By JUDY OTTO
As an organization of medical professionals dedicated to the care of others, it's not surprising that the Central Florida Association of Physicians from the Indian Subcontinent (CAPI) stresses volunteerism and community service, and its governing board continually seeks new avenues for its philanthropy.
That Executive Committee consists of CAPI's past president, current president, executive officers, and two members at large, who are volunteers who may stand at election for the future. The 2017 officers were installed at an early December gala, and will serve for a one-year term.
It is the role of the governing board to execute the long-term goals of the organization and its 600+ membership - which are to engage with the community, to promote healthcare in general, and to provide services where needed, including volunteering in educational roles as well as patient care. A recent change of focus has directed their efforts toward hospital outreach - where support in the form of CAPI's energy and experience may be most helpful.
"For the future, it's important that we have a voice in the advocacy area - something we've not done thus far," said Sudhir Bhaskar, MD, a gastroenterologist in Orlando for 15 years, and a past president of CAPI. "But some of our members have been elected to hospital boards and the Florida State Medical Board, and we are nicely poised now to have an even more beneficial effect - it's just a matter of time," predicted Bhaskar.
"Our goal is to engage the local hospital systems; all of the members of our board serve different hospitals around the city; their diverse input provides a more complete and comprehensive picture of the hospital community's needs," he noted.
The organization has developed collaborative relationships with the area's three major health systems, and plans to also continue in supportive and productive partnerships with other community service organizations, including Orlando's Indian American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), the University of Central Florida College of Medicine's (UCF-COM) Knights Clinic, Shepherd's Hope, and more.
Under the board's direction, a variety of philanthropic opportunities are proposed, examined, and implemented as needs arise. On a case by case basis, funds are dispensed to the City of Orlando to support families of victims, police, etc., as in the case of the Pulse tragedy, for which CAPI members raised $15,000. Efforts can range from support of a hospital's 5K run or health fair to an event or program developed and sponsored by CAPI.
CAPI stresses the importance of education, so scholarships in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 are also a part of their endowments to the deserving, and are awarded in recognition of achievement. CAPI also encourages and rewards outstanding service and performance through monetary awards recognizing Orlando Health's best outgoing hospital resident, administrator, and faculty member of the year.
The amount of endowments is decided by a newly created Philanthropic Committee and is limited to $20,000 per case. Funds are raised exclusively from member contributions to the CAPI Foundation. Individual member donations to a favored charity or beneficiary are matched by organizational funds.
The Board meets four to six times per year to select, plan and execute logistical details for funding, donations, awards, events, and endowments. Each president strives to improve on previous accomplishments, contributing something different that adds value through his annual agenda.
"Each president wants to leave a lasting legacy," said Bhaskar. "We want to make sure we've done enough."
All efforts on the part of CAPI and its officers are strictly voluntary in nature:
Each executive officer dedicates at least an hour a day - and often more - in support of CAPI's philanthropic goals, Bhaskar estimates. What motivates an already-busy professional to sacrifice free time which is already in short supply?
"It comes from the heart," said Bhaskar. "Some people are by nature more social, more philanthropic, than others. Even in college, I found myself leading efforts to benefit others less fortunate, such as leading a drive to improve conditions for lepers in my country."
Historically, CAPI has raised close to $25,000 for UCF-COM, $70,000 for the Florida Hospital Foundation, more than $56,000 for Orlando Health, and $20,000 for A Gift for Teaching, and it continues to make its presence felt in myriad ways beneficial to the Orlando community.
