Decemeber 2015

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• MMS NEWS
• Opioid Prescribing Guidelines available
• Pay your dues by Jan. 15 and receive a 5% discount
• Join the fight to protect medicine: be a Legislative Key Contact
• Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 13
• TOP CMA STORIES
• PRACTICE RESOURCES
• CLASSIFIEDS
• ABOUT MMS

MMS NEWS

Opioid Prescribing Guidelines available

The recently completed "Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Marin County Clinicians," developed in collaboration between the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, the RxSafe Marin Prescribers, the Pharmacists Committee, and the Marin Medical Society, are now being distributed to Marin County prescribers and are available through MMS as a downloadable PDF for print or for email. Many requests for this highly anticipated guide have already been received.

The Guidelines were also printed in the fall/winter 2015-16 issue of Marin Medicine: click here to view the online PDF. Other feature articles in this issue address spine surgery, vertebral augmentation, and malingering in chronic pain patients; departments include an exploration of the art of M.C. Escher and a physician's experience at Burning Man festivals.

Pay your dues by Jan. 15 and receive a 5% discount

Invoices for 2016 were recently mailed to all MMS members. To receive a 5% discount, simply pay by Jan. 15, 2016. The discount is already calculated on the invoice, and you can pay by check or credit card.

In addition to standard dues, the invoice allows members to make additional donations to CMA's political action committee (CALPAC) at a variety of levels. Donations can also be made to the MICRA Education Fund and the CMA Physician's Issues Committee.

For questions regarding your invoice, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 415-924-3891 or rachel@marinmedicalsociety.org. 

Join the fight to protect medicine: be a Legislative Key Contact

Critical issues affecting today's physicians are being decided in the legislative arena. Health care reform, medical liability and insurance regulations are being debated and voted on by decision-makers in Sacramento. CMA has the best lobbyists, lawyers and other advocates in the Capitol, but the most powerful weapon in advancing the cause of physicians and their patients is YOU. Hearing from a physician with experience from the frontlines of medicine can make all the difference for a legislator facing a complicated health care issue.

You don't have to be a political expert or know a legislator directly to serve as a Legislative Key Contact. You just need the desire to make an impact, and MMS/CMA will give you the rest. Click here for more information. You can also contact Dr. Peter Bretan at bretanp@msn.com or Cynthia Melody at 707-525-4375, cmelody@scma.org. 

Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 13

The California Medical Association (CMA) will host its annual Legislative Advocacy Day on April 13 at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. Please join your peers meeting our local legislators in their Capitol offices about a variety of pending legislation and health care issues. For more information, visit www.cmanet.org/events or contact Cynthia Melody at 707-525-4375 or cmelody@scma.org. 

TOP CMA STORIES

CMA publishes the biweekly e-newsletter, CMA Alert, to keep its members up-to-date on critical issues affecting the practice of medicine in California. Click here to view the current issue.

PRACTICE RESOURCES

Webinars and Leadership Academy

Upcoming Webinars
Dec. 16: Meaningful Use: 2015 and 2016 Modified Rules

 Jan. 12: Care Integration for Opioid-Dependent High Utilizers
Learn how the Center for Integrative Medicine set up a patient-centered and sustainable model for high utilizers of emergency departments, integrating addiction and mental health treatment into primary care, and lowering ED visits by over 50%. Discussions include: Rationale for integrated care models; Comprehensive care and the Center for Integrative Medicine Model; Funding streams for integrated care in California; Setting a foundation for successful implementation; The role of teams in integrated care; and Clinical approaches (medication-assisted treatment, pain management, trauma-informed care, and behavioral health). This all-day seminar runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Oakland Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland. Click here for details and registration.

Archived webinars
CMA's archived webinars are free to SCMA members and staff. Nonmember fee: $99. For more information, contact CMA's member-help center, 800-786-4262 or memberservice@cmanet.org.

 May 13-15: 2016 Western Health Care Leadership Academy
Save the date for the 2016 Western Health Care Leadership Academy, which will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square from Friday, May 13, through Sunday, May 15. Click here for more information.

 CMA Practice Resources (CPR) is a free monthly e-bulletin from the California Medical
Association's practice management experts. It focuses on critical payor and health care industry changes and how they directly impact the business of a physician practice. Each issue includes tips on reimbursement and contracting-related issues, along with information on the latest practice management news. View the current issue.

CLASSIFIEDS

Looking to share medical office space?
Suite 303 at Novato Community Hospital MOB. Terms negotiable. Call 415-892-0904 M, T, or TH from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Peter Bretan, MD.

Medical condo for sale
Located on South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae. 415-435-8589.

MMS members get free classifieds!
MMS members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Marin Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102.

ABOUT MMS

The Marin Medical Society, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1898, MMS is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Visit us at www.marinmedicalsociety.org.

© 2015 MMS, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405