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

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March 5, 2014

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In This Issue:
MAHEC ICD-10 Workshop for Physicians
William Bruce Award Dinner- RSVP Deadline Extended to Monday
Healthcare 2014: Leading Through Change
March 30th is National Doctor's Day and You are the Star!
WCMS Wants to Help Enroll Your Patients in Insurance
NC Medicaid Officials Retreat from Privatization Model and Move toward ACO Model
Today is the National Action Day to Repeal SGR
Join DocBookMD, a Clinical Communication Tool for Patient Care
What is Accountable Care? Neurologists' Edition
Member Announcements
Job Board & Classified Ads
UPCOMING EVENTS 
 
MAHEC ICD-10 Workshop for Physicians (3/6) 
MAHEC is offering a 10% discount for eligible primary care practices currently enrolled in consulting services with MAHEC's Center for Quality Improvement (aka REC Team), with priority given to small and independently owned practices. Please click on this link for additional information.

William Bruce Award Dinner- RSVP Deadline Extended to Monday (3/12)
You are cordially invited to be a guest at the annual WNC Psychological Association's William Bruce Awards honoring Alan Baumgarten, M.D., and Gordon Schneider, Ph.D., for their contributions to "Integrated Care: Interfacing Medicine and Mental Health" 

Keynote Speaker: Susan Reinhardt, award-winning columnist, author and humorist  

Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at The Grovewood Cafe

Click here for more information.
Healthcare 2014: Leading Through Change (4/2)
Keynote speakers include Tom Daschle, William H. Frist, MD, and Dr. John Maxwell.

Wednesday, April 2 in Asheville, NC.  Attend at Biltmore Baptist Church or through remote feed.

"Everyone in the healthcare world is aware that we are in a time of great change. At the same time, we are not fully aware of the shape those changes will take, or of all the creative responses that we will be called to make as we seek to deliver outstanding and sustainable healthcare in the coming years."  

Find out more about this event.
LOCAL NEWS 
March 30th is National Doctor's Day and You are the Star!  
WCMS will be running radio spots in March, beginning March 10 through March 30, on ESPN (WISE AM) and Mix 96 (WOXL FM).  (Listen to the spots on our website)

And watch for newspaper columns like this one "Western NC Marks Doctors Day".  We thank you for all that you do for western North Carolina! 

WCMS will also have a table at Mission's Doctor's Day event on Thursday March 20th from 6am-10am.  Come and visit us while getting your annual lab work done!    
WCMS Wants to Help Enroll Your Patients in Insurance 
The Health Insurance Marketplace is working for many residents across Western North Carolina. In the last 4 weeks WCMS has enrolled 19 uninsured or underinsured patients living in Buncombe county into affordable health care with premiums averaging about $30 per month.  We serve 15 other counties in WNC and would like to do the same at your location in WNC! We aim to support your practice and your patients' health outcomes by moving self-pay patients into healthcare plans. 

Almost 70% of NC residents will qualify for premium subsidies.  

WCMS wants to identify and reach your uninsured patients...
  • WCMS can assist patients with ACA information
  • Address their concerns of affordability and safety
  • Navigate and guide them into a comfortable plan for their needs
What does this mean to you? Fewer self-pay patients and better outcomes for your practice!

Katherine Hensley is a WCMS Certified Application Counselor who has knowledge and experience in navigating the Marketplace. She is available to help your patients enroll, educate your staff, and assist you in understanding the Affordable Care Act. She would like to visit your practice in the next few weeks to screen patients for the Marketplace. Since the window for enrollments ends on March 31st we need to schedule these visits as soon as possible so that you and your patients can take advantage of this unique opportunity. You must be a member of WCMS to take advantage of this offer for your patient population. To make an appointment for her to visit please contact Katherine Hensley at 828-274-2267 or Katherine@mywcms.org.
STATE NEWS 
 
NC Medicaid Officials Retreat from Privatization Model and Move toward ACO Model
Here are some recent articles/press releases:

NC Medicaid officials retreat from privatization proposal from Carolina Public Press.

NC proposes experimental health networks for Medicaid patients from NewsObserver.com

NC health agency mapping Medicaid overhaul plan from the Associated Press

DHHS Presents Realistic and Achievable Medicaid Reform Framework from NC DHHS

For details, go to www.ncdhhs.gov/medicaidreform
NATIONAL NEWS 
 
Today is the National Action Day to Repeal SGR 
Make sure you're part of a nationwide effort March 5 to literally flood the phone lines of Congress. On this National Action Day for SGR Repeal, the American Medical Association is rallying physicians and others in health care as well as patients and their families who depend on Medicare to voice their support of legislation that will permanently repeal the SGR and establish new payment systems that will support high-quality patient care.

Find out more.
ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 
Join DocBookMD, a Clinical Communication Tool for Patient Care 
Over seventy-five of your colleagues have already signed up for this free benefit. DocBookMD is a HIPAA compliant clinical tool- you can securely send text messages regarding patient care!

DocBookMD also allows you to electronically search the Western Carolina Medical Society physician directory. 

Want to sign up? Here's how: http://www.mywcms.org/Membership/DocBookMD/#SignUp

Click here to see who's already using DocBookMD. 
What is Accountable Care?   Neurologists' Edition 
Over 40 North Carolina medical societies and organizations- including WCMS- have joined together in a commitment to helping the medical community face the challenges of a changing health care environment, launching the Toward Accountable Care Consortium and Initiative. The Consortium was designed to provide the medical community with the knowledge and tools needed to understand, participate in, navigate, lead, and succeed in a value-driven health care system.

This week: Accountable Care Guide for Neurologists
Member Announcements- AllCare Clinical Associates Receives MGMA Certificate of Superior Performance
AllCare Clinical Associates has been recognized by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) for third consecutive year for its "Superior Performance" compared with similar medical groups nationwide. The MGMA award is given only to medical practices that have demonstrated superior performance in cost management, productivity, capacity and staffing, and patient satisfaction. This is the third consecutive year that AllCare Clinical has received this award.
Read the full press release.

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
Physician  (The Yoga Wellness Center)
PA or FNP  (Sisters of Mercy)
PA or FNP  (Asheville Internal Medicine)

     

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

WCMS is a thriving 800-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