2018 In Review: Change and Progress at MSDC
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MSDC leaders and staff worked tirelessly on behalf of our member physicians and their patients in 2018. Legislative victories included access to care, women’s health, behavioral health, and reducing opioid and tobacco use. Read about MSDC's physician advocacy, growing community and member resources in the
2018 Annual Report
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2018 Physician License Renewal - Outstanding Issues
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December 31, 2018 was the deadline to renew a DC physician license without penalty. Some physicians have seen that their new expiration date is not indicated on the licensure lookup system. This is because there are currently two licensure lookup systems
– one for renewed licenses, and one for newly issued licenses. You can find both lookup systems on the Board of Medicine's website,
https://dchealth.dc.gov/bomed
, and scroll down to “Licensure Search”.
The DC Board of Medicine is also aware that physicians experienced document upload issues during renewal (largely due to problems with Internet Explorer, and licensees were recommended to use Chrome or Firefox.). Because of these problems, the deadline to upload documents
only
has been extended until January 31, 2019, as described in the
Board of Medicine notice.
Other resources related to 2018 DC license renewal:
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Welcome New MSDC Members!
We are pleased to welcome the following physicians who recently joined the Medical Society:
Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD
George Lakner, MD
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DC Legislative Update
“
LOVE
” is in the air at the Council as the District’s legislative body has kicked off its 23
rd
session. What is unusual about this Council is that its membership has not changed meaning there is a sense of continuity from the previous two years. It also means a number of major priorities from the Council that were not concluded in 2018 likely will be resurrected in this session.
Early in this new session the majority of legislation has focused on the impact of the government shutdown (the aforementioned LOVE Act), high-profile social issues (recreational marijuana regulation), or favorite issues for the individual Council members. From a medical community perspective, Chairman Gray retains the chairmanship of the Committee on Health and has the same committee membership as the 22
nd
Council. We expect to see (and MSDC to work on) issues related to health equity “east of the river” and opioid use disorder early this year.
"
Live.Long.DC.
", the Mayor's plan to reduce opioid addictions and deaths, was released last week. The plan was widely seen as important to overcoming a crisis that has
led to
a 178% increase in fatal overdoses from opioid use from 2014 to 2016.
The Medical Society was especially supportive of the plan's goal to remove prior authorization for medication-assisted-treatment (MAT), and MSDC issued a
statement
applauding that goal and the Mayor's plan.
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National Policy
AMA: Issues to Watch in the 116th Congress
Under the shadow of a partial government shutdown, the 116th Congress convened on January 3. The House is now under the leadership of Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), finds himself with a slightly larger Republican majority than the one he enjoyed over the previous two years. Recent polling has continued to demonstrate that there are a handful of health care issues at the top of the minds of many voters and, consequently, their representatives in Congress. Among them are health care costs—particularly the cost of health insurance and prescription drugs.
Democrats in the House have already acted to preserve the ACA by taking steps to intervene in ongoing litigation (Texas v. Azar) in which a Federal District Court in Texas recently ruled the ACA was unconstitutional.
On the issue of prescription drug prices, there are some areas where Republicans and Democrats may find common ground. The new Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Charles Grassley (R-IA), expressed in a recent Senate floor speech a strong interest in stopping the exploitation of regulatory loopholes by industry which unfairly extends monopolies over drugs, reducing competition. Other areas that will likely see activity in the new Congress include a close examination of drivers of health care costs overall, as well as the issue of unanticipated medical bills from out-of-network physicians and other providers.
Despite the intense interest on these and other concerns in the health care sphere, the reality of a politically divided Congress will make enactment of significant new legislation a challenge.
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Are You Frustrated By Prior Authorization?
Is prior authorization a burden on you or your patients? Do you want an innovative solution to prior authorization challenges? MSDC leadership is working to develop new solutions and is seeking a select group of volunteers to share their experience, time and insights. Contact Robert Hay, Jr. at
hay@msdc.org
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MSDC eNewsline
Editor
Pia R. Duryea
202-355-9414 (direct)
202-466-1800 (main)
MSDC Media
Follow us on social media!
