MSDC has joined several organizations, including the AMA, the American Tort Reform Association, and the US Chamber of Commerce, to file an amicus brief in the Court of Appeals of Maryland on behalf of the Soccer Association of Columbia in an effort to secure "contributory negligence" as a viable defense in civil cases. 

     "Contributory negligence" doctrine has been in effect through common law in Maryland since 1847's case, Irwin v. Sprigg.  This doctrine states that if a plaintiff in a tort case is found to be negligent in their actions leading to the alleged harm, then a court may find against that plaintiff's claim regardless of the  respondent's own negligence. "Contributory negligence" plays an important role in medical tort cases for a physician's defense, recognizing the impact a patient's decision may have on the ultimate outcome of a chosen medical treatment.

     MSDC will continue to follow this case, James Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, and will provide on-going updates as the case progresses.

     For a copy of the brief, please click here.

  

Health Benefit Exchange Authority Nominations Announced by Mayor Gray, Confirmed July 10th

    Earlier this month, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the nominations of District health professionals to the Executive Board of the District's Health Benefit Exchange Authority (HBX).

     The nominees are Dr. Mohammad Akhter, who recently resigned as the Director of the DC Department of Health; Henry J. Aaron, Ph.D., a senior fellow in health care at the Brookings Institution; Leighton Ku, Ph.D., professor of health policy and director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University; Khalid Pitts, Director of Strategic Campaigns at the Service Employees International Union; Kate Sullivan Hare, Director of Policy Outreach and Public Affairs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Diane C. Lewis, health-care policy consultant; and Kevin Lucia, research professor and project director at the Health Policy Institute of Georgetown University. Each nominee was confirmed by the DC Council on July 10th.

     The District's Health Benefit Exchange Authority was created by D.C. Council legislation under the Health Benefit Exchange Authority Establishment Act of 2011 (DC L12-0094). This law is a step taken by the DC Council to implement the reforms outlined in the Affordable Care Act of 2010.  For more information on the District's progress relative to health care reform, please click here.

 

MSDC places Barry Lewis, MD, on the Health Information Exchange Board to Represent Members

      The District's Health Information Exchange Board oversees the implementation and function of the District's health information exchange, DC-HIE.  This exchange operates using DIRECT secure messaging and data, and enrolls hospitals, clinics and individual physicians alike in its program. DIRECT is a safe, confidential, electronic system to support the exchange of patient medical records among healthcare providers, both within the District and beyond. This initiative is being led by the Department of Health Care Finance with governance from the DC-HIE Policy Board.

     MSDC has been involved in this process since the funding was announced under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("stimulus bill"), specifically, the HITECH Act of 2009 which was included in ARRA. Additionally, MSDC members Robin Newton, MD, Raymond Tu, MD and Victor Freeman, MD are members of the DC-HIE Board.

     For more information on DC-HIE, please click here.

 

ACA an important first step, but much to be done

 

Register now for Geriatrics webinar!

     Are your patients getting older? Did you know there are simple steps to make your practice more accommodating and efficient? Join the AMA Practice Management Center for a live webinar on Wednesday, August 1, at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT / 11 a.m. MT / 10 a.m. PT, "Geriatric Care by Design" to learn how to meet the needs of your aging patients through your office's design. 
     The webinar will help you learn how to better manage your time with aging patients, while improving patient and staff satisfaction.  Follow a case study to learn how your practice can utilize your entire team, the environment, and electronic resources to care for aging patients. You will also learn simple methods you can integrate into your practice's day-to-day operations. 

 Part B Top Inquiry Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

     The Part B Top Inquiry Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) have been updated. Please visit our FAQs for the answers to your questions.

 

https://www.novitas-solutions.com/ql-faq.html

 

 

      A question and answer session will follow the presentation. 

 Registration Information:  In order to receive call-in information, you must register for the call on the CMS Upcoming National Provider Calls web page. Registration will close at 12pm on the day of the call or when available space has been filled; no exceptions will be made, so please register early.

      Continuing education credit may be awarded for participation in certain CMS National Provider Calls. Visit the Continuing Education Credit Notification web page to learn more. 

