WORD TO THE WISE
Newsletter: May 2019 - Volume 19, No. 5
In this issue:
  • President's corner: Your help needed - complete burnout survey
  • Update from your CMS BOD rep: Legislative session concludes
  • Thanks to Dr. Lakin for representing PCMS on COL
  • Upcoming PCMS events: Physician burnout and 2019 events
  • Other Events: Workshop on Mediterranean diet; workshop on growing and cooking with herbs; MHAP dinner; Pueblo Chamber golf tournament
  • News: COPD event, physician salaries, wellness toolkit
  • News from CMS: Legislative report
  • News from AMA: Physician Practice Benchmark Survey
PRESIDENT'S CORNER  
Special request: Complete the Pueblo physician burnout survey
I urge all Pueblo physicians to complete a special survey on burnout. Click here to access it. Jeffrey Moody, MD, guest speaker for our May 23 educational event, developed this survey specifically for our region by combining questions specific to Pueblo physicians with the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the official burnout measurement tool. It is offered free of charge to our members and will help determine our local burnout rate – which he will present during his talk. Read more here.
UPDATE FROM YOUR CMS BOD REP  
Legislative session adjourns with big wins and a big change
The Colorado General Assembly adjourned Friday, May 3, after a whirlwind session that put health care law and policy in the spotlight. Despite the great opportunities and vulnerabilities for physicians, we made real gains. I want to thank our local legislator, Senate President Leroy Garcia, for his dedication and leadership this session on the Professional Review Act Sunset. Read more here.
Thanks to Dr. Terry Lakin for his service on the CMS Council on Legislation
Dr. Terry Lakin, DO, MPH, was appointed to be our PCMS representative on the CMS Council on Legislation in February 2019. Dr. Lakin is a highly respected primary care physician in Pueblo and has been an invaluable member of PCMS since 2011. Each component medical society is entitled to two seats on the Colorado Medical Society’s Council on Legislation, which reviews and decides positions on multiple bills under consideration by the Colorado General Assembly. It’s wonderful to finally have a representative from Pueblo on the Council, taking time out of his very busy schedule to represent the best interests of PCMS membership. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Cheryl at cheryl.law@pueblocms.org. 
PCMS EVENTS
Your Work or Your Life? Physician Burnout in 2019 – May 23, 6-8:30 p.m.

Join PCMS Thursday, May 23, 2019, 6-8:30 p.m., for an educational event at Union Depot in Pueblo. The topic is physician burnout with speaker Jeffrey Moody, MD (pictured). Dr. Moody will present findings from our local physician burnout survey. Complete the survey here, even if you cannot attend the event. Click here for complete event details and to RSVP.
Save the date for upcoming PCMS events in 2019
Further details online at pueblocms.org !

Note: This month's board meeting has been cancelled; watch your email for details on the next meeting

  • Wine and Dine Summer Social - June 14, 6:30 p.m. 
  • Marijuana Forum - July 9, 6:30 p.m. 
  • Annual General Meeting - Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m.
  • Symposium on Updates in Primary Care - Oct. 12
  • Holiday Social - Nov. 1
OTHER EVENTS
Growing, Using and Preserving Herbs – May 21 or 22

CSU Extension-Pueblo County will offer a workshop that takes attendees through building and planting a windowsill herb garden. "Growing, Using and Preserving Herbs" will be presented on Tuesday, May 21 from 5 - 8 p.m. or Wednesday, May 22 from 1 - 4 p.m. Participants will learn to grow and care for herbs; flavor and food combinations; and how to dry and store herbs. Tell your patients! Class fee is $20 and includes a planter. Register online here by May 15.
Mediterranean Diet: A dietary pattern for healthy living – May 14

A helpful workshop on healthy eating, "Mediterranean Diet: A dietary pattern for healthy living," will be offered by CSU Extension-Pueblo County on Tuesday, May 14 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Consider attending and recommending the workshop to patients who would benefit from strategies to incorporate Mediterranean foods and habits into their lifestyle. Class fee is $10.00. Register online here by May 7.
MHAP Robert Hawkins Tribute Dinner – May 17

