August 2016 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS Tobacco tax initiative on November ballot as Prop 56 Updated mandatory reporting of communicable diseases Nominations needed for SCMA awards by Aug. 31 Free Lunch & Learn! How To Get Past "NO" With a Payor SCMA applicants PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME CLASSIFIEDS SCMA NEWS Tobacco tax initiative on November ballot as Prop 56 The California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 has officially qualified for the November ballot as Proposition 56. Supported by a broad alliance of physicians, health care advocates, educators and others, Prop 56 would raise California's tobacco tax, which is currently among the lowest in the country, to $2.87 a pack. The majority of the money from the initiative's user fee on cigarettes and other tobacco products (including e-cigarettes containing nicotine), will be used for existing health programs and research into cures for cancer and other illnesses caused by smoking and tobacco products. For more information, go to www.yeson56.org. -Advertisement- Updated mandatory reporting of communicable diseases The California Department of Public Health has updated the Title 17 Section 2500 regulations regarding mandatory reporting of certain communicable diseases. See letter from the CDPH outlining changes and click here for Sonoma County instructions and forms. Nominations needed for SCMA awards by Aug. 31 SCMA is seeking nominations for its Outstanding Contribution and Achievement awards, to be presented at the annual awards dinner Dec. 6. Nominations are needed by Aug. 31 for all four awards listed below: Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Presented to an SCMA member whose work has benefited the community. Outstanding Contribution to Local Medicine. Presented to an SCMA member who has improved local medical care. Outstanding Contribution to SCMA. Presented to an SCMA member who has served the medical association beyond the call of duty. Recognition of Achievement. Presented to an organization or nonphysician who has helped advance local medicine. To nominate one of your colleagues, send his or her name with a brief description of accomplishments to Cynthia Melody at cynthia@scma.org or via fax to 707-525-4328. Click here for a historical summary of past awards. -Advertisement- Free Lunch & Learn! How To Get Past "NO" With a Payor When submitting a request to open a contract renegotiation discussion, best practice is to present a "business case" for why the payor wants to keep your practice in their network. Join us for complimentary lunch from Chloe's Café and to learn how to prevent the "auto-reply" and to create and submit a thoughtful renegotiation request. Free to SCMA members and their practice managers, the seminar will be held on Thursday, Sept. 8, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vista Family Health Center. See flier for details and to reserve your place. SCMA applicants Welcome, new SCMA/CMA members! Stephen Lee, MD, Nephrology, 435 Doyle Park Dr., Santa Rosa, Boston Univ 2011 TPMG - 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa Douglas Green, MD, Vascular Surgery*, Harvard Med Sch 1997 Christopher Styles, MD, Emergency Medicine, St. Louis Univ 2013 Patrick Wuthrich, DO, Emergency Medicine, Touro Univ 2012 *board certified PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME The new provider directory accuracy law took effect July 1 Make sure your practice isn't penalized! The new law not only requires payors to maintain accurate and current directories, but it also requires physicians to do their part in keeping the information up-to-date. Failure to comply with the new requirements may result in payment delays, removal from directories and even contract termination. For more information on physicians' obligations under the new law, visit cal.md/directory-accuracy. Advertisement Understanding MACRA: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act To help physicians understand the MACRA payment reforms and what they can do now to start preparing for the transition, CMA has published a MACRA resource center available at www.cmanet.org/macra. The resource center includes an overview of MACRA and a comprehensive list of tools, resources and information from CMA, AMA and CMS. Updated Payor Profiles CMA's Center for Economic Services has published updated profiles on each of the major payors in California including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, CIGNA, Health Net, United Healthcare, Medicare/Noridian and Medi-Cal. Each profile includes key information on health plan market penetration; a description of the plan's dispute resolution process; and the name and contact numbers for medical directors, provider relations, and other key contacts. Members can download CMA's Payor Profiles free of charge in the CMA Resource Library. Practice Management Tip of the Month: August Make sure your billing staff are aware of prohibitions on balance billing Medi-Medi patients. Click here to access CMA's Tip of the Month. CLASSIFIEDS Northern California, Napa Independent Medical Group is seeking qualified candidates to staff its minor emergency department. Candidates include: near retirement Emergency Physicians, Family Practice Physicians, Urgent Care Physicians or Emergency Department Nurse