Sponsor Message:
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| Regsiter Today for WCMS' Newcomers' Picnic |
Registration is now open for our Newcomers' Picnic! Join us for this fun, inter-generational event at Yesterday Spaces farm in Leicester. All WCMS physician members and their families are invited to attend-you don't have to be a "newcomer!" Colleagues, significant others and kids are welcome! We'll have dinner, drinks, lawn games, a bonfire and more.
September 24 from 4-7pm.
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Registration now open for WCMS' Healthy Healer Retreat: Medicine & Family: New Challenges; New Solutions
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In this entertaining and thought-provoking seminar, noted speaker Rebecca Fallon of the Sotile Center for Resilience and Center for Physician Resilience, will shed light on the inner workings of contemporary medical providers and their families who manage to have it all: productive careers, high levels of collaboration and collegiality in the medical workplace, and thriving personal lives. Drawing material from the Sotiles' books, over 15 years of clinical and consulting experiences, and her practice's ground-breaking research with medical families, Rebecca will teach practical strategies that can immediately make a difference in your work and family relationships, regardless of how you define "family."
This event is FREE for all WCMS Members. Discounts apply for non-member physicians and PAs of Gold Level sponsoring hospitals. $75 for non-member physicians and PAs. Significant others attend free of charge! CME will be offered and we'll be giving a copy of the Sotile's book "Letting Go of What's Holding you Back" to all attending physicians and PAs.
Register online today
HERE!
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MAHEC Job Fair 9/20/17
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Bringing MAHEC Residents in touch with practice opportunities in WNC.
Reserve your spot today! Space is limited to 30 practice sites and includes 2 representatives per site.
Click here
for more details
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Mission CEO: You can't compare David and Goliath
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A barrage of negative advertising and misleading claims from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina have generated a common question: "How much is enough?" Since reporting more than half a billion dollars of profit ($542 million) for the first six months of 2017 - that important question has new and very profound meaning.
Let's put BCBSNC's extraordinary profits into context: it would take Mission more than fifteen years to earn what BCBSNC did in just six months. If Mission accepted BCBSNC's below zero or 'forever zero' contract offers, we would be devastated - slowly, but surely over the coming years. Read full article
here.
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A Closer Look: What Does The Proposed New "Partnership" Among Health Care Systems Mean For Local Health Care Patients
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As the UNC Health Care system, which manages Hendersonville's Pardee Hospital under a contract agreement with Henderson County which still owns the hospital, moves toward a "partnership" with Carolinas Health Care system...there are a lot of questions about how this will affect local health care and local patients and physicians.
First of all, as we have reported, this proposed "partnership" is not a full-fledged merger...at least for now, it's only a "partnership" between the two very large health care systems. But "partnerships" can lead to mergers.,.and if that happens with these two health care systems, the merger will create one of the largest health care systems in the country, involving more than 50 hospitals and over 90,000 employees. Read full article
here.
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Mission Health and BCBSNC continue to battle over contract
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As Mission Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina engage in a high-profile, high-stakes contract dispute that could result in local residents paying more for care at the region's largest health service provider, many say they are losing patience with the wrangling.
"I think that these two megacorps should be ashamed of themselves for playing hardball with each other at the expense, mental and emotional, of their clients. This has caused a lot of unnecessary stress on people, including people who are ill," Debbie Peterson of Asheville tells Xpress. "To threaten loss of insurance coverage, and that is pretty much what it is, should not be allowed and customers should not be used as pawns." Read full article
here.
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Mission Health will expand use of 3-D observation to eliminate patient falls
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While one might think patient falls are inevitable in a hospital, health system Mission Health says it may may be able to eliminate the issue through the use of virtual 3-D observation technology. In fact, it's so bullish on the tech that it plans to include the system in every room of its new 220-bed Hospital for Advanced Medicine by the time it opens in Spring 2019.
