues.

Policy & Strategy Panel

There are a number of councils and committees through which MSNJ members work with the board of trustees to establish MSNJ policies, develop strategies of carrying out those policies, and overseeing the operations of the organization.

The Policy and Strategy Panel (PSP) brings together the members of a number of these committees and councils. Its meetings include invited experts, consultants, and MSNJ members who are interested in the topics under discussion.

Because its members represent a wide range of organizational expertise—from biomedical ethics to legislative activity, from public health to medical services—the PSP looks at MSNJ policy with the shared understanding of the issues that are important to the practice of medicine. It lends a perspective that allows for a finely honed overall grasp of the impact of MSNJ policy on the protection of public health and on the healthcare delivery system.

Click here to see the work from the Policy & Strategy Panel, including meeting agenda's and minutes. (sign-in to view)

Co-Chair    Kennedy U. Ganti, MD Burlington County

Co-Chair Steven Orland, MD Mercer County

Staff Liaison – Marlene M. Kalayilparampil, MHA

Reference Committee

MSNJ’s Revolving Reference Committee (RRC) will consist of up to five physicians with one serving as Chair. The President will appoint members to the RRC. The RRC model will be much the same as the standing Reference Committee that convenes during the opening session of the House of Delegates, however it will convene to discuss resolutions on an as-needed basis throughout the course of the year. The chair will schedule three conference calls, generally in August, November/December, and February, during which the RRC will be prepared to hear testimony and consider resolutions for reference to another MSNJ body.

The RRC does not alter the role of the standing Reference Committee that convenes during the annual meeting and policy-making that occurs at the annual meeting. The purpose of the RRC is to address policy issues as they come up, to improve the quality of resolutions, and to direct resolutions to the best forum for consideration before the annual meeting. The RRC is a deliberative body with referral powers. The RRR is not a policy-making body. Ideally, resolutions presented at the annual meeting should involve governance, issues of magnitude to the society, or issues which the Board believes should only be decided by the House of Delegates.

Process:
Resolutions should be submitted as the issues arise in the standard format with an indication of the proponent. Resolutions should have the support of the County Medical Society that is bringing the issue forward. Resolutions should be sent from the County Medical Society to MSNJ. MSNJ staff will confer with the proponent, review and provide in-put in the form of notes and comments, and then forward the annotated resolution to the chair of the RRC for consideration. (This is the same procedure as for the Reference Committee for the House of Delegates.)

See resolution writing instructions and resolution submission form.

Once the RRC has received a resolution the chair will place the issue on the next scheduled RRC standing conference call to discuss it. The County and the proponent will be notified when the conference call is scheduled and the proponent will have the opportunity to testify on behalf of his/her resolution if necessary. The conference call will be open to those who would like to discuss the resolution. Once testimony has concluded only the RRC will remain on the call. Upon conclusion of the testimony, the RRC will convene to discuss whether to accept, reject, or amend the resolution.

Once the resolution has been discussed by the RRC, and either accepted or amended, the resolution will be referred to one of the following three bodies within MSNJ:

• To the House of Delegates meeting held annually in May
• To the Board of Trustees
• To the Policy and Strategy Panel for further discussion

Click here to see the work from the Revolving Reference Committee, including meeting agenda's, resolutions, reports & minutes. (sign-in to view)

Chair Donald Cinotti, MD Hudson County

Staff Liaison:  Senior Staff

AMA Delegation

The AMA delegation represents New Jersey within the AMA.

Delegate

Joseph P. Costabile, MD   Camden County	Joseph J. Fallon, MD Camden County	Charles M. Moss, MD Bergen County
Nancy L. Mueller, MD Bergen County	Chair John W. Poole, MD Bergen County	David E. Swee, MD Middlesex County
Vice-Chair Niranjan V. Rao, MD Middlesex County

Alternate

Mary F. Campagnolo, MD Burlington County	Donald M. Chervenak, MD Morris County	Kennedy U. Ganti, MD Burlington County
Christopher E. Gribbin, MD   Middlesex County	Nicole A. Henry-Dindial, MD   Union County	Steven P. Shikiar, MD Hudson County

Staff Liaison: Sue Hoisington

MSNJ Medical Student Section (MSS)

Visit the Students and Residents Group page!

