May 2010 Still time to RSVP for May 20 Wine & Cheese ReceptionSurvey: Proposed Medicare cuts will likely decrease access to careSCMA sending out health reform survey and iWalk prescription pads in MayCast your vote in the annual SCMA election by May 31CMA withdraws from Blue Shield doctor rating schemeNew physician signage regulations take effect June 27LEGAL NOTESPHYSICIANS IN THE NEWSHOSPITAL UPDATESEVENTSRESOURCESAPPLICANTSCLASSIFIEDSABOUT SCMATO UNSUBSCRIBEStill time to RSVP for May 20 Wine & Cheese Reception All local physicians and their spouses or guests are invited to SCMA’s 10th annual Wine & Cheese Reception on Thursday evening, May 20, at the Landmark Winery in Kenwood. The event is utterly free for SCMA members and a mere $35 for nonmembers. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. The featured guest will be Dustin Corcoran, the new chief executive of the California Medical Association. Corcoran, who has worked for CMA since 1998, brings an outstanding record for skilled legislative advocacy to his new role as CEO. He will be available at the reception to answer members’ questions and discuss CMA activities. The relaxed collegiality of the event is enhanced by a superb selection of fine wines, cheeses and hors d’oeuvres, as well as bocce ball for the athletically inclined. book Survey: Proposed Medicare cuts will likely decrease access to care A survey of North Bay physicians conducted in early April revealed that Medicare fee-for-service patients will likely have more difficulty accessing care if a proposed 21% physician rate cut takes effect. Almost 90% of the doctors who responded to the survey said they would reduce the number of new Medicare FFS patients they accept or simply stop accepting them altogether, should the rate cut go into effect. Thirty-two doctors in Sonoma, Marin, Mendocino and Lake counties responded to the impromptu survey, which was prepared by the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association and conducted throughout the Bay Area. Results for other Bay Area counties are still pending. About 40% of the North Bay respondents were primary care physicians, and the rest were specialists. Most were in solo practice or small groups, and three-fourths had been providing care to Medicare FFS patients for more than 10 years. On average, 43% of the patients in the respondents’ practices were enrolled in the Medicare FFS program. In addition to reducing the number of new Medicare FFS patients, about one-fourth of the respondents said the rate cut would also reduce their time for treating existing Medicare FFS patients. Another fourth said the cut would reduce the number of existing Medicare FFS patients they treat, and an additional 13% said they would stop treating existing Medicare FFS patients altogether. The survey results will be used in the ongoing debate about repealing the Medicare SGR formula, the source of the proposed rate cuts. After the cuts nearly took effect in April, Congress delayed enactment until June 1. CMA and other physician groups plan to lobby Congress heavily during May in an effort to repeal the SGR formula once and for all. book SCMA sending out health reform survey and iWalk prescription pads in May SCMA will be sending out two items of interest to local doctors during May. The first item to be sent is a brief e-mail survey about health care reform. The survey will gauge physician attitudes toward recent reform legislation and solicit comments on other proposed reforms. The results will be published in the Summer issue of Sonoma Medicine. All local physicians are encouraged to complete and return the survey, which should take only a few minutes. The second item to be sent is an iWalk prescription pad. This 4x5 pad allows physicians to prescribe patients a brisk 30-minute walk five times a week for general well-being. The pad lists a range of options, from “walk on my lunch breaks” to “join an iWalk group in my town.” Each SCMA member will receive one pad. A “4-up” PDF version of the pad is available at scma.org/resources. This version can be printed and trimmed to create additional pads. The iWalk program is part of a concerted effort by Health Action to improve community health in Sonoma County. For more details, visit iwalksonoma.org. book Cast your vote in the annual SCMA election by May 31 As a member of SCMA, you are entitled to vote for SCMA officers and board representatives, and for local representatives to the CMA House of Delegates. To vote, print out the ballot below, then sign and fax to 525-4328 by May 31. SCMA President-Elect - vote for one Jeff Sugarman, MD, dermatology ___ Yes ___ No SCMA Board of Directors - vote for two Jan Sonander, MD, family medicine ___ Yes ___ No Peter Sybert, MD, anesthesiology ___ Yes ___ No CMA Delegation - vote for five Dan Lightfoot, MD, ophthalmology ___ Yes ___ No Don Van Giesen, MD, urology ___ Yes ___ No Clinton Lane, MD, internal medicine ___ Yes ___ No Katherine McNally, MD, family medicine ___ Yes ___ No Richard Powers, MD, family medicine ___ Yes ___ No _________________________________ Signature (required) book CMA withdraws from Blue Shield doctor rating scheme CMA has withdrawn from a Blue Shield-led initiative to rate doctor performances because the insurer intends to move forward with publishing its ratings on June 1 despite flaws in data collection that result in gross inaccuracies. “Publishing erroneous information will only serve to confuse patients, increase costs and unjustly destroy the reputations of many fine doctors,” said Dr. Brennan Cassidy, president of CMA. “We are happy to stand on the merits of our work, as long as it is assessed accurately and fairly, but this initiative is far, far short of achieving that goal.” CMA worked for two years on the California Physician Performance Initiative (CCPI) with other stakeholders but pulled out in mid-April when Blue Shield indicated that it planned to ignore doctors’ input and publish rating data before fixing flaws in performance assessment. In a letter informing CPPI of its withdrawal, CMA said major problems include: Confusion for patients, who may be unduly concerned if their physicians do not get a high rating or may be tempted to select a new doctor who has a high rating. Because the ratings will not be an accurate assessment of doctors’ performances, they may cause confusion and anxiety for patients. More costs for payers and patients. To receive high ratings, physicians will have to compensate for flaws in the reporting system, meaning some may have to order tests or procedures that have already been done but are not captured in claims data. Lack of adjustments for major factors affecting the patient. For instance, physicians who don’t order cervical cancer screening tests for their patients, even if the patients have already had hysterectomies, would get a lower rating. Lack of relevant data collection. The ratings only capture patient data for physicians contracting with the insurer; none of the out-of-network care is reflected. For instance, if a patient sees an out-of-network OB-GYN for a pap smear and fails to inform her primary care physician, the PCP would be penalized because there would be no pap smear claims data submitted to the health plan. No consideration of the patient’s role. The ratings do not take patient refusal of treatment into account. “We have worked in good faith with Blue Shield of California and the California