2018-2019 Board of Directors
Susanne Bathgate, MD
Chair of the Board, At-large
Raymond Tu, MD, MS
President, AMA Alternate Delegate
J. Desiree Pineda, MD
President-elect, AMA Alternate Delegate
Barry L. Lewis, MD, MBA
Immediate Past President
Joseph E. Gutierrez, MD
Treasurer, AMA Delegation Chair
Peter E. Lavine, MD
AMA Delegate
Laurie Duncan, MBBS, MS
At-large
E.W. Emanuel, MD
At-large
Alice Fuisz, MD
At-large, Secretary
Daniel I. Perlin, MD
At-large
Marc Rankin, MD
At-large
Carla C. Sandy, MD
At-large
Robert Hay Jr., CAE
Executive Vice President
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Which Physicians Are Happiest?
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Women In Medicine Seek Input
MSDC physician leaders met to plan events in the coming year for MSDC's Women in Medicine group (#MSDC_WIM). Women physicians, p
lease take this quick,
one-question poll,
to help MSDC better understand what types of events are of interest.
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MSDC Staff To Speak on Physician Employment
MSDC's Director of Membership and Communications, Pia Duryea, will be co-presenting a panel at the 2019 Annual Conference of the American Association of Medical Society Executives in Pittsburgh, PA on July 24-26, 2019. The panel will explore evolving trends in physician employment, a topic that impacts many physicians, especially those here in the District.
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Thank you to our corporate supporters
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CDC: Surgeon General's Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth: A Public Health Epidemic
The Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, VADM Jerome Adams, MD, is emphasizing the importance of protecting our children from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and associated health risks by immediately addressing the epidemic of youth e-cigarette use. A great concern is the recent surge in e-cigarette use among youth, which has been fueled by new types of e-cigarettes that have recently entered the market
.
E-cigarette use has become an epidemic among our nation’s young people; however, the good news is that we know what works to effectively protect our kids from all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes. We must now apply these strategies to e-cigarettes, including USB flash drive shaped products such as JUUL.
To achieve success, we must work together, aligning and coordinating efforts across both old and new partners at the national, state, and local levels. Everyone can play an important role in protecting our nation’s youth from the risks of e-cigarettes.
Clinicians can:
- Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of e-cigarette use, including JUUL, for young people at https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/.
- Ask about e-cigarettes, including small, discreet devices such as JUUL, when screening patients for the use of any tobacco products.
- Educate patients about the risks of all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes, for young people.
- Encourage patients to quit. For free help, patients can visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
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End the Epidemic: Opioid-related Resources and News
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Meth is Making a Comeback Amid Opioid Crisis
Kaiser Health News
reported that hospitalizations for amphetamine use are “skyrocketing,” yet the trend has gone largely unnoticed because of “the nation’s intense focus on opioids.” A
study
in the Journal of the American Medication Association found hospitalizations for amphetamine abuse – typically of meth – were up 245% in the period from 2008 to 2015, a rise that “dwarfs the rise in hospitalizations from other drugs, such as opioids, which were up by about 46%.” Kaiser Health News adds that police suspect meth is cheaper and more available than opioids.
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DC Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
AMA "End the Epidemic" Website
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New Process for Local Coverage Determination
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*DON'T MISS*
Everything You Need to Lose Weight and Get Healthy
January 11-12, 2019
Embassy Suites Chevy Chase Pavilion (4300 Military Rd., NW, Washington, DC)
Test Drive a Vegan Diet with Dr. Neal Barnard’s Kickstart Intensive. Registration Includes:
More than 15 Lectures by Nutrition Experts, four delicious meals, key health metrics measured on-site, meal planning and cooking demonstrations, and more. Read more in this
flier
. Reserve your seat now at 202-527-7337 or visit
BarnardMedical Kickstart
Cost: $329 per person. Discounts available for registering more than one person.
