June 2016

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• MMS NEWS
• Reminder: Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016
• Physician directory verifications extended to June 30
• Sept 28 Awards Dinner honors exemplary service to medicine
• Marin Medicine updates
• Dr. Michael Kowk confirmed as MMS president-elect
• MMS applicants
• LOCAL NEWS
• PRACTICE RESOURCES
• CLASSIFIEDS

MMS NEWS

Reminder: Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016

Under California law, all individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) must submit an application to register for the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) by July 1, 2016.

Physician directory verifications extended to June 30

All local physicians are reminded to return their 2016-17 Marin County Physician Directory verification forms as soon as possible. The forms were mailed May 17, and the deadline has been extended to June 30. If you need a copy, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375.

Sept 28 Awards Dinner honors exemplary service to medicine

Join us Sept. 28 as MMS celebrates exemplary service to medicine at the 2016 Outstanding Contribution Awards Dinner in collaboration with Marin Health & Human Services and Healthy Marin Partnership.

The 2016 Awards Dinner will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards presentations at 7 p.m. The program features four physician awards and recognition of a local organization:

• Outstanding Contribution to Community Health: David Witt, MD
• Outstanding Contribution to Marin County Medicine: Jeffrey Schneider, MD
• Outstanding Contribution to MMS: Lori Selleck, MD
• Marin Medicine Article of the Year: Gail Altschuler, MD
• Recognition of Achievement: RxSafe Marin

The awards reflect a significant tribute of respect, recognition and appreciation on the part of MMS physicians. CClick here to view your invitation.

Marin Medicine updates

The fall/winter issue of Marin Medicine will focus on the theme of emergency medicine. The editorial board is asking physicians to consider submitting or recommending informative articles related to emergency medicine. Please contact Marin Medicine's editor, Howard Daniel, at 707-888-4724 or howard@pen4rent.com.

Also, are you interested in participating on the Marin Medicine editorial board? The board is a committee of the MMS board of directors, charged with identifying topics and authors for informative articles and reviewing/approving manuscripts for semi-annual issues of the magazine. Chaired by Dr. Irina deFischer, the editorial board convenes at a dinner meeting in January and June. For details, contact Marin Medicine's editor, Howard Daniel, at 707-888-4724 or howard@pen4rent.com.

The spring/summer issue of Marin Medicine is now available in print and online. The theme of Death and Dying includes a number of timely articles by Marin physicians plus CMA Guidelines to the End of Life Option Act and Resources for end-of-life decisions for physicians and patients.

Dr. Michael Kowk confirmed as MMS president-elect

The MMS election results are in, and Dr. Michael Kwok, internal medicine, Novato, has been confirmed as 2016-17 MMS president-elect. He will become president in July 2017. Dr. Peter Bretan, will serve a second term as MMS president from July 2016 through June 2017; this will be his fifth term as president over a span of 11 years.

Others elected to the leadership positions include Dr. Naveen Kumar, secretary/treasurer, and Drs. Jason Nau, Naveen Kumar, Peter Bretan, and Irina deFischer to the board of directors. Dr. Lori Selleck has been re-elected as a delegate to CMA, and Dr. Michael Kwok as an alternate delegate. In July, the complete list of MMS leadership will be posted on the website at www.marinmedicalsociety.org.

MMS applicants

Welcome, new MMS/CMA member!

Christopher Voscopoulos, MD, Anesthesiology, 10 Woodland Rd., St. Helena, Tulane Univ 2006

LOCAL NEWS

Marin General Hospital honors Greenbrae family's outstanding support
Marin General Hospital announced the installation of a new street sign honoring the Schultz family for their historic contributions to the hospital and Greenbrae community. The sign on Schultz Memorial Drive, which is located at the northern entrance to the hospital campus, was unveiled May 19.

In addition to their ongoing leadership, the Schultz family has provided financial support to the Capital Campaign for construction of the new Marin General Hospital, upgrades to the hospital's emergency department, and contributions benefiting the hospital's family birth center, breast health center, Cancer Institute and more.

RCHC receives $10,000 grant to accelerate work on prescription painkiller epidemic
Redwood Community Health Coalition (RCHC) has received a California HealthCare Foundation grant to accelerate work addressing the misuse of prescription painkillers. RCHC and the Sonoma County Department of Health Services will collaborate with stakeholders to discuss lowering prescription painkiller overuse and overdose deaths in Marin, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

The Coalition's goals are to increase opioid safety by: 1) Supporting safe prescribing practices through the development and implementation of common opioid prescribing guidelines among primary care provider and hospital emergency departments; 2) Expanding access to buprenorphine treatment for health center patients; and 3) Developing policies, procedures and funding options to ensure access to naloxone for opioid overdose prevention for Partnership Health Plan's high-risk Medi-Cal patients.

For more information, contact Mary Maddux-González, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer, Redwood Community Health Coalition at 707-285-2970 or mmgonzalez@rchc.net.

PRACTICE RESOURCES

Practice Management Tip of the Month: June
Don't forget: All California physicians with DEA certificates must submit their CURES registration applications by July 1, 2016. CMA has a number of resources for practices, including tips on how to register for CURES 2.0 and an on-demand webinar that walks users through the process. These resources are available at www.cmanet.org/cures.  Click here to access the June Tip of the Month.

CLASSIFIEDS

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

San Francisco Financial District
Medical office sublet for 1 or 2 days per week. Central location at Battery and Market. Jeffrey Binstock, MD, 415-956-8686.

Sublet Mill Valley medical office
535 Miller Ave. office available on Mondays. 2 exam rooms, adequate parking, beautiful space. Jeffery Binstock, MD, 415-383-5475.

Steal my practice. I'm retiring.
Fall in love with practicing medicine again. Proven, profitable weight loss practice in Marin County. Multiple 6 figures, ready to take it to the next level. Work-life balance, time freedom, financial security, relationship-driven practice.

I'm 100% committed to all the support necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Contact for more information or to schedule a visit. Gail Altschuler, MD, 415-309-6258 or drgail@marinweightloss.com.

Free classifieds for MMS members!
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.

© 2016 MMS, 2312 Bethards Dr. #6, Santa Rosa, CA 95405