Practitioners. If interested, forward CV to Tony Mottalei, MD, at mottalei@gmail.com. Medical weight loss practice / retirement sale Proven, highly recognized and profitable, established weight loss practice in beautiful Marin County. Current multiple 6 figures, room for expansion. Work-life balance, time freedom, financial security, relationship-driven practice. I am 100% committed to assisting the new owner with all the support necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Please contact me for more information or to schedule a visit. Gail Altschuler, MD, 415-309-6258 or drgail@marinweightloss.com. Free classifieds for SCMA members! SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102. About SCMA The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. © 2016 SCMA, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 August 10, 2016 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
July 2016 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS Zika virus testing: a message from our health officers Ensure your payor physician directory information is accurate Lunch & Learn seminar launches new Practice Managers Forum Nominations needed for SCMA awards Dr. Regina Sullivan begins term as SCMA president Summer issue of Sonoma Medicine focuses on opioids SCMA applicants PEOPLE LOCAL NEWS PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME CLASSIFIEDS SCMA NEWS Zika virus testing: a message from our health officers Many aspects of our understanding and response to Zika virus disease are evolving, including testing for Zika virus infections. The tests used to diagnose Zika virus infection have expanded (e.g., RT-PCR, IgM serology, plaque reduction neutralization test) as have the specimens for testing (e.g., serum, urine) and the windows for testing. Also, commercial labs like LabCorps and Quest are pursuing Zika virus testing capabilities that may soon be available to providers in California. To understand the limitations of the currently available tests, when to use the tests, interpretation of the tests and appropriate next steps, click here for the recently developed CDPH Zika Virus Testing FAQs for Healthcare Providers. For information from the Sonoma County Department of Health Services about Zika virus infection and guidance for clinicians, click here. - Advertisement - Ensure your payor physician directory information is accurate A new law (SB 137) went into effect July 1 requiring plans to ensure that their physician directories are accurate and up-to-date. To help physicians understand their obligations under this new law, CMA has published On-Call document #7163, "Provider Directories." CMA On-Call documents are available free to members in CMA's online health law library at www.cmanet.org/cma-on-call Nonmembers can purchase On-Call documents for $2 per page. Lunch & Learn seminar launches new Practice Managers Forum SCMA is proud to offer a Practice Managers Forum designed to enhance the health care environment with professional development opportunities, while providing solutions to some of the challenges that come from managing a practice. The forum's launch features a series of free Lunch & Learn seminars beginning with Contract Negotiations: How To Get Past "NO" With a Payor on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. See flier for more information. Nominations needed for SCMA awards SCMA is seeking nominations for its Outstanding Contribution and Achievement Awards, to be presented at the annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6. Nominations are needed by Aug. 31 for all four awards listed below: Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Presented to an SCMA member whose work has benefited the community. Outstanding Contribution to Local Medicine. Presented to an SCMA member who has improved local medical care. Outstanding Contribution to SCMA. Presented to an SCMA member who has served the medical association beyond the call of duty. Recognition of Achievement. Presented to a nonphysician who has helped advance local medicine. To nominate one of your colleagues, please send his or her name and a brief description of accomplishments to Cynthia Melody at cynthia@scma.org or via fax to 707-525-4328. Click here for a historical summary of past awards. - Advertisement - Dr. Regina Sullivan begins term as SCMA president Regina Sullivan, MD, an ob-gyn at Kaiser Santa Rosa, began her one-year term as president of SCMA on July 1. Born in Africa, and spending much of her youth in Zurich, Switzerland, she received her MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School, in 1994. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in 1998 at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She was in private practice in the Lehigh Valley, served as president of the Warren County Medical Society, and earned her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is a CPE (certified physician executive) from the American Association for Physician Leadership. Dr. Sullivan joined Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center in 2008. A wide-ranging interview with Dr. Sullivan appears in the summer issue of Sonoma Medicine magazine, now available in print and online. Summer issue of Sonoma Medicine focuses on opioids Feature articles highlight concerns and local efforts in response to the opioid epidemic. Topics range from a detailed report by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services; managing pain safely; and strategies for reducing opioid use to substance abuse in pregnancy; and an open letter regarding the possible negative consequences of reducing opioid medications. Departments include the president's interview, Hidden Talents art showcase, legal help for disabled veterans, mystery case, book review of Lab Girl, and SCMA's 2016-19 Strategic Plan. SCMA applicants Welcome, new SCMA/CMA members! David Southwick, MD, Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine, Wound Care, 2832 Bardy Rd., Santa Rosa, Univ Health Sci Coll Osteo Med 1981 TPMG - 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa Eiman Jahangir, MD, Cardiovascular Disease*, Univ Tennessee 2005 *Board certified Italics = medical interest PEOPLE Dr. Brad Drexler and his son Nicolas, an acupuncturist in Dr. Drexler's Healdsburg and Santa Rosa offices, won the 4-mile men's double kayak division in the Great Russian River Race on June 4. Again. This was their fourth time racing and winning together following 2011, 2012 and 2014 victories. In 2015, Dr. Drexler won 4th place in the singles division. Dr. Cuyler Goodwin, MPH, a recent graduate from UCSF psychiatry residency program, opened a new psychiatry practice in Santa Rosa. Sequoia Mind Health treats adult clients and offers Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression. For more information visit sequoiamindhealth.com or call 707-529-9573. Dr. Vishal Patel has been named Director of the Vein Clinic at Northern California Medical Associates, which provides treatment without hospitalization or surgery. Dr. Patel is board certified in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular disease and endovascular medicine. LOCAL NEWS Sonoma West Medical Foundation Research Institute is now a registered dementia specialist site in the $100 million Imaging Dementia Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (IDEAS) Study (Ideas-Study.org). Dr. Bernstein is enrolling eligible Medicare patients in the trial to determine the clinical usefulness of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of brain amyloid deposits in the diagnosis of patients who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME Practice Management Tip of the Month: July The new provider directory accuracy law took effect July 1. Make sure your practice isn't penalized! Click here to access CMA's Tip of the Month. - Advertisement - July 22 seminar: Improve oral health care for pregnant women and infants Sonoma County medical and dental professionals are invited to attend a no-cost educational seminar and workshop focused on oral health care for pregnant women and infants from 8:30 a.m. to Noon on July 22. Emcee: Dr. Jayanth Kumar, DDS, MPH, California State Dental Director. Click here for seminar details. CLASSIFIEDS Northern California, Napa Independent Medical Group is seeking qualified candidates to staff its minor emergency department. Candidates include: near retirement Emergency Physicians, Family Practice Physicians, Urgent Care Physicians or Emergency Department Nurse Practitioners. If interested, forward CV to Tony Mottalei, MD. mottalei@gmail.com Medical weight loss practice / retirement sale Proven, highly recognized and profitable, established weight loss practice in beautiful Marin County. Current multiple 6 figures, room for expansion. Work-life balance, time freedom, financial security, relationship-driven practice. I am 100% committed to assisting the new owner with all the support necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Please contact me for more information or to schedule a visit. Gail Altschuler, MD, 415-309-6258 or drgail@marinweightloss.com. Free classifieds for SCMA members! SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102. ABOUT SCMA The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. © 2016 SCMA, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 July 15, 2016 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
June 2016 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS Reminder: Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 Dr. Peter Sybert is new SCMA president-elect SCMA applicants LOCAL NEWS PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME CLASSIFIEDS SCMA NEWS Reminder: Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 Under California law, all individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) must submit an application to register for the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) by July 1, 2016. Dr. Peter Sybert is new SCMA president-elect The SCMA election results are in, and Dr. Peter Sybert, a Santa Rosa anesthesiologist, has been confirmed as 2016-17 SCMA president-elect. He will become president in July 2017. The current president-elect, Dr. Regina Sullivan, will serve as president from July 2016 through June 2017. Others elected to the SCMA board of directors include Drs. Brad Drexler (treasurer), Patricia May (secretary), Richard Powers (West County district), Peter Sybert and Jan Sonander (Santa Rosa district), James Pyskaty (TPMG), the CMA delegation: Drs. Rob Nied, Richard Powers and Jeff Sugarman (delegates) and Regina Sullivan and Stephen Steady (alternates). A complete list of new SCMA officers and board members