Keeping You Connected

The SMLMA keeps you up to date on the latest news,
policy developments, and events

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

2024 Physician Wellness Leadership awards announced

Nominations and award recipients were announced at the Physician Wellness EXPO and Dinner on April 26, 2024, in Petaluma. Awards were presented to physicians in six categories of wellness leadership achievement. Click here or the icon below for the full dinner program, which includes photographs and statements from each of the nominees. Additional details and list of awardees may be viewed in May 2024 News Briefs.

2024 Physician Wellness Expo & Dinner

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

May 2015



Download PDF Here

SCMA NEWS

Garden Tour May 15 & 16 features Sebastopol gardens

Tickets are now on sale for "Gardens of Greater Sebastopol: Natural Beauties," SCMA Alliance Foundation's signature event, the 24th annual fundraising Garden Tour on Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16. Ticket price: $50. For more information about the tour and ordering tickets, please visit www.scmaa.org,  download flier, or feel free to call Janet Shane at 707-578-4537.



Wine & cheese reception at Dutton-Goldfield Winery June 10

The annual SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception will be held at the Dutton-Goldfield Winery in Sebastopol on Wednesday evening, June 10. All Sonoma County physicians and their spouse or guest are invited to attend. The reception, now in its 15th year, has become increasingly popular because of its relaxed, collegial atmosphere.

Please join your colleagues for informal conversation and a sampling of fine wines with our hosts Dan Goldfield and Dr. Loie Sauer. There's no charge for SCMA members and their spouse or guest. The charge for nonmembers is $55 per person.

To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org.  Visit www.duttongoldfield.com  for directions and information about their wines. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the wines being poured. Download flier for more details.



"Passport" iPad to be awarded at wine & cheese reception

We've been tallying scores! An iPad will be awarded at the June 10 wine & cheese reception to the physician with the highest score for participation in this year's Passport challenge. There's still time to earn points for activities supporting a healthier community and SCMA activities, including: volunteering on community boards and committees; visiting or communicating with local legislators; voting in SCMA's election (ballots being sent in May); or attending the wine & cheese reception June 10. If you've earned points in these or other categories, let us know!

The purpose of PASSPORT TO PARTICIPATION is to encourage physician collegiality and the advancement of community health. The program acknowledges Sonoma County physicians' active engagement with SCMA, CMA and community activities by awarding points in these categories. The iPad prize, to be presented at the June 10 wine & cheese reception, is a token of our recognition for your exemplary involvement. Click here for more information: you may already be a winner!



Dr. Regina Sullivan nominated as SCMA president-elect

Regina SullivanDr. Regina Sullivan, a Santa Rosa OB-GYN, has been nominated as 2015-16 SCMA president-elect following Dr. Mary Maddux-Gonzalez. Dr. Sullivan heads the list of nominees on this year's SCMA election ballot, which will be mailed to all members in mid-May and is due back by May 31. Others nominated to the SCMA board of directors include Drs. Peter Sybert (treasurer), Rachel Mayorga (North County district), Stephen Steady (Petaluma), and three nominees for the CMA delegation: Drs. Regina Sullivan (delegate), Tricia May (alternate delegate) and Leonard Klay (alternate delegate).

SCMA members will receive ballots by postal mail. For more information, contact Cynthia Melody at cmelody@scma.org  or 525-4375.


SCMA hosting ICD-10 training July 13 & 14

Learn to code for ICD-10-Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and prepare for the ICD-10 Proficiency Assessment. Conducted over two days, July 13 & 14 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., attendees will receive 16 hours of intensive general ICD-10 code set training along with hands-on coding exercises focused on ICD-10 format and structure, guidelines, and coding tips. Pricing varies: $399 for SCMA-CMA members (a $200 savings), $499 for CA-MGMA members, and $599 for non-members. To register, call CMA at 800-786-4262 or view info and register online (Sonoma, Marin, and Mendocino-Lake counties). Click here to download informational flier.


