Dr. Harish Manyam has been named the 2024 president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, making him the 141st president in the organization's history.
Manyam is chief of cardiology at Erlanger Health and an associate professor at UT College of Medicine Chattanooga. He succeeds President Dr. Richard Moody, a family medicine specialist with Chattanooga Family Practice Associates, according to a news release.
Manyam plans to focus on improving patients' access to health care, including those who face barriers to care due to economic or geographical challenges, the news release states.
"While medicine is indeed a business, unlike any other profession, patients must lie at the heart of our mission," Manyam said in the release. "As physicians continue to rally around our core principles, I know we are stronger together."
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society is a physician advocacy organization that aims to improve community health. It's affiliated with the Tennessee Medical Association, and its primary goals are advocating for patients and protecting the patient-physician relationship, according to the release.
The Medical Society partners with the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga on public service projects including the Southeast Tennessee Project Access program; the Future Docs Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine and the Medical Exploration Program, and the LifeBridge Physician Well-Being Initiative, according to the release.
Moody, last year's president, said in an emailed statement that medical society membership in 2023 increased to more than 1,200 members, giving Chattanooga-Hamilton County the highest percentage of physician membership and highest number of active practicing members in the state.
"I personally have experienced, through society events and committees, connections with colleagues who I had only remotely interacted with," Moody said. "The society provides opportunities for involvement, which nurtures belonging in our profession."
Contact Elizabeth Fite at efite@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6673.