Boston Globe: Mass. becomes first state to stop asking doctors about past mental illness and drug use
December 26, 2023 – The Massachusetts Medical Society offers a program, known as Physician Health Services, that provides therapy and monitoring of doctors with substance use and mental health problems.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Boston Globe: MassHealth to raise rates for some independent practices, though doctors say more is urgently needed
December 18, 2023 – “There’s a lot of other work to be done to get (primary care physicians) where we need it to be,” said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak. “But MassHealth has taken one aspect of it that they can impact and tried to improve it.”
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
WBUR: 'It allows doctors to be human beings': Mass. hospitals will stop asking clinicians about past mental health and addiction
December 13, 2023 – "If you're currently able to practice medicine, and you’re taking care of yourself, that's what we should be interested in — not what you did previously," said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
Boston Herald: Massachusetts supervised injection sites would slash opioid overdose deaths: Department of Public Health
December 13, 2023 – "OPCs irrefutably save lives and the alarming overdose data reported today underscores the dire need to authorize OPCs in the Commonwealth as a critical harm reduction tool," said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full Boston Herald story, click here.
WBUR: Mass. Health Dept. says state needs controversial overdose prevention centers
December 13, 2023 – “We’ve done very little that is truly effective to reduce deaths and the effects on an entire family and community,” said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak. “Our goal should be to promote this in every community in the state.”
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
MassLive: Massachusetts Medical Society an unequivocal ‘yes’ on overdose prevention centers
December 5, 2023 – "Opioid prevention centers would save lives in the Commonwealth. Myriad evidence – both empirical and anecdotal - support such centers, and so do physicians, public health experts and the majority of Massachusetts voters," writes MMS
President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full MassLive article, click here.
Boston.com: Mass. Medical Society: Shortage of primary care physicians ‘a major public health crisis’
November 16, 2023 – The MMS is sounding the alarm about a troubling “dearth” of primary care physicians as the state’s largest health care system, Mass General Brigham, says some of its Boston-based primary care practices have limited spots for new patients.
To read the full Boston.com story, click here.
Boston Herald: Some Mass General Brigham primary care practices have limited spots for new patients: ‘Deeply concerned’
November 15, 2023 – Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have limited spots for new primary care patients at some practices, as the Massachusetts Medical Society warns that the lack of doctors in the state is a “major public
health crisis.”
To read the full Boston Herald story, click here.
WHDH: Mass General Brigham limiting new patients amid primary care physician shortage
November 15, 2023 – The Massachusetts Medical Society issued a warning on Wednesday following Mass General Brigham’s announcement, saying "The dearth of primary care physicians in Massachusetts is no longer a looming public health threat."
To watch the full WHDH segment, click here.
Boston Business Journal: MGB accepting 'limited' primary care patients, despite recent media reports
November 15, 2023 – Massachusetts Medical Society President Dr. Barbara Spivak said that she is deeply concerned about the lack of access to primary care in Massachusetts.
To read the full Boston Business Journal story, click here.
Boston 25 News: Mass. General Brigham forced to turn away new primary care patients ahead of flu season
November 15, 2023 – "It is very difficult, even for physicians today, to find a primary care doctor," said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak, a primary care doctor in Watertown.
To read the full Boston 25 News story, click here.
State House News Service: 3 things to know about the prescription drug bill the Mass. Senate could vote on this week
November 13, 2023 – The MMS, which is comprised of 25,000 doctors, residents and medical students, said the bill would give Massachusetts the transparency and data to mitigate rising drug costs.
To read the full State House News Service article, click here.
Boston Herald: Could supervised drug injection sites be coming to Massachusetts?
October 19, 2023 – “It is clear the majority of residents of the Commonwealth agree with physicians in their belief that the time is now to deploy a proven harm reduction tool that can save the lives of our patients,” said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full Boston Herald story, click here.
Boston.com: New poll finds 70 percent of Mass. voters support establishing safe injection sites
October 19, 2023 – MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak said in a statement that research in the years since has “only fortified our position that such facilities save lives and offer pathways to medically appropriate treatment and rehabilitative services.”
To read the full Boston.com story, click here.
CommonWealth Magazine: Radical change needed to address physician shortage
September 12, 2023 – "The United States is facing a severe shortage of physicians in the coming years – a crisis that could push our already fractured health care system beyond the brink," writes MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full CommonWealth Magazine story, click here.