Physician Performance Initiative,” Cassidy said. “Unfortunately, the initiative’s governing board, which is dominated by insurers, has chosen to ignore physicians’ grave concerns about this inaccurate rating system. Blue Shield’s ratings are defective and Blue Shield is exercising poor judgment to publish them.” Talking points about the CPPI initiative have been posted at www.scma.org/resources. book New physician signage regulations take effect June 27 California physicians will soon be required to inform patients that they are licensed by the Medical Board of California, and to provide patients with contact information for the MBC. Despite CMA objections, the Office of Administrative Law recently approved signage regulations for informing patients about how to contact the MBC for information or complaints about California physicians. CMA believes these regulations are an unnecessary administrative burden because state law already requires physicians to post their medical license or wear a name tag indicating their licensing status. The new regulations, which take effect June 27, require physicians to provide the MBC notice by one of three methods: Prominently posting a sign in an area of their offices that is conspicuous to patients, in at least 48-point type in Arial font. Including the notice in a written statement, signed and dated by the patient or patient’s representative, and kept in that patient’s file, stating the patient understands the physician is licensed and regulated by the MBC. Including the notice in a statement on letterhead, discharge instructions, or other document given to a patient or the patient’s representative; the notice must be placed immediately above the patient’s signature line in at least 14-point type. Regardless of which method you choose, the notice must read as follows: NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: Medical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California, (800) 633-2322, www.mbc.ca.gov. According to the MBC, physicians, not facilities, are responsible for compliance with this regulation. In group settings, only one sign must be posted (should that option be chosen), but it must be posted in a location where it can be seen by all patients. A sample MBC sign is available at www.scma.org/resources. For more information, visit www.mbc.ca.gov. book LEGAL NOTES By SCMA Legal Counsel Larry McLaughlin My legal firm receives many calls from physician offices about releasing the medical records of deceased patients and minor children. Regulations governing the release of such records are found in the “patient access” law (Health & Safety Code 123100 et seq). Records of a deceased patient may be released to the “beneficiary” or “personal representative” of the deceased. A beneficiary is one who is entitled to the deceased’s property by being an heir, or by being named in a will or trust. A personal representative is an executor or administrator of an estate. Many patients die without any testamentary documents, so medical office staff should use common sense in determining whether records can be released to a particular person. For example, when the deceased’s spouse is well known to staff, they can generally assume that the spouse is an heir, and therefore a beneficiary, of the deceased. With some exceptions, records of a minor child may be released to a parent or guardian. The exceptions occur when a minor legally consents to treatment, such as contraception or prenatal care. In such cases, release of medical records to a parent or guardian must be refused. Please contact our office when faced with such a situation. A parent can be “natural” (biological) or adoptive. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives of a minor child are not the child’s parents and are therefore not entitled to see the child’s medical records. When parents are divorced, both are still entitled to see or copy their children’s medical records. A guardian is generally appointed by court order. If staff has any doubts about a guardian’s status, they should ask to see the court order and take other reasonable precautions. SCMA physicians and staff who have questions about releasing medical records or any other legal topics can contact me at 579-4523 or lwmclaughlin@juno.com. book PHYSICIANS IN THE NEWS Dr. Edward Chang, an otolaryngologist at Kaiser Santa Rosa, has been appointed to the Continuing Medical Education Steering Committee at the Institute for Medical Quality. The IMQ, on behalf of CMA, accredits California-based hospitals and other health care organizations to offer AMA Category 1 credits for continuing medical education. SCMA President-Elect Dr. Catherine Gutfreund is quoted at length in “Thanks, Doc,” a recent syndicated editorial about Doctor’s Day. The editorial, which appeared in the Sonoma West Times, the Healdsburg Tribune and the Windsor Times, offers a concise overview of medical practice in Sonoma County and recognizes the many contributions of local physicians. The Annadel Medical Group, an affiliate of the St. Joseph Health System, has added four primary care physicians and a neurosurgeon to its expanding roster of physicians. Longtime Santa Rosa family physician Dr. James DeVore has joined the group, along with newly arrived internists Dr. Marlon DeCastro and Dr. Noel Serrano. A third internist, Dr. Eki Abrams, will join the group in August, after completing her residency. The neurosurgeon, also a recent arrival, is Dr. Bryan Pereira. Dr. Ronald Chapman, the health officer for Solano County, will become the chief medical officer for Partnership HealthPlan on June 1, replacing Dr. Chris Cammisa. Partnership provides managed Medi-Cal services to several North Bay counties, including Sonoma, where the regional medical director will continue to be Dr. Marshall Kubota. Dr. Charles Elboim, a breast surgeon and medical director of the Redwood Regional Breast Center in Santa Rosa, has been appointed as a surveyor of breast care practices throughout Sonoma County by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Elboim will work on a survey team for the NAPBC, which accredits breast care centers based on quality indicators and other factors. Dr. Roger Pitzen, a longtime family and emergency medicine physician in Sebastopol, has received the Kaiser/UCSF Award for Excellence in Teaching. Pitzen was nominated for the award by his students at UCSF, where he serves as an associate clinical professor. book HOSPITAL UPDATES Because of provisions in the new health reform legislation, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa has nixed plans for building a physician-owned medical center next to its proposed hospital near the Wells Fargo Center. The new legislation prohibits the type of physician ownership model Sutter was proposing for the facility, which would have been a 28-bed acute care hospital emphasizing invasive cardiology and outpatient surgery. Sutter is now exploring other options and doesn’t expect the change in plans to affect the timetable for replacing its aging hospital on Chanate Road. Regardless of its age, the Chanate Road hospital continues to receive awards for its quality of care. Medicare recently ranked the facility in the top 10% of U.S. hospitals in six of 10 critical measures, and the California Hospital Assessment and Report Taskforce (CHART) gave the hospital a “certificate of excellence” for its quality of care, patient experience, and