Marin Medical Society

MMS News Briefs

January 2012

January 1, 2012 MMS News Briefs January 2012 0

CalHIPSO extends free enrollment deadline to Feb. 29


The free enrollment deadline for CalHIPSO, which provides assistance for primary care physicians who are transitioning to electronic health records, has been extended to Feb. 29. The nonprofit organization offers technical assistance, access to vendors, educational webinars, reduced pricing on software, and many other benefits.

 

Free CalHIPSO enrollment is available to primary care physicians in small private practices, community health centers, rural health clinics or certain hospital ambulatory care clinics. Primary care physicians in other types of practice settings can enroll in CalHIPSO for just $150.

 

Interested physicians should visit www.CalHIPSO.org or contact Kent Waldsmith at kent@calhipso.org or 510-285-5745.



New low-income health plan scheduled for Marin County


Path2Health, a new low-income health plan affiliated with the statewide County Medical Services Program (CMSP), is scheduled to begin in Marin County this month. The new plan provides no-cost coverage to adults who are at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, or about $10,890 annually for a single person.

 

CMSP is a longstanding program that serves about 60,000 low-income adults in 34 mostly rural California counties. About 30,000 more adults are expected to enroll in Path2Health by the end of next year. Path2Health coverage generally parallels the CMSP plan and includes primary care, hospital care, pharmacy services, and limited dental and vision care.

 

Path2Health will be administered by Anthem Blue Cross. Physicians interested in providing services to Path2Health patients need to join the Anthem Blue Cross network. Complete details are available at www.mypath2health.org.




Stay in touch by downloading DocBookMD


DocBookMD--a smartphone application that offers on-demand messaging, multi-media collaboration and fast look-up of your colleagues--is being offered without charge to MMS members thanks to funding from MIEC. For details on downloading your free copy, visit www.docbookmd.com/med_socs/marin.

 

One of the key features of DocBookMD is the ability to send and receive high-resolution images, including X-rays, EKGs, or photos of wounds. All messaging is secure and fully HIPAA compliant. The application, designed by physicians for physicians, will help you save time and prevent delays at point of care.

 

Not an MMS member? Complete the online application form at www.marinmedicalsociety.org or contact Rachel Pandolfi at 415-924-3891 or mms@marinmedicalsociety.org.

 



CDC seeking nominations for breast cancer advisory committee


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking nominations for physicians interested in serving on its Advisory Committee for Breast Cancer in Young Women. The committee advises the CDC and other government agencies about developing, implementing and evaluating evidence-based activities designed to prevent breast cancer in young women and promote early detection.

 

The committee meets twice a year, usually in Atlanta, and each meeting last about 3 days. Interested physicians should email a statement of interest, a current resume and a 150-word biography to MMS Executive Director Cynthia Melody by Monday, Jan. 9. Her email is cynthia@marinmedicalsociety.org, and her phone is 415-924-3891.

  



MEDICAL FACILITIES


Marin General Hospital has expanded its reach in Sonoma County by affiliating with Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol. The agreement is similar to the one MGH made last spring with Sonoma Valley Hospital in the town of Sonoma. The resulting three-hospital network is expected to lower individual facility costs by consolidating lab, pharmacy and radiology services, as well as accounting and other administrative departments. Affiliation will also bring the Prima Medical Foundation into Sebastopol, a move that is expected to help with physician recruitment and retention.

 

Thanks to $1.5 million in community donations, the Haynes Cardiovascular Institute at Marin General has purchased new cardiovascular navigation and imaging systems for its electrophysiology lab, as well as a cardiac stimulator. “We now will be able to increase efficiency considerably, resulting in shorter anesthesia times and even better outcomes,” said the lab’s director, Dr. Sujoya Dey. The Haynes Institute includes an accredited chest pain center and provides treatments for heart and vascular disease.



RESOURCES


CMA is hosting a webinar on Medicare E&M audits from 12:15 to 2 p.m. on Jan. 25. The session will cover E&M documentation recommendations in light of electronic health records, forms and pre-printed sheets. Examples from recent Medicare audits will be presented, and attendees will learn how to select the proper level of E&M coding based on CPT guidelines and other considerations. The webinar, which includes 1 CEU credit, is free to CMA members; nonmembers pay $99. To register, visit www.cmanet.org/events or call 800-786-4262.

 

Another CMA webinar, Key Financial Ratios to Increase Profitability, will be held from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 1. The workshop will teach critical skills in analyzing the practice profit/loss statement for overhead expense, accounts receivable and staffing ratios, and how to access specialty comparison norms for benchmarking. The webinar, which includes 1 CEU credit, is free to CMA members; nonmembers pay $99. To register, visit www.cmanet.org/events or call 800-786-4262.

 

The 19th annual HIV/AIDS Review will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Rosa from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. This educational seminar and luncheon is for physicians, midlevel practitioners and pharmacists who provide care to people with HIV/AIDS. For details, call 707-527-6223.

 

CMA Practice Resources is a free email bulletin for full of tips and tools to help CMA members and their office staff improve practice efficiency and viability. To subscribe, visit the Publications page at www.cmanet.org.



APPLICANTS


Monte Bible, DO, Occupational Medicine*, 99 Montecillo Rd., 765-3800, Fax 765-3808, monte.l.bible@kp.org, Coll Osteo Med Pacific 1987

 

Marsha Bluto, MD, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury, PO Box 2490, Mill Valley 94942, 380-1840, Fax 380-1842, mdbluto@gmail.com, Stanford Univ 2011

 

Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD, Public Health & General Preventive Medicine, 899 Northgate Dr. #104, San Rafael 94903, 473-4163, Fax 473-2326, jeberhart-phillips@co.marin.ca.us, UC San Francisco 1988

 

Timothy LeDean, DO, Occupational Medicine*, 99 Montecillo Rd., 444-2900, Fax 444-2899, timothy.ledean@kp.org, Ohio Univ Osteo 1987

 

* = board certified; italics = special medical interest



CLASSIFIEDS


Part-time medical director needed for Marin Services for Women

Marin Services for Women (MSW), a residential addiction treatment program for women, needs a medical director/psychiatrist (our clients have co-occurring psychiatric conditions) who will see insured MSW women clients during a one hour per day time slot twice a week (example Tuesdays and Thursdays 3 to 4 p.m.) We will drive our clients to the doctor’s office. The doctor would bill the health insurance companies directly and bill the client directly for any remaining fee cost--most insurance will pay the out-of-network rate. For more information, contact Debbie Tate at dtate@mswinc.org or 415-924-5995, ext. 114, or debbietate@debbietate.com.

 

Shred-It

On-site guaranteed service. Office console provided. Stay compliant. Free consultation. Contact Marie Anderson at 415-721-7278 or marie.anderson@shredit.com.

 

How to submit a classified ad
To submit a classified ad for MMS News Briefs or Marin Medicine, contact Erika Goodwin at erika@scma.org or 707-548-6491. The cost is one dollar per word.



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. We are affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

 

© 2012 MMS, PO Box 246, Corte Madera, CA 94976





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