LAMMICO CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF STABILITY, STRENGTH AND SERVICE
MEET THE DEAN: Mark A. Sanders, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) – Louisiana Campus
Officer of LAMMICO. “LAMMICO’s purpose is to protect those who care for others. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, LAMMICO remains a strong and stable presence so that physicians and healthcare providers can focus on what matters most – patient care.”
2022 marks the 40th year that Metairie, Louisiana-based LAMMICO has been providing medical professional liability insurance. Forty years ago, physicians across the nation were faced with a crisis – many commercial insurance carriers were unwilling to provide medical malpractice coverage or would offer it only at exorbitant rates. In direct response to the crisis, leadership of state medical societies throughout the country founded medical professional liability mutual insurance companies to bring affordability and stability to the insurance marketplace. The leadership of the Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) recommended the formation of Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company (LAMMICO) in August 1981. LAMMICO, a policyholder-owned and governed company, issued its first policy effective January 1, 1982. In its 40 years, LAMMICO has grown from being an idea in the minds of a progressive group of physicians in Louisiana to the Company that now insures over 8,000 physicians, nurses, healthcare professionals, hospitals and facilities in seven states. LAMMICO is committed to providing unparalleled service to its policyholders while continuing to expand its insurance products and service territories to meet the needs of the regional healthcare industry. The LSMS endorses LAMMICO as the exclusive medical professional and general liability insurance company for our members In its early years, LAMMICO had only a handful of full-time employees. Today, the Company is proud to have 120 employees, most of whom are based out of LAMMICO’s Louisiana offices with some telecommuters located in other states. LAMMICO’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility program is reflected in the support of medically-related charitable programs that serve areas where their employees live and work. The Company’s community development efforts are an extension of the enduring partnerships LAMMICO builds with its policyholders. These partnerships include support of and participation in the activities of the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, among others. “We are extremely honored to have been an enduring partner to the healthcare community for the past 40 years, and we look forward to serving them for decades to come,” says J. Michael Conerly, M.D., President and Chief Executive
As the Dean for Louisiana’s only osteopathic medical school, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) – Louisiana Campus, Mark A. Sanders, DO, JD, MPH, LLM, MS, FACOFP, is a relatively new face to the Louisiana medical community. However, his passion for helping medically underserved populations has been his personal mission for much of his career. Before being named Dean for VCOM- Louisiana, Sanders helped launch the new VCOM campus in his role as Associate Dean for Medical Education, a position he previously held at VCOM-Auburn. While serving as the Associate Dean for Medical Education, Sanders focused on ensuring that students had a smooth and rewarding educational experience. While medical school is never an easy prospect, he made it his personal goal to equip students with the tools to be successful by offering on-campus counseling and support services. These efforts were particularly evident during the 2020-2021 school year, as the inaugural class faced numerous obstacles above and beyond those all medical students face, including the global COVID-19 pandemic and multiple natural disasters. Now, as Dean, Sanders continues to support students as new challenges and opportunities arise within the life of the new campus. For Sanders, being a leader in education is an extension of his passion for learning. In addition to a Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine degree, he also holds degrees in public health, genetics and law, specializing in elder law. Outside of his work at VCOM-Louisiana, Sanders serves as Medical Director for a hospice facility where he works with a group of nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and clergy to provide comprehensive care and support for his patients and their families. As such, he is acutely aware of the shortage of geriatric and palliative care doctors. He hopes to mentor students to pursue that field of practice and share his passion for allowing patients to maintain their dignity and end their lives in comfort and safety. In the future, Sanders hopes to continue integrating himself into the Louisiana medical community while working to cultivate VCOM’s mission and vision right here in the Delta region. He has quickly become a familiar face in the Monroe and West Monroe communities and highly values the local partnerships that VCOM-Louisiana has established with ULM, local medical facilities and personnel, area chambers of commerce and local and state legislators. Sanders understands the value that VCOM-Louisiana brings to this area as the College strives to recruit and train future physicians, many of whom hail from rural and underserved communities right here in Louisiana, and he is enthusiastic about the improvements on the horizon for healthcare access across the state.
Photo, L to R: F. Jeff White, MD, LAMMICO Board Chair and J. Michael Conerly, MD, LAMMICO President and CEO
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