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Lawmakers Work to Tackle Prescription Drug Abuse
State legislators continue to respond to the growing problem of opioid and other prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths. A bill to allow pharmacies greater authority to collect unused medications from consumers has passed both the House and Senate and awaits a likely signature from Gov. Mark Dayton. Read more here.
MN Legislators Propose Banning All Tobacco Products from Sports Venues
On May 16, two legislators introduced legislation to remove commercial tobacco (including e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco) from professional sports venues in Minnesota including Target Field. Read more here. 
Minnesota Heart Health Program Promotes Aspirin Initiative
The Minnesota Heart Health Program's 'Ask About Aspirin' initiative aims to prevent at least 10,000 heart attacks and strokes in Minnesota over the next four years by encouraging men and women ages 50-69 to ask their health care professional whether they would benefit from taking aspirin daily. Read more here.
Win Free ZDoggMD Swag; Save the Date for the 2016 Annual Conference
In a new video greeting, ZDoggMD, the entertaining keynote speaker/rapper for this year's Annual Conference, encourages all Minnesota physicians to save the date for this year's big event Sept. 23 and 24 in St. Louis Park. Registration is scheduled to open in June but, in the meantime, you can let others know that you plan to be there. Add your name to the Annual Conference website and you may be selected to win autographed swag from ZDoggMD himself.
Venue Change:  Payment Reform Event Now a Live Webinar
The MMA is changing its June 1 payment reform event into a live webinar from 6 to 7 p.m. National expert Harold Miller will still lead the event and help physicians identify new payment models. Register here. Miller, president and CEO of the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, works at the local, state and national levels on initiatives to improve the quality of health care services and to change the fundamental structure of health care payment systems in order to support improved value. He is also an adjunct professor of public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon University.  
Survey Says: Physician-Patient Relationship is Strong
The Physicians Foundation recently released its first comprehensive patient survey -  and the news is good. Nine out of 10 U.S. adults reported high levels of satisfaction with their primary care physicians. Read more here.
TCMS Hosts Emergency Medicine Event at HCMC
In an effort to improve patient safety, the Twin Cities Medical Society held an educational event on enhancing physician communication skills in the ER on May 18 at Hennepin County Medical Center. Read more here.
Additional MACRA Information Now Available
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently released its proposed rule to implement the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). Although the new MACRA payment models take effect in 2019, physicians will need to comply with the new reporting requirements effective January 2017 (the performance year upon which 2019 payments will be based). Details about what needs to be reported starting in January 2017 will not be known until the final rule is published, likely in October. Read more here. 
Call for Nominations for the MMA Foundation Awards
Nominations are open for the annual MMA Foundation Awards, which recognize outstanding service, leadership and accomplishments by physicians and physicians-in-training. Read more here.
Med Students Graduate from State's Two Medical Schools
Mayo Medical School's Class of 2016 will graduate on May 21. The University of Minnesota Medical School's Class of 2016 graduated May 6. Congratulations to the graduates and good luck in the next phase of your journey in becoming a physician!
Twin Cities Social Event Sold Out; Rochester Spots Going Fast
Rochester-area physicians and physicians-in-training better move fast if they want to attend the MMA's free networking social event on June 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Cambria Gallery in Rochester. The event is a celebration of medicine, a thank you to members, and a welcome to new and prospective members. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served. The Minneapolis-based event is sold out; a waiting list has been established. For more information, go to the MMA website.
Minnesota Medicine
May-June 2016

 
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