will be posted at www.scma.org in July. SCMA applicants SCMA applicants Welcome, new SCMA/CMA members! Anish Shah, MD, Psychiatry, 1260 N. Dutton Ave. #275, Santa Rosa, Sarda Patel Med Coll 1996 AMG Michael Rosedale, DO, Family Medicine*, 500 Doyle Park Dr. #G04, Santa Rosa, Western Univ 2008 TPMG – 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa Alejandro Casillas, MD, Emergency Medicine, Univ Southern California 2008 Mark McManigle, DO, Family Medicine*, Coll Osteo Med Pacific 1998 * Board certified LOCAL NEWS Perfection! Having finally gotten it right after over 30 years of practice, Dr. David V. Lightfoot is retiring from the profession of Ophthalmology on July 30. His brother, Dr. Dan Lightfoot will continue to practice and see patients. For a copy of their medical record or to have it forwarded to another physician, patients are asked to stop by the office at 720 4th Street, Santa Rosa, to sign a release form, or to call 707-575-3800. Dr. Cuyler Goodwin, MPH, is opening a new full-service concierge psychiatry practice in Santa Rosa on July 1. Sequoia Mind Health treats adult clients and offers Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression; medication management for ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, derealization/depersonalization disorder, psychotic disorders, PTSD, substance and alcohol use disorders; as well as psychoanalytic psychotherapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and more. For more information, call 707-529-9573. RCHC receives $10,000 grant to accelerate work on prescription painkiller epidemic Redwood Community Health Coalition (RCHC) has received a California HealthCare Foundation grant to accelerate work addressing the misuse of prescription painkillers. RCHC and the Sonoma County Department of Health Services will collaborate with stakeholders, including SCMA, to discuss lowering prescription painkiller overuse and overdose deaths in Marin, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties. The Coalition's goals are to increase opioid safety by: 1) Supporting safe prescribing practices through the development and implementation of common opioid prescribing guidelines among primary care provider and hospital emergency departments; 2) Expanding access to buprenorphine treatment for health center patients; and 3) Developing policies, procedures and funding options to ensure access to naloxone for opioid overdose prevention for Partnership Health Plan's high-risk Medi-Cal patients. For more information, contact: Mary Maddux-González, MD, MPH Chief Medical Officer, Redwood Community Health Coalition 707-285-2970 / mmgonzalez@rchc.net Karen Milman, MD, MPH Health Officer, Department of Health Services, Sonoma County 707-565-6625 Operation Access presented All-Star Award A team of 200 Operation Access (OA) volunteers won the Make a Difference Day All-Star Award, which was presented May 12 in Washington, DC by Gannett and TEGNA Foundations. OA, a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit organization, coordinates donated specialty medical care for uninsured adults. Annually, one nonprofit organization in the United States is honored with the All-Star Award for its achievements on Make a Difference Day (MDDay) last October. In 2015, OA provided 78 procedures to 73 uninsured people, a record-breaking day of service for the organization with doctors, nurses, interpreters, and other medical professionals providing services in six medical specialties. Two hundred volunteers, four hospitals, and a surgery center participated in OA's initiative on Make A Difference Day. The success of Make a Difference Day is attributable to a collaboration between Dr. Gary Barth and OA Program Manager Daniel Rabkin, who built on their achievements with previous MDDay events to catalyze the efforts of a large community for the record-breaking, multi-county event in 2015. Dr. Barth, who leads a team of OA volunteers at the 4th Street Laser & Surgery Center in Santa Rosa, accepted the award on behalf of Operation Access at the ceremony. Click here to see photos of the award ceremony and here to read the USA Today article. Center for Well-Being and Sutter residency champions The Center for Well-Being has partnered with the Sutter Residency Program to designate a champion physician whose role is to 1) develop skills around chronic disease prevention; 2) increase utilization of the Center's chronic disease prevention classes by Vista Clinic patients; and 3) serve as a guest speaker for the Center's diabetes wellness series (among other tasks). The current resident champion, Dr. Andrew Luckett, has been writing monthly blogs about his experiences partnering with the Center. Visit the Center's new website to learn about Dr. Luckett's recent experience at the first annual Heroes for Health Fun Run, a benefit for the Center's youth programs. PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME Practice Management Tip of the Month: June Don't forget: All California physicians with DEA certificates must submit their CURES registration applications by July 1, 2016. CMA has a number of resources for practices, including tips on how to register for CURES 2.0 and an on-demand webinar that walks users through the process. These resources are available at www.cmanet.org/cures. Click here to access the June Tip of the Month. July 22 