As president elect of the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA), J. Eugene Huffstutter, MD, FACP, FACR, MACR, a rheumatologist with Arthritis Associates in Hixson, Tenn., says one of his priorities as the new president of the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) is ensuring physicians can focus on practicing medicine without unnecessary obstacles.
Dr. Huffstutter expresses concern about external influences on the medical practice, stating, “There are so many people trying to dictate what we can and can’t do, often driven by their own agendas,” he says. “But at the core, physicians are dedicated to their patients, striving to ensure they receive the best possible care. Unfortunately, this process has been disrupted by managed care, prior authorizations and other bureaucratic hurdles.”
Project Access
Dr. Huffstutter
Dr. Huffstutter attended college at the University of Tennessee at Martin and medical school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. He was an internal medicine resident at the University of Oklahoma and received his rheumatology subspecialty training at the Medical University of South Carolina. He joined Arthritis Associates in 1984 immediately after training.
Dr. Huffstutter is currently a member of the American Medical Association, an ACR fellow and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 2023, he was honored as an ACR Master, one of the highest distinctions awarded by the ACR.
Taking on leadership roles and advocating for both his colleagues and patients is nothing new for Dr. Huffstutter. In addition to his clinical practice and work with the TMA, he also serves as the current chair of the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga, the charitable arm of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.
“Every rheumatologist in our county participates in Project Access, a physician-led partnership that provides healthcare to low-income residents with limited resources,” Dr. Huffstutter says. “We recently celebrated the program’s 20th anniversary, and I had the opportunity to share stories of uninsured patients I’ve followed over the years and how access to specialized care has changed their lives.”
As an example, Dr. Huffstutter recalls a vasculitis patient who received treatment through Project Access until he was stable enough to return to work.
“Now that he’s insured, I told him he’s officially graduated from the program and no longer needs to see me as a Project Access patient,” Dr. Huffstutter says, adding that the past four years have highlighted healthcare disparities that were less visible before the pandemic. To meet these ongoing needs, he says Project Access will be expanding to other counties within the state.
A Commitment to Leadership
Although volunteering in leadership positions requires time and commitment, Dr. Huffstutter believes giving back to his community is an essential part of his life.
“I was born and raised here in Tennessee, and this is the only life I’ve ever known,” he says. “But during my fellowship at the University of South Carolina, one of my professors, a naturalized citizen from Syria, told me, ‘You have no idea the freedoms you have in this country.’”
His professor’s words stuck with him, prompting Dr. Huffstutter to reflect on his own life and the responsibilities that come with those freedoms.
“He pointed out that if we lived in a dictatorship, we wouldn’t have these rights and responsibilities,” Dr. Huffstutter says. “I believe it’s every American’s duty to vote and be engaged in our government. If we don’t, those with selfish motivations and agendas, who don’t necessarily have the country’s best interests at heart, can undermine our freedoms.”
For Dr. Huffstutter, maintaining a leadership role within professional medical organizations allows him the opportunity to advocate for his patients and colleagues.
“As physicians, we need to testify before lawmakers to help them understand what our patients are facing, what’s really happening in healthcare, and how they can help,” he says.
Earlier this year, Dr. Huffstutter traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the AMA delegation to advocate against cuts to Medicare payments. He stresses that rheumatologists are already stretched thin, balancing patient care and on-call duties and deserve to be fairly compensated for their dedication.
“The 4.2% reduction is a significant burden when our expenses remain unchanged,” Dr. Huffstutter explains. “For practices operating with around a 50% overhead, it’s effectively a double cut, and many practices have overheads higher than that.”
Inspiring Future Rheumatologists
Jessica Huffstutter, MD, also a rheumatologist, works alongside her father, Eugene, in the same practice. “I want my daughter to enjoy being a rheumatologist at least half as much as I have and to ensure she has every opportunity to thrive,” Dr. Huffstutter says, recalling how Jessica first started volunteering in his office as a file clerk before going on to volunteer in a triage capacity in a local hospital’s emergency department.
Beyond mentoring his daughter, Dr. Huffstutter also helped launch a program through the TMA to connect trained physicians with job opportunities in Tennessee.
Driven by a deep commitment to rheumatology and a passion for inspiring future medical professionals, Dr. Huffstutter remains actively engaged and motivated in his volunteer leadership roles.
Linda Childers is a health writer located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
