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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

2024 Physician Wellness Leadership awards announced

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

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

SCMA/MLCMS - February 2021 News Briefs

February 2, 2021 newsletter, SCMA News Briefs #ThisIsOurShot, 2021 health laws, ACEs Aware grants, Awards program, CMA 2020 Year in Review, CMA webinars, COVID-19, COVID-19 updates, I'm In campaign, Medical liability risk, News Briefs, Operation Access, PPE orders, PPE Relief, SCMA Business Partners, Shriners CME webinars, Vaccination clinics, Vaccinations, Vaccine hesitancy training 1 1 Comment Read More »

April 2013

SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception to be held at Coppola Winery on May 9
April 3 Future of Primary Care conference features awards, guest speaker
Sign up now for April 16 Legislative Leadership Conference
Get your Sonoma County Physician Directory today!
The iWALK Challenge is back!
Leadership Academy heads to Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas
Top stories from CMA Alert
Benefit screening of The Healthcare Movie on April 25
PEOPLE
MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS
RESOURCES
CLASSIFIEDS
APPLICANTS
ABOUT SCMA

SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception to be held at Coppola Winery on May 9

Mark your calendar for the annual SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception, to be held at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville on Thursday evening, May 9. This popular event--which features collegial conversation and a sampling of fine wines and cheeses--is absolutely free for SCMA members and their spouse or guest. Cost for nonmembers is $55 per person.

The event, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m., features CMA President Dr. Paul Phinney, a Sacramento pediatrician. He will give an informal “President’s Message” touching on what CMA is doing for you, current issues, and opportunities to get involved in SCMA and CMA.

To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375. For more information about the winery, visit www.franciscoppolawinery.com or download the flyer below.

2013 SCMA Wine & Cheese Reception flyer

April 3 Future of Primary Care conference features awards, guest speaker

Dr. Danielle Oryn of Petaluma will receive the Family Physician of the Year award at the annual Future of Primary Care conference on Wednesday evening, April 3. The event, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Vista Family Health Center in Santa Rosa, features a lecture by Dr. Wayne Jonas, one of the nation’s leading family physicians. His topic is “Creating optimal healing environments in Sonoma County.”

All local physicians are invited to attend this free event, which is sponsored by the North Bay chapters of the California Academy of Family Physicians. Space is limited, however, so RSVPs are required. Light refreshments will be served.

To RSVP, contact Erika Goodwin at erikagoodwin@sonic.net. For more details, visit www.northbayafp.org.

Sign up now for April 16 Legislative Leadership Conference

Want to make your voice heard in state government? If so, you’re invited to attend CMA’s free Legislative Leadership Conference in Sacramento on Tuesday, April 16--one day after income taxes are due. Hundreds of physicians from all over California attend this annual event.

The morning includes speeches from key legislative leaders. Speakers for 2013 haven’t been confirmed yet, but last year Gov. Brown addressed the conference. In the afternoon, attendees go to the Capitol to meet with their legislators on health care issues.

To RSVP for the conference, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org.

Get your Sonoma County Physician Directory today!

The 2013 Sonoma County Physician Directory is now available for sale. This exhaustive reference book gives contact and specialty information for almost every doctor currently practicing in Sonoma County, along with detailed photographic listings for SCMA members and a useful compendium of medical resources. The familiar spiral-bound book is heavily used by local medical offices.

Each SCMA member receives one free copy of the directory. Extra copies cost $30 for SCMA members or $40 for nonmember physicians, health care facilities, and the general public. To order by phone with a credit card, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. You can also purchase online at www.scma.org/directory, or you can fax or mail the order form below.

Sonoma County Physician Directory order form

The iWALK Challenge is back!

Due to popular demand, the iWALK Challenge is back! This popular springtime activity is part of a broad-based effort to make Sonoma County the healthiest county in California.

The iWALK Challenge is simply a commitment to exercise. Over a 10-week period, individuals commit to get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. That breaks down to just 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Any type of exercise counts, including swimming, biking, running, walking, hiking or dancing.

This year’s iWALK Challenge runs from March 4 to May 11, ending on the day of the Human Race. Participants can use the iWALK Challenge to train for that popular event. Registration for the iWALK Challenge is completely free and helps support the countywide movement to reduce obesity through exercise. To register, visit www.iWALKsonoma.org and click on the iWALK Challenge button. For more details, contact Becky Lunders at info@iwalksonoma.org or 707-793-0933.

