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

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October 16, 2013

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In This Issue:
Meaningful Use Stage 2 Training (10/16)
WCMS Early Career Physicians' Section (10/17)
Imaging 2013- Partnering with the Primary Care Physician (11/2)
Join us for the 2013 WCMS Fall Conference (11/13)
Your Opinion Matters! Take Smoky Mountain Center's Needs Assessment Survey
2013-2014 Physician Directory "Blue Book"
Physicians' Voice in the News
WNC Vote Tracker
MAHEC is Pondering a New Partnership
Member Announcements
Job Board & Classified Ads
UPCOMING EVENTS
 
Meaningful Use Stage 2 Training (10/16) 
Today, October 16th, MAHEC will conduct a training on Meaningful Use Stage 2: Advanced Concepts + Patient Portals.

View the event brochure or go to reservation information.


WCMS Early Career Physicians' Section (10/17) 

If you are a WNC physician within your first 10 years of practice, come out and join the WCMS Early Career Physicians' Section tomorrow, October 17th at 6pm at The Wedge Brewing Company in the River Arts District. All early career physician members are invited to attend, and encouraged to bring physician friends or colleagues--regardless of their membership. Residents and fellows are welcome!

 

Click here to RSVP!

Imaging 2013- Partnering with the Primary Care Physician (11/2) 
This imaging conference for primary care physicians will provide you with current information on the most challenging imaging decisions you face.

Saturday, November 2, 2013 @ MAHEC

Click here for more information.
Join us for the 2013 WCMS Fall Conference (11/13) 
Thriving in Leadership:
Skills for Changing Times

WCMS is pleased to be partnering with the WNC Medical Managers Association once again on our 2013 Fall Conference and this year they are merging their November luncheon with our Fall Conference. This year's event will focus on Leadership, how to thrive in changing times.

Date: November 13, 2013
Time: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton- Biltmore

Our keynote presenter, Dr. Grace Terrell of Cornerstone Healthcare, will discuss what it means to be a leader in today's healthcare environment.  Other topics include an update on the Affordable Care Act, a PCMH Panel and more!

ACMPE credit hours will be available.
 
Please visit our website here for full details and to register!

Many Thanks to our Sponsors!
 
LOCAL NEWS 
Your Opinion Matters! Take Smoky Mountain Center's Needs Assessment Survey     
The Smoky Mountain Center LME-MCO (SMC) is conducting an assessment throughout its 23-county service area to identify the mental health, substance abuse and intellectual/ developmental disability service needs of people who are uninsured, underinsured or covered by Medicaid insurance.

Please use the link below to complete the Stakeholder Needs Assessment Survey by Oct. 25, 2013. Your input will help SMC plan for the future, as well as ensure an adequate provider network and that services are located in areas accessible to the residents the system is designed to serve.

Click here for more information and to complete the Stakeholder Needs Assessment Survey 
2013-2014 Physician Directory "Blue Book" 
The 2013-2014 "Blue Book" is ready for ordering!  This comprehensive directory of physicians, produced by WCMS, now includes physicians and practices from all 16 WNC counties. If you would like to place an order, you can do that quickly and easily online.

(If you have a question or need to know if you're a 100% practice to get the discounted price, contact membership@mywcms.org)
Physicians' Voice in the News    
WCMS is proud to announce another high quality addition to the series of "The Physicians' Voice" media presentations aimed to showcase to the general public our physicians' world-class medical expertise and focus on patient/community health.  
  
Here is the latest release:
You can read all about The Physicians' Voice on our website.

WNC Vote Tracker 

The WNC Vote Tracker link is now LIVE!
 
We believe that civic participation extends beyond the ballot box and it is important to stay informed on the issues our legislators have voted on.
 
Check it out here: www.wncvotetracker.org
 
The North Carolina General Assembly introduces and passes several bills each year that impact the quality of life in Western North Carolina. A new tool, the nonpartisan website WNC Vote Tracker, provides information about important legislation in six categories: economic security; education; environment; health & safety; and women's issues. The WNC Vote Tracker also offers an overview of the state budget-arguably the most important legislation passed each year. 

Mountain Area Health Education Center is Pondering a New Partnership

The Mountain Area Health Education Center is pondering a new partnership with Mission Health that would bring a major change to Western North Carolina.

Read more at BlueRidgeNow.  
ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 
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 Kristina Isenhour, Member Services Coordinator at kristina@mywcms.org   
Job Board & Classified Ads
Asheville Family & Sports Med: Medical Assistant
Pardee Hospital: Multiple Opportunities
WNC FQHC: FNP
GYN Practice: Temporary Phone Triage Nurse

ECP: Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant 

ECP: Physicians

   

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

 

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Miriam Schwarz, MPA

WCMS CEO/Executive Director