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VITAL SIGNS
 The Weekly e-News of the Western Carolina Medical Society 
   

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August 21, 2013

CircOfFriends VS
In This Issue:
Sponsor Message from WCMS Interpreter Network (Left)
WCMS Women In Medicine Section (8/27)
Fundraiser at Dr. Ben Gilmer's House (9/21)
Give to WCMS Foundation with IRA Assets!
It's Here! DocbookMD is available to all members!
CCWNC offers consultation service for chronic pain management
N.C. groups get grants to help residents with insurance
The Velluvial Matrix
Information about "Obamacare" for patients/consumers
Help your patients determine subsidy eligibility
Job Board & Classified Ads
UPCOMING EVENTS
 

WCMS Women In Medicine Section (8/27) 

Join us at the next WCMS Women in Medicine event on Tuesday, August 27th at 5:30pm at the new Isa's Bistro (downtown Asheville) for wine, hors d'oeuvres, and a free 'Ask The Expert' session with Carolyn Coward, health care law attorney with Van Winkle Law Firm.  

 

Space is limited - RSVP now! 

Annual WCMS Newcomers' Picnic (9/15) 

Join us at the 2013 WCMS Annual Newcomers' Picnic at The Farm in Candler on September 15th from 4-7:30pm. Go to our website for more details, to see a list of our sponsors and for registration information.

Fundraiser at Dr. Ben Gilmer's House (9/21)

Shoulder to Shoulder/Albert Schweitzer Music Fest Fundraiser on Saturday, September 21st at the Gilmer's - Featuring Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion.

 

Download flier

LOCAL NEWS 
Give to WCMS Foundation with IRA Assets!
Until Dec. 31, 2013, donors age 70.5 and older can make cash gifts of up to $100,000 from an IRA (up to $200,000 for a couple with separate accounts) without paying federal income tax on the transfer. IRA rollover gifts count toward 2013 required minimum distributions and save taxes. For donors, giving from an IRA is a great way to make a significant gift to WCMS Foundation or to the Endowment. Contact [email protected] if you are interested in pursuing this giving opportunity.

It's Here! DocbookMD is available to all members!

Last week you should have received an email from [email protected] as an invitation to sign up - it's fast, easy and FREE to all members! Help more patients, faster, right from your own mobile device.

Click here to learn more about DocBookMD.

Once you've signed up to DocBookMD, please review your information and email [email protected] with any changes.

CCWNC offers consultation service for chronic pain management

CCWNC's Chronic Pain Initiative will help you use assessment and management algorithms for chronic pain complaints, design documentation to support and guide your care, use quality improvement techniques to adjust clinic programming, create patient registries to manage your patient population, use the Controlled Substance Reporting System to ensure safety,  identify patients at risk and in need a of behavioral health referral, and train staff who are participating in your chronic pain routines.

 

For more information or to start implementation in your practice, please contact: Eric Christian, LPC [email protected] or 828.348.2833 (availability limited, first come, first served)

STATE NEWS 
 

N.C. groups get grants to help residents with insurance

North Carolina groups have received $3 million in federal grants Thursday to train "navigators" who will assist residents with insurance subsidies, premiums and other issues under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Keep reading at the Charlotte Observer.
ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 

The Velluvial Matrix

Atul Gawande gave the commencement speech at Stanford's School of Medicine in 2010. Here is what he told the graduating class.

Information about "Obamacare" for patients/consumers  

http://kff.org/health-reform/video/youtoons-obamacare-video/ 

Help your patients determine subsidy eligibility  

With this calculator, you can enter different income levels, ages, and family sizes to get an estimate of your eligibility for subsidies and how much you could spend on health insurance. As premiums and eligibility requirements may vary, contact your state's Medicaid office or exchange with enrollment questions.
Member Announcements 
Are you a WCMS Member who is opening a new practice? Are you a 100% Member Practice who has hired a new physician? Send us your announcements and we will post them for you in our new Member Announcements section of Vital Signs to keep other members informed about what's happening in our WCMS community! Contact Nancy Caine, Member Services Coordinator at [email protected].    
Job Board & Classified Ads

AllCare Clinical Associates: Credentialing Specialist 

AllCare Clinical Associates: Insurance Specialist  

BRCHS: Adult Psychiatrist/ Psychiatric NP/Psychiatric PA 

BRCHS: FNP/PA  

Carolina Spine & Neurosurgery Center: Clinical Supervisor  

Sisters of Mercy: PRN Physicians 

Sisters of Mercy: PRN PA or FNP   

   

To find out how you can post a Job or Classified Ad Click here.

 

WCMS is a thriving 900-plus member professional association of the physicians of western North Carolina and a chartered component medical society of the NC Medical Society and the AMA. The WCMS is an organization run by physicians for physicians.


Our Mission
The WCMS is the physicians' voice advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of the community.  

Our Vision
To be a dynamic physician community dedicated to a healthy, vibrant Western North Carolina.


About WCMS
The purpose of WCMS is: 

  • To strengthen the voice of WNC physicians in advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of our region
  • To inform, educate and prepare physicians for rapidly occurring changes in health care at national, state, and local levels
  • To share legislative and policy information and advocate on behalf of physicians in areas of mutual interest
  • To share available resources in areas of mutual interest
  • To promote physician-to-physician communication and dialogue in an open, honest and safe environment

We hope you enjoy our weekly e-newsletter. If you have questions or suggestions please feel free to contact me.  

Sincerely,

Miriam Schwarz

 

Miriam Schwarz signature




 

Miriam Schwarz, MPA

WCMS CEO/Executive Director