eNewsline
April 19, 2019
Vol. 26, No. 8
MSDC Seeks More Physician Wins with DC leadership
To build on recent gains made for District physicians , MSDC leadership met with Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnage and members of the Bowser Administration last week to discuss collaboration opportunities on common goals. MSDC thanked the Deputy Mayor for the Department of Health Care Finance’s collaboration on a recent press release announcing the end of prior authorization for some medication-assisted treatments for opioid abuse covered by Medicaid. In addition, the two entities agreed to discuss further collaboration and idea exchanges on major public health challenges in the District.
Back at the Wilson Building, budget oversight and review of critical healthcare bills are ongoing. A bill addressing minor consent for vaccination comes amid the largest outbreak of measles the country has seen in decades. The bill is part of the larger national debate on vaccination and public health, and similar efforts have received opposition in other parts of the country .

The bill, which has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing, is currently under review by MSDC . MSDC has long advocated for common-sense, medically sound vaccination policies as well as the right for informed minors to make medical decisions in certain relevant medical situations. Please contact Robert Hay Jr. with your feedback.
Help MSDC Work Better For You; You May Win a Gift Card!
If you haven't already done so, take MSDC's brief member survey and help MSDC help you. Survey closes April 25.
MSDC Recognized For Work on Diversity and Inclusion
This weekend, MSDC President Dr. Raymond Tu, on behalf of the Medical Society, received the 2019 Hispanic Health Leadership Award from the National Hispanic Medical Association. The award recognizes the Medical Society's efforts and work to improve diversity and inclusion in the profession and was presented at the NHMA Awards Gala .
Interim CEO Appointed at Howard University Hospital
Howard University President Wayne Fredericks, MD, announced earlier this week that John K. Tolmie would take the helm as interim chief executive officer at Howard University Hospital. The appointment takes place immediately and will stay in effect as a search for a permanent executive is conducted. Read more .
National Healthcare News
MOMMA ACT Aims to Lower Maternal and Infant Mortality, Reduce Racial Disparities
The AMA has  joined other health organizations in supporting legislation  to address the troubling rates of maternal mortality, morbidity and infant mortality in the United States. The Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness Act or "MOMMA Act," aims to expand coverage under Medicaid and CHIP, improve implicit bias, improve access to physician extenders, among other things. Read more .
Which Specialties Earn the Most?
Medscape recently released its annual Physician Compensation  Report . The report found the average overall physician salary for 2019 is $313,000.

The top 3 physician specialties by compensation are:
*Orthopedics $482,000
*Plastic surgery $471,000
*Otolaryngology $461,000

Read more and see where you fit.
MSDC eNewsline
Editor
Pia R. Duryea
202-355-9414 (direct)
202-466-1800 (main)
For previous editions, visit eNews Archives

MSDC Media
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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

Kirstiaan Nevin, MD
At-large

Marc Rankin, MD
At-large

Carla C. Sandy, MD
At-large

Robert Hay Jr., CAE
Executive Vice President
Practice Management
Practice Management Event
Thursday, May 9, 5-7 PM
MSDC will hold a Practice Management Roundtable on Thursday evening, May 9 from 5-7 PM at 2021 K Street. The roundtable will include light refreshments and discussion of hot-button issues.

To attend, RSVP online . Contact Pia Duryea with questions.
QPP Tip: Check Your Eligibility for 2019
With the close of the reporting period for submission of your 2018 MIPS performance data, physicians and groups should check their eligibility for the 2019 MIPS participation year using the QPP Participation Status tool . As a reminder, physicians are exempt from participation in MIPS if they: 1) are newly enrolled in Medicare for the first time during the performance year; 2) are participating in an Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM); or 3) fall below the low-volume threshold. For 2019, CMS finalized a new third criterion for the low-volume threshold. These exemptions are summarized in the infographic below.

For 2019, CMS also finalized a new opt-in policy permitting physicians and groups to participate in MIPS if they meet or exceed at least one of the low-volume threshold criteria. Click for more on this policy and additional QPP resources .
DHCF Has a New RAC Contractor, Prempeh
DCHF has contracted Prempeh Consulting, CPAs (PCC) as its new Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor. Please review DHCF's Transmittal titled, "Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor Starting in FY 2019" for information about the RAC or view the Provider Outreach Familiarization presentation available on the DHCF RAC webpage .

A provider outreach webinar is scheduled for April 22, 2019, at 4:00 pm. Interested parties are requested to register for webinar online .

