VITAL SIGNS
 Weekly e-News of the Western Carolina Medical Society 
 Sponsor Message:
QUICK LINKS
Newsroom

Preferred Vendors

Project Access

  

WCMS Interpreter Network

  

Boards of Directors

Join Our Mailing List
Twitter

May 10, 2017
WCMS with tagline

In This Issue:
Sponsor Message: Parsec Financial (Left)
Message from Association President Dr. MaryShell Zaffino
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
Save the Date: Legislative Update from NCMS in Asheville 6/15/17
Take a Quick Survey on Opioid Prescribing/Pain Management
WCMS Meets with Representative Josh Dobson
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 5/5/17
A Squeaker In The House Becomes Headache For The Senate: 5 Things To Watch
Enjoy the Benefits Offered by WCMS' Preferred Vendors!
Healthy Healer
WCMS Job Board
Message from Association President Dr. MaryShell Zaffino
Dear Colleagues,

As 2017 rolls on, change is ever present in our medical world. As President of the WCMS Association Board of Directors, I can tell you that we're doing our best to keep up with all of the health care transformations that this year has brought, while remembering to take care of ourselves, our families, and our patients. Our 2017 Strategic Plan is well underway. Your board and CEO are representing your voice on issues such as burnout prevention, the opioid crisis, and relevant legislative issues.

Being at the center of constant change can be mentally and physically exhausting, so we continue our emphasis on burnout prevention and physician wellness. We are in the midst of launching our Healthy Healer program. 

Click here to continue reading. 
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.

Save the Date: Legislative Update from NCMS in Asheville 6/15/17 
NCMS Lobbyist Chip Baggett will be in Asheville Thursday, June 15 at 6 p.m. to report current legislative activity in Raleigh and do a Q & A for WCMS members. Save the date! Invitation will be sent once location is determined. 
LOCAL NEWS
 
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. Their project involves collecting data about physician attitudes and practices related to opioid prescribing and pain management. 

Please fill out this quick survey (less than 10 minutes) so that we have a robust data set to analyze and share with you. 
WCMS Meets with Representative Josh Dobson

On May 5, CEO Miriam Schwarz and physician board member Dr. Maureen Ben-Davies met with Josh Dobson, House Representative for McDowell, Mitchell, and Avery counties. 


We look forward to meeting with more WNC legislators in 2017. If you'd be interested in attending, please contact Megan.
STATE NEWS
 
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 5/5/17

NATIONAL NEWS
 
A Squeaker In The House Becomes Headache For The Senate: 5 Things To Watch
After weeks of will-they-or-won't-they tensions, the House managed to pass its GOP replacement for the Affordable Care Act on Thursday by a razor-thin margin. The vote was 217-213.

Click here to continue reading. 
ITEMS OF INTEREST
 
Enjoy the Benefits Offered by WCMS' Preferred Vendors!
Did you know that you have access to great discounts on financial, legal, and practice management services just for being a WCMS member? The WCMS Preferred Vendor Program is dedicated to offering competitive prices and discounts to WCMS members on products and services to meet your practice and personal needs. Our preferred vendors are highly regarded in the WNC community and are committed to serving our members. Our 2017 Preferred Vendors are:
* Parsec Financial: specializing in wealth management
* Ward and Smith: legal advice and representation
* Current Medical Services: specializing in practice management, revenue cycle management and HR/staffing

For information on our Preferred Vendors and how to contact them, please email Kylie.
Healthy Healer
The Damaging Culture of Medicine and Physician Suicide 

Michael Myers wrote a book about an incredibly morbid subject.

Dr. Myers, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., explored physician suicide in his new book, "Why Physicians Die by Suicide."

Not surprisingly, Myers says burnout is a major cause of physicians taking their own life. However, admitting burnout, as many have done according to research done by the Mayo Clinic, is just one symptom of what could be a major problem. Unfortunately, he says, there is a stigma around doctors asking for mental health help from other medical professionals. If burnout is a "badge of courage," Myers says, physicians admitting they need to see someone for mental health issues is stigmatized. 

Click here to continue reading. 
WCMS Job Board
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