seminar: Improve oral health care for pregnant women and infants Sonoma County medical and dental professionals are invited to attend a no-cost educational seminar and workshop focused on oral health care for pregnant women and infants at the Fountaingrove Inn from 8:30 a.m. to Noon on Friday, July 22. Emcee: Dr. Jayanth Kumar, DDS, MPH, California State Dental Director. See flier for details. CLASSIFIEDS Steal my practice. I'm retiring. Fall in love with practicing medicine again. Proven, profitable weight loss practice in Marin County. Multiple 6 figures, ready to take it to the next level. Work-life balance, time freedom, financial security, relationship-driven practice. I'm 100% committed to all the support necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Contact for more information or to schedule a visit. Gail Altschuler, MD, 415-309-6258 or drgail@marinweightloss.com. Free classifieds for SCMA members! SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102. About SCMA The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. © 2016 SCMA, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 June 21, 2016 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
May 2016 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 RSVP now for May 19 Wine & Cheese Reception Cast your vote in the annual SCMA election by May 31 Get your 2016 Sonoma County Physician Directory now! AMA House of Delegates report SCMA applicants LOCAL NEWS PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME CLASSIFIEDS SCMA NEWS Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 Under California law, all individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) must register to use the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) by July 1, 2016. CMA has compiled a list of educational materials to familiarize physicians with the registration process and key features of the newly upgraded system, CURES 2.0. These resources are available at www.cmanet.org/cures. Physicians who experience problems with the new system should contact the Department of Justice (DOJ) CURES Help Desk at 916-227-3843 or cures@doj.ca.gov. PLEASE report these technical issues to CMA's member service center at 800-786-4262 or memberservice@cmanet.org. CMA recently cohosted a webinar with DOJ to help physicians navigate the CURES 2.0 registration process. The presentation is now available on demand in CMA's online resource library and is free to all interested parties. The webinar, "CURES 2.0: Navigating the State's New Prescription Drug Monitoring Database," provides an overview of key user features of the updated system and tips on how to avoid technical issues. RSVP now for May 19 Wine & Cheese Reception Last chance to RSVP for the gathering at Orpheus Wines in Kenwood on Thursday evening, May 19. Hosted this year by winery owners Dr. Rachel Friedman and her husband, Marc Kraft, the reception runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and features a delightful sampling of fine wines and cheeses. This popular annual event is FREE for SCMA members and their spouse or guest. Cost for nonmembers is $55 per person. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375. Visit www.orpheuswines.com for directions and information about their wines. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the wines being poured at a 15% discount. Fore more details, see the invitation. Cast your vote in the annual SCMA election by May 31 SCMA election ballots will be mailed by postal mail to all members in May and are due back by May 31. On the election ballot, Dr. Peter Sybert, a Santa Rosa anesthesiologist, has been nominated as SCMA president-elect. Others nominated to the SCMA Board of Directors are Drs. Brad Drexler (treasurer), Patricia May (secretary), Richard Powers (West County district), Peter Sybert and Jan Sonander (Santa Rosa district), James Pyskaty (TPMG), and five nominees for the CMA delegation: Drs. Rob Nied, Richard Powers and Jeff Sugarman (delegates) and Regina Sullivan and Stephen Steady (alternates). Board nominees join the current board of directors, which include Drs. Mary Maddux-Gonzalez, Margaret Gilford, Clinton Lane, Rajesh Ranadive, Marshall Kubota, Jeff Sugarman, Rob Nied, Karen Milman, and Rick Flinders. For more information, contact Cynthia Melody at cmelody@scma.org or 707-525-4375. Get your 2016 Sonoma County Physician Directory now! One of the many benefits of SCMA membership is a free copy of the annual Sonoma County Physician Directory. Extra copies are a hot commodity, and right now is the best time to order. Last year's edition sold out, so don't wait! Each SCMA member has already received one complimentary copy of the 2016 directory. Extra copies are $30 for SCMA members and $40 for nonmember physicians, health care facilities and the general public. To order by phone with a credit card, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. You can also purchase online or you can fax or mail the order form. AMA House of Delegates report Dr. Peter Bretan, a urologist and transplant surgeon with offices in Sonoma and Marin counties, is the CMA District X alternate delegate to the American Medical Association. He is also president of the Marin Medical Society. Click here to read Dr. Bretan's report on last fall's AMA House of Delegates. SCMA applicants Welcome, new SCMA/CMA