Top Stories

Legislative Session "Mixed Bag" for Physicians

A contentious legislative session came to an end minutes after the May 18 midnight deadline. In the end, several of the MMA's top priorities (including prior authorization and the Medicaid payment bump) ended up on the cutting room floor. Read more here.

Health Care Legislation From A to Z

The Legislature dealt with upwards of 400 bills relating to health care this session. Aside from the MMA's priorities, our legislative team focused on a number of health-care related bills. Read more here.

MMA Member Contines Work on MNsure Board

Member Kathryn Duevel, MD, has been selected as vice chair of the MNsure board of directors. Duevel has served as a board member since the group was formed in 2013. Duevel, a retired ob/gyn in Willmar, is the lone physician on the board that oversees Minnesota's health insurance exchange.

New Medical Cannabis Manual Saves Time, Money

The MMA's new Medical Cannabis Policies and Procedures Manual offers a comprehensive, ready-to-use guide to ensure clinics are ready to manage medical cannabis patients. The manual will help clinic staff confidently, consistently and legally manage medical cannabis questions and requests from patients and will save time, effort and money in development costs. Read more here.

Advance Care Planning Online Course Now Available

Honoring Choices Minnesota, an initiative of the Twin Cities Medical Society, is pleased to announce a new online short course for physicians and advanced practice providers offered by the University of Minnesota's Global Health Department. The "Honoring Choices Across Cultures" course offers practical advice on communicating effectively about end-of-life and advance care planning in a cross-cultural context. Up to 4.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credits are available. This course is a partnership between the University of Minnesota, Global Health Department of Medicine, Honoring Choices Minnesota, HealthPartners and West Side Community Health Services. For more information and to register, click here.

What Diagnosis Do You Dread?

Minnesota Medicine is seeking case studies about dreaded diagnoses -- the kind that are either difficult to make or treat or that are devastating to patients. Case studies should be between 500 and 1,000 words in length and include references and images, if relevant. Those selected for publication will appear in the August issue. Deadline for submissions is June 8. Click here to submit your case.

Inspiring Physicians

Being a physician is a noble profession. Few would argue with that. But some go above and beyond their regular work of treating patients, researching diseases or educating physicians-in-training. Our latest group of inspiring physicians includes a doctor who integrates new perspectives and insights from East and West, medicine and psychology, and science and spirituality into practice; another who has been providing care to people in Guatemala for the past 10 years; and a third who is helping address the rise of heroin use, emerging infectious diseases, potential pandemics and the threat of chemical warfare.

Minnesota Medicine