October 2015 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 October 13, 2015 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
September 2015 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS SCMA Awards Dinner Dec. 2: A double celebration Meetings with Congressional Representatives Huffman & Thompson Free concussion management for the primary care clinician: Sept. 26 What is the most pressing issue in your medical practice? Watch your mail for confidential staff wage and benefits survey SCMA has moved its office Applicants LOCAL NEWS TOP CMA STORIES PRACTICE RESOURCES CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT SCMA SCMA NEWS SCMA Awards Dinner Dec. 2: A double celebration Mark your calendar and join us in celebration of the outstanding contributions of four physicians and a peer review committee, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Holiday Greeting Card, a fundraiser for the SCMA/SCMAA Health Careers Scholarship Program. This year's award recipients are: Outstanding Contribution to the Community: Dr. Richard Powers Outstanding Contribution to Sonoma County Medicine: GPCI/SGR Warriors Drs. Jan Sonander, Brad Drexler, and Leonard Klay Outstanding Contribution to SCMA: Medical Review Advisory Committee Recognition of Achievement: Health Careers Scholarship Program The medical community is invited to the Awards Dinner, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Vintner's Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd. in Santa Rosa. The evening begins with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards presentations. Meetings with Congressional Representatives Huffman & Thompson A series of meetings in August and September with SCMA, MMS and MLCMS leadership were planned to urge our representative to support Meaningful Use Reform and Relief from Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) costly and abusive practices. Click here to learn about legislation to reform meaningful use. Click here to learn more about The Fair Medical Audits Act of 2015. Free concussion management for the primary care clinician: Sept. 26 North Coast Concussion Management and Sutter Health are offering assessment, management and rehabilitation training Saturday, Sept. 26 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sutter Health, 3883 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa. Educational objectives include being able to 1) correctly diagnose, manage and treat acute concussion; 2) manage simple concussions at the level of primary care; 3) identify and refer complex concussion to appropriate specialty care (e.g. vestibular therapy, sports medicine, neuropsychology, etc.), and 4) implement State Law AB 2127 requirements and NEW CIF return-to-play guidelines for ALL high school athletics. Download informational flier. 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 October News Briefs. SCMA received the following pressing concerns from August News Briefs: Unfair Contracting: 50% Staffing Issues: 17% EMR/EHR: 33% Watch your mail for confidential staff wage and benefits survey To provide you with information to help you manage your practice, SCMA will conduct its seventh survey of medical staff wages and benefits in Sonoma County. The survey will be sent out this month. Survey results will be available only to those participating in the survey. Applicants Claudia Santucci, MD, Emergency Medicine*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, UC Irvine 2003 Brian Schmidt, MD, Surgery*, Vascular Surgery, 1401 4th St., #200, Santa Rosa 95404, Univ Southern California 1982 Nathan Swain, MD, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Western Univ 2010 * board certified SCMA has moved its office SCMA moved its office to the east side of town in Bennett Valley on Aug. 15. The new address is 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. Staff e-mail addresses remain the same, but now all staff can be contacted at 525-4375. The fax number remains the same at 525-4328. LOCAL NEWS Dr. Anton M. Kushnaryov, MD, an otolaryngologist specializing in head and neck surgery, has recently joined Northern California Medical Associates' elite team of physicians at Santa Rosa Head and Neck Surgery group. Dr. Kushnaryov completed his residency in otolaryngology at the University of California, San Diego, where he also completed his research fellowship and internship in general surgery. He received his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN. TOP CMA STORIES Top CMA issues & news highlights Six tobacco bills in Special Session CMA-sponsored tobacco-related bills that would boost regulations on e-cigarettes, increase the tobacco purchasing age to 21, and allow local jurisdictions to tax tobacco are moving forward in the Legislature's special health session. Click here for more information. Anti-vaccination opponents planning to recall the only physician in the California Legislature With our support, Dr. Richard Pan won his election to the State Senate promising to work to keep Californians safe and healthy, and he did just that authoring SB277 to abolish non-medical exemptions to school vaccinations. TIME magazine called Dr. Richard Pan a hero for his leadership in fighting vaccine-preventable diseases. Now, anti-vaccination supporters are gathering signatures to recall him. Please go to www.KeepDrPan.com and click on "Stand with Dr. Pan" to add your name to the list of people who oppose the anti-vaccination group attempt to recall him. CMA releases 2015 annotated Model Medical Staff Bylaws These bylaws are the definitive guide for medical staffs, providing details on professional and legal structures to support effective medical staff operations and self-governance. The model bylaws provide background information on critical provisions, including explanations of relevant state and federal laws, hospital accreditation standards, and other explanatory information. The bylaws are available free to any medical staff with an active membership in CMA's Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS). If your medical staff is not already an OMSS member, you can join by completing and submitting the OMSS membership application at www.cmanet.org/omss. The model bylaws are also available to non-OMSS members for a fee. For more information, visit CMA's online resource library. 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 Payor profiles, end-of-life, ICD-10 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. 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 September 16, 2015 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