Additional provider outreach will include a live presentation scheduled for April 30, 2019, at 4:00 pm. The outreach presentation will be conducted at DHCF in the Main Street conference room, room 1032, 441 4th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, 10th floor.
Thank You To Our Corporate Supporters
MSDC 1817 Society
MSDC News and Events
MSDC Events
MSDC Board Meeting
MSDC will hold its regular board meeting on Monday evening, April 22, at MSDC headquarters (1250 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC). Dinner is served at 6:00 pm and the meeting begins at 6:30. Members in good-standing may request an invitation from Robert Hay Jr.
Join MSDC and DC ACP on May 4 for a Bright Young Docs Social
MSDC and the DC Chapter of American College of Physicians are partnering to hold a joint social for early career physicians. The social will be at 1:30 PM on Saturday, May 4 at Circa (Foggy Bottom). Register on the MSDC Events page by April 27.

Sponsored by SunTrust Bank.
MSDC's Annual Meeting Date Set for October 25, 2019 - Save the Date!
MSDC will be holding its 2019 annual meeting on Friday, October 25, 2019, from 6:00 to 9:30 PM. The meeting will take place at the AAMC Learning Center, located at 655 K Street NW. The event will feature ample time to catch up with physician colleagues from across metropolitan Washington DC. For information on how to participate, contact Pia Duryea .
Seeking Leaders and Award Nominees!
The Medical Society has multiple leadership and recognition opportunities for physicians.
Serve on the Nominating Committee or on the MSDC Board of Directors. MSDC is seeking nominations for the 2019 ballot for President-elect, Members at-large, and AMA Delegate. For more information on the requirements, click here or contact Robert Hay Jr. ( hay@msdc.org ).

Recognize a Physician Leader with an MSDC Award - May 15 Deadline!
Do you know someone deserving of recognition for his/her contributions to the Medical Society, the medical profession, or the public? Then nominate them for an MSDC Special Award! Nominations for the awards listed below are due on May 15, 2019. Read here for more information or contact Pia Duryea ( duryea@msdc.org ).
* Certificate of Meritorious Service.
* Dr. Charles H. Epps, III Community Service Award .
* Distinguished Service Award .
* John Benjamin Nichols Award .
Public Health
Travel-associated Rickettsioses Guidance: Pre-travel Counseling, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Reporting
International travel has increased over the past 30 years, exposing travelers to wider ranges of diseases. Because of this, healthcare providers should be aware of diseases from regions far beyond their geographical area of practice. Vector-borne rickettsial diseases have an almost worldwide distribution, putting many travelers at risk.

CDC will host a clinician outreach call on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at 2:00 - 3:00 pm about this topic. During the COCA Call, subject matter experts (SMEs) will discuss the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of three of the most common travel-associated rickettsial diseases—African tick bite fever, Mediterranean spotted fever, and scrub typhus. The presenters will also address these diseases in the context of pre-travel and post-travel evaluations. Register here .
End the Epidemic:
Opioid-related Resources and News
IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT DC PDMP REGISTRATION!!!!
The following is from a DC Health notice:

There is pending legislation that will require Prescribers and Pharmacists licensed in the District of Columbia to register with the District of Columbia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (DC PDMP) . DC Health would like to encourage Prescribers to be proactive and register early to avoid delays.

If you are already registered with DC PDMP, no further action is required.

AMA "End the Epidemic" Website
See the AMA's End the Epidemic website , with resources and recommendations from the AMA Opioid Task Force
Corporate Partners
Social Media for Physicians
5 Reasons Physicians Should Use Social Media Professionally
If you fail to use social media at all—or maybe your use is limited to checking out the latest cat videos making the rounds—consider this advice on what your physician career could be missing. Read more from the AMA .

Start by following your Medical Society on social media
Crossing the Line: Restricted or Protected Information in Social Media Posts
Provided by MSDC 1817 Society member ProAssurance
Employed and contracted physicians and other healthcare professionals may not know their employer’s or contract’s restrictions on communications about patients or care-related matters. Previously, a Texas hospital fired a nurse after she posted online comments about a patient with measles. She posted comments on an anti-vaccine Facebook page, noting she was a nurse and knew of a child with measles in the intensive care unit where she worked who appeared to be suffering. The hospital investigated and found she had disclosed protected health information without a patient’s or authorized person’s permission.

