Western Carolina Medical Society: The Physicians' Voice for a Health Community
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January 28, 2015
WCMS Circle of Friends: Van Winkle Law Firm & Johnson Prics Sprinkle, PA
In This Issue:
Parsec Financial- Sponsor Message (Left)
Ward and Smith Roundtable Lunch
Emeritus Luncheon
MAHEC CME Events
2015 WCMS Boards of Directors
New Members to WCMS
Quarterly Strategic Plan Update
Legislative Priorities in 2015
Annual Celebration- A Great Night!
Physicians Voice in the News
School-based Telehealth: A New Approach to Improved Outcomes in Rural NC Counties
New WCMS Member Benefit
HHS Sets Clear Goals and Timeline for Shifting Medicare Reimbursements from Volume to Value
Physician Burnout: A Growing Crisis
Job Board & Classified Ads
UPCOMING EVENTS 
 
Ward and Smith Roundtable Lunch  (2/4)
Ward and Smith, P.A. is hosting quarterly healthcare roundtable discussion groups to their healthcare clients and friends in Western North Carolina.  Ward and Smith attorneys serve as the facilitators of these discussion groups, which are comprised primarily of healthcare practice administrators and managers.  In past meetings, we have discussed healthcare "hot topics" such as Accountable Care Organizations, the Affordable Care Act, the Certificate of Need law, HIPAA, managed care contracting, and the Stark law.

Click here for more information about the Feb. 4th lunch.

Ward and Smith, P.A. is a WCMS preferred vendor.
Emeritus Luncheon  (2/19)
All retired physicians are invited to a luncheon for the Emeritus Chapter of Western Carolina Medical Society. The luncheon will be at the Country Club of Asheville on February 19, 2015 at 12:00 p.m.

Dr. Robert Fields, Medical Director of Mission Health Partners will present: ACOs and Population Health in North Carolina: A Brave New World.

Lunch is $15 per person.  You may pay online via credit card or send in a check.  To register online, click here. 
 
We look forward to seeing you on February 19th!
MAHEC CME  (Feb-May)
MAHEC regularly provides courses for CME credit.  Check out our website calendar to see upcoming opportunities.  Here are the next few events:

Feb. 7- Neuromuscular Disorders
Feb. 19- Motivational Interviewing for Healthcare Providers (evening)
Feb. 26- Motivational Interviewing for Healthcare Providers (morning)
Mar. 13- New Prevention in Primary Care
LOCAL NEWS 
2015 WCMS Boards of Directors  
Thanks for voting for your 2015 Association and Foundation Boards of Directors!  The slates have officially been approved and we look forward to a great year with these leaders.

View your new Boards here:
2015 Association Board
2015 Foundation Board
New Members to WCMS   
Quarterly Strategic Plan Update 
WCMS is committed to providing quarterly updates to our key partners and members. Our fourth and final quarterly report for 2014 can be found here. Note that you can click on the table of contents to jump to a section of interest to you. If you have any feedback, please feel free to contact Miriam Schwarz, CEO at ceo@mywcms.org. 

Our new strategic plan for 2015 can be found here.
Legislative Priorities in 2015
In December, we asked all physician members to vote for the new Board members and take a brief survey regarding various items.  One of those items was our legislative priorities for this session.

The survey question asked "From your perspective, which of the following are the most important legislative issues in 2015?"

The top priority was clearly Medicaid Expansion, with 73% of Respondents listing it as important.  Followed closely in 2nd and 3rd were Mental Health Reform and Medicaid Reform with 57% and 54% of Respondents marking these as important.

WCMS met with 6 local legislators before the session began and addressed each of these issues in those discussions and we will continue to do so throughout the session, especially when we take White Coat Wednesday trips to Raleigh.

Other legislative issues mentioned on the survey were Tort Reform (24% marked important), Scope of Practice (21% marked important) and Ban the Tan (7% marked important).  Plus there were a handful of write-in issues.

If you have other legislative priorities you'd like to see the Medical Society advocate for, please let us know.  We'd also like to get more physicians involved legislatively, so if you're interested, let us know that as well.  Contact Miriam Schwarz, CEO, at 828-274-2267 x1312 or ceo@mywcms.org.
Annual Celebration- A Great Night! 
Over 130 physicians, guests, sponsors, board members and practice managers attended the WCMS Annual Celebration at Highlands Brewing Company on Sunday night.  Attendees enjoyed live music by Dr. Andrew Hart's band, Blues Crew, mingling with each other and a short presentation about where WCMS is going in 2015. 


This was a great turnout and everyone who came loved the venue.  We look forward to our next Annual Celebration in winter 2016!

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.  You can read all about The Physicians' Voice on our website.
  
Here is the latest release:
Excerpt:
"Would you like to know what causes about a quarter of all cancers and heart disease? Are you curious why some people die 20 years too early? Is it hard to understand why there is so much anxiety, hopelessness and unhappiness out there? Or why kids drop out of school or even sometimes attempt suicide? "

Read article. 
School-based Telehealth: A New Approach to Improved Outcomes in Rural NC Counties
MY Health-e-Schools uses high-definition videoconferencing with specially equipped medical instruments and cameras that allow a health care provider to examine students without leaving the office. The provider then coordinates follow-up care with primary care physicians, mental health care providers or other practitioners as necessary.

"My interest is in this integration into the school," Dr. North said, "so that we're addressing the whole kid and doing risk screenings to look at high-risk behaviors and then getting them to the right resources."

Read full article.
New WCMS Member Benefit 
Open Enrollment Two (OE2) for the Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM) began November 15th and will close on February 15th, 2015. WCMS has a limited number of days on which member physicians can host at their practices one of our Health Access Counselors between now and Friday, February 13, 2015 to help your patients enroll in either the HIM, Medicaid, Medicare or Project Access® as eligible.

Alternately, you can download, print and post an informative flyer about OE2 in your waiting- and exam rooms which encourages your patients to call and make an appointment with one of our Health Access Counselors here at WCMS.

Click here to download flyer and/or informational video. 

To contact WCMS staff about getting help for your uninsured patients, call 828-274-6989 or email cac@mywcms.org. 
NATIONAL NEWS 
 
HHS Sets Clear Goals and Timeline for Shifting Medicare Reimbursements from Volume to Value  
In a meeting with nearly two dozen leaders representing consumers, insurers, providers, and business leaders, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell today announced measurable goals and a timeline to move the Medicare program, and the health care system at large, toward paying providers based on the quality, rather than the quantity of care they give patients.

Read article.
ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 
Physician Burnout: A Growing Crisis 
Physician burnout has increased by 16% in just 2 years. What else is changing for physicians and how will it impact you?

View Medscape Report.
Job Board & Classified Ads
Job Board:
Medical Assistant  (Trillium Family Medicine)
Receptionist/Patients Account Rep  (AllCare Clinical Assoc)
Orthopedic-Joint Replacement Surgeon  (Pardee Hospital)
Medical Interpreter  (WCMS)

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

WCMS is a thriving 750 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
WCMS Association: WCMSA is the physicians' voice advocating for the health of the physician, the patient, and the community, through strengthening the physician-patient relationship.

WCMS Foundation: WCMSF is the physician and community-led charitable arm of the medical society improving access to quality healthcare, decreasing disparities in health, and promoting health & wellness.   

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,

Photo: Miriam Schwarz, WCMS CEO
Miriam Schwarz

 

Miriam Schwarz signature




 

Miriam Schwarz, MPA

WCMS CEO/Executive Director