Leadership Academy heads to Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas

The annual California Health Care Leadership Academy will be held May 31 through June 2 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Presented by CMA, the California Medical Group Management Association and the CMA Foundation, “Increasing the Odds of Success” will cover a variety of issues to help physicians succeed in the rapidly changing health care landscape.

Hear from the experts and leaders of change and attend a comprehensive slate of practice management seminars and workshops to position your practice for success. For details, contact Cynthia Melody at 707-525-4375 or cynthia@scma.org, or visit www.cmanet.org.

Benefit screening of The Healthcare Movie on April 25

A benefit screening of “The Healthcare Movie,” a 65-minute documentary narrated by Kiefer Sutherland, will be held at the Rialto Cinemas in Sebastopol at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. The movie tells the story of how the Canadian healthcare system turned out to be so different from the system in the United States. Years ago, the systems were essentially the same, but they have since diverged dramatically.

Following the screening, local representatives of the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) will lead a discussion on how the Affordable Care Act can help make healthcare accessible and affordable. All proceeds from the event will benefit PNHP education and advocacy efforts.

Tickets are just $7 and are available at the Rialto Cinemas box office or online at www.rialtocinemas.com. For more information, contact Stan Gold at sngold@juno.com or download the flyer below.

The Healthcare Movie flyer

PEOPLE

Orthopedic surgeons Dr. Michael Grafe and Dr. Alex Iezza were recently honored by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for their life-saving surgeries on two customs agents who were shot with an assault rifle in Petaluma last May. The agents, who were investigating a gang-related triple homicide, were rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after the assault. “The healthcare professionals who attended to our wounded agents are truly the unsung heroes of last year’s shooting,” said Special Agent Clark Settles. “There is no question the extraordinary care our investigators received from the medical team helped prevent the loss of life.” In addition to Drs. Grafe and Iezza, the agency honored nurses Isabel Cavalli and Tiffany Oliver, who helped treat the wounded agents.

Dr. Danielle Oryn, a Petaluma family physician, has been named the Sonoma County Family Physician of the Year by the North Bay chapters of the California Academy of Family Physicians. Oryn will receive her award at the April 3 Future of Family Medicine conference in Santa Rosa.

Dr. Jose-Mario Fontanilla has joined Kaiser Santa Rosa as a specialist in infectious diseases. A graduate of the University of the Philippines Medical School, he completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Connecticut and a fellowship in infectious disease at Dartmouth, where he also received an MPH in quality improvement.

Dr. Roger Barron, a longtime Santa Rosa allergist who retired just two years ago, died in March at the age of 68. For many years he and his partner Dr. Michael Martin were the only allergists in the county, and they maintained offices in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Petaluma. Barron was well known for spending extra time with patients, and also for his devotion to several charitable causes, including Global Partners, Beyond War and Save the Children. He also traveled to Africa and other far-flung locations to help out with medical missions. A celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, April 7, at the Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa.

MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS

The Jewish Community Free Clinic in Rohnert Park needs physician volunteers to provide free medical care to patients without health insurance. There is a particular need for family physicians, internists and pediatricians. Typical commitments are for one evening per month or every other month. To volunteer, contact Deborah Roberts, RN, at 707-585-7780 or robertde@sonoma.edu. For more information, visit www.jewishfreeclinic.org.

The Kaiser Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and is expected to admit its first group of six residents in July 2014. Residency Director Dr. Walt Mills described Kaiser Santa Rosa as “an ideal place to train the next generation of family medicine physicians,” noting that the medical center has a commitment to primary care and an integrated care model. Physician-in-chief Dr. Kirk Pappas added, “We are now a center of medical education, and our new Family Medicine Residency Program will continue to make us a major teaching facility.”