Boston Business Journal: Mass. physicians recommend vaccinations ahead of back to school
August 21, 2023 – The presidents of the MMS, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians put out a joint statement to remind parents and guardians “that it is critical” to ensure children
are up to date on all required and recommended vaccinations.
To read the full Boston Business Journal story, click here.
Boston Globe: Want to fix health care burnout? Improve work conditions for doctors and nurses.
July 24, 2023 – In a Massachusetts Medical Society survey, about one-fifth of younger physicians felt they did not matter to their organization.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Becker's Hospital Review: Massachusetts Medical Society supports over-the-counter birth control
July 20, 2023 – The Massachusetts Medical Society and its Committee on Maternal and Perinatal Welfare voiced their support of the FDA's decision to permit sales of over-the-counter progestin-only birth control.
To read the full Becker's Hospital Review story, click here.
Boston Globe: Burnout is causing doctors to leave medicine. Here’s how to help them stay.
July 13, 2023 – A statewide survey of the Massachusetts Medical Society this year showed more than 50 percent of physicians had already cut their hours in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic or planned to do so.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
CommonWealth Magazine: House budget plan would make Mass. health care more affordable
July 12, 2023 – "Massachusetts' health care is the best in the nation, yet care is still out of reach for too many residents," write MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak and Health Care For All Executive Director Amy Rosenthal.
To read the full CommonWealth Magazine story, click here.
WBUR: Dangerous complications are increasing for pregnant patients in Mass., report finds
July 12, 2023 – "Our health care system has fallen woefully short in endeavoring to ensure that all birthing individuals receive quality, safe, equitable, and compassionate care," said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
MassLive: Colleges and universities in Pioneer Valley say court ruling won’t derail diversity mission
June 30, 2023 – The president of the MMS said (the SCOTUS decision on affirmative action) has the potential damage the future of equity and opportunity in medical education, but pledged to combat such impact.
To read the full MassLive article, click here.
Chronicle: Mass. programs work to reduce accessibility gap for food and health care
June 28, 2023 – "I think access in primary care has been increasingly limited since the pandemic," said MMS President Dr. Barbara Spivak. "A lot of primary care physicians who are 60 and over retired earlier than they had expected."
To watch the full Chronicle segment, click here.
Boston Globe: Health care providers feel the weight of administrative burdens
June 20, 2023 – "The Massachusetts Medical Society, with others, has proposed legislation to reform prior authorization to expedite the reviews, prohibit prior authorizations for generic medicines, and standardize forms for all insurers," said MMS President
Dr. Barbara Spivak.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Boston Globe: Facing a shortage of doctors and nurses, Mass. should open door wider for foreign-trained providers
June 15, 2023 – "It stuck in my head for many years how unfortunate it was that we may have people that leave other countries, that are physicians after having successful clinical careers, but their ability to get licensed in the US is close to zero,"
said Dr. Deeb Salem, who was the MMS representative on a 2022 Special Commission on Foreign-Trained Medical Professionals.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
State House News Service: Aid in dying supporters renew push, citing ‘shifts in the dynamics’
June 14, 2023 – The Massachusetts Medical Society opposed medical aid in dying when the idea went before voters in 2012, but in 2017 changed to a neutral position.
To read the full State House News Service article, click here.
Hingham Anchor: Hingham resident and South Shore Health’s Janet Limke, MD, named 2023 Community Clinician of the Year
May 24, 2023 – Recognized by her peers for exceptional patient care, the Community Clinician of the Year highlights Dr. Limke’s ongoing commitment, advocacy and educational efforts related to environmental health and patient well-being.
To read the full Hingham Anchor story, click here.
Boston Business Journal: Massachusetts Medical Society elects new president
May 15, 2023 – The Massachusetts Medical Society has elected Dr. Barbara S. Spivak as its next president. With a one-year term that is scheduled to end in May 2024, Spivak is tasked with leading the professional association of 25,000 physicians and medical
students.
To read the full Boston Business Journal story, click here.
Boston Herald: As Massachusetts’ COVID public health emergency ends, advocates worry about the lifting of mask mandates
May 11, 2023 – “We are encouraged by the improving metrics around the virus,” said MMS President Ted Calianos. “The disease will not be eradicated, but we are in a markedly better position to prevent and control outbreaks.”
To read the full Boston Herald story, click here.
Medscape: Medical students gain momentum in effort to ban legacy admissions
May 10, 2023 – The society's new policy opposes the use of legacy status in medical school admissions and supports mechanisms to eliminate its inclusion from the application process, said MMS President Dr. Ted Calianos.
