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May 3, 2017
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In This Issue:
Sponsor Message: Parsec Financial (Left)
Urgent Action Needed - House Vote on AHCA Expected Soon
Register Now: MAHEC/WNCAP HIV Educational Series 5/16/17
Public Input Session on Medicaid 1115 Waiver 5/25/17
Register Now: WCMS Emeritus Luncheon 6/7/17
WCMS Project Access Launching a Short-term Charitable Program for Patients Diagnosed with Cancer
WCMS Releases First Quarter Strategic Plan Updates
Take WCMS' Opioid Prescribing/Pain Management Survey
Town Wants Mission to Rethink Angel Medical Decision
From Mountain XPress: Mission Health and Angel Medical Center Announce New Healthcare Facility for Macon County
Tell your patients that pain treatment will look different now
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 4/28/17
The Healthy Healer
WCMS Job Board
Urgent Action Needed - House Vote on AHCA Expected Soon
Soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA). If passed, a bill that if passed could result in an estimated 14 million Americans losing their health care coverage in 2018 in addition to a projected cut of more than $800 billion to Medicaid over the next decade!

The legislation remains highly unpopular with the American people and for good reason - recent amendments directed at securing votes and not on sound policy, would now allow states the ability to opt-out of the pre-existing conditions protections which could lead to millions more Americans at risk of losing their health care coverage or being priced out of the market by skyrocketing premiums.

This can't happen - now is the time to take a stand to protect the health care of millions of Americans.

The vote is expected to be incredibly close with the outcome still in the balance. Please contact your legislators right now and urge them to vote NO on AHCA!

Now is the time to put patients before politics!
UPCOMING EVENTS 
 
MAHEC/WNCAP HIV Educational Series: Prevention and Treatment for Positive Patient Outcomes 5/16/17
HIV prevention and treatment is a public health priority for Western North Carolina. With the explosive rise of Heroin and Injection Drug Abuse in this area, it is imperative that providers are aware of the screening protocols needed and their patients are adhering to treatment plans after diagnosis. 
Public Input Session on Medicaid 1115 Waiver 5/25/17
Click here for more information. 
Register Now: WCMS Emeritus Luncheon 6/7/17
Join us for the second quarterly luncheon of the WCMS Emertitus group. Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, Medical Director, Buncombe County Health Department. She will present on current public health topics facing western North Carolina.

LOCAL NEWS
 
WCMS Project Access Launching a Short-term Charitable Program for Patients Diagnosed with Cancer
Project Access® is excited to announce that the WCMS Foundation has received an anonymous donation from the Community Foundation of WNC to help Project Access® patients who are diagnosed with cancer access wraparound services. 

We have $6,950 to offer patients access to medications, compounds, over-the-counter supplements, and durable medical equipment. The referred patients will be given access to an account at Sona Pharmacy + Clinic. We ask that you begin referring patients effective May 1, 2017 as any remaining funds must be returned by December 31, 2017. Once the funding is gone, the program is over. 
 
Below are the requirements to be eligible for services and what is available for the patients.
Requirements/Process:
➢ Patients will be provided up to a $700 credit for services
➢ Patient must already be enrolled in Project Access®
➢ Patient must have a diagnosis of cancer
➢ Practice must fax a referral request to Project Access® (referral form can be found here)
➢ Project Access® will contact patient when account is ready

Once the referral is received, we will activate the patient's account with Sona. The patient will be able to obtain medications, compounds, durable medical equipment, and over the counter products/ supplements from Sona.

We thank Sona Pharmacy + Clinic for collaborating with WCMS Foundation to make this happen!
WCMS Releases First Quarter Strategic Plan Updates
View our recent accomplishments on our website here.
Take WCMS' Opioid Prescribing/Pain Management Survey 
Miriam Schwarz, along with medical student Anne Cotter and Drs. Richard Bunio (Cherokee Indian Hospital) and MaryShell Zaffino (Blue Ridge Community Health Services) are participating in the 2017 NCMS Leadership College. The NCMS Leadership College Program "builds and enhances physician and PA leadership skills and equips graduates to become more influential in motivating and inspiring their peers to be leaders in their medical settings and their communities." Dr. Bunio, Anne and Miriam are carrying out their 2017 leadership project as a team. Our project involves collecting data about physician attitudes and practices related to opioid prescribing and pain management. We will be sending out a short survey to WCMS membership soon via email, so be on the lookout. Please be sure to complete the survey (less than 10 minutes of your time) so that we have a robust data set to analyze and share with you!
Town Wants Mission to Rethink Angel Medical Decision
FRANKLIN - The town of Franklin is asking Mission Health to reconsider its decision to end labor and deliver services at Angel Medical Center.

The town council voted Monday to send a letter to Mission Health CEO Dr. Ron Paulus.

"I've never seen so much passion in all my years in politics," Franklin Mayor Bob Scott said Tuesday.

People filled the town council meeting and a number of women spoke to the board about the importance of keeping the services in Franklin. They worry about women having to travel to Asheville or Sylva for delivery.

Mission officials announced last week that the health system would build a new $43 million facility to replace Angel Medical Center and that it will no longer offer labor and delivery services at Angel. Those services are slated to end in July.

Other Citizen Times Articles on this topic:
From Mountain XPress: Mission Health and Angel Medical Center Announce New Healthcare Facility for Macon County
FRANKLIN, N.C. (April 28, 2017) - Mission Health, a not-for-profit health system based in Asheville, North Carolina and Angel Medical Center (AMC), a not-for-profit Mission Health member hospital located in Franklin, North Carolina announced today their plan for a $43 million investment in a new, state-of-the-art replacement hospital for Macon County and surrounding community.
Click here to continue reading. 
Tell your patients that pain treatment will look different now
Doctors, dentists, nurses, physician assistants, podiatrists, and pharmacists in Western North Carolina are worried about the misuse of pain medicine. Western North Carolina sees too many deaths from the misuse of prescription pain medicine. That is why providers should be talking with patients about a plan to treat pain safely if/when they have acute pain.
Click here to continue reading, and view/print a PDF designed by WCMS Member, Dr. Blake Fagan, MAHEC. 
STATE NEWS
 
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 4/28/17

ITEMS OF INTEREST
 
The Healthy Healer

On April 22, WCMS' Healthy Healer program kicked off with a great weekend retreat held at the Asheville Country Club. Eleven physicians attended to earn 13 hours of CME and gave outstanding reviews of local therapist Scott MacGregor and co-host Dael Waxman. 

Here's what one physician had to say:

"For years I've had, at best, a partial understanding of mindfulness and its benefits. Now, after attending the Mindfulness in Medicine retreat, my understanding and appreciation for this concept have greatly improved. Scott and Dael did a wonderful job mixing a weekend full of restorative activities with time devoted to evidence-based education regarding mindfulness and its uses. I left feeling both revitalized and also a better clinician. Techniques were learned that will be helpful for my own wellness as well as the health of my patients."

Mark your calendars for Saturday morning, November 4th. Rebecca Fallon of the Sotile Center for Resilience will be speaking at our next event at the Montreat Conference Center!
WCMS Job Board

If you are a 100% Member Practice, posting job openings here is FREE! Click here for more information. 
WCMS is a thriving 650+ member professional association of the physicians of Western North Carolina, and a chartered component medical society of the NC Medical Society and the AMA. WCMS is an organization run by physicians, for physicians. In 2017, WCMS opened membership to physician assistants.

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