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Abdominal Wall Reconstruction 2019
June 6-8, 2019
Grand Hyatt Washington (1001 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20001)
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is pleased to announce Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (AWR) Conference taking place on June 6 to 8, 2019. This comprehensive conference will offer evidence-based discussion on all aspects of AWR through lectures and case presentations to address the growing rate of hernia repairs and updates in technology and procedures. We will also cover the high overall complication rate as well as the association of ventral hernia repair as the cause of the second highest postoperative readmission rate. The agenda is constructed to provide an in-depth understanding of the complexity of AWR.
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Medical Real Estate Listings
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Brought to you by MSDC Corporate Partner GZ Medical Realty. Contact
Pete Papantoniou
for your real estate needs.
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Office Sublet Available
600 square foot sublet available
on 19th Street NW between Farragut North and Dupont Circle Metro. Brand new build out with separate suite number, entrance, waiting area. One office and one exam room with large window. One smaller office without windows. Sublet space is connected to an established private internal medicine practice. Price negotiable
. Contact Dr. Alice Fuisz if interested.
alicefuiszacp@gmail.com
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2440 M Street NW
2440 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
2440 M Street is a Class A 110,000 SF medical office building with a three-level parking garage in northwest Washington, DC. The building has abundant patient and physician parking. Please contact
Peter Papantoniou
at 301-961-1941 or see the
online listing
for more information.
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Part Time/Full Time Office Space Available
3 Washington Circle
Washington, DC 20037
Part time/full time office space available immediately at 3 Washington Circle. This includes a large consultation room, fully equipped examination room, lab drawing facility onsite, EKG machine, space for receptionist, space for medical records, shared use of copier, telephone system, wireless internet and waiting room. Ideal for general internist, medical subspecialist or surgeon. If interested, please call Mark Sklar, MD. 202-887-4769 or email
mmsklar@gmail.com
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Boutique Townhouse Medical Office for Rent Across From GWU Hospital/ Medical School
900 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
Boutique townhouse medical office for rent across from G.W.U. Hospital & School of Medicine. Very close to Foggy Bottom Metro. Three rooms, one on entry level with powered table/chair & overhead surgical light. Consultation room, reception/waiting room, & possibility of 2 additional rooms. Two-car driveway. Call/text Sheldon K. Gottlieb, MD, 301-509-3319, or email
skgottliebmd@comcast.net
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Woodburn Medical Park
3229 Woodburn Road
Merrifield, VA 22003
Woodburn Medical Park is located within walking distance of INOVA hospital directly off Capital Beltway. Common area was recently upgraded. Contact
Peter Papantoniou
at 301-961-1941 or see the
online listing
for more information.
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Full Time/ Part Time Office Space Available
Well-designed and attractively decorated office of three general internists has additional consulting room/exam room suite available. Looking for another general internist to share space and overhead in fully staffed and equipped internal medicine office. Shared call coverage is possible. Contact Alan Stone, MD, 202-466-8118 or
aws.md@verizon.net
.
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Medical Resources and Announcements
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The DC Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) is actively recruiting for medical and public health professionals. The MRC is a
network of local medical volunteers who are willing to donate their time during emergencies and other times of community need like parades or inaugurations. All volunteers receive comprehensive instruction in areas of emergency response. Learn more
here
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Online Vaccine Resources for Providers and Patients
From MSDC partner, Atlantic Health Partners
From the annual influenza season and the beginning of the school year, to the threat of vaccine-preventable disease that travelers may face while abroad, there are many reasons for healthcare providers to be knowledgeable about immunization and be prepared to inform their patients.
There are credible, scientifically-backed resources that providers and patients alike can use to be informed and protected. We rounded up some of the best online resources to help providers and patients with all kinds of vaccine-related issues and questions.
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Medical Society of the District of Columbia
1250 23rd Street NW, Ste 270
Washington, DC 20037
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