RESOURCES

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for April. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

• Strategic planning from vision to action (April 3)

• CMS quality reporting programs: What physicians need to know (April 9)

• Preparing for EHR implementation (April 10)

• Valuing, selling, buying or transitioning a practice (April 17)

• California’s Health Benefit Exchange: How it will impact your practice (April 24)

On April 1, UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services (UMVS) began providing managed care services to 2.9 million TRICARE beneficiaries in the 21 western states, including California. UVMS took over the contract previously held by TriWest. To help physicians understand the impact the transition will have on their practices, CMA has published a toolkit, TRICARE Transition Guide: What physicians need to know. The toolkit is available free to members at www.cmanet.org. Questions about the TRICARE transition should be directed to CMA’s Center for Economic Services at 916-551-2061.

The 20th annual HIV/AIDS Review will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Hilton Hotel, 3555 Round Barn Blvd., Santa Rosa. Topics include HIV elimination, substance use and HIV, and psycho-social issues of aging. The event qualifies for up to 5 hours of Category 1 credit. For information and reservations, contact Danielle Jones at 707-303-8904 or danielle.jones@ucsf.edu.

Physicians and office staff of a certain age are encouraged to sign up for the Sonoma Wine Country Senior Games, open to all athletes 50 years and up. The Games, now in their third year, feature competition in 17 different types of sports, from tennis and golf to square dancing and horseshoes. Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente and administered by the Council on Aging, the Games run from May 30 to June 9 at venues around the county. To register, visit www.winecountrygames.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

Family physicians needed. Family medicine positions available with Annadel Medical Group in Sonoma County. Contact James.DeVore@stjoe.org.

Physician wanted. Physicians: Retired w/license? Want to cut back to one or two days a week? Rewarding alternative care office in Marin County looking for California licensed MD for consultative work. Part time, excellent compensation. Contact James Gould at 760-703-3767 or james@greenleafcare.com.

Medical office space for lease, Santa Rosa. Newly remodeled medical office with exam rooms available for clinician to see patients. Located on N. Dutton Ave. near West College. Parking, reception area, utilities included. For details, visit www.facebook.com/SantaRosaSportsAndFamilyMedicine. Contact Len at 707-529-8081 or len@srsportsmed.com.

Urodynamic monitor for sale. Urodynamic monitor--$2900. Like new. Bard 4-channel urodynamic monitor with extra supplies. I left private practice and joined a large group and no longer need this monitor. It is in great condition and was hardly used. I am in the Santa Rosa area but can arrange delivery to other Bay Area locations. Contact Janet at 650-814-7155 or janetpulskamp@comcast.net.

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 Linda McLaughlin at Linda@scma.org or 707-525-4359.

APPLICANTS

Christopher Clark, MD, Psychiatry*, 3554 Round Barn Blvd., Santa Rosa 95403, Yale Med Sch 1977

Susan Gross, MD, Family Medicine*, 3900 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma 94954, Univ Alabama 1998

* = board certified; italics = special medical interest

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.

April 18, 2013 SCMA News Briefs April 2013, News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »

March 2013

• SCMA weighs in on fluoride debate

• Nominations needed for SCMA election

• Dr. Wayne Jonas to speak in Santa Rosa on April 3

• Report from the CMA board of trustees

• Save the date: Legislative Leadership Conference on April 16

• The iWALK Challenge is back!

• RSVP now for May 9 membership dinner

• Reminder: PFMC grant proposals due April 2

• Top stories from CMA Alert

• PEOPLE

• MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS

• RESOURCES

• CLASSIFIEDS

• APPLICANTS

• ABOUT SCMA

SCMA weighs in on fluoride debate

SCMA is supporting a measure requiring fluoridation of the water supplied by the Sonoma County Water Agency and other local water systems. In a Feb. 20 letter to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and members of several local city councils and water districts, SCMA President Dr. Walt Mills noted that, “This measure will have a significant impact on reducing health disparities and improving the oral health of our children and of Sonoma County residents of all ages.”

The letter was submitted prior to a contentious Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 26, during which both advocates and opponents of fluoridation spoke at length. Among the speakers was Health Officer Dr. Lynn Silver Chalfin, who noted that on a typical day about a dozen local children need general anesthesia for treatment of severe dental disease. She also described a CDC study finding that every dollar spent on fluoridation results in $38 in savings on dental care.

At the end of the meeting, the supervisors voted unanimously to authorize a financial analysis and engineering studies on the fluoridation measure. The process of making a final decision on fluoridation is expected to take about a year. During that time, SCMA members are encouraged to contact their county supervisor or city council members to discuss the fluoridation proposal. As Dr. Mills observed in a separate letter to local physicians, “Fluoridation in Sonoma County will not happen without the active support of the local health care community.”

