News & Updates: January 2023
Registration Now Open!
2023 SCOA Annual Meeting
August 3-5, 2023
Sanctuary Hotel
Kiawah Island, SC
SCOA invites you to join us for three days full of education, collegiality, and networking in Kiawah Island!

Meeting Highlights Include:
Resident Research Competition
Member Research Presentations
Legislative Roundtable featuring SC House and/or Senate Members
Subspecialty Hot Topics featuring SC Surgeons in a Roundtable Format (NEW!)
Meet the Keynote Speakers:
Felix H. “Buddy” Savoie, III, MD
AAOS President
Chairman, Department of Orthopaedics, Tulane University School of Medicine
Director, Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine
Richele Taylor, CEO
SC Medical Association
Previous experience includes Chief Legal Counsel to Governors Nikki Haley and Henry McMaster as well as Director of the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
SC Legislative Update
The first regular session of the 125th SC General Assembly convened on January 10, 2023.

Certificate of Need
Senate Bill 164 to repeal Certificate Of Need in South Carolina was introduced by Senator Climer that same day. Because this bill is identical to the one passed by the Senate last year, it bypassed the subcommittee process, and therefore, additional testimony. The full Senate Medical Affairs Committee passed S. 164 out of Committee with a favorable report on January 12, 2023.

We expect S. 164 to be debated on the Senate floor this week. Given the overwhelming majority that passed the bill last year, we expect the same result this time. If passed by the Senate, S.164 will be sent to the House. SCOA is working closely with SCMA to pass legislation this year.

Athletic Trainers
Senate Bill 397 to transfer regulatory authority of athletic trainers to the Board of Medical Examiners from SC DHEC was introduced by Senator Shealy on January 17, 2023. The Bill has been referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs. It was scheduled for a subcommittee hearing last week, but the committee meeting was cancelled. SCOA leadership worked with the SC Athletic Trainers Association to reach consensus on the definition of Athletic Trainer included in this bill. SCOA supports licensure of Athletic Trainers by the SC Board of Medical Examiners as opposed to certification by SC DHEC.

Physical Therapy
House Bill 3687 to eliminate the thirty-day limit on providing physical therapy absent health care provider referral was introduced on January 12, 2023 by Representative Lowe. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry, not the 3M Committee. We will be monitoring the LCI subcommittee calendar for a hearing on H. 3687. This bill is identical to the one filed by Representative Lowe in 2019.
DMEPOS Update
DMEPOS Update: 10 New Items Require F2F Encounter & Written Order Prior to Delivery
As reported last year, CMS phased in new Face to Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery requirements for designated DMEPOS items. Items on this list require a complete order prior to delivery of the item to the patient. Previously, written orders were required prior to claim submission. Additionally, items on this list may only be ordered if a face-to-face encounter has occurred with the ordering practitioner within 6 months of the order.
 
Review the updated list effective April 17, 2023 that includes common knee, back and foot/ankle braces.
Articles of Interest
Weighing Risks of a Major Surgery: 7 Questions Older Americans Should Ask Their Surgeon
A recent Kaiser Health News article encourages older Americans to ask their surgeons 7 questions before deciding to proceed with major surgery. Surgeons and their teams should consider proactively addressing these questions for all patients to enhance the patient experience. Many patients leave medical appointments feeling overwhelmed and confused. Any physician who clearly communicates the answers to these questions will stand out as a positive exception.
 
  • What is the goal of this surgery?
  • If things go well, what can I expect?
  • If things don’t go well, what can I expect?
  • Given my health, age and functional status, what’s the most likely outcome?
  • What are the alternatives?
  • What can I do to prepare myself?
  • What will recovery look like?
Want a Clue on Health Care Costs in Advance? New Tools Take a Crack at It
As of Jan. 1, health insurers and employers that offer health plans must provide online calculators for patients to get detailed estimates of what they will owe — taking into account deductibles and copayments — for a range of services and drugs. Click here to continue reading.
Your Go-To Guide To Decode Medical Bills
Kaiser Health News is providing a user-friendly toolkit to help patients understand some of the ins and outs of medical billing, what to do if you receive a surprise medical bill and things to keep in mind before getting medical care. Here’s your go-to guide to decode medical bills. Click here to view.
Is Your Administrator a Member of SAOE?
SC Orthopaedic Practice Administrators, Ortho Service Line Directors, and emerging leaders in both private and hospital settings are encouraged to join the Southeastern Association of Orthopaedic Executives (SAOE). SAOE offers ortho practice leaders from SC, GA, TN and AL a unique opportunity to collaborate, network and learn from one another. SAOE membership and attendance at the annual meeting is an affordable and sound investment in your administrative team members.
2023 AAOE State Leadership Academy
Emerging leaders who are SAOE members may apply for the 2023 Leadership Academy.
The academy will combine required text reading, distance learning activities, advocacy engagement, & a personal project designed to advance leadership skills of orthopaedic practice administrators and managers early in their career. 
 
Distance learning webinars led by Laurie K. Baedke, FACHE, FACMPE, will cover the following topics:
  • Leading Self
  • Leading Others
  • Leadership Competencies
  • Career Path Management
Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2023.
Leadership Book Nook
Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
by Arthur C. Brooks
This recommendation is for the more seasoned leaders among us. If you are mid-career or beyond, it’s worth your time to read or listen to Strength to Strength. In my experience, orthopaedic practice leaders are smart, driven, highly capable and often tired. Years pass quickly – sometimes without much reflection on how to fully leverage what we have learned over time to make our own lives more fulfilling and to best equip those following in our footsteps.
 
Brooks shares insights from his own journey, the journeys of other success addicts, social science, philosophy, biography and theology as he creates a practical roadmap for enhancing the second half of life. 
 
Don’t overlook this book because you think you don’t need it yet. By the time you do, it may be too late!
Summary submitted by:
AnnMargaret McCraw 
Have a Book that was Meaningful to your Professional Journey?
 
Please consider sharing a short paragraph about lessons learned from a book that has shaped you as a leader. Send your summary to Sarah Thompson.

Check out past Leadership Book Nook recommendations here.
Upcoming Event
6th Annual Athletic Trainers in the Physician Practice Society Meeting & Conference
February 23rd - 25th, 2023
USC Alumni Center - Columbia, SC
19.5 CEUs
Learn On Your Schedule
Replay Past Webinars:
  • Strategies to Assess & Mitigate Unstable Patient Behavior
  • Stocking Stuffers from CMS and Other New Year’s Surprises
  • Information Sharing Under the Information Blocking Regulations: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know
  • Lunch, Laugh, Learn & Lead featuring ​comedian Robert Mac!
  • Replay AI in MSK Care Delivery: Potential vs Risk
  • Marketing, Social Media, & The Physician Practice: Legal Implications
  • Physician Financial Relationships & Conflict of Interest Policies
  • And more!
Member Benefit: Discover OrthoEvidence
Our members receive complimentary access to OrthoEvidence (OE), which is the global online source for high quality and timely orthopaedic-only evidence-based summaries, pre-appraised by orthopaedic medical experts.
Thank You To Our Corporate Partner:
South Carolina Orthopaedic Association www.scoanet.org
844-234-7800