October 2015 October 13, 2015 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 Download PDF Here SCMA News GPCI and SGR Warriors, Peer Review Committee, and Dr. Powers to receive SCMA Recognition New this Year: Awards Dinner Program Sponsorship and Advertising Just Published! Fall Sonoma Medicine Alliance Holiday Giving Opportunities What is the Most Pressing Issue in your Medical Practice? Applicants Top CMA Stories Practice Resources Classifieds About SCMA SCMA News GPCI and SGR Warriors, Peer Review Committee, and Dr. Powers to receive SCMA Recognition SCMA's 2015 Outstanding Contribution awards will be presented on the evening of Dec. 2. Recognition of Achievement awards will also be presented to the SCMA Alliance Foundation Holiday Greeting Card and for the Sonoma Medicine Article of the Year. Congressman Mike Thompson and Drs. Drexler, Sonander, and Klay will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Sonoma County Medicine award in recognition of their leadership, commitment and determination spanning a 14-year period to fix the California GPCI and abolish the SGR. Dr. Powers will receive the Outstanding Contribution to the Community award in appreciation of his leadership and steadfast commitment to reopen the West County hospital as Sonoma West Medical Center. The Medical Review Advisory Committee will receive the Outstanding Contribution to SCMA award in recognition of more than 20 years of dedicated, confidential peer review service to determine factors influencing Sonoma County medical professional liability claims. The SCMA Alliance Foundation Holiday Greeting Card will receive a special Recognition of Achievement award in acknowledgment of the 50th anniversary of raising money for scholarships awarded to qualified students entering a medically related field. The Article of the Year winner will be announced in November. The Awards Dinner, scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. at the Vintner's Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa, is free for SCMA members, but RSVPs are required. Tickets for spouses, guests and nonmembers are $59 each. To RSVP and/or to purchase tickets, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. The invitation can be accessed by clicking here. New this Year: Awards Dinner Program Sponsorship and Advertising The new, booklet-form program for SCMA's Awards Dinner will offer a limited, once-a-year opportunity to place your message before an exclusive audience of Sonoma County health care leaders and decision makers. SCMA appreciates your consideration to help recognize our medical community leaders through event sponsorship and program advertising at a variety of levels. Click here for the rate sheet and details about ways your organization can participate. Sponsorship and advertising reservations are due Oct. 16 and artwork for the program is due Oct. 23 for the Dec. 2 gala event Just Published! Fall Sonoma Medicine ------------------------image------------------------------------- The fall issue of Sonoma Medicine features articles on death and dying: hospice alternatives to physician-assisted suicide; advance care planning; a "sufficient" length of (hospice) stay; and certification of death: whose responsibility? Other article topics include treating atrial fibrillation; Latino Health Forum Oct. 15; M.C. "Escherology"; Mystery Case diagnosis; a review of Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk; SCMA Alliance's Health Careers Scholarship Fund; and an SCMA membership update. The print edition has been mailed; you can view the PDF online here. The text-only version of articles will be available at www.scma.org/Sonoma Medicine the week of Oct. 12. Call Susan Gumucio at 707-525-0102 to request print copies for you or your office. Alliance Holiday Giving Opportunities With the holidays fast approaching, the SCMA Alliance and Foundation would like to remind local physicians about two longstanding charitable projects. The Holiday Greeting Card, now in its 50th year, raises scholarship money for local students wishing to pursue medical careers. The scholarships, which are awarded by the SCMA and SCMA Alliance Health Careers Scholarship Committee, provide critical financial assistance at a time when community resources are fast depleting. Since the project began in 1965, scholarships have been awarded to more than 800 local students, including several who went on to become practicing physicians in Sonoma County. Click here to learn how you can make a donation. This year was a milestone for the Give-a-Gift Program and marked the largest number of computers donated so far. With the help of a very generous donor base, the Alliance was able to donate 30 computers to former foster youth attending Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University. The Alliance is currently accepting donations to the Give-a-Gift Program so that more deserving students can receive laptops to help achieve their educational goals. Visit www.scmaa.org and click Donate What is the Most Pressing Issue in your Medical Practice? Physicians and Office Managers, tell us what issue you are most concerned about right now (e.g. EHRs, reimbursements, Medi-Cal payments, patient vaccinations, paying staff, paperwork). Reply to scma@scma.org with your issue and a chance to win a $20 Starbucks gift card. Responses will be shared in the November News Briefs. SCMA has received the following pressing concerns from survey respondents: Unfair Contracting: 50% Staffing Issues: 17% EMR/EHR: 33% Applicants Welcome, new SCMA/CMA members! TPMG - 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403 Michele Fujimoto, MD, Surgery, Drexel Univ 2009 Michael Lasker, MD, Surgery, Univ Illinois 2009 Emily Porch, MD, Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Med Sch 2010 Samuel Schecter, MD, Surgery*, Univ Queenland 2006 TPMG - 3975 Old Redwood Hwy., Santa Rosa 95403 Lars Hansen, MD, Pediatrics*, Boston Univ TPMG - 3925 Old Redwood Hwy., Santa Rosa CA 95403 Sarah Wehrli, MD, Opthalmology, Univ Pennsylvania 2011 Northern California Medical Associates Anton Kushnaryov, MD, Otolaryngology, 1701 4th St. #120, Santa Rosa 95404, Univ Minnesota 2009 Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation Jeremy Mesches, MD, Family Medicine*, 131B Stony Cir. #1600, Santa Rosa 95401, New York Med Coll 1995 *board certified Top CMA Stories ICD-10 is here: CMA publishes new FAQ to help members survive the changeover After much debate and years of delay, the Oct. 1 implementation date for ICD-10 has finally arrived. While concerns remain about industry preparedness for this monumental transition, the full impact of the ICD-10 conversion will likely not be felt for several weeks or until the first payment remittances are received. In an effort to help practices navigate the transition, the California Medical Association (CMA) has published a new FAQ titled, "Surviving ICD-10: An FAQ for physician practices." This members-only resource is available free to CMA members at www.cmanet.org/icd10. Members of Congress urge HHS to pause meaningful use stage 3 Some changes in plan offerings for Covered California in 2016 Audit says state lab oversight is duplicative, should be eliminated Poll: Two-thirds of likely California voters support cigarette tax hike AMA offers resources to help physicians evaluate new payment model contracts Noridian Medicare announces web-based provider enrollment workshops CMA publishes the 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. Practice Resources Updated payor profiles now available 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. Don't waste your time searching the internet for this information: members can download CMA's Payor Profiles free of charge. Patient resources on end-of-life decisions now available online CMA has developed a number of resources to help providers, patients and loved ones with making these important end-of-life decisions. Click here for more information. Medi-Cal providers: Are you ready for ICD-10? To help physicians prepare for the ICD-10 transition, the California Medical Association (CMA) has published: ICD-10 Transition Guide: What physicians need to know," which includes an ICD-10 transition preparation checklist. ICD-10 transition webpage (www.cmanet.org/icd10 ) includes important news articles, ICD-10 training opportunities and other ICD-10 transition information. Archived webinars CMA's archived webinars are free to SCMA members and staff. Nonmember fee: $99. For more information, contact CMA's member-help center, 800-786-4262 or memberservice@cmanet.org. May 13-15, 2016 Western Health Care Leadership Academy Save the date for the 2016 Western Health Care Leadership Academy, which will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square from Friday, May 13, through Sunday, May 15. Click here for more information. CMA Practice Resources (CPR) is a free monthly e-bulletin from the California Medical Association's practice management experts. It 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. View the current issue. 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, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 Comments are closed.