members! Eye Care Institute - 1017 Second St., Santa Rosa Esther Penn, MD, Ophthalmology*, Vanderbilt Univ 1998 Redwood Family Dermatology - 2725 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa Ligaya Park, DO, Dermatology, Western Univ TPMG - 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa Adam Bellinger, MD, Urology*, Univ Texas 2008 * Board certified LOCAL NEWS Dr. Peter Bretan honored by NEPO May is Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and on May 9 the Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations (NEPO) recognized Dr. Peter Bretan for his service as "President of the Marin Medical Society and for going above and beyond to serve people around the world. He frequently travels to the Philippines to help perform life-saving transplants with Life Plant International, the charity organization he founded to promote disaster preparedness, organ donation and early disease screening worldwide. He was presented with the Benjamin Rush Award for Citizenship and Community Service by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 2014. Dr. Bretan's altruism is truly inspiring!" Click here to view the NEPO Facebook page. Jewish Community Free Clinic dinner & auction June 5 Support the Jewish Community Free Clinic by attending the Spirit of Hippocrates Dinner & Auction at Congregation Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa, June 5 at 5 p.m. Share delicious food and local wines and celebrate the artistic contributions made to the clinic by local artists Leslie Gattmann and Marsha Connell. Click here for event details. JCFC provides free care to the uninsured in our community, regardless of religious beliefs. Services include primary care, social services, labs and medications. During the past year more than 2,500 adults and children received services from JCFC. PRACTICE RESOURCES & CME New! May 17 seminar: Increasing medical debt recoveries and building a customer service culture This seminar will teach attendees medical debt recovery practices to increase patient satisfaction and recoveries in their office, while highlighting processes to implement ways to build a customer service culture. The seminar cost is $79 and benefits the Center for Well-Being. Click here for more information. New! July 22 seminar: Improve oral health care for pregnant women and infants Sonoma County medical and dental professionals are invited to attend a no-cost educational seminar and workshop focused on oral health care for pregnant women and infants from 8:30 a.m. to Noon on July 22. Emcee: Dr. Jayanth Kumar, DDS, MPH, California State Dental Director. See flier for details. Free CME on Child Abuse Prevention, Recognition and Reporting The Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) is offering a course on Child Abuse Prevention, Recognition and Reporting. This 75-minute course, is designed for physicians, nurses and other health care professionals who are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse and neglect, but who may not be as familiar with the signs and symptoms or may not know what, when and to whom to properly report findings. This course is free, CMEs available. Pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Leslie Anne Iacopi at liacopi@imq.org. Practice Management Tip of the Month: May Plan ahead to reduce scheduling disruptions and long patient wait times! It's rare that an appointment schedule in a medical office survives a day without any changes. No-shows, cancellations and last-minute emergencies will always crop up and cause shifts and changes. Effectively managing the appointment schedule can have a positive impact on both patient and practice satisfaction. For more information on scheduling strategies visit www.cmanet.org/practice-check-up. Are you receiving CMA newsletters? 1) CMA Alert. CMA publishes a biweekly e-newsletter, CMA Alert, to keep its members up-to-date on critical issues affecting the practice of medicine in California. Click here to view the current issue. 2) CMA Practice Resources. CCPR is a free monthly bulletin from CMA's practice management experts that focuses on critical payor and health industry changes and how they directly impact the business of a physician practice. Each issue includes tips on reimbursement and contracting-related issues along with information on the latest practice management news. Click here to view the current issue. CLASSIFIEDS Seeking full-time medical assistant for busy, small family practice Front and back office experience preferred. Email or fax resume to: nlofficemanager@att.net or 707-782-1163. Steal my practice. I'm retiring. Fall in love with practicing medicine again. Proven, profitable weight loss practice in Marin County. Multiple 6 figures, ready to take it to the next level. Work-life balance, time freedom, financial security, relationship-driven practice. I'm 100% committed to all the support necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Contact for more information or to schedule a visit. Gail Altschuler, MD, 415-309-6258 or drgail@marinweightloss.com. Free classifieds for SCMA members! SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102. ABOUT SCMA The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. © 2016 SCMA, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 May 17, 2016 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
