January 2018

Finding life balance is tough for anyone, but if you're a physician it can be even more daunting. This month's newsletter has articles and numerous resources from other physicians and physician organizations to help you balance stress, finances, family, health and more. You've got a lot going on and the challenges are unique. We hope we can be a resource for you, both personally and professionally, by providing infor mation on how the  Doctor can take care of the Doctor .

If you have an article, topic idea or an event you think may be of interest to your colleagues in the  El Paso and Teller County areas, please feel free to contact us at 719.591.2424.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
CMS Emergency Preparedness Regulations: What you need to know
January 30th | 5:30-7:00 pm

Don't lose your CMS program funding! Attend this informational meeting to understand the Emergency Preparedness Plan requirements and get assistance in writing a plan for your practice.
Physician Poll
Should internship, residency and fellowship be published in the EPCMS Directory?

Click Here to take the poll now! With just four quick questions, the poll will take less than one minute to complete. We need to hear from you to make sure the directory is as useful as it can be for physicians.
Life Balance Resources for Physicians
This article collection features popular Family Practice Management content on the subject of life balance - from finding joy in your work to blending work and family. Read More (AAFP; Family Practice Management Journal)
New Employee
Brett Matheson, M.D. and Christopher Sartori, M.D. of the Skin Cancer & Dermatology Center of Colorado Springs welcome Tara Burton, PA-C, to the practice. 
Classified Ads
This Month's Highlight:
Sunrise Pediatrics is seeking one to two BC/BE, part-time, outpatient only, pediatrician(s) to join our small practice on the north side of Colorado Springs. For more details, click on the Classifieds button below.

If you would like to include an ad on our website, please contact Julie@epcms.org or call 719.591.2424.
Classifieds
ProPractice Resources
CPR Classes

Our next class will be held Thursday, January 18th 
at 3:00 pm
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Top 10 Challenges Facing Physicians 
in 2018
On the front lines of healthcare, physicians continue to find themselves stuck in the middle. They are torn between patients and paperwork. They are caught in between payers and patient requests. And in their career, many want to remain dedicated to medicine while fighting against the forces that further divide their time and attention.

Read More (Authors Jeff Bendix, Rose Schneider Krivich, Keith L. Martin, Chris Mazzolini, Todd Shryock; Medical Economics, December 25, 2017)
Doctors & Money - E nd the Worrying Now
Money is a significant cause of burnout for many physicians. Even if that is not true for you, most doctors worry about money - a lot. That's OK. You don't have to be a money expert to pay off student loans, retire comfortably and not stress about money. You just need a bigger TEAM.  

Click Here  to learn 1) the difference between  Money Worries and Money Problems , 2) the  Key Members of the Money Team every doctor must have, and 3) how to  move from Money Worry to knowing exactly where your finances stand before Valentine's Day.  (Author Dike Drummond, MD; The Happy MD )
Physician Connection - January 24, 2018

Join us for the 2017 Outstanding Physician 
and Ted T. Lewis, M.D., Excellence in 
Professional Nursing Awards! 
            
Featured CME Presentation:   
The Opioid Crisis! 
The Pain that Won't Go Away  
 
Understand the scope of the opioid  problem, guidelines from the CDC, FDA, medical boards, and other best practices that outline practical approaches to practice more safely with opioids. 

Speaker: Joshua D. Blum, M.D.

Colorado Springs Marriott
Wednesday, Jan. 24th
5:15 - 8:30 pm 
 
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
Register NO LATER THAN
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
It's Not the Same - 5 Factors that Make Physician Burnout Unique
Physician burnout has elements that distinguish it from other executive burnout conditions. And that's important to understanding the problem - both personally and systemically. Most studies put the incidence of burnout at over 50% of practicing physicians. 

Read More  about five deeper factors that make it unique.  (Author Kristine Hembre, MD; Flow Caregiver Coaching)
Not enough time in the day to run a compliant, efficient medical practice?

Sign up for one of our HI PAA or OSHA Packages to lessen your burden and free up your time to spend on other things. 

Click here to  Review Package Options

For more information, email Jessica Petty at Jessica@epcms.org or call 719.591.2424.
Your Health Before All Else
More and more, physicians report feeling dissatisfied in their profession, and disconnected from their purpose. We know you face more challenges than ever in delivering quality patient care. Regulation burdens, operational policies, practice inefficiencies, and a culture of physician self-sacrifice all get in the way of serving the patient.

Caring for your patients starts with caring for yourself. Discover why improving physician well-being is the mission of AAFP and how we are working to reverse the trend toward physician burnout and fatigue.  Read More   (AAFP; Physician Health First) 
235 Ways to Prevent Physician Burnout
Each of us must maintain a positive balance in our energy accounts, so we have something to give our family and patients.

Burnout is when the combination of stresses in your practice and larger life drain you, running your internal energy account below zero - into a negative balance. You are tapped out, exhausted, cynical and hopeless, wondering if your work makes a difference. The little voice in your head can start saying,  "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep going like this" . This downward spiral can be a result of too much stress - at work or home - or an inability to recharge when you are not at work, or a combination of the two.  

You can't solve Burnout - simply because it is not a problem.

You CAN maintain the balance you seek with a STRATEGY.

Read More  (Author Dike Drummond, MD; The Happy MD, The Burnout Prevention Matrix) 
ATTN: Unenrolled CO Medicaid Prescribers
NEW prescriptions written by prescribers not enrolled with Colorado Medicaid will be denied beginning 01/01/2018.

Colorado Medicaid will not pay for new prescriptions written on, or after, 01/01/2018 if the prescriber is not enrolled with Colorado Medicaid. Refills written prior to 01/01/2018 by unenrolled prescribers will be paid until the prescription expires or until there are no remaining refills. Prior authorizations requested by unenrolled prescribers will not be processed by the call center beginning 01/01/2018. 

Click Here  for more information.
UPDATE: Anthem E/M Reimbursement Reduction
In our Office Manager Associate presentation on January 9, Todd Welter of R.T. Welter & Associates delivered an important update on Anthem's position on reducing your E/M reimbursement. Anthem has withdrawn the earlier 50% reduction to E/M services that are eligible for separate reimbursement when reported by the same provider on the same day as a minor surgery. Anthem will be reimbursing these services at 25% less, instead of the previously stated 50%.

This change from Anthem's earlier stated position is a direct result of the pressure they received from numerous stakeholders, including the letters sent by physician offices.

To recap, Anthem previously sent out a Notice of Material Change dated December 1, 2017, to be effective March 1, 2018. The Notice read:

For claims processed on or after March 1, 2018, Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services that are eligible for separate reimbursement when reported by the same provider on the same day as a minor surgery (0 or 10 day global period) WILL BE REDUCED by 50%.
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ProPractice is a suite of business services for small-to-medium size medical practices, provided to you by the  El Paso County Medical Society. Our goal is to come alongside local practices to help you achieve balance at work and in your personal life!  To learn more,