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  Community Pulse- January 2015

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In This Issue:
Quest Diagnostics- Sponsor Message (Left)
New Members to WCMS
2015 WCMS Boards of Directors
2015 Strategic Plan & Legislative Agenda
Expanding Medicaid Would Bring Millions to WNC
Mission Health Says Competition Not Part of Haywood Expansion
Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Selects New President/CNO
Haywood Regional Medical Center Announces New CEO
ACOs Moving Ahead
WCMS Foundation Receives Grant for Interpreter Network to Expand in McDowell County
WCMS Faces of the Uninsured Series
The WCMS Physician Directory (Blue Book)
Annual Celebration- A Great Night!
Medicaid Bill Draws Critics
HHS Sets Clear Goals and Timeline for Shifting Medicare Reimbursements from Volume to Value
Physician Burnout: A Growing Crisis
The Secret Lives of Doctors
Job Board & Classified Ads

 

 

The Community Pulse e-Newsletter is designed for community members and non-member physicians. We choose selected important news and information items to share with you, so you are able to stay in-the-know on topics of interest to you.

If you are a physician but not yet a member, click here to view benefits of joining WCMS, and click here to complete an application.

 

Thank you for your support of, and interest in, the Western Carolina Medical Society!    
LOCAL NEWS

New Members to WCMS   
2015 WCMS Boards of Directors   
The slates for the Association & Foundation Boards have officially been approved and we look forward to a great year with these leaders.
2015 Strategic Plan & Legislative Agenda  
WCMS has finalized our Strategic Plan for 2015.  Thanks to so many of you for being a part of our collaborative strategic planning process which we embark on every year to best fill your aspirations.

The 2015 Strategic Plan highlights issues of physician burnout, physician leadership and legislative advocacy.  Click here to view the 2015 Strategic Plan.

Our legislative agenda for 2015 is as follows:
  • Physician-led  Accountable Care Organizations as a solution to Medicaid reform. We do NOT support Managed Care Organizations, particularly for-profit, out-of-state entities
  • Medicaid expansion for all low-income residents of North Carolina
  • Increased mental health services, more providers, and integration of mental health into primary care in WNC, and appropriate use of state facilities
  • Protecting medical liability reforms that were passed in 2011
  • Appropriate scope of practice by non-physicians and supervision of non-physician practitioners by physicians to ensure patient safety
Also, note that we will likely be asked by NC Derm Society to support the "Ban the Tan" bill again this session, as we did during the short session. 
Expanding Medicaid Would Bring Millions to WNC  
A new study released in December highlights the economic and employment costs of not expanding Medicaid in counties across North Carolina.  Western North Carolina stands to lose big. From 2016 to 2020, the cumulative business activity lost In Buncombe County totals $745 million; it reaches 54.5 million in Haywood, another 168.1 million in Henderson, 54.1 million in McDowell, and 21.7 million in Mitchell County.

Read article
Mission Health Says Competition Not Part of Haywood Expansion  
The facility is the latest outpost under the not-for-profit company's My Care Plus brand... This is the first in Haywood County, a community of about 60,000 Mission says is lacking six primary care providers.

"We don't think in terms of 'competition,' which is an emotional term with many different meanings to many different people," [CEO Ron Paulus] said. "In organizing Mission Health, we think about service."

Read full article
Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Selects New President/CNO    
Jacqueline Ring takes on a newly combined role of president/CNO created as part of a regional restructuring process at Mission Health's member hospitals, according to a news release from the health system.

Read full announcement
 
Haywood Regional Medical Center Announces New CEO   
"We look forward to welcoming Phillip to Haywood Regional Medical Center and the Haywood community," said Frank Powers, chairman of the HRMC Board of Trustees. "Everyone involved in the selection process was very impressed with the depth of experience and leadership capabilities that Phillip will bring to our hospital.

Continue reading.
 
ACOs Moving Ahead 
"Mission Health Partners has been selected as one of 89 new Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), providing approximately 1.6 million additional Medicare beneficiaries with access to high-quality, coordinated care across the United States."

 Read more
 
WCMS Foundation Receives Grant for Interpreter Network to Expand in McDowell County   
A language barrier will no longer prevent the sick from seeking medical care in McDowell County.  The Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation (WCMSF) was granted $14,000 to expand the WCMSF Interpreter Network (WIN) to McDowell County.  This grant will help the McDowell County hearing impaired and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) population gain access to trained medical interpreters.

Read more
WCMS Faces of the Uninsured Series    
The third and final video in the series of our "Faces of the Uninsured 2014" is complete. This project was funded by a generous donor to WCMSF and by a contribution from WNCCHS. Kata Bates of Twang Creative worked with WCMS Foundation staff, WNCCHS, and BRCHS to make this happen. The purpose of the series is to "put a face and a voice" to the uninsured in WNC who would have qualified for Medicaid had it been expanded in NC. Below, please find links to all 3 videos. We are continuing the series in 2015, working with both Kata Bates and Sandi Boyer. Your feedback/comments are welcome!
 
Spencer's story

Jerry's story
 
Sharon's story 
The WCMS Physician Directory (Blue Book)     
The 2014-2015 "Blue Book" is ready for ordering!  This is a comprehensive directory of physicians, produced by WCMS that:
  • Includes physicians and practices from all 16 WNC counties
  • Is pocket size for easy access
  • Has a discounted price for practices with 100% members of WCMS! 
Practice and physician information changes frequently, so this directory has hundreds of updates from when the last book was published. 

To place an order, go to www.mywcms.org/BlueBook and pay online or download an order form.

Have questions or need to know if you're part of a 100% member practice? Email us at [email protected].
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!

STATE NEWS

Medicaid Bill Draws Critics  
"The bill, unveiled recently by a Program Evaluation Oversight subcommittee, would hand over much of legislators' direct responsibility for Medicaid to a seven-member Human Benefits Authority made up of industry experts."

One critic said "Doesn't this (bill) separate the accountability too far from the elected officials who are responsible for overseeing taxpayer funds and needs?"

Read article.
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?

 View Medscape Report.
The Secret Lives of Doctors    
"Recently, when my parents came for a visit, our conversations led me to realize something important: I have been a doctor for more than 20 years, and yet my parents have no idea what my daily life is like. It then occurred to me that if they have no idea, then surely my patients have no idea either.

So, if you're a patient who's ever wondered what medicine looks like from where doctors stand, here goes..."

Continue reading.
Job Board  

Click here to see the latest jobs posted on our website. 

 

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

Learn more about the Western Carolina Medical Society on this page. We would love to hear from you. Please contact us with any questions, comments or concerns you may have.   

 

Sincerely,

Miriam Schwarz

 

Miriam Schwarz signature




 

Miriam Schwarz, MPA

WCMS CEO/Executive Director 
(828) 274-2267 ext. 312