The system conducted a 90-day pilot in 2015 in its neuroscience unit using the new tech, which is designed to prevent falls. During that period, there were zero unassisted falls with patients monitored by the observation technology compared with 10 unassisted falls with the standard treatment patient group. Read article
here.
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Health Management Associates, Community Care of North Carolina Form Strategic Partnership
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Today, Health Management Associates (HMA) and Community Care of North Carolina, Inc. (CCNC) announced the formation of a strategic partnership that will leverage the complementary skills and expertise of both organizations to offer providers and payers innovative solutions for the challenges of today's healthcare landscape.
HMA works with states, health plans, and providers across the country to develop more effective ways to deliver and pay for the healthcare of vulnerable populations. That work includes a breadth of experience developing and implementing strategies for new organizational structures to transform practices and establish clinically integrated systems (including behavioral health integration), creating mutually beneficial connections between delivery systems and managed care organizations, and operationalizing strategies for multiple provider network development. Read full article
here.
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NC Medicaid Comments Submission by NCMS
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On behalf of the more than 12,000 physician and physician assistant members of the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), we respectfully submit these comments on the Proposed Plan Design for NC Medicaid. We appreciate the ongoing conversation with NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and appreciate the opportunity to comment on these and future proposals regarding the transition to managed care in NC.
The NCMS has been engaged in helping to make NC Medicaid successful for decades. Our members participate in all aspects of the program and our organization has been an integral voice in helping to shape the future of Medicaid. Read more
here.
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Healthy Healer - What is provider burnout?
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Burnout is a long-term stress reaction characterized by depersonalization, including cynical or negative attitudes toward patients, emotional exhaustion, a feeling of decreased personal achievement and a lack of empathy for patients. By measuring and responding to burnout you will be able to:
- Reduce sources of stress
- Intervene with programs and policies that support professional well-being
- Prevent burnout
Go through interactive materials
here.
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Asheville Arthritis & Osteoporosis Welcomes Two New Physicians
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On behalf of WCMS, welcome Dr. Sunil Abraham and Dr. Ana Arango.
Read physician bios
here.
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Dash n' Dine with Asheville Hematology and Oncology
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Join Asheville Hematology and Oncology in welcoming Dr. Louay Hanna; the newest addition to their team!
This is also an opportunity to learn more about their comprehensive oncology and hematology capabilities at convenient locations for your patients. Tour their Asheville facility, receive helpful information for your patients and grab a boxed dinner to take home. Read more
here.
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WCMS Job Board
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Medical Office Space: for a 1-2 provider practice to share with an established wellness/GYN solo practitioner. We are most interested in office based practitioners of lifestyle, integrative, or functional medicine. Please contact Erin Elliot at (828)489-3942 for more information.
If you are a 100% Member Practice, posting job openings here is FREE!
Click here
for more information.
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WCMS is a thriving 650+ member professional association of the physicians of Western North Carolina, and a chartered component medical society of the NC Medical Society and the AMA. WCMS is an organization run by physicians, for physicians. In 2017, WCMS opened membership to physician assistants.
Our Mission
WCMS Association: WCMSA is the physicians' voice advocating for the health of the physician, the patient, and the community, through strengthening the physician-patient relationship.
WCMS Foundation: WCMSF is the physician and community-led charitable arm of the medical society improving access to quality healthcare, decreasing disparities in health, and promoting health & wellness.
Our Vision
To be a dynamic physician community dedicated to a healthy, vibrant Western North Carolina.
About WCMS
The purpose of WCMS is:
- To strengthen the voice of WNC physicians in advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of our region
- To inform, educate and prepare physicians for rapidly occurring changes in health care at national, state, and local levels
- To share legislative and policy information and advocate on behalf of physicians in areas of mutual interest
- To share available resources in areas of mutual interest
- To promote physician-to-physician communication and dialogue in an open, honest and safe environment
We hope you enjoy our weekly e-Newsletter. If you have questions or suggestions please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
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| Miriam Schwarz |
Miriam Schwarz, MPA
WCMS CEO/Executive Director
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