Mental Health America-Pueblo will hold their 18th Annual Robert Hawkins Tribute Dinner Friday, May 17, 2019 at Pueblo Community College in the Fortino Ballroom. Click here for more information. RSVPs were requested by May 1; contact mhapueblo@gmail.com to inquire about space.
Save the date for the Greater Pueblo Chamber Golf Tournament – July 26

The Greater Pueblo Chamber Golf Tournament is more than just a fun day on the greens; this event offers the unique opportunity to network with business connections while you support Chamber initiatives that benefit the Pueblo Community. Save the date: July 26. Watch for more information coming in a future PCMS newsletter.
NEWS
PCMS hosts "Challenge for Managing COPD in Primary Care" with speaker Joshiah Gordon, DO, MSc

At PCMS, we believe in serving medical providers and creating venues of collaboration for them to connect and be educated on CME topics of need. May 8th's event -- Challenge for Managing COPD in Primary Care -- did just that. Through interactive conversations, questions and answers, and traditional lecture-based learning the needs of medical providers were identified, and solutions were offered by guest speaker Joshiah Gordon, DO (pictured). Real-world medicine and face-to-face talks between speaker and attendees shed light on a realities in COPD. Read more about the event here.
Medscape releases 2019 Physician Salaries Report

How does your salary stack up against your peers? Click here to see Medscape’s 2019 Physician Compensation Report for current and in-depth U.S. salary trends. It shows changes in specialists’ salaries, plus insights on how much time is spent on paperwork versus on patient care.
Access LifeBridge wellness tool kit

Access a toolkit published by medical society executives to help other medical societies replicate physician wellness programs. The toolkit, LifeBridge, is available for download here: The Physician Wellness Website. Regional LifeBridge Wellness Program trainings will be held this summer on June 7 and July 27. Questions? Contact Belinda Clare 512-206-1250, BCLARE@tcms.com.
NEWS FROM THE COLORADO MEDICAL SOCIETY
Hard-fought legislative session adjourns

The 2019 Colorado General Assembly adjourned today, Friday, May 3. Colorado’s stable liability climate stayed intact, the body of law governing professional review and the Medical Practice Act were reenacted, prior authorization reform was passed, primary care will see new investment, and legislators passed the Candor Act. Out-of-network reform does not contain our preferred benchmark but CMS has been invited to engage with the Insurance Commissioner as the law is implemented. Read more here.
NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

New AMA study shows employed physicians outnumber self-employed physicians for first time
For the first time in the United States, employed physicians outnumber self-employed physicians. This milestone marks the continuation of a long-term trend that has slowly shifted the distribution of physicians away from ownership of private practices. Employed physicians were 47.4% of all patient care physicians in 2018, up 6 percentage points since 2012. In contrast, self-employed physicians were 45.9% of all patient care physicians in 2018, down 7 percentage points since 2012. Read more here.
MISSION:   Fa cilitating meaningful collaboration of medical professionals in Pueblo County through social networking, education, and advocacy!  
VISION:   To c reate a medical society that serves as a venue for collaboration for the betterment of healthcare in Pueblo County, and improve the practice of medicine and life of medical professionals, locally.
Board Officers: President: Thomas Greidanus, MD; President-Elect: open position; Secretary: Marcel Junqueira, MD; Treasurer: Robert Tonsing, MD; Past-President: Alfredo Vargas, MD; CMS Representative: Brad Roberts, MD |  Directors: Julie Newburg, MD; Ross Patrick, MD; Cheryl Walker, DO; Kevin Weber, MD | Chief Executive Officer : Cheryl Law, MA, MNM
This newsletter is intended for the members and interested persons of the Pueblo County Medical Society. If you have received this and wish to opt-out call 719-281-6073 or use the “unsubscribe” link below.
Visit our website at www.pueblocms.org