MMS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
MMS
Physicians Show Up Strong in Boston’s 2017 Healthcare Innovators
Sixteen MMS physicians are among the 2017
MedTech Boston 40 Under 40 Healthcare Innovators being honored for improving our healthcare system. The
physicians’ featured projects include a digital intervention designed to
minimize the disruption of EHR in provider-patient settings; artificial
intelligence enabling real-time analysis of surgical procedures; an organization
that has trained 8,300 health care professionals in five countries; imaging
technologies facilitating virtual consults in radiology; and many more. MedTech
Boston and Pulse@MassChallenge are hosting an awards night and happy hour May
16, 2017; information and
RSVP.
Physicians are Teaming Up to Strategize on
Vaccinations this Tuesday
Get up-to-date on your vaccination information,
collaborate with colleagues, and learn strategies for expanding adult
immunization coverage in your practice or community. Tuesday’s conference, Building Networks to Vaccinate the Village,
features keynote speaker David Kim, MD, Captain in the US Public Health
Service, who will provide a national immunization update. The workshops and
presentations are designed to promote collaboration and systematization within
your practice, with other health care providers, and with nontraditional
community partners to improve the patient experience and vaccination rates. The
22nd Annual Massachusetts Adult Immunization Conference will be held
in Marlborough, April 25, 2017; information
and registration.
Physicians and Film-Makers Collaborate to
Change the Face of Medicine
Join fellow physicians, aspiring physicians,
and the broader community for an inspiring exploration of diversity in
medicine. Changing the Face of Medicine
will include the Boston premier of the Oscar-qualified Black Women in Medicine,
a short documentary that “packs in
enough smarts, context and emotional clarity for a far longer film” (Los Angeles Times). The event includes a presentation by
Crystal Emery, the film’s director, and workshops designed by Emery to promote
collaboration between physicians of all races and systemic changes supporting
diversity in medicine. The event is free, catered, and open to physicians,
medical students, aspiring physicians, and the general public. It is being held
at Wellesley College on May 6, 2017; information and registration. Here’s that review from the Los Angeles Times: “Inspiring doc ‘Black Women in
Medicine’ profiles glass-ceiling-busting physicians.”
Physicians and Administrators are Building
Skills for Establishing Low-Conflict Workplaces
This
interactive, experiential two-day program is for residents and physicians in
clinical practice, administration, and leadership. Managing Workplace Conflict:
Improving Leadership and Personal Effectiveness is designed to help you
establish relationships, teams, and work environments in which you and your
colleagues can deliver your best care. You will learn to communicate more
effectively, apply negotiation and conflict resolution skills with peers and
leaders, implement appropriate changes in personal and organizational
practices, exhibit appropriate boundaries, and more. The program provides 17
hours of category 1 risk management CME and is co-sponsored by Physician Health
Services, and the Massachusetts Medical Society. It will be held on June 8-9,
2017 at MMS Headquarters, Waltham: information
and registration.
Sharing Clinical Trial Data: NEJM Web Event
Recording Available Free
The Aligning Incentives for Sharing
Clinical Trial Data
web event successfully brought together clinical trialists,
data analysts, and the patient community from around the world to engage in an
open conversation about clinical trial data sharing. All sessions, hosted by
the NEJM on April 3-4, 2017, are now available for free, on-demand viewing.
Volunteer as a Facilitator with Medical
Students
The Boston University School of Medicine
Integrated Problems (IP) course depends on volunteer physicians to facilitate
small group problem-based learning sessions for second-year medical students.
Share your valuable medical experience and expertise in developing the
students’ clinical reasoning skills. The course runs September to November,
2017. Join us for lunch to learn more on June 15, 2017; information and
registration.
95% of You Plan to Renew Your MMS Membership: It’s Time
Ninety-five percent of MMS members plan to renew their membership,
according to our 2016 survey. It’s hard to imagine a more on-point performance score
than that. If you haven’t signed up yet, here’s why our members say it matters:
MMS gives you a voice. We’re embedded in state and federal advocacy around
issues key to your livelihood and career satisfaction, like the future of the
Affordable Care Act and what’s going on with medical decision making. And we’re adept at helping you find your career vision and
giving you ways to make it happen. That’s why Massachusetts physicians say
they’re committed to MMS: because MMS is committed to them. Membership invoices
go out April 14. You can join or renew today,
right here.
MMS Annual Meeting 2017: Pre-Registration
Closes Monday
The countdown is on for the MMS 2017 Annual
Meeting! This year's Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place, April 27-29,
2017 at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston. Online pre-registration is available until
Monday, April 24 (noon).
Onsite registration opens Thursday, April 27 at
6:45 a.m. at the World Trade Center. PLEASE NOTE: Members who do not pre-register by Monday, April 24 for
the Presidential Inauguration and Awards Dinner must register onsite for this
event no later than Thursday, April 27 at Noon to allow time for meal planning
and assigned seating for this event.
Training
on the Registration of Provider Organization Program
Select provider organizations are
required to file with both the HPC and CHIA in an effort to improve
transparency relating to care and track changes in the health care market. The
Massachusetts Registration of Provider Organizations (MA-RPO) Program makes
this double-registration a one-step process. This year’s training, provided by the
HPC, includes financial and APM filings. Sessions will be held at MMS
Headquarters, Waltham (May 16, 2017; Commonwealth Room, 10am ); the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, Burlington (May 4, 2017); and Baycare Health Partners, Springfield (May 9, 2017). To register, click on your preferred date. The deadline for filing is July 31, 2017; information.
MMS Annual Meeting 2017: Additional Free CME Opportunity
We
are pleased to announce an additional CME option for Friday, April 28
of the MMS Annual Meeting, rounding out a full day of Annual Meeting CME opportunities.
During many emergencies, bystanders are the first on the scene, before
the arrival of EMS responders. In this 45-minute session, attendees will
learn hemorrhage control techniques to increase victims’ chances of
survival. The Bleeding Control for the Injured/Stop the Bleed
Training puts knowledge gained by first responders and the military,
into the hands of the public to help save lives. Check out the full description and learning objectives. Space is limited; we recommend that you register early.
Educational Programs and Events
Unless otherwise noted, all events are held at MMS headquarters, 860 Winter St., Waltham, MA. View our full calendar of upcoming live CME activities
Ethics Forum
Friday, April 28, 2017, 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
MMS Annual Meeting, Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, MA
Annual Education Program – The Winding Road of Addiction: Hope on