August 2015 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS What is the most pressing issue in your medical practice? Confidential staff wage and benefit survey SCMA Awards Dinner Dec. 2 double celebration SCMA moving to new office Applicants TOP CMA STORIES PRACTICE RESOURCES CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT SCMA SCMA NEWS What is the most pressing issue in your medical practice? In an effort to monitor and address the issues affecting your practice, please 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 September News Briefs. Confidential staff wage and benefit survey To provide you with information to help you manage your practice, SCMA will conduct its seventh survey of medical staff wages and benefits in Sonoma County. The survey will be distributed in September. Survey results will be sent by first-class mail marked confidential to the physician completing the survey. SCMA Awards Dinner Dec. 2 double celebration All physicians are invited to the annual Awards Dinner, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the Vintner's Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd. in Santa Rosa. In addition to the Outstanding Contribution and Recognition of Achievement awards, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Holiday Greeting Card fundraiser for the SCMA/SCMA Alliance Health Careers Scholarship program. The evening begins with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards presentation and scholarship recognition. Proceeds from the event will benefit the scholarship program. The 2015 award recipients will be announced in the September News Briefs and fall Sonoma Medicine. SCMA moving to new office SCMA is moving its administrative office to the east side of Santa Rosa in the Bennett Valley area on Aug. 15. The new address is 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa 95405. Staff e-mail addresses will remain the same, but after Aug. 15, all staff members can be contacted at 707-525-4375. Individual contact information is listed below. Cynthia Melody, Executive Director, cmelody@scma.org Rachel Pandolfi, Executive Assistant, rachel@scma.org Susan Gumucio, Advertising Representative, susan@scma.org Linda McLaughlin, Graphic Designer, linda@scma.org Steve Osborn, Sonoma Medicine Managing Editor, osborn53@sonic.net Fax for all staff: 707-525-4328 Applicants Win Thu Han, MD, Internal Medicine*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, UC San Francisco 2007 Robert White, MD, Surgery*, 1165 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa 95405, Univ Cetec 1982 Applicants from the family medicine residents include: Jacqueline Abdalla, MD, Robert Wood Johnson Med Sch 2015 Kimberly Clinite, MD, Univ Chicago 2015 Anastasia Coutinho, MD, Univ Vermont 2015 Kayla Flores Tindall, MD, UC Davis 2015 Afsoon Foorohar, DO, Western Univ Health Sciences 2015 Dwiju Kumar, MD, Univ Iowa 2015 Kendall Madden, MD, Stanford Univ 2015 Guillermo Padilla, MD, UC Los Angeles 2015 Jessica Rhodes, MD, UC Davis 2015 Laura Vega, MD, Univ Southern California 2015 Stacie Vilendrer, MD, Stanford Univ 2015 Maya Zwerdling, MD, UC San Francisco 2015 * board certified TOP CMA STORIES CMA newsletter available biweekly 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. To view the current issue, click here. Six tobacco bills to be taken up during special session on health. Six bills aimed at saving lives and reducing the cost of tobacco-related diseases on California's health system will be taken up during the Legislature's second special session to address health care-a meeting ordered by Gov. Jerry Brown. Some of the bills include adding e-cigarettes to the existing tobacco products definition and increasing the age of sale for tobacco products to 21. Other bills would allow local jurisdictions to tax tobacco products and require all schools in the state to be tobacco-free. Click here for more information. Bills to expand nurse practitioners, optometrists scope of practice stall in Assembly committee Special session on Medi-Cal financing underway in the Capitol House passes bill to increase funding for medical research and speed FDA approvals CMA updates ICD-10 transition guide CMS releases proposed 2016 Medicare physician fee schedule Senate panel pushes HHS to delay stage 3 meaningful use Updated payor profiles now available Sugar-sweetened drinks responsible for 25,000 U.S. deaths each year CMA releases 2015 annotated Model Medical Staff Bylaws PRACTICE RESOURCES Click here to access archived webinars offered at no cost to SCMA/CMA members and staff. Nonmember cost is $99. For more information, contact CMA's Member Help Center, 800-786-4262 or memberservice@cmanet.org. 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. CMA Practice Resources (CPR) is a free monthly e-bulletin from the California Medical Association'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. To view the current issue, click here. 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 August 31, 2015 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