Committee on Biomedical Ethics

The Committee on Biomedical Ethics brings ethical analysis of the practice of medicine to the issues confronting physicians and patients through the process of birth, life, and death.

Housed within the Policy & Strategy Panel.

Judicial Council

The Judicial Council acts as the judicial body of the Society, comprised of an elected councilor from each of the five judicial districts in the state. The Council is responsible for receiving complaints about the professional or ethical conduct of MSNJ members, and to rule on any matter of discipline or appeal brought on appeal from a county judicial committee.

Nicole A. Henry-Dindial, MD   Union County

John J. DiGioia, MD Hudson County

Steven Orland, MD Mercer County

Committee on Public Health

The Committee on Public Health recommends policy position, strategic directions and actions on issues important to health and healthcare for considerations by the MSNJ Board of Trustees.

Housed within the Policy & Strategy Panel.

Ex-Officio: 1st VP Kennedy U. Ganti, MD Burlington County

Staff Liaison - Lawrence Downs, Esq.

Council on Legislation

The Council on Legislation develops and implements legislative policies that promote patients’ and physicians’ interests.

Housed within the Policy & Strategy Panel.

Chair Steven Richards, MD Middlesex County

Staff Liaison – Marlene M. Kalayilparampil, MHA

Council on Medical Services

The Council on Medical Services studies, recommends, and initiates activities related to MSNJ and its members, and the services of facilities used in the business of medicine and constraints on the practice of medicine. It represents MSNJ in relationships with insurers and other organizations and agencies.

Housed within the Policy & Strategy Panel.

Ex-Officio: 1st VP Kennedy U. Ganti, MD Burlington County

Staff Liaison - Lawrence Downs, Esq.

Committee on Annual Meeting

The Committee on Annual Meeting plans, develops, administers, and evaluates programs for MSNJ’s annual meeting.

Co-Chair    Philip E. Kline, MD Union County

Co-Chair    Marc J. Levine, MD Mercer County

Ex-Officio: Secretary David Swee, MD Middlesex County

Staff Liaison – Larry Downs and Sue Hoisington

Committee on Credentials

The Committee on Credentials reviews and verifies information on new member applications and makes recommendations on the election of new members.

Secretary David Swee, MD Middlesex County

Staff Liaison – Margaret Argust

Committee on Finance and Budget

The Committee on Finance and Budget plans and oversees MSNJ’s financial operations.

Chair: President    Marc J. Levine, MD Mercer County

President-Elect    Philip E. Kline, MD Union County

Ex-Officio: Treasurer Peter Blumenthal, MD Essex County

Staff Liaison – Lawrence Downs, Esq., CEO

Committee on Medical Education

The Committee on Medical Education coordinates MSNJ’s medical education activities and accredits organizations that sponsor continuing medical education activities.

Chair Bernardo J. Toro Echague, MD   Union County

Vice-Chair Emmanuel F. Ashong, MD Camden County

Staff Liaison – Ruth Zarzycki

New Jersey Political Action Committee

Chair    John W. Poole, MD Bergen County

Vice-Chair R. Gregory Sachs, MD Union County

Staff Liaison - Marlene M. Kalayilparampil, MHA

Standing Committee on Constitution and Bylaws

The Committee on Revision of Constitution and Bylaws oversees fact-finding and serves as the advisory body on matters pertaining to the MSNJ Constitution and Bylaws. It handles long-range organizational planning.

Co-Chair    Charles M. Moss, MD Bergen County

Co-Chair Donald Cinotti, MD Hudson County

Staff Liaison – Lawrence Downs, Esq., CEO

Medical Practice Managers Section (MPMS)

The Medical Practice Managers Section of the Medical Society of New Jersey has been formed as a means for the practice managers within the state to have a voice and resource center for the assimilation and dissemination of information vital to the continued growth of medical practices. It offers opportunity for networking, the sharing of ideas and a platform for the voice of the medical practices throughout the state of New Jersey.

To be eligible for membership, practice managers must have a sponsoring physician, who is an active member of MSNJ. To learn more about the Medical Practice Managers Section, contact the MSNJ Member Resource Center at 609-896-1766, or e-mail info@msnj.org.

Visit the MPMS Group page!