Board Member Profile
Henri S. Havdala, MD, exemplifies lifelong passion for service, patients
Anesthesiologist Henri S. Havdala, MD, has served vigorously on ISMIE Mutual’s Board of Directors, devoting boundless time and energy to the Policyholder Services, Risk Management and Executive and Audit Committees. A long-term member of Sinai Health Systems Board of Directors, Dr. Havdala also practiced at Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center where he held positions including Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology, and President, Medical Staff. In addition to multiple academic appointments during his career, Dr. Havdala has been a member of and served in leadership positions at the Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists (past president), the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Illinois State Medical Society.
Here Dr. Havdala shares a bit about his experiences as a physician and his insights on the business of medical liability insurance.
As a young medical professional, how did you launch your career?
When I finished my residency at Mount Sinai, I was asked to stay on as an attending physician. It was a very busy hospital, and I enjoyed my work as an anesthesiologist. Anesthesiology, as a specialty, was advancing rapidly at the time. New medications anddevices were being introduced that made it much safer to put patients to sleep.
How did you first become involved with ISMIE Mutual?
"From the time I was a young child, I wanted to be a physician. I am fortunate that my career has spanned an era marked by astounding advances in the medical profession." |
In 1977, I was president of the Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists and Illinois representative to the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Anesthesiologists felt that ISMIE Mutual, a new company at the time, was classifying their specialty at a risk level that was too high. We asked for a meeting with ISMIE officers to discuss the classification. As president of the ISA, I was called upon and able to convince ISMIE to lower our risk rating from five (highest at the time) to four. A week later, ISMIE asked me to join its board. I accepted because I felt it was important for our specialty to continue to be represented within the company.
How does ISMIE maintain its leading edge over other professional liability carriers in Illinois?
In past years when the market was soft, many carriers lowered their premiums to increase market share. ISMIE refrained from that practice. Subsequently, the market tightened and many of those other carriers left the field or went bankrupt, causing physicians who selected those carriers to lose their tail insurance.
Helping physicians manage their liability risk is a top priority at ISMIE. This is accomplished through our Risk Rewards seminars, online learning activities and office assessments. It is
a big task to offer such programs, but it is being done well.
ISMIE also sticks to its motto: “Physican-First Service.” When a physician is sued for malpractice, he or she is constantly kept informed of the proceedings and is provided with support during the entire, difficult ordeal.
Please share your thoughts on how ISMIE is navigating the current challenge to our reform law.
This is an issue of extreme importance for Illinois citizens and for ISMIE. Our chairman, with the support of the board and management, has selected an excellent team of lawyers to represent us before the state Supreme Court. Our public education campaign and encouragement of physician involvement have been and will continue to be top priorities for ISMIE.
Is there anything else you would like to note regarding your tenure with ISMIE?
Over the past 30 years, I have watched ISMIE mature into a very sophisticated organization with superb management and topnotch administrators in every department. ISMIE will survive and thrive long into the future.