ProAssurance offers online training resources on HIPAA and privacy at ProAssurance.com . The Department of Health and Human Services also offers training materials through its website .  
Early Career Physicians
AMA: How To Get Time Off for Professional Development During Residency
As a resident or fellow, organized medicine events, hosted by the AMA and Medical Society of DC, are a resource for you, your colleagues and patients. Learn tips to secure PTO to attend them. Some residents elect to use that time to grow professionally and serve the future of medicine by attending advocacy-related meetings. Read more in the AMA Wire .
Events
ProAssurance Loss Prevention Seminars
April 25, 2019 (MD)
May 9, 2019 (DC)
July 25, 2019 (MD)
September 19, 2019 (DC)
Registration opens at 5:30 PM, Seminar runs 6:00 - 8:00 PM
DC: American College of Cardiology (2400 N Street, NW, Washington, DC)
MD: Bethesda Marriott (5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, MD)
This year, ProAssurance, MSDC's 1817 Society Member and partner for medical professional liability insurance, will offer a sports-themed loss prevention seminars titled, Out-of-Bounds: Previous Claims Under Further Review .  Participation in this seminar will better enable participants to:
·    Explain the relationship between physician-patient boundaries and professional liability risks
·     Identify a previous encounter where expectations were not met
·     Recognize the need to apply an internal or external boundary in a patient scenario

Whether you are competing for a championship sports title or practicing medicine, there are consequences for crossing the line. In this course, physicians and other healthcare professionals will hear the professional liability considerations associated with personally and professionally stepping out of bounds. The information and examples will help you stay in the game. Register online at proassurance.com/OutofBounds
May 11, 2019
MSNVA Conference Center (8609 Westwood Center Dr, Vienna, VA 22182)
The Medical Society of Northern Virginia is hosting a Physician Wellness Day on Saturday, May 11, 2019 to learn more about reducing clinician burnout, promoting physician engagement, and cultivating a support community. There will be a brief and interactive demonstration on utilizing yoga to strengthen the consciousness and awareness of the mind. The evening will end with drinks, appetizers, art display and concert performance. Learn more or register here .
June 6-8, 2019
Grand Hyatt Washington (1001 H Street NW, Washington, DC)
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. 

To register please visit AWRConference.com
AMPAC Campaign School
September 26-29
AMA Office
The 2019  AMPAC Campaign School will be taking place September 26-29 at the AMA Office in Washington, DC. The school is targeted to AMA members, their spouses, residents, medical students and medical society staff who want to become more involved in the campaign process.

Running an effective campaign can be the difference between winning and losing a race. The AMPAC Campaign School is designed to give you the skills and strategic approach needed on the campaign trail. For more information or to apply visit: www.ampaconline.org/apply or contact the AMA at: politicaleducation@ama-assn.org
Medical Real Estate Listings
Brought to you by MSDC Corporate Partner GZ Medical Realty. Contact Pete Papantoniou for your real estate needs.  
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 .

University Medical Building
2141 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
University Medical Building is conveniently located in the heart of DC with easy access to Metro stations. Please contact Peter Papantoniou at 301-961-1941 or see the online listing for more information
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 .
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 .
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 has recently been upgraded. Contact Peter Papantoniou at 301-961-1941 or see the online listing for more information .
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 . 
Medical Resources and Announcements
Barnard Medical Center Seeking Doctor
 The Barnard Medical Center is seeking a board certified/eligible medical doctor (in internal medicine, family medicine, or other relevant specialty) to see patients at our clinic in Washington, DC. If you are a physician with a strong interest in plant-based nutrition and preventive medicine, apply today!
Get Over $66,000 Towards Loan Repayment
DC’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) provides loan repayment (up to $66,809.92) to eligible providers practicing in underserved areas of the District for at least two years. Eligible participants include licensed and certified physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, advanced practice nurses, registered nurses, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors practicing at HPLRP-certified Service Obligation Sites (SOS). A certified SOS must be either a nonprofit or a public entity that provides primary care, mental health and/or dental services to District residents regardless of their ability to pay and is located in a federally-designated Health Professional Shortage or Medically Underserved Area within the District that corresponds to the services the entity provides.  Applicants must be already employed or have a signed employment contract with a certified SOS at the time of application. Read more about the HPLRP or get a list of approved site on DC Health's website .
 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 .
Contribute to New AMA-RAND Research on Integrating Behavioral Health
The RAND Corporation and American Medical Association are conducting research to better understand and describe how physician practices in a variety of specialties and practice arrangements (independent, IPA, health system, etc)  that have integrated behavioral health care into the range of services they offer. If you’ve integrated behavioral health care in your practice, whether you’re in the early stages or have a well-established program, the AMA is asking for your participation in this research project. This phone interview-based research will enable the AMA to provide physicians with training and resources needed to effectively implement and manage behavioral health care in their practices. If you’re interested and available to participate, please contact Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP, RAND Senior Physician Policy Researcher, at mfriedbe@rand.org .
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Washington, DC 20037
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