"Mastering the Art of Disclosing an Unexpected Outcome"

MIEC (Medical Insurance Exchange of California) has created an interactive workshop that examines the elements of providing a timely and effective disclosure when an unexpected outcome occurs. The workshop will be held on Wednesday evening, July 22 at the Hilltop 1892 in Novato. Scheduled from 5:30-9 p.m., the program includes dinner. Cost is free to SCMA and MMS members, and $45 for all others. Save the date! Click for registration form.


Applicants

Susan Amaturo, MD, Dermatology*, 990 Sonoma Ave. #2, Santa Rosa 95403, UC San Francisco 1985

Ilona Baron, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Temple Univ 1984

Tamara Jeraj Dolenc, MD, Psychiatry*, Psychosomatic Medicine*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Univ Ljubljana 1995

Robert Koch, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, McGill Univ 1994

Sara LaFleur, MD, Anesthesiology*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Tufts Univ 2005

Alice Tse, MD, Family Medicine*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Mt. Sinai Sch Med 1992

* = board certified


Featured member benefit: Workers' Compensation

With workers' compensation insurance rates in California continuing to move upward, there's never been a better time to shop the sponsored workers' compensation plans offered through Mercer as a California Medical Association (CMA) member benefit.

Don't just sit back and accept higher rates: call Mercer to see if you can get a better deal through the CMA. Working with Mercer as the program administrator, CMA sponsors best-in-class insurance plans at competitive premiums. By becoming involved with the sponsored plans you will receive valuable protection for your practice and employees. Take control of your workers' compensation costs. Call 800-842-3761 now for your free, no-obligation quote, or visit www.CountyCMAMemberInsurance.com  for more information and to download an application or premium indication form.


PEOPLE

Eric Lin, MD named chief of Kaiser department

Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center announced the appointment of Eric Lin, MD to the position of Chief of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Lin joined Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center in 1999 and transferred to Santa Rosa where he's been senior physician in the Department of Plastic Surgery since 2004. He is also courtesy staff at Sutter and Palm Drive hospitals as well as HealthSouth SurgiCenter. Dr. Lin is a graduate of UCLA Medical School and postgraduate of University of Washington.


Top stories from CMA ALERT

CMA Alert is a biweekly newsletter for members of the California Medical Association.

TOP STORY from May 4 issue:

Vaccine bill gains more supporters, soars through Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill requiring most school children to be vaccinated as a condition of enrollment. In its third hearing in the state legislature, Senate Bill 277 (Pan/Allen) was once again the center of attention, attracting hundreds of people to the state Capitol to hear the discussion in the Senate Judiciary Committee. READ MORE

Also in this issue:


PRACTICE RESOURCES


Wednesdays at Hospice House

The monthly education series continues in May with "Death On Our Own Terms." The recent situation involving a 29-year-old terminal cancer patient who moved to Oregon in order to die on her own terms, highlights the value of ongoing discussions about options that palliative and hospice care offer in the face of suffering. The presentations are provided free of charge to the community by Hospice Services of St. Joseph Health. No reservations are required. For more details, visit www.SonomaCountyHospice.org  or contact Denise Burke at denise.burke@stjoe.org.

  • May 13 (7 to 9 p.m.) at Hospice of Petaluma, presented by Dr. Gary Johanson, medical director for Memorial Hospice.
  • May 20 (5 to 7 p.m.) at Memorial Hospice in Santa Rosa, presented by Dr. Steve Hadland, hospice physician at Hospice of Petaluma.

ICD-10 transition

Is your office working on ICD-10 compliance? Click here to see a number of members-only resources, including CMA's ICD-10 Transition Guide for Physicians. Download flier for info about ICD-10 training July 13 & 14, hosted by SCMA.


CPR: CMA Practice Resources

CPR is a free monthly e-bulletin from CMA's practice management experts that focuses on critical payor and health care 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. Read the current issue here. Titles include:


CLASSIFIEDS

Share beautiful medical suite in Novato
Share on Wednesday and Thursday only. ALL YOURS other weekdays and Saturday!
Lovely reception area, furnished patient rooms, plenty of parking, and utilities included.
Call 415-897-9800.

SCMA members get free classifieds!
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.

© 2015 SCMA, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403



Comments are closed.

Your Ad Here! Call (707) 525-0102

Featured Posts

Read More »

Archives