Nominations needed for SCMA election

In preparation for the upcoming SCMA election, all members are urged to submit nominations for leadership positions by March 15. Nominees must be SCMA members in good standing. Nominations are requested for the following positions:

• SCMA executive team (3): president-elect, treasurer, and secretary

• SCMA board representatives from West County (1), and Santa Rosa (2)

• CMA delegates (3)

• CMA alternate delegates (5)

All positions require a three-year commitment, beginning July 1. Nominations can be emailed to cynthia@scma.org, faxed to 707-525-4328, or mailed to SCMA, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, 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 707-525-4375.

Dr. Wayne Jonas to speak in Santa Rosa on April 3

Wayne Jonas, MD, one of the nation’s leading family physicians, will speak at the Vista Family Health Center in Santa Rosa on Wednesday evening, April 3. Currently president and CEO of the Samueli Institute, a nonprofit research organization, Dr. Jonas previously headed the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institute of Health. He teaches at Georgetown University and the Uniformed Services University and is a widely published researcher.

For his Santa Rosa appearance, Jonas will discuss “Creating optimal healing environments in Sonoma County.” All local physicians are invited to attend this free event, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and is sponsored by the North Bay chapters of the California Academy of Family Physicians. Space is limited, however, so RSVPs are required. Light refreshments will be served.

To RSVP, contact Erika Goodwin by March 29 at erikagoodwin@sonic.net. For more details, visit www.northbayafp.org.

Report from the CMA board of trustees

Mark Davis, MD, and Peter Bretan, MD

Dr. Davis (Crescent City) and Dr. Bretan (Novato) are the District X trustees on the CMA board of trustees.

Your District X trustees attended the Jan. 24-25 meeting of the CMA board of trustees (BOT) in San Diego. Most of the meeting was conducted without much debate and included correspondence and business of the Institute for Medical Quality, the CALPAC board of directors, and the Medical Education Debt technical advisory committee. Informational reports were presented from the AMA delegation, the CMA Foundation, and the CMA Alliance. The BOT also heard reports from the Council on Legislation regarding proposed legislation for 2013. CMA’s president, executive committee and CEO reported on membership (we now represent more than 37,000 physicians in California), the California Health Benefit Exchange, CMA’s economic services, the Policy Center, federal issues, and on CMA’s strategic plan, budget and legal issues.

The biggest discussion was about supporting the Medicare geographic adjustment factor (GAF) for implementing the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid increase for primary care. The GAF will in part use the flawed calculations similar to the GPCI adjustments we are all so familiar with in District X. We realized that not to accept the Medicare GAF would be accepting much less increase for our primary care members, so we adopted this compromise. This action will ultimately bring a lot more reimbursement to CMA’s primary care members.

At a board retreat immediately following the BOT meeting, USC Economics Professor Dave Logan--co-author of “Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization”--led a discussion about how the CMA board can foster a culture of cooperation without forsaking individual consciences. Afterward, CMA Chief Executive Dustin Corcoran gave a presentation on “Activity Based Costing (ABC) System for CMA.” He explained that the ABC system will provide a high level of accuracy about the real costs of products and services. CMA will be moving to this system to get a better method for analyzing the real costs of each part of CMA. The system will allow CMA to best utilize its limited resources and plan better for the future of the organization.

Dr. Bretan learned a lot about the BOT in his first meeting as a District X delegate. He realized that the BOT is composed of incredibly talented physicians working together in a culture of teamwork and respect, with a commitment to recognizing the smallest voice. He is optimistic and looks forward to working with so many committed colleagues on the board. We both agree that together we can help bring CMA to a bright future.

Save the date: Legislative Leadership Conference on April 16

To RSVP for the conference, contact Cynthia Melody at cmelody@scma.org or 707-525-4375. She will arrange for transportation to Sacramento.

The iWALK Challenge is back!

Due to popular demand, the iWALK Challenge is back! This popular springtime activity is part of a broad-based effort to make Sonoma County the healthiest county in California.

All local physicians invited to May 9 wine-and-cheese reception

All local physicians and their spouses or guests are invited to SCMA’s annual wine-and-cheese reception, scheduled for Thursday evening, May 9. This popular event--which features collegial conversation and a sampling of fine wines and cheeses--is absolutely free for both SCMA members and nonmembers.