     The Medical Society of the District of Columbia presents our annual awards to individuals and organizations for outstanding service to the profession and the community. We have been presenting awards since 1941 and are very proud of the continued and distinguished history of these awards. We invite all MSDC members to submit nominations.

 

Entry Requirements

     Any member of the Medical Society may submit a nomination for one or more categories. Each nomination must have a separate submission. No past winners are eligible for nomination in their previous category. Click here to receive a Nomination Form.

 

Deadline

     All entries must be at the Medical Society by 5:00 PM on Friday, September 14, 2012. Mail entries to:

Special Awards Nominations

c/o Medical Society of DC

1250 23rd Street, NW, Suite 270

Washington, DC 20037.

 

Judges

     The Medical Society's Board of Directors will review all nominations submitted by the deadline. The decisions of the Board will be final.

 

Presentation

     The awards will be presented at MSDC's Annual Meeting on October 24, 2012.

 

Four Awards

• Certificate of Meritorious Service - Presented to a physician in recognition of distinguished service to the medical profession.
• Charles H. Epps, III Community Service Award - Presented to a physician for outstanding public service to the community.
• Distinguished Service Award - Presented to a physician member for outstanding service to the Medical Society of the District of Columbia.
• John Benjamin Nichols Award - Presented to a lay person, organization, or both, in recognition of outstanding contributions toward improving the health of the community.

Questions

     Contact Ed Shanbacker at shanbacker@msdc.org for any questions you may have.

     The two-day Physician Practice Survival Conference brings together some of the most respected leaders in healthcare, from practicing physicians to industry executives to third-party solution providers, to examine the economic challenges that threaten the survival of independent physician practices. A full roster of healthcare thought leaders will also discuss the business models that can answer these challenges and produce long-term economic stability for physicians who wish to remain independent.

    To receive the registration discount, active MSDC members must use the promotion code "MSDC" when they register to get the discount price. Members who register by August 15 will receive the MSDC discount in addition to the early registration discount.

     Among the featured speakers is Russell C. Libby, M.D., F.A.A.P., president-elect of the Medical Society of Virginia. He will join Ronald C. Sroka, M.D., former president of the Maryland State Medical Society, in a session titled, "A Call to Action for Independent Physicians and Small Group Practitioners." In a separate session, Dr. Libby will discuss "Adopting Change and Developing Small and Large Group Physician Alignment."

     For the full agenda, speakers' bios, and registration information, visit www.PhysicianPracticeSurvival.com or call 1-800-431-7571.

     AMPAC will conduct its annual Campaign School April 17-21, 2013, also in Pentagon City, for AMA members who wish to become involved in the political process as advocates and volunteers for medicine-friendly candidates. The School is organized around a simulated congressional campaign, where participants are put on campaign "staff" teams and attend daily lectures on campaign strategy, media advertising and political fundraising. Each team participates in nightly exercises such as creating a campaign strategy, taping a radio commercial, writing a political fundraising letter and holding a press conference.

     For both programs, all costs for AMA members and/or their spouses, except transportation to the Washington, DC metro area, are borne by AMPAC, a significant benefit of AMA membership. For more information on these programs or an application, please see AMPAC's online registration form at http://www.ampaconline.org/apply or contact me at jim.wilson@ama-assn.org

    A physician must be concerned with two separate but equally important aspects of running his or her practice - the well-being of the patients and the viability of the business. Because they are a patient's first and most frequent healthcare contact, physicians must be especially mindful of their patients' needs and the factors that contribute to their health issues, including the stress that may come from multitasking and financial difficulties. But responsibilities to patients must still be weighed evenly with the financial well-being of the practice, including such issues as billing, collections, front-desk operations and confidentiality of patient records. Even with the assistance of office staff and outsourced consultants, physicians who manage practices increasingly find themselves spending less time than they would like with their patients. Economic uncertainty, ever-changing government regulations and the requirements of insurance companies also contribute to this unsettled environment. However, there are solutions, and many of them are simple and inexpensive.