To read the full Medscape story, click here.
WBUR: Masks will become optional for most hospital patients, visitors and staff
May 5, 2023 – Dr. Ted Calianos, President of the Massachusetts Medical Society, said in a statement that if COVID transmission rises again, he would advise people to consider wearing masks again.
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
NBC Boston: Telehealth coverage debate still unfolding in Mass. legislature
May 2, 2023 – Dr. Hugh Taylor, Vice President of the MMS, called telehealth an "essential part" of his primary care practice. "But we're worried it might not be sustainable because of the uncertainty about paying for the services," Taylor testified.
To read the full NBC Boston story, click here.
Boston Globe: Point32Health, state’s second largest insurer, has yet to restore services following ransomware attack
April 26, 2023 – According to a weekend memo sent to physicians by the Massachusetts Medical Society, reimbursement for Harvard Pilgrim commercial members are delayed and would not be available on April 21 or April 28.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Bloomberg: PFAS blood test costs a barrier for many who fear high exposure
April 10, 2023 – Dr. Brita Lundberg, an infectious disease specialist and chair of the Massachusetts Medical Society’s Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health, said PFAS exposure raises important health and equity concerns.
To read the full Bloomberg story, click here.
WBUR: What dueling abortion pill rulings mean for Mass.
April 7, 2023 – If mifepristone is removed from the market, the Massachusetts Medical Society warned it could have a disproportionate impact on rural areas like southeastern and western Massachusetts, which lack clinics that provide abortions.
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
Boston Globe: Health groups call on Mass. to keep mask mandates in health care settings
April 5, 2023 – “We hope that those who choose to continue to mask in any setting are supported and that those who enter health care facilities that elect to require masking after May 11 will respectfully adhere to those policies,” said MMS President
Dr. Ted Calianos.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
STAT: ‘If we don’t, others will’: White House COVID adviser calls on doctors to combat a vacuum of medical information
April 2, 2023 – The coordinator of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response team called on doctors to take a leadership role with patients to battle medical misinformation and disinformation, linking the continuing death toll in part to such erroneous
messaging.
To read the full STAT story, click here.
Boston Globe: Rethink the 80-hour workweek for medical trainees
March 26, 2023 – A recent MMS report on physician well-being found that 74% of residents and 79% of fellows reported symptoms of burnout. No residents felt they mattered to their organization “a great deal” and 29% felt they mattered “not at all.”
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Boston Globe: Months-long waits accessing care leave patients sicker and in anguish
March 16, 2023 – In Massachusetts alone, a fourth of doctors say they will leave the field in the next two years, according to a recent survey of its members by the Massachusetts Medical Society.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Boston 25 News: Report: U.S. Alzheimer’s cases to soar by mid-century
March 15, 2023 – "There’s a range of 20,000 to about 50,000 physicians that will be needed by 2034 that we don’t have," said Dr. Ted Calianos, President of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
To read the full Boston 25 News story, click here.
Bloomberg: Silicon Valley Bank Collapses
March 14, 2023 – Dr. Ted Calianos, President of the Massachusetts Medical Society, talks about a new study showing more Massachusetts doctors are suffering from burnout.
To listen the full Bloomberg radio segment, click here.
Boston Globe: Telehealth at a crossroads: When does it work best? What should it cost?
March 12, 2023 – MMS President-Elect Dr. Barbara Spivak found she could employ her expertise and clinical skills, and patients could discuss their health, just as well — and sometimes better — using telehealth than if they were sitting face to face.
To read the full Boston Globe article, click here.
Boston Herald: 1 out of 4 Massachusetts doctors plan to leave medicine in the next two years: ‘Distressing’
March 6, 2023 – About 1 out of 4 Massachusetts doctors are planning to say goodbye to medicine in the next two years, according to a new survey that’s raising serious alarms about the future of the state’s physician workforce.
To read the full Boston Herald story, click here.
WBUR: 1 in 4 Mass. doctors plan to leave medicine in coming years, survey finds
March 3, 2023 – One in four Massachusetts physicians plans to leave medicine in the next two years, according to a survey from the Massachusetts Medical Society that is renewing concerns about the stability of the state’s health care workforce.
To read the full WBUR story, click here.
WWLP: HPC wants lawmakers to revisit Telehealth laws
January 26, 2023 – In a joint statement, the MMS, Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association and Massachusetts Telemedicine Coalition applauded the HPC’s report and its “strong policy recommendations.”
To read the full WWLP story, click here.
