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AMA Delegates Discuss Ebola, Medicaid Expansion

AMA delegates discussed a range of topics including Ebola preparedness, Medicaid expansion and physician networks at its interim meeting in Dallas Nov. 7-11. Several MMA members and staff attended the event. Read more here.

Teen Cigarette Use Drops, E-Cig Use at 12.9 Percent

While the number of high school students who smoke cigarettes is going down, a survey by the Minnesota Department of Health has found that 12.9 percent of them are using or have tried e-cigarettes in the past month. Read more here.

Ebola Program Set for Tuesday, Nov. 18

Nearly 100 Minnesota health care workers are expected to gather Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the University of Minnesota Continuing Education and Convention Center in St. Paul to discuss issues related to the Ebola crisis. CME credit is available. Read more here.

MMA Member to Take Over as Allina CEO

On Nov. 11, Allina Health announced that MMA member Penny Wheeler, M.D., will take over for retiring CEO Kenneth H. Paulus at the end of 2014. Wheeler is currently Allina's president and chief clinical officer. Read more here.

Give to the Max Day: Remember the MMA Foundation

Today is Give to the Max Day, when Minnesota nonprofits come together to encourage us to make online gifts to our favorite social benefit organizations. You can help bring health care to someone in a medically underserved Minnesota community by donating to the MMA Foundation. By making an online gift, the MMAF will become eligible for additional support awarded to participating nonprofits.

MNsure Enrollment Begins Saturday

MNsure, the state's online health insurance exchange, begins 2015 open enrollment Nov. 15. Minnesotans eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare can enroll with MNsure year round. Currently, 95 percent of Minnesotans have health insurance.

MMA Launches Communications Survey

Every 18 months the MMA surveys its members to gauge their opinions on the association's communications efforts. You should have received an email with a link to the survey. If you missed it, we are sending out a final reminder on Nov. 18. We use the results of the online survey to better serve our members and provide them with the news and information that impacts their practice.

Are We Measuring the Right Things?

The MMA's new board chair wonders whether we should take a more holistic approach to what we measure. "Health to most people is not measured simply in clinical terms," writes Douglas Wood, M.D., in the latest edition of Insights. "Rather, it more often refers to a balance of things that allow them to function in the way they would like." Read his opinion piece here, then give us your feedback.

Save the Date: Day at the Capitol is March 11

The MMA'a annual Day at the Capitol event, at which physicians meet face to face with their state senator and representative to advocate for pro-medicine legislation, has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 11. Because of the extensive renovation underway at the Capitol, the 2015 event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel St Paul Downtown. Watch future editions of MMA News Now for more details.

Digital Rounds - The MMA Blog

What burden is too great for a clinic or health system to absorb when implementing new or changing measures? This question and others come to mind when considering the clinical algorithm Minnesota Community Measurement (MNCM) recently created to determine whether a patient meets criteria for statin therapy. Read more here.

Republicans re-took control of the Minnesota House of Representatives on election night. We examine what it means for physicians here.

Minnesota Medicine

The prior authorization burden
The process is frustrating, time-consuming and costly.

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