CMA President Dr. Paul Phinney, a Sacramento pediatrician, will give an informal “president’s message” touching on what CMA is doing for you, current issues, and opportunities to get involved in CMA, followed by a question-and-answer period.

The location is still to be determined, but the date has been confirmed. To RSVP, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375.

Reminder: PFMC grant proposals due April 2

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 2. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 707-525-4281 or kpass@rhs.org. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org.

Leadership Academy heads to Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas

PEOPLE

Dr. David Lightfoot, a Santa Rosa ophthalmologist, is the lucky winner of a new iPad for completing the recent SCMA strategic planning survey. More than 180 local physicians participated in the survey, which included questions about SCMA’s role in enhancing community health. Survey results will be used by the SCMA board of directors to develop a strategic plan for 2013 and beyond.

Dr. Milton Antipa, who practiced urology in Santa Rosa for nearly 50 years, died in February at the age of 91. Born to Greek-American restaurateurs in San Francisco, he graduated from medical school at UC Berkeley and completed a urology residency at Stanford. He served on an army hospital ship during World War II and then opened a practice in San Francisco. He and his wife, Billie, moved to Santa Rosa in 1954. In addition to his thriving practice, Antipa managed his family’s 70-acre ranch on Wallace Road and was also a skilled sailor.

MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has opened an Outpatient Diagnostic Cardiology Clinic in partnership with eight local cardiologists, including Drs. John Hunter, John Reed, Patrick Devlin, Tomas Vasiliauskas, Emily Conway, Joel Erickson, Jose Ballesteros and William Bowden. The clinic offers echocardiograms, nuclear stress tests and stress echocardiograms. “We have sought to create a patient-centered environment,” said Dr. Hunter, “where those who are tested can benefit from the same sophisticated imaging they’d receive in the hospital, but with easier, quicker access and more affordable pricing.” The new clinic comes on the heels of the hospital’s majority purchase of the Advanced Surgery Institute, an ambulatory surgery center just east of downtown Santa Rosa. The hospital will co-own the facility with 19 physician investors and Regent Surgical Health, a surgery management company.

Sutter Health’s Breast Center, located for several years on Steele Lane in Santa Rosa, has moved north to the Sutter Health Plaza at 3883 Airway Drive. The new facility is adjacent to Sutter’s Advanced Imaging Center, which opened in January. The Breast Center features a state-of-the-art wide-bore MRI scanner and a stereotactic system that can be used for both standard mammography and prone stereotactic biopsies.

The Annadel Medical Group has opened an after-hours primary care clinic at 52 Mission Circle, near the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. The clinic is open from 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Drs. Herb Brosbe, Marisha Lockwood-Chilcott and Jenny Sullivan will staff the clinic, which will offer same-day and walk-in appointments for non-emergency conditions. “Medicine needs to be more customer-oriented,” said Dr. Lockwood-Chilcott. “This type of expansion and shift in medicine is absolutely required if we are to more fully meet patients’ needs.”

RESOURCES

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for March. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

• Fraud and abuse: dangers and defenses (March 6)

• Essentials for ICD-10-CM: Part 1 (March 7)

• Utilizing the new SDI online system (March 13)

• Essentials for ICD-10-CM: Part 2 (March 14)

• EHR selection: Top 10 tips for success (March 20)

• Essentials for ICD-10-CM: Part 3 (March 21)

• Successful Medi-Cal provider enrollment (March 27)

The 20th annual HIV/AIDS Review will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Rosa. Speakers includes Drs. Marshall Kubota, Danny Toub and Andy Desruisseau. For information and reservations, call the North Coast AIDS Center at 707-303-8904.

CLASSIFIEDS

Family physicians needed

Family medicine positions available with Annadel Medical Group in Sonoma County. Contact James.DeVore@stjoe.org.

Physician wanted

Physicians: Retired w/license? Want to cut back to one or two days a week? Rewarding alternative care office in Marin County looking for California licensed MD for consultative work. Part time, excellent compensation. Contact James Gould at 760-703-3767 or james@greenleafcare.com.

