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VITAL SIGNS
 The Weekly e-News of the Western Carolina Medical Society 
  Health care reform has brought many changes to the way physicians practice medicine. Carolyn Coward, an attorney with the Van Winkle Law Firm, is a resource who can offer both practical and legal advice about the various opportunities available to physicians. Carolyn consults with physicians about the types of independent relationships physicians can establish with hospitals such as professional service agreements (PSA), management agreements and ACO participation. For physicians seeking employment with hospitals, Carolyn can negotiate employment agreements, the purchase of practice assets and leases of real property. For those physicians already employed by hospitals, Carolyn can advise about medical staff issues, compensation, and issues arising out of the employment relationship. Physicians who wish to remain independent can receive guidance on expanding their medical practices internally or externally through mergers or acquisitions, clinical integration, and structuring governance and compensation arrangements for new or existing practices. For Carolyn's contact and other information related to her practice of health care law, go to www.vwlawfirm.com.

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March 26, 2014

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In This Issue:
Early Career Affinity Group Tomorrow
Primary Care Psychiatry Collaboration: Moving Toward a New Model
HOPE Banquet- Celebrating MMMP
Road Trip! Join WCMS Colleagues for White Coat Wednesday in Raleigh
New Members to WCMS
WCMS Wants to Help Enroll Your Patients in Insurance
Permanent 'Doc Fix' Unlikely as Deadline Nears
Join DocBookMD, A Clinical Tool that Fits in Your Pocket
Member Benefits- Did You Know?
What is Accountable Care? Urologists' Edition
Member Announcements
Job Board & Classified Ads
UPCOMING EVENTS 
 
Early Career Affinity Group (3/27)
Join us for the WCMS Early Career Physicians' Night tomorrow!
The Urban Orchard Cider Company, West Asheville
Thursday, March 27  6-8pm

RSVP Now

All WNC physicians within the first 10 years of practice (residents and fellows are welcome!) - join your peers for an evening of casual conversation and a pint of local craft beer or a glass of wine compliments of WCMS. If you haven't visited The Urban Orchard, one of Asheville's new hangouts, you are in for a treat!
Primary Care Psychiatry Collaboration: Moving Toward a New Model (4/3)
Stephen Buie, MD, DFAPA- The Pisgah Institute
David Bate, MD- Blue Ridge Community Health Services

MAHEC Education Building

Thursday, April 3, 2014
Dinner 5:30 - 6:30pm
Presentation 6:30 - 8:00pm

There is no fee for attending; however, RSVPs are appreciated to accurately plan for dinner.

RSVP to: Dina Gillespie (dina.gillespie@mahec.net) or 828-771-4216

Can't make it over to Asheville? You can participate via GoToWebinar. 

Click here for more information.
HOPE Banquet- Celebrating MMMP (5/22)
HOPE Banquet- Celebrating the Minority Medical Mentoring Program
May 22, 2014   6:00 PM-8:00 PM
 
The Minority Medical Mentoring Program allows high school seniors to shadow medical providers as student interns.
MMMP aims to increase the numbers of underrepresented minorities in the health professions in order to promote culturally consistent care. We invite you to join us in the effort of growing our future leaders in healthcare that will potentially come back to practice in Western North Carolina. Your donation and attendance will contribute to the sustainability of this program as well as provide scholarships to program participants.

This program is a collaboration of:
Asheville-Buncombe Institute for Parity Achievement (ABIPA), the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), Mission Health and the Western Carolina Medical Society (WCMS).

Location: MAHEC, Blue Ridge Room, 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC
Faculty: Larry Rosenberg, MD
Road Trip! Join WCMS Colleagues for White Coat Wednesday in Raleigh (5/28)
White Coat Wednesday is your chance to learn more about the ins-and-outs of the government affairs and how best to approach your legislator regarding health care issues. The NCMS will hold a briefing in the morning with tips on "dos and don'ts" in relaying your message to your legislator and on the hot-button medical and patient issues currently in the spotlight at the General Assembly.

Following this briefing, head down with NCMS staff members to the General Assembly and meet one-on-one with your legislator; take part in committee meetings and see the General Assembly in action; and begin building relationships with your legislators for the future.

These physicians have already signed up- Join us!
  • Frank Sutton, MD
  • Charles DePaolo, MD
  • Robert Henderson, MD
  • Diane Hankes, DO 
To sign up, contact Miriam Schwarz at Miriam@mywcms.org or 274-2267 x 312. For more information about WCW, click here.
LOCAL NEWS 
New Members to WCMS
WCMS Wants to Help Enroll Your Patients in Insurance 
The Health Insurance Marketplace is working for many residents across Western North Carolina.  We aim to support your practice and your patients' health outcomes by moving self-pay patients into healthcare plans.  Here's a testimonial from one of our physician members:

"Yesterday, I saw a long standing patient who recently lost her job and her health insurance. She was struggling to afford her medications and was delaying medical care due to finances. While in the office I pulled up the WCMS website and directed her to contact Katherine Hensley, the WCMS Certified Application Counselor for the ACA Marketplace. Within 24 hours, my patient had an affordable health care plan that covers her medications, her office visits and gives her the peace of mind that she is not one emergency away from financial ruin. This is a tremendous service and I strongly encourage all WCMS members to take advantage."
-- William A. McCann, MD, Allergy Partners             

Sign up your uninsured patients! WCMS application counselors will be available throughout the Summer and Fall to serve and enroll your patients.

You must be a member of WCMS to take advantage of this offer for your patient population. To find out more please contact Katherine Hensley at 828-274-2267 x308 or Katherine@mywcms.org.
NATIONAL NEWS 
 
Permanent 'Doc Fix' Unlikely as Deadline Nears
The prospects for a permanent doc fix before the March 31 deadline are looking increasingly remote. No agreement has been reached on how to pay for a repeal and replacement of Medicare's SGR formula.

Read the full story.
ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 
Join DocBookMD, A Clinical Tool that Fits in Your Pocket 
DocBookMD is a clinical tool that fits in your pocket!  Download this free mobile app to send HIPAA compliant text messages to your colleagues with your smart phone phone or look up contact information with the online directory of WCMS physicians. 

WCMS staff showed this app to physicians at Mission's Doctors' Day event last Thursday and 5 doctors signed up that very day.  If you'd like a 3-minute tutorial on using this app, contact membership@mywcms.org and we'd be glad to get you connected!

Or follow these steps:
  1. Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.
  2. Open up the app and it will guide you through the easy registration process. (To login, use the e-mail address you provided to WCMS. If you do not know, contact membership@mywcms.org for the correct e-mail address or your medical society ID number).
  3. Start using DocbookMD to contact your colleagues! 
Over eighty of your colleagues have already signed up for this free member benefit. Start communicating with them today.
Member Benefits- Did You Know?  

Did you know that one benefit of being a WCMS Member is:

We provide you with networking opportunities


WCMS launched two Affinity Groups last year: Women in Medicine and Early Career Physicians and will be launching two more this year: Primary Care Physicians and Independent Physicians. 

The Early Career Affinity group is meeting tomorrow night!  Click here for more details. 
What is Accountable Care?  Urologists' 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 Urologists
Member Announcements
In addition to announcing your news to our membership, WCMS is now opening our online calendar to events useful to physicians and your patients. If you have an announcement or an event, please contact Kristina Isenhour, Member Services Coordinator at kristina@mywcms.org.       
Job Board & Classified Ads
Classifieds:
2 Bed/1Bath Condo near Mission
Doctor's Office for Lease

Job Board:
Part-time LPN  (Ob/Gyn practice)
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