President's Page: Organized Medicine - Why it Matters: Part ll 

By: Nathan Laufer, MD

Dr. Nathan Laufer MCMS President

Last month I spoke about the physician wish list for easing the burden of practicing medicine, the history of U.S. medicine and  

the evolution of the AMA and its role in medical education and advocacy. I concluded with the new practice models that evolved in the latter half of the twentieth century, that is, the HMO and Academic Medicine models. I will now focus on the weakening of the AMA, and the present and future challenges to the practice of medicine. Read more... 

U.S. Attorney Burke Issues Federal Prosecution Warning Regarding Arizona's Medical Marijuana Program

On May 2, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke sent a letter to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Director Will Humble regarding ADHS's final regulations governing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA).

Burke's letter included several warnings. Read more... 

Inaugural Class UA College of Medicine - Phoenix Graduates

Henry Wells Named Interim CEO of UA Healthcare

Henry E. Wells, who has more than 40 years experience in the

healthcare industry, has been appointed interim president and CEO of UA Health care. Wells replaces Kevin Burns, who recently resigned.

Wells, who most recently served as interim deputy dean at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, has led numerous hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers and faculty practice plans as chief executive officer and chief financial officer. He also has served as managing director for one of the nation's largest healthcare consulting firms. Read more...  

Gilbert Hospital TOPS Event a Success

Gilbert Hospital hosted the 4th Annual TOPS (Team of Physicians for Students) event on April 30 at Mesquite High School in Gilbert.During this volunteer event, 1,540 student athletes were given free, extensive physicals that included an overall exam, an EKG and a Cardiac Ultrasound (if warranted). The number of students screened was an increase of more than 30 percent from 2010. More than 350 volunteers made the event possible. Read more... 

Medicare Quality Bonuses More Than Doubled in 2010

Nearly 120,000 clinicians who told Medicare how they did in 2009 on certain quality yardsticks such as conducting foot exams for adults with diabetes received a total of $234 million in bonuses in 2010 - more than twice the amount for 2008 - in the program's Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS).

The average payment for 2009 performance was almost $2000 per qualifying clinician, according to a report released last week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Some 86,000 qualifying clinicians received about $92 million, or almost $1100 apiece, for their PQRS performance in 2008.

In addition, roughly 48,000 clinicians received $148 million, or almost $3100 each, in Medicare bonuses for electronically transmitting prescriptions to the pharmacy in 2009 - the year in which the incentive program went live. Read more... 

Medscape/WebMD Poll: How Much are Doctors Paid?

A Medscape/WebMD survey of 15,794 U.S. doctors finds that orthopaedic surgeons and radiologists make the most money, while pediatricians and primary care doctors trail the pack.

It's not really a surprise that specialists make the most money:

• Orthopaedic surgeons and radiologists: median pay $350,000 a year.
• Cardiologists and anesthesiologists: median pay $325,000 a year.
• Urologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, and dermatologists: median pay about $300,000 a year.

That's just what most of these specialists make. Some individuals make a lot more. For example, about 17% of dermatologists report earning $500,000 a year or more. Read more...  

MGMA: Medical Director Duties, Compensation Vary Widely

Being a medical director can be nice work if you can get it. A physician medical director can add several thousand or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to his or her compensation package for duties that can range from recruitment, attending meetings, conducting clinical peer reviews, and strategic development. Read more... 

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE 

Turn-key, fully furnished medical space available in the new, highly sought after, Rome Towers in Gilbert. Space has @3000 square feet with expansive views of the San Tan Mountains. We offer a large reception area, nursing station, 5 exam rooms, 

2 bathrooms and 2 private offices. The space has been professionally decorated with A+ fixtures, a serene neutral color palate, upgraded tile and lighting, and much more.

The building has an attached parking garage for ease of patient access and there are 4 dedicated parking spaces for your staff. Located at Pecos and Val Vista roads, this location is prime for anyone wanting to be near Mercy Gilbert Medical Center

and/or the beautiful outdoors of the San Tan Mall.

Please respond via email to nlim@adventgi.com  

E-Prescribing Systems Could Be Cumbersome for Some Doctors