safety measures. Palm Drive Hospital plans to exit bankruptcy and improve its facilities by selling $10 million in bonds. The bonds, to be marketed by a securities firm in San Francisco, are expected to generate the revenue needed to repay $2.2 million owed to creditors, as well as a $3 million bridge loan from the county. The remainder will be used to renovate the hospital’s physical plant. Announcement of the hospital’s plans was made by Neil Todhunter, who continues to be the hospital’s interim CEO. His scheduled replacement, Richard Robinson, unexpectedly declined the job in early April, so the CEO search has resumed. book EVENTS Easter Seals Northern California is sponsoring an all-day Physician Symposium on Saturday, May 15, at the Petaluma Community Center. The topic is developmental and behavioral screening in primary care. Presenters include Dr. Barbara Bennett, a professor of pediatrics at UCSF, and Dr. Maria Pilar Bernal, chief of autism spectrum disorder services at Kaiser Permanente. The symposium offers 5.75 hours of CME. To register, visit noca.easterseals.com or contact Cindy Fasano at 415-382-7450 or cfasano@noca.easterseals.com. The SCMA Alliance needs volunteers to direct traffic and ensure safety during its annual Garden Tour on Friday, May 14. The event, to be held in Windsor, raises funds for the Santa Rosa Community Health Centers and the Windsor Alliance Medical Center. Interested volunteers should contact Nancy Sumida at 537-7728 or nsumida7@gmail.com. Physician volunteers are needed for Neighbors in Health, an annual event that provides a day of free health care for uninsured children and teenagers. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 1, at Kaiser Permanente’s Stein Medical Campus, 3925 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa. Doctors are needed in the pediatric clinic, teen clinic and immunization areas. Many shift options are available. To volunteer, visit www.unitedwaywinecountry.org/nih. book RESOURCES The May issue of CMA Practice Resources, a free monthly e-mail bulletin, is available at www.cmanet.org/news/cpr. The new bulletin includes articles on reporting unfair payment practices, knowing your rights for timely payments, and other tips and tools for improving practice efficiency and viability. The American Lung Association is asking physicians to sign a petition supporting advanced clean cars in California. The proposal is intended to improve air quality and reduce petroleum consumption. For the petition and more information, visit Medical Professionals Pledge Support for Clean Air on the ALA website. book APPLICANTS Marshall Kubota, MD, Family Medicine*, 415 Humboldt St., Santa Rosa 95404, 419-7904, Fax 545-2313, mkkubota@aol.com, St. Louis Univ 1979 Bryan Pereira, MD, Neurological Surgery*, 500 Doyle Park Dr. #303, Santa Rosa 95405, 303-8340, Fax 303-8341, bryanmpereira@live.com, St. John’s Med Coll 1976 Noel Serrano, MD, Internal Medicine*, 500 Doyle Park Dr. #303, Santa Rosa 95405, 303-8300, Fax 303-8301, oluty1974@gmail.com, Univ Santo Tomas 1999 * board certified book CLASSIFIEDS Physician consultant needed Physician Consultant needed in Ukiah 20 hours per week under contract to provide consultative and interpretive medical services related to assessments and program planning for individuals with developmental disabilities in Mendocino and Lake Counties. Responsibilities include: participate as a member of the agency’s eligibility team; provide medical consultation regarding requests for services; provide education for consumers, their supporters, agency staff and service providers; participate in various agency committees and processes; act as a liaison between the agency and the medical community; and assist with the development and advocacy of medical care for individuals with developmental disabilities in the community. There are no direct patient care responsibilities. Successful candidate will be able to perform as a team member; exercise sound clinical judgment; render timely and appropriate decisions; possess thorough follow-up skills; work independently with minimal supervision; and have excellent verbal and written communication skills. Experience in providing care for individuals with developmental disabilities, preferably in pediatrics, is desirable. Send cover letter and resume to Director of Clinical Services, 525 2nd Street, Suite 300, Eureka, CA 95501, or to pokey@redwoodcoastrc.org. Locum tenens physician available Family practice, occ med, urgent care. Part/full-time. Fluent in Spanish. 415-601-7858. Reimbursement specialist Get paid faster, save money. Claims processing, patient payment plan, help with Medicare compliance, coding. www.revenuerecoverynetwork.com. Medical office space Small suite available for reasonable rent. Three exam rooms, southeast Santa Rosa. Call Connie, 707-525-0211. How to submit a classified ad To submit a classified ad for SCMA News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine, contact Nan Perrott at nperrott@rhscommunications.com or 707-525-4226. The cost is one dollar per word. book 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. © SCMA 2010 3033 Cleveland Ave. #104 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 book TO UNSUBSCRIBE You are receiving SCMA News Briefs because you are a physician or an affiliated medical professional in Sonoma County. If you wish to unsubscribe, contact Steve Osborn at sosborn@scma.org or 707-525-4325. book May 1, 2010 SCMA News Briefs May 2010 0 0 Comment Read More »
April 2010 Survey on Impact of Medicare CutsSurvey on Impact of Medicare Cuts In cooperation with other Bay Area medical societies, SCMA is conducting the following survey about the potential impact of the pending 21.3% cut in fees to physicians in the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) program (excludes Medicare HMOs). The Medicare FFS payment formula—known as the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR)—triggers recurring cuts and has kept payment rates unchanged or lower since 2001. To help educate the public about the impact of Medicare cuts, we would appreciate your completion of this survey by April 14. To complete the survey, print this e-mail, mark your answers, and fax back to SCMA at 525-4328. You may also respond by e-mail to scma@scma.org. Questions may be directed to SCMA at 525-4375. Thank you. 1. Primary Medical Specialty: ___________________________________ 2. Practice Size: □ Solo/Small Group (1-4 physicians) □ Medium Group (5-150) □ Large Group (151-1000) 3. Practice Setting: □ Office-Based □ Hospital-Based □ Other _______________________ 4. How many years have you been in the Medicare FFS Program? □ 2 years or less □ 2 to 10 years □ More than 10 years □ I do not participate because of: □ poor reimbursement □ not applicable to specialty/practice □ other: _____________________________ 5. Approximate percentage of your patients in the Medicare FFS program? ______ 6. Approximate percentage change (if any) in the number of Medicare FFS patients since 2001 (year of last substantive Medicare pay increase): _______ 7. The 21.3% pay cut will affect my Medicare FFS patients as follows (check all that apply): □ Will not reduce the # of existing patients I treat □ Will reduce time for treating existing patients □ Will reduce the # of existing patients I treat □ Will stop treating all existing patients □ Will not reduce the # of new patients I accept □ Will reduce the # of new patients I accept □ Will stop accepting new patients 8. Congress’ failure to stop future pay cuts will affect my Medicare FFS patients as follows (check all that apply): □ Will not reduce the # of existing patients I treat □ Will reduce time for treating existing patients □ Will reduce the # of existing patients I treat □ Will stop treating all existing patients □ Will not reduce the # of new patients I accept □ Will reduce the # of new patients I accept □ Will stop accepting new patients 9. I am willing to help make the public aware of the impact of Medicare’s payment policies (via press conferences, interviews with news reporters, etc.) □ Yes □ No (if yes, please complete below) Name (optional): ___________________________________ Contact number (option April 2, 2010 SCMA News Briefs April 2010 0 0 Comment Read More »