Medical office space for lease, Santa Rosa

Newly remodeled medical office with exam rooms available for clinician to see patients. Located on N. Dutton Ave. near West College. Parking, reception area, utilities included. For details, visit www.facebook.com/SantaRosaSportsAndFamilyMedicine. Contact Len at 707-529-8081 or len@srsportsmed.com.

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 Linda McLaughlin at Linda@scma.org or 707-525-4359.

APPLICANTS

Jose-Mario Fontanilla, MD, Internal Medicine*, Infectious Disease*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Univ Philippines 2001

Kristin Murray, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology*, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403, Univ Minnesota 1998

* = board certified; italics = special medical interest

ABOUT SCMA

March 1, 2013 SCMA News Briefs march 2013, news briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »

November 2012

• RSVP now for Dec. 6 SCMA Awards Dinner

• Sonoma doctors invited to a free Operation Access celebration on Dec. 11

• Time to update or verify your Physician Directory listing

• Nov. 10 conference to focus on opioid prescriptions

• Flu shots required for staff in high-risk settings

• SCMA members invited to holiday cocktail party on Dec. 1

• Donations needed for SCMA health careers scholarships

• CMA opposes Proposition 32

• Top stories from CMA Alert

• PEOPLE

• MEDICAL FACILITIES

• RESOURCES

• CLASSIFIEDS

• APPLICANTS

• ABOUT SCMA

RSVP now for Dec. 6 SCMA Awards Dinner

Who can turn down a free dinner, particular when it’s with your friends and colleagues? Right now is the best time to RSVP for the Dec. 6 SCMA Awards Dinner, which is free for SCMA members. Spouses, guests and nonmembers are $50 each.

To RSVP, or to purchase tickets, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. Mail orders can be sent to SCMA, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Please indicate dinner choice: either “duet” (prawns and steak) or vegetable lasagna.

The dinner runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Vintner’s Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa. The festivities begin with a social hour at 6, followed by dinner and the awards presentations. Award winners include:

• Dr. Sanjay Dhar, a Santa Rosa cardiologist, for Article of the Year (“You Will Be Assimilated,” Sonoma Medicine, Winter 2012).

• Dr. Jeff Haney, program director of the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, for Outstanding Contribution to the Community.

• Dr. Mark Netherda, former deputy public health officer, for Outstanding Contribution to Sonoma County Medicine.

• Dr. Catherine Gutfreund, a family physician at Kaiser Santa Rosa, for Outstanding Contribution to SCMA.

• Dr. John Dervin, a longtime Santa Rosa family physician, for Lifetime Achievement.

• Redwood Community Health Coalition, for Recognition of Achievement.

For a flyer about the dinner, click on the link below. See you there!

SCMA Awards Dinner flyer

Sonoma docs invited to FREE Operation Access celebration on Dec. 11

Operation Access, which coordinates donated surgical and specialty care for uninsured and underserved patients, will co-host a Celebration of Medical Volunteerism with SCMA and the Marin Medical Society on Tuesday, Dec. 11, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This informal free event will be held at the Lagunitas Brewery, 1280 N. McDowelll Blvd., Petaluma.

All local doctors and their spouses or significant others are invited to attend and are asked to bring an unwrapped holiday gift for a foster child. Beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and wood-fired oven pizza will be offered, along with live music from Under the Radar (folk, blues, bluegrass) and the Petaluma High School Jazz Combo. The evening also includes a brief program honoring community volunteers, with special recognition for Dr. Julie Clark, Dr. Anne Delaney, Dr. David Galland, and Gale O’Connor, CRNA.

To RSVP, contact Daniel Rabkin at rsvp@operationaccess.org or 415-733-0004. The event is cosponsored by the Meritage Medical Network, Kaiser Permanente, Marin General Hospital, Sutter Health and St. Joseph Health.

Time to update or verify your Physician Directory listing

Verification forms for the 2013 Sonoma County Physician Directory have been mailed to all local physicians and are now due back at SCMA. The form allows doctors to update or verify their listing in the Directory, a standard reference guide used at medical offices throughout the county. If you haven’t returned your form yet, please do so ASAP. If you need a copy of the form, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375.

Because the Directory is sold to the public and posted on the Internet, please do not list your personal phone number, home address or personal email address. SCMA strongly recommends that you only list your office phone, office address and office email.