July 2015 Download PDF Here SCMA NEWS July ICD-10 training opportunities for staff and physicians Summer Sonoma Medicine now available in print and online Submit your nominations for 2015 SCMA awards Twelve new physicians begin residency training in Santa Rosa Applicants Featured member benefit: Home and auto insurance discounts TOP CMA STORIES CMA and DOJ reach short-term solution to CURES upgrade problem CMS rule reduces Meaningful Use burdens; CMA advocates for more change California State Auditor releases report outlining flaws with Medi-Cal program Physicians receiving notice from CHPI encouraged to verify data accuracy by July 31 PRACTICE RESOURCES CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT SCMA SCMA NEWS July ICD-10 training opportunities for staff and physicians 1. SCMA hosts ICD-10 training July 13 & 14 STILL TIME TO REGISTER: a few spots left! 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 nonmembers. 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. 2. CMA offers online physician ICD-10 documentation training Earn 3 CMEs online for ICD-10 Documentation Training for Physicians. These 3-hour courses are offered by medical specialty and teach ICD-10-CM documentation requirements for physicians to maintain reimbursement once the ICD-10 transition occurs. To register, call CMA at 800-786-4262 or view info and register online. Click here to download informational flier. Summer Sonoma Medicine now available in print and online Just published! Summer Sonoma Medicine features articles on the spine: treating low back pain, lumbar spinal stenosis, and malingering in patients with chronic pain. Departments include an interview with SCMA president Mary Maddux-González, MD; Hearts of Sonoma County Guidelines; a mystery dermatology case; a Yo Yo Ma concert review, featured poem, two book reviews (Shrinks: The Untold Story of Psychiatry and Better Than Medicines), a profile of the SCMA Alliance and Foundation, and photos from the SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception. The print edition has been mailed to subscribers; view the PDF online here and the text-only version of articles here. Call Susan Gumucio at 525-0102 to order additional print copies for you or your office. Submit your nominations for 2015 SCMA awards SCMA is seeking nominations for its Outstanding Contribution and Recognition of Achievement awards, to be presented at the Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 2, 2015. Nominations are needed by Aug. 21 for the 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 SCMA beyond the call of duty. Recognition of Achievement. Presented to a nonphysician who has helped advance local medicine. For a list of past award recipients and a nomination form, click here. Nominations can be submitted to SCMA by fax, email or regular mail. Twelve new physicians begin residency training in Santa Rosa Twelve of the nation's top medical school graduates were selected from 700 applicants to enter the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency in July. This year, more than 1,100 graduates of U.S. medical schools applied to programs in family medicine, half of which applied to Sutter Health's Santa Rosa program. The new residents, scheduled to graduate in 2018, have already established impressive records in academic achievement and community service. The roster includes Drs. Jacqueline Abdalla, Kimberly Clinite, Anastasia Coutinho, Kayla Flores Tindall, Afsoon Foorohar, Dwiju Kumar, Kendall Madden, Guillermo Padilla, Jessica Rhodes, Laura Vega, Stacie Vilendrer, and Maya Zawedling. The residency program has been the largest single source of family physicians to Sonoma County for 75+ years. Residency graduates comprise nearly half of the family physicians practicing in Sonoma County. They fill private practices; community clinics; large medical groups such as Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods, The Permanente Medical Group, local community health centers, and Sonoma County Health Services; and leadership positions throughout the medical community. Applicants Lindsey Hibbard, MD, Pediatrics*, 3900 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma 94954, UC Davis 2007 David Huang, MD, Psychiatry*, 3900 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma 94954, Univ Texas 2001 Danielle Mellace, DO, Internal Medicine, 3900 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma 94954, Western Univ 2009 Parisa Navi, MD, Pediatrics*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Tehran Univ 2001 Lisa Velasquez, MD, Family Medicine*, 3900 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma 94954, UC San Francisco 1999 * board certified Featured member benefit: Home and auto insurance discounts CMA members receive 8 percent off auto insurance from Mercury Insurance. For more details, call Mercury Insurance Group at 888-637-2431 or visit www.mercuryinsurance.com/cma TOP CMA STORIES CMA and DOJ reach short-term solution to CURES upgrade problem In response to concerns raised by the California Medical Association (CMA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) has agreed to a short-term solution to prevent thousands of Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) prescribers and dispensers from losing access with the anticipated launch of CURES 2.0. DOJ has committed to keeping the current version of CURES accessible for users until January 2016, and will test the new version in a real world setting with a small group before phasing in more users over the next few months. Click here for more information. CMS rule reduces Meaningful Use burdens; CMA advocates for more change Click here for story. California State Auditor releases report outlining flaws with Medi-Cal program Click here for report summary and a link to the full report. Physicians receiving notice from CHPI encouraged to verify data accuracy by July 31 The California Healthcare Performance Initiative System (CHPI) recently notified physicians of their "quality rating." Physicians who wish to verify the accuracy of the data used to calculate their scores and identify and report any errors must do so by July 31, 2015. Click here for additional details. CMA newsletter available biweekly 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. To view the current issue, click here. PRACTICE RESOURCES Webinars, ICD-10 transition Click here to access archived webinars offered at no cost to SCMA/CMA members and staff. Nonmember cost is $99. For more information, contact CMA's Member Help Center, 800-786-4262 or memberservice@cmanet.org. 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. CMA Practice Resources (CPR) is a free monthly e-bulletin from the California Medical Association's practice management experts that focuses on critical payor and healthcare 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. To view the current issue, click here. 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 July 9, 2015 SCMA News Briefs SCMA News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