April 2010 Medicare rate cuts still pending, despite passage of health reformDetails about health care reform posted on SCMA websiteCounty HIV, STD and family planning clinics to closeNew CMA leader to attend SCMA reception on May 20Dr. Jeff Sugarman nominated as SCMA president-electSonoma Medicine is finalist for major awardRSVPs needed for April 27 Legislative Day in SacramentoState expands scope of practice for nonphysiciansCMA offers free subscriptions to practice-management newsletterLEGAL NOTESDOCTORS IN THE NEWSHOSPITAL UPDATESEVENTSOBITUARIESAPPLICANTSCLASSIFIEDSABOUT SCMATO UNSUBSCRIBEMedicare rate cuts still pending, despite passage of health reform The clock keeps ticking on Medicare rate reductions. Lost in the discussions over passage of health reform legislation is the fact that physicians are scheduled to get a 21% Medicare rate reduction by mid-April if Congress fails to act. The rate reductions, mandated by the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, were originally scheduled to take effect March 1. Congress postponed that deadline to April 1, and now Medicare has effectively extended the deadline another two weeks by asking carriers not to process claims with April service dates for 10 business days. The net effect of these delays is that Congress will have to act immediately upon its return from recess on April 12. While both the House and Senate are expected to postpone the SGR cuts once again, the big question is whether they will do away with the SGR formula for good. The House did vote to repeal the SGR formula last fall, but the Senate has so far failed to act. CMA and AMA are calling on all physicians and patients to help repeal the SGR formula once and for all. Please contact Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. Barbara Boxer and your local House Representative and deliver a simple message: It’s time to repeal the SGR formula. As noted by AMA President Dr. James Rohack, “Congress’ failure to act on permanent repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula has put access to health care for seniors and military families in jeopardy.” When contacting your representatives, give your name, specialty and practice location. Then tell your representative to stop the 21% cut and repeal the SGR formula once and for all. Contact information for your representatives appears below. · Sen. Feinstein - Click Here or use the AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. · Sen. Boxer - Click Here or use the AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. · House Representative - Click Here or use AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. Please direct any feedback or questions from your representative to SCMA’s executive director, Cynthia Melody, at cynthia@scma.org or 525-4375. CMA has also prepared a flyer that you can use to get patients involved in the fight to protect Medicare. The flyer is available at scma.org/resources. book Details about health care reform posted on SCMA website Two detailed CMA documents about health care reform have been posted on the SCMA website at scma.org/resources. The first, “Pros and cons of health care reform,” provides an overview of the benefits and shortcomings of the recently signed legislation. The second, “What CMA did for physicians in health care reform,” describes CMA’s many successful efforts to advocate on behalf of physicians and patients. book County HIV, STD and family planning clinics to close Patients who receive HIV, STD and family planning services from county clinics will soon have to seek care elsewhere. On March 30, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a Department of Health Services plan to eliminate those clinics, thereby saving about $1 million per year. The department’s revenues have declined by $27 million since 2007 and are expected to decline an additional $9.8 million during the 2010-11 fiscal year. In a March 31 memo to local providers, Public Health Officer Dr. Mary Maddux-González noted that the clinics were originally established at a time when few providers were offering services for HIV and STD. With the subsequent growth of community health clinics, need for the county’s disease-focused clinics has diminished. As stated in Maddux’s memo, “Public Health will cease providing these clinical services given the increase in local primary care infrastructure where patients can be linked to a medical home with the full array of prevention-focused primary care services for their health care needs.” The STD and family planning clinics, which serve about 60 patients per week, will close on April 2. The HIV clinic, which serves 550 patients, will close on June 30. Because of the complexities of county employment, projected layoffs amount to 20.17 full-time equivalents at most, including 1.3 FTE of physician time. book New CMA leader to attend SCMA reception on May 20 Dustin Corcoran, the new chief executive of the California Medical Association, will be the featured guest at the SCMA wine & cheese reception on Thursday evening, May 20. This annual event, to be held this year at Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood, offers a unique opportunity to gather with your colleagues in an informal setting. A variety of fine wines, cheeses and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Corcoran, who has worked for CMA since 1998, became the association’s head lobbyist in 2004, serving as the main spokesperson for organized medicine in the state Legislature. He brings an outstanding track record for skilled advocacy to his new role as CEO. He will be available at the reception to answer members’ questions and discuss CMA activities. The reception is free for SCMA members and their spouse or guest. The cost for nonmember physicians is $35. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. book Dr. Jeff Sugarman nominated as SCMA president-elect Dr. Jeff Sugarman, a Santa Rosa dermatologist, has been nominated as president-elect of SCMA. He will be joined on the SCMA election ballot by two nominees for the board of directors, Drs. Jan Sonander and Peter Sybert, and five nominees for the CMA delegation: Drs. Dan Lightfoot, Don Van Giesen, Clinton Lane, Katherine McNally and Richard Powers. SCMA members will vote on the nominees in May. For more information, contact Cynthia Melody at cynthia@scma.org or 525-4375. book Sonoma Medicine is finalist for major award Sonoma Medicine is a finalist for the annual Maggie awards presented by the Western Publishing Association, a nonprofit group devoted to publications in the western United States. The annual Maggie competition draws entries from throughout the West, including major magazines from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Sonoma Medicine is one of five finalists in the “quarterlies” category. The awards will be announced on May 7. The Spring issue of Sonoma Medicine, to be mailed to all SCMA members in early April, focuses on breathing, with articles by local experts on nicotine addiction, asthma, sleep apnea, nasal congestion and breathing exercises. Other articles examine antibiotics, dental surgery, medical care in Afghanistan, legal excess, and the family medicine residency. Each SCMA member receives one free subscription to Sonoma Medicine. Nonmembers can subscribe for just $19.80 per year by completing the subscription form at scma.org/magazine. Article proposals are welcome at any time and should be submitted to the editor, Steve Osborn, at sosborn@scma.org. book RSVPs needed for April 27 Legislative Day in Sacramento Local physicians interested in attending CMA’s free Legislative Leadership Conference in Sacramento on April 27 should RSVP by April 2. SCMA will be renting a van to travel to Sacramento, so reservations are requested. The annual conference, which last year drew more than 400 physicians and CMA Alliance members, allows doctors to meet with legislators and express their views on pending health legislation. Appointments for SCMA members have been arranged with Assemblymembers Noreen Evans and Jared Huffman and with Sen. Mark Leno and an aide to Sen. Pat Wiggins. The conference also includes a morning session featuring speakers from across the political spectrum. This year’s presenters include Assembly Speaker John Perez, Speaker Emeritus Robert Herzberg, CMA President Dr. J. Brennan Cassidy, and CMA’s new chief executive, Dustin Corcoran. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. book State expands scope of practice for nonphysicians Despite continued opposition from CMA, the California Office of Administrative Law has removed requirements that physicians be involved in critical health care activities in hospitals, such as patient admissions, medical examinations and patient transfers. Instead, new regulations will allow these activities to be performed by a “licensed health care provider acting within the scope of his or her licensure.” The regulations also allow each facility to decide who can do what under a welter of competing advice from 30 licensing boards. CMA believes differing practices among facilities will cause confusion, thus endangering patients and inviting expensive and unnecessary lawsuits. Portions of the regulations that would have weakened medical staff self-governance and mandated that clinical psychologists be granted medical staff membership in private hospitals were removed because of opposition from CMA and the Psychiatric Association. CMA remains concerned about the impact of these regulations on patient care and is exploring all appropriate avenues to seek relief. The regulations take effect on April 2. book CMA offers free subscriptions to practice-management newsletter CMA is offering free subscriptions to a new monthly publication, “CMA Practice Resources.” The first issue, to be published later this month, is filled with tips and tools to help physicians and their office staff improve practice efficiency and viability. Physicians, office managers, administrators and billing staff can subscribe by visiting www.cmanet.org/news/cpr. book LEGAL NOTES By SCMA Legal Counsel Larry McLaughlin A medical office manager called me recently to say that one of their patient’s attorneys had accused her of breaking the law. The patient was the plaintiff in an injury lawsuit, and the office manager had received a subpoena for records from the defense attorney in Los Angeles, with the date for compliance prominently displayed. Reasoning that it would take a while for mail to reach L.A., the office manager mailed the records early. The patient’s attorney subsequently called the office manager to say that he objected to the records being released and planned on going to court to oppose the release. It was too late, however, because the office manager had already mailed the records. That was when the unhappy attorney accused her of breaking the law. Errors in complying with subpoenas are actually a fairly common occurrence. Subpoenas are often confusing, and I advise physicians and staff receiving them to call me for advice. In this case the subpoena had the standard warning under the compliance date: “Do not release the requested records prior to the date and time stated above.” This warning language is often missed. Sometimes when the requesting attorney uses a copy service to receive the records, the service will call the physician's office to demand an early release. Physicians and staff, however, should be aware that the law prohibits early release of records unless specifically waived by the patient. In the case described above, the office manager should have called the defense attorney’s office to ascertain how they planned to receive the records. There are many other rules pertaining to subpoenas. SCMA physicians and staff are encouraged to contact me whenever you receive a subpoena, so I can walk you through the process. I can be reached at 707-579-4523 or lwmclaughlin@juno.com. book DOCTORS IN THE NEWS SCMA President Dr. Richard Powers has received the “Sonoma Family Physician of the Year” award from the California Academy of Family Physicians. “Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth,” a book published last year by Santa Rosa pediatrician Dr. Mark Sloan, is one of five finalists in the “creative nonfiction” category for the 2010 Northern California Book Awards. Other finalists in that category include books by well-known Bay Area authors Michael Chabon and Dave Eggers. The awards will be announced April 18 at the San Francisco Public Library. St. Joseph Health System honored 17 SCMA physicians as “top docs,” based on post-discharge patient survey results from 2009. The honorees for Petaluma Valley Hospital were Drs. James Leoni, Jonathan Choe, Mark Northfield and Stephen Steady. For Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the honorees were Drs. Kent Yinger, James Steele, Douglas Green, Thomas Degenhardt, Michael Grafe, Larry Marianella, Mark Schakel, Jon-Michael Castelli, Mark Homicz, Masis Babajanian, Douglas Jicha, Robert James and Patrick Coleman. book HOSPITAL UPDATES Palm Drive Hospital has hired Richard Robinson as its new CEO. A native of Modesto, Robinson was most recently CEO of Women’s & Children’s Hospital, an 84-bed facility in Louisiana. Although Robinson serves at the will of the Palm Drive Health Care District Board, he is actually an employee of Brim Healthcare, a nationwide management and consulting firm that has helped Palm Drive emerge from bankruptcy. The hospital is expected to be profitable this year. Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has renewed its Level II Trauma Center designation with Sonoma County. The renewal will last at least until 2018, with an option to extend the designation to 2022. Since receiving the designation in 2000, the trauma center has treated an average of 1,450 patients per year with serious or life-threatening injuries. “Memorial Hospital has consistently maintained the highest level of service,” said Sonoma County DHS Director Rita Scardacci. “This designation continues to make trauma care available to our community and the region.” St. Joseph Health System has opened North County Hospice, a new hospice facility in Healdsburg. The medical director is Dr. Gary Johanson, a palliative medicine specialist in Sonoma County for the past three decades. The site is St. Joseph’s third hospice facility in the county, along with Memorial Hospice and Hospice of Petaluma. book EVENTS A free weekly support group for patients with chronic illness will begin at Palm Drive Hospital on April 6. The meetings, which run from 2 to 3:30 p.m., will be facilitated by David Murphy, PhD, a psychologist specializing in management of chronic conditions. No advance registration is necessary. For more details, contact Dr. Murphy at 566-7026. The Institute for Medical Quality is offering a one-day training program for new medical staff leaders in Irvine on Tuesday, April 13. The program, which costs $405 for CMA members and $445 for nonmembers, features sessions on the role of medical staff leaders, how to run effective meetings, and tips for staying accredited and licensed. To register, visit www.imq.org or call Leslie Iacopi at 415-882-5167. Dr. Allan Bernstein will present a free lecture, “New Research on Memory Disorders,” at 2 p.m. on April 23 at Primrose, 2080 Guerneville Rd., Santa Rosa. Bernstein, former chief of neurology at Kaiser Santa Rosa, is an internationally known researcher and educator. Reservations for his lecture are required because of limited space. To reserve a spot, call 578-8360. The Garden Tour, an annual fund-raiser sponsored by the SCMA Alliance and Foundation, will be held in Windsor on May 14 and 15. Six local families will open their private gardens for self-guided tours. Two homes will also be open for viewing. Funds raised by the tour will be donated to the Santa Rosa Community Health Centers and the Windsor branch of the Alliance Medical Center. Tickets are $40, and lunches will be available for purchase at the Windsor Golf Course. Raffle tickets for local restaurants will be sold as well. To purchase tickets, visit www.scmaa.org or call Janet Shane at 578-4537. Easter Seals Northern California is sponsoring an all-day Physician Symposium on Saturday, May 15, at the Petaluma Community Center. The topic is developmental and behavioral screening in primary care. Presenters include Dr. Barbara Bennett, a professor of pediatrics at UCSF, and Dr. Maria Pilar Bernal, chief of autism spectrum disorder services at Kaiser Permanente. The symposium offers 5.75 hours of CME. To register, visit noca.easterseals.com or contact Cindy Fasano at 415-382-7450 or cfasano@noca.easterseals.com. book OBITUARIES Dr. Gertrude Van Steyn, a pioneering woman physician who practiced in Santa Rosa from 1939 to 1981, died in March at the age of 95. Born in Holland, she grew up on a farm in Sebastopol and rode horseback to high school in Santa Rosa. She attended UC Berkeley and received her DO from the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons in Los Angeles. After completing an internship at Los Angeles County Hospital, Van Steyn joined Dr. Caroline Weber in Santa Rosa, at a time when women physicians were quite rare. In an interview published in Sonoma Medicine in 1993, Van Steyn noted that some doctors at that time “had very strong feelings against both a woman and an osteopath.” As an example, she described an appendix case she had at the old General Hospital in Santa Rosa where she was not allowed to assist on her own patient. In the 1940s, Van Steyn established her own practice, eventually building an office on Cherry Street in 1954. She practiced solo there until 1979, when she was joined by Dr. Gary Greensweig. She was famous around town for working long hours and not taking appointments. In the Sonoma Medicine interview, she noted, “When I’d get there in the morning, there would be a big line-up, and we’d take them in turn. Nobody griped or objected. They were taken in turn, whether they were poor or rich.” After retiring in 1981, Van Steyn tended to her 14-acre property south of Santa Rosa. She raised sheep, horses and other livestock, and she fed many wild animals as well. She also traveled extensively. “I’m interested in the historical pioneer trails of the Western settlers,” she said in the interview. “I have followed many of them.” book APPLICANTS Veronica Jordan, MD, Family Medicine, 3320 Chanate Rd., Santa Rosa 95404, 547-2220, Fax 303-3318, UC San Francisco 2007 Gian Nhan, MD, Anesthesiology*, Pain Medicine, 1739 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, 528-6331, Fax 538-2154, Loma Linda Univ 1994 Renee Theisen, MD, Emergency Medicine*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, 393-4800, Fax 393-4741, Univ Michigan 2005 * board certified book CLASSIFIEDS Medical billing/reimbursement specialist Out-source, save money. Coding, RAC review, EHR, credentialing services. www.revenuerecoverynetwork.com Office space Small suite available for reasonable rent. Three exam rooms, southeast Santa Rosa. Call Connie, 707-525-0211. Office to share in Novato 165 Rowland Way #303. Medical office to share with urologist. 2100 sq ft. Three exam rooms. One small conference room. Rent completely negotiable dependent on level of service use and overhead. Contact Dr. Peter Bretan, 415-892-0904 or bretanp@msn.com. How to submit a classified ad To submit a classified ad for SCMA News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine, contact Nan Perrott at nperrott@rhscommunications.com or 707-525-4226. The cost is one dollar per word. book 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. © SCMA 2010 3033 Cleveland Ave. #104 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 book TO UNSUBSCRIBE You are receiving SCMA News Briefs because you are a physician or an affiliated medical professional in Sonoma County. If you wish to unsubscribe, contact Steve Osborn at sosborn@scma.org or 707-525-4325. book April 1, 2010 SCMA News Briefs April 2010 0 0 Comment Read More »
March 2010 Famed medical educator Dr. John Saultz to speak in Santa Rosa on March 17Nominations needed for SCMA electionResidency and family practice center moving to FountaingroveDr. Kubota named regional medical director for Partnership HealthPlanPhysicians urged to call Congress to support repealing Medicare SGR formulaEarly-bird registration for CMA Leadership Academy closes March 9RSVPs needed for April 27 Legislative Day in SacramentoCMA coalition receives $31 Million EHR grant; EHR webinar on March 2PECOS enrollment policy delayed; CMA publishes enrollment guideMedicare participation status deadline is March 17PFMC grant deadline is April 1Healdsburg Hospital opens diagnostic center for womenCMA announces 2010 webinar seriesAPPLICANTSCLASSIFIEDSABOUT SCMATO UNSUBSCRIBEFamed medical educator Dr. John Saultz to speak in Santa Rosa on March 17 Dr. John Saultz, author of the Textbook of Family Medicine and editor of the journal Family Medicine, will be in Santa Rosa on St. Patrick’s Day to deliver a free lecture on the future of primary care in Sonoma County. His speech begins at 6 p.m. in the Sonoma Community Room at Redwood Credit Union, 3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. A light dinner will be provided, but reservations are required. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi by March 12 at rachel@scma.org or 525-4375. Dr. Saultz, chair of family medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, is the American Academy of Family Physicians visiting professor at the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency. His presentation is sponsored by the California Academy of Family Physicians, Family Medicine Leadership Institute, Kaiser Permanente, Redwood Community Health Coalition, Redwood Credit Union, Sonoma County Medical Association, St. Joseph Health System, and Sutter Health. book Nominations needed for SCMA election In preparation for the upcoming SCMA election, all members are urged to submit nominations for leadership positions by March 19. Nominees must be SCMA members in good standing. Nominations are requested for the following positions: · SCMA president-elect · Individual SCMA board representatives from Santa Rosa (2) and West County (1) · Three CMA delegates · Three CMA alternate delegates All positions require a three-year commitment, beginning July 1. Nominations can be e-mailed to cynthia@scma.org, faxed to 525-4328, or mailed to SCMA, 3033 Cleveland Ave. #104, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Each nomination should include a brief statement about the nominee’s qualifications. For more details, contact Cynthia Melody at cynthia@scma.org or 525-4359. book Residency and family practice center moving to Fountaingrove The Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency and the Chanate Family Practice Center will be moving to Fountaingrove later this year, pending renovation of a 42,500 square foot building recently purchased by Santa Rosa Community Health Centers. The building, located at 3569 Round Barn Circle, will become the seventh facility managed by Santa Rosa Health, which serves more than 25,000 patients annually at the Southwest Community Health Center and other locations. An additional 10,000 patients are expected to use the Fountaingrove facility during the next few years. “The future health of our community is on much more solid ground with the purchase of this building,” said Naomi Fuchs, CEO of Santa Rosa Health. Major contributors to the $2.1 million capital campaign for the building include the County of Sonoma, Kaiser Permanente, St. Joseph Health, Sutter Medical Center, the Finley Foundation, and Frank and Kathleen Mayhew. Funds from the capital campaign will be used to leverage $13.3 million in financing from the state. Purchase of the Fountaingrove building caps 14 years of rapid growth for Santa Rosa Health, which was founded by Drs. Julio Porro, Roberto Azcarraga and other family medicine residents in 1996. What began as the Southwest Community Health Center in southwest Santa Rosa has since grown to encompass six other clinics and health centers throughout the city. Eighteen physicians now work full- or part-time for Santa Rosa Health. The 36 resident physicians in the Family Medicine Residency also work at Santa Rosa Health facilities. book Dr. Kubota named regional medical director for Partnership HealthPlan Dr. Marshall Kubota, a Santa Rosa family physician well known for his work in public health, has been named regional medical director for Partnership HealthPlan in Sonoma County. In that part-time role, he will be responsible for the quality and appropriateness of medical care delivered by Partnership to the county’s approximately 50,000 Medi-Cal enrollees. He will continue to work at HIV clinics in Sonoma and Lake counties. Dr. Kubota, a graduate of the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, rose to prominence during the 1980s for his pioneering work in providing HIV/AIDS care at a public health clinic in Guerneville. He subsequently became director of the residency and then medical director for the county’s public health clinical services. book Physicians urged to call Congress to support repealing Medicare SGR formula Congress has been unable to resolve the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) issue during the two-month extension that prevented a 21% cut from taking effect on Jan. 1. At press time, the Senate was expected to extend current SGR payment levels an additional 30 days to prevent scheduled cuts from going into effect on Monday, March 1. This extension will be part of a larger package that addresses other expiring provisions that are considered “must pass” items, such as unemployment insurance and COBRA coverage. The House is expected to consider the package soon. CMA is calling on all physicians to help repeal the SGR once and for all. Please contact Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. Barbara Boxer and your local House Representative and urge them to: · Stop the 21% Physician Cut before March 1. · Repeal the Medicare SGR once and for all. · Restore stability to the Medicare program. · Protect access to doctors for seniors. When contacting your representatives, give your name, specialty and practice location. Contact information: · Sen. Feinstein - Click Here or use the AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. · Sen. Boxer - Click Here or use the AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. · House Representative - Click Here or use AMA’s grassroots hotline at 800-833-6354. In November, the House passed HR 3961, which repealed the current SGR as a pathway to improved reimbursement. The Senate, however, has not passed a bill to repeal the SGR, so Medicare payment problems remain unresolved. CMA has prepared a flyer that you can use to get patients involved in the fight to protect Medicare. The flyer is available at scma.org/resources. book Early-bird registration for CMA Leadership Academy closes March 9 Registration is now open for CMA's annual Health Care Leadership Academy, scheduled for April 9-11 in San Diego. This year's conference will assess the status and impact of federal health reform efforts, including provider payment incentives that may change the organizational forms of medical practice. SCMA gets a group discount, so you can save $100 if you register with SCMA by March 9 rather than online. Early bird registration is $645 for members, $945 for nonmembers, and $295 for allied health professionals. Early-bird tuition for practice managers and other non-MD staff is $295 for CAMGMA members, $395 for nonmembers. The 2010 Academy, approved for 18.25 hours of Category 1 CME credit, will feature three main breakout tracks: health information technology, leadership skills development, and practice management. To register, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. book RSVPs needed for April 27 Legislative Day in Sacramento Local physicians interested in attending CMA’s free Legislative Leadership Conference in Sacramento on April 27 should RSVP by April 2. SCMA will be renting a van to travel to Sacramento, so reservations are requested. The annual conference, which last year drew more than 400 physicians and CMA Alliance members, allows doctors to meet with legislators and express their views on pending health legislation. The conference also includes a morning session featuring speakers from across the political spectrum. This year’s presenters include Assembly Speaker John Perez, Speaker Emeritus Robert Herzberg, CMA President Dr. J. Brennan Cassidy, and CMA’s new CEO, Dustin Corcoran. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. book CMA coalition receives $31 Million EHR grant; EHR webinar on March 2 CMA, the California Primary Care Association, and the California Association of Public Hospitals & Health Systems have been awarded $31 million in federal grant money to help primary care providers implement electronic health records (EHRs). The grant will help make support services available throughout most of California, including Sonoma County. The grant is one of many awarded nationwide as a result of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of February 2009. The HITECH act establishes both Regional Extension Centers (RECs) and Local Extension Centers (LECs) to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to help primary care providers select, implement and achieve “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology. SCMA will be collaborating with the LEC for Sonoma County. “This is an exciting opportunity for California physicians and the patients they serve,” said CMA President Dr. Brennan Cassidy. “There are many challenges physicians face in implementing EHRs. The Cal-REC services will be invaluable in helping physicians address these challenges and implement and use EHR systems.” The REC funding is in addition to incentive payments that providers can receive for demonstrating “meaningful use” of EHRs. For more information on the incentive payments, join CMA for a members-only webinar on March 2 from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The webinar will walk physicians through the proposed rule and offer practical tips for receiving incentive payments in 2011. Registration is free, but space is limited. To reserve your spot, click here or visit cmanet.org/calendar. book PECOS enrollment policy delayed; CMA publishes enrollment guide With a nearly impossible April deadline looming, Medicare has delayed its PECOS enrollment policy until January 1, 2011. Medicare physicians who have not updated their PECOS enrollment information in the past five years may need to fill out another application or risk facing payment problems for ordered or referred services. The new rules taking effect next January authorize Medicare to reject claims if an ordering or referring physician is not identified in Medicare’s PECOS enrollment system. CMA and others in organized medicine pushed for a delay in implementing the new policy, which could negatively impact many physicians and other health care providers. If the rule were enforced today, thousands of otherwise acceptable Medicare claims could go unpaid merely because they were submitted by providers who enrolled in Medicare before the PECOS database was developed. Because PECOS enrollment can be quite confusing, CMA has developed a step-by-step guide to walk physicians through the process, from determining if they are already in PECOS to accessing the Internet–based PECOS enrollment system. This guide is available in the members-only section of cmanet.org. book Medicare participation status deadline is March 17 Physicians have until March 17 to change their Medicare participation status for 2010. Physicians who have not already changed their status can still do so, and those who have already made changes can still retract them. It is possible, however, that Medicare will extend the participation deadline if Congress acts to postpone the 21% physician pay cut scheduled to take effect on March 1. The effective date of any decision will ultimately be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010. Participation decisions are binding for one year, unless you choose to opt out of Medicare entirely. Once you opt out, you cannot opt back in for two years. Be aware that because changes in participation status are retroactive to Jan. 1, physicians who switch from “nonparticipating” to “participating” will have to refund to patients any balance billing collected between Jan. 1 and their new decision date. For more information on physicians’ Medicare participation options, see CMA On-Call document #0151, “Medicare Participation (and Nonparticipation) Options.” On-Call documents are free to members in the members-only of cmanet.org. Nonmembers can purchase On-Call documents for $2 per page at cmanet.org/bookstore. book PFMC grant deadline is April 1 Nonprofit health organizations in Sonoma County are encouraged to apply for Community Grants from the Pacific Foundation for Medical Care. The grants, generally in the $10,000 range, are awarded twice a year by the nonprofit foundation to support local projects that enhance health services. The application deadline for the next round of grants is April 1. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 525-4281 or kpass@rhs.org. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org. book Healdsburg Hospital opens diagnostic center for women Healdsburg Hospital, in partnership with the Redwood Regional Medical Group, has opened a Women’s Diagnostic Center on the hospital campus. Services offered at the center include digital mammography and DXA scanning. book CMA announces 2010 webinar series Access valuable educational resources without taking time off from work or paying travel expenses! CMA’s webinars are live, interactive, online educational events designed to provide members and their staff with access to industry experts for guidance on timely topics such as best practices for your practice, health information technology, and reimbursement, legal, and regulatory issues. And, as an added benefit to CMA members, each webinar is archived online for viewing at your leisure with links to the PowerPoint presentations and additional topic-related documents. March webinars include: · 3/2: Meaningful Use for Your EHR · 3/3: Documentation – Medi-Cal Fraud and Abuse Series · 3/10: Medicare – New Year, Fresh Start · 3/18: HIPAA – How to Be Compliant with Recent Changes To view the full webinar calendar, visit cmanet.org/calendar. book APPLICANTS Lucia Roncalli, MD, Family Medicine, 3320 Chanate Rd., Santa Rosa 95404, 547-2220, Fax 303-3318, American Univ Caribbean 2006 book CLASSIFIEDS Family Practice Physician Wanted Sonoma County Indian Health Project (SCIHP) in Santa Rosa is seeking a full-time BC/BE Family Practice Physician to join our team. SCIHP is a comprehensive community care clinic located in the Northern Californian wine country. Candidates must currently hold a California Physician/Surgeon license. Inpatient care at the hospital required. For the right candidate we offer a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and an opportunity for loan repayment. For more information, please contact Bob Orr at 707-521-4654; or Bob.Orr@crihb.net. www.scihp.org. Medical Billing/Reimbursement Specialist Saving you time and money. Alleviating paperwork pain, aging A/R headaches. www.revenuerecoverynetwork.com Medical Office Space Small suite available for reasonable rent. Three exam rooms, southeast Santa Rosa. Call Connie, 707-525-0211. How to submit a classified ad To submit a classified ad for SCMA News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine, contact Nan Perrott at nperrott@rhscommunications.com or 707-525-4226. The cost is one dollar per word. book 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. © SCMA 2010 3033 Cleveland Ave. #104 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 book TO UNSUBSCRIBE You are receiving SCMA News Briefs because you are a physician or an affiliated medical professional in Sonoma County. If you wish to unsubscribe, contact Steve Osborn at sosborn@scma.org or 707-525-4325. book March 1, 2010 SCMA News Briefs March 2010 0 0 Comment Read More »