The Physician Directory, now in its 55th year, features photographs and detailed listings for all SCMA members, including their specialty(s), special medical interest and medical training. Specialty, city and phone for nonmember physicians are included as well. If you’re a nonmember and want a more detailed listing, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375 about joining SCMA. You can also join online at www.scma.org/join.asp.

Nov. 10 conference to focus on opioid prescriptions

A timely conference titled “Starting Opioid Prescriptions: Pearls & Pitfalls to Preventing Misuse and Dependency” will be held at Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa (SMCSR) from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10. Public Health Officer Dr. Lynn Silver-Chalfin will introduce the keynote speaker, Dr. Scott Fishman, chief of pain medicine at UC Davis and author of “Responsible Opioid Prescribing: A Clinician’s Guide.”

The presentation and breakout sessions will address the epidemiology of prescription drug abuse; identify key steps for reducing the risk of dependency; and recognize prescriber practices that contribute to misuse. The conference, to be held in the Vesalius Room at SMCSR, is accredited for 3.25 hours of Category 1 CME and costs just $30, which includes lunch. (Cost for family medicine residents is $15.)

To register online, visit tinyurl.com/9ym5xxk or contact Rebecca Munger at 707-565-4553 or rebecca.munger@sonoma-county.org. The conference is cosponsored by the Department of Health Services, Partnership HealthPlan, Community Prevention Initiative and Santa Rosa Community Health Centers.

Flu shots required for staff in high-risk settings

Sonoma County has joined a growing list of California counties that require staff in hospitals, nursing facilities and other high-risk settings to get an annual flu shot each fall. The order, issued by Public Health Officer Dr. Lynn Silver-Chalfin in mid-October, takes effect Dec. 15. Anyone who declines the order will be required to wear a surgical mask. The order does not apply to clinics and other low-risk settings, but it does recommend that staff in those facilities get a flu shot as well.

SCMA members invited to holiday cocktail party on Dec. 1

The SCMA Alliance is hosting a free holiday cocktail party for SCMA members and their spouses or significant others on Saturday evening, Dec. 1. The event, to be held at a private home in Santa Rosa, includes heavy appetizers, beer, wine, and plenty of holiday cheer. To RSVP, contact Lynn Rambach at lramb@sbcglobal.net or 707-523-4250.

Donations needed for SCMA health careers scholarships

Physicians and their families are asked to give generously to this year’s Holiday Greeting Card project. The proceeds help fund scholarships for deserving students who are Sonoma County residents and are currently enrolled or intending to enroll in a medically related field of study. Last year’s effort helped raise $31,000 in scholarship money--a record amount--for a dozen students in medical, nursing and allied health programs.

SCMA members will soon be receiving a letter from the SCMA Alliance Foundation asking for donations to next year’s scholarship fund. Donors who contribute by Dec. 6 will be acknowledged in the Holiday Greeting Card. The greeting card, which will feature a photograph by Santa Rosa pediatrician Dr. Leland Davis, will then be sent to physicians throughout the county.

Donations can be made by mail or by visiting the SCMA Alliance website at www.scmaa.org. The program has given scholarships to local students since the 1960s, and several former recipients are currently practicing medicine in Sonoma County.

CMA opposes Proposition 32

The board of trustees of the California Medical Association has voted to oppose Proposition 32, which would ban corporate and labor union contributions to political candidates. The proposition would also prohibit government contractors from contributing money to government officials and would forbid the use of payroll-deducted funds for “political purposes.”

CMA believes that Prop. 32 would impact the ability of CMA’s political action committee to receive contributions from members who use a corporate entity to pay CMA dues. The proposition would also impact doctors or local medical societies who hold government contracts.

Consumer, education, environmental and health care groups throughout California--including Californians Allied for Patient Protection, which protects MICRA--are opposing Prop. 32. In addition, nearly every major newspaper in the state has editorialized against the proposition.

PEOPLE

Longtime Santa Rosa gastroenterologists Drs. Richard Auld, Paul Hornberger, R. Logan Faust and Sumit Kohli have joined the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation. They will remain in their office at 1210 Sonoma Ave. Also joining Sutter is Dr. Helena Longin, a board-certified dermatologist, who will practice at 3883 Airway Dr., also in Santa Rosa.

Drs. Loie Sauer, Francesca Manfredi and Dennis McDonald were quoted at length in a recent Press Democrat article on mammogram screening guidelines. Both Dr. Sauer, a surgeon at Kaiser Santa Rosa, and Dr. McDonald, a radiologist at the Sutter Women’s Health Center, recently wrote articles on mammograms for Sonoma Medicine. Dr. Manfredi serves on the SCMA board of directors.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa recently received 5-star ratings from HealthGrades in almost a dozen different categories of care, from heart attack and hip replacement to pneumonia and sepsis. The hospital was also recognized for its women’s health programs. HealthGrades rates about 5,000 hospitals across the United States based on clinical performance in 28 categories. Grades range from one star (below average) to five stars (highest quality). Healdsburg District Hospital also received a 5-star rating for its hip fracture treatment program.

West County Health Centers has been selected to participate in the Learning from Effective Ambulatory Practices (LEAP) study being conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study is trying to determine the most effective health care delivery models in light of the physician shortage and the pending implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The West County centers--which have implemented electronic medical records and established a wellness program--are one of just 30 primary care practices nationwide to be included in the study.

The Petaluma Healthcare District has begun the formal process of re-evaluating its agreement with St. Joseph Health System to manage Petaluma Valley Hospital. The agreement doesn’t expire until 2017, and St. Joseph’s has indicated it would like to continue managing the hospital, but the board of the public district is nonetheless exploring its options, which may include soliciting proposals from other potential managers.

Add Roseland Pediatrics to the growing number of clinics affiliated with Santa Rosa Community Health Centers. The newest addition--nearly 4,000 square feet in a southwest Santa Rosa shopping center--began in a crowded mobile trailer at Roseland Elementary School, a space it has long since outgrown. The new site, directed by pediatrician Dr. Meredith Kieschnick, has 10 exam rooms and is staffed by three pediatricians, three medical assistants and a nurse. The clinic, which opened in October, will serve about 3,000 children.

For the 16th time in 17 years, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has won a Consumer Choice award from the Modern Healthcare journal. The result is based on a nationwide survey of consumers conducted by the National Research Corporation. The hospital was among 297 nationwide to achieve the distinction.

RESOURCES

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for November. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

* Understanding ARC and CARC revenue codes (Nov. 7)

* 2013 updates to meaningful use (Nov. 8)

* State disability insurance online (Nov. 14)

* Successful Medi-Cal provider enrollment (Nov. 15)

* Understanding the CBAS transition for dual eligibles (Nov. 28)

* California: A physician melting pot (Nov. 29)

CMA members can get a $200 discount on ICD-10-CM training sessions offered by AAPC, the nation’s largest coding organization. Available in either classroom or online webinar, this 3-part series gives your staff a high-level overview and fundamental knowledge of ICD-10. You’ll learn documentation challenges, the differences with ICD-9, and how ICD-10 will affect each business area of your practice. The webinars run from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. or 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The next series begins on Nov. 29, with additional webinars on Dec. 6 and 13. To learn more, go to www.cmanet.org/aapc and log in to receive the discounted member price.

CLASSIFIEDS

Family medicine positions available

Family medicine positions available with Annadel Medical Group in Sonoma County. Contact James.DeVore@stjoe.org.

Office space needed, Petaluma

Medical office space needed in Petaluma near Petaluma Valley Hospital for physician to see patients, no staff needed. Need one day a week, Monday or Thursday. Contact Tammy at 707-252-8407 or nvna@napanet.net.

Office space available, Santa Rosa

Small suite for lease. 800 sf. Reception, business office, 3 rooms, Summerfield Rd. on Sutter/Warrack campus. Contact Connie, 707-525-0211.

SCMA members get free classifieds!

APPLICANTS

Note: Because of Internet privacy concerns, News Briefs no longer lists phone numbers, fax numbers or email addresses in the Applicants section. Instead, that information will be listed in the next print edition of the Sonoma County Physician Directory.

Rachel Friedman, MD, Family Medicine, Integrative Medicine, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, Yale Univ 2008

Lynn Silver-Chalfin, MD, Pediatrics*, Public Health & Preventive Medicine, 3313 Chanate Rd., Santa Rosa, Johns Hopkins Univ 1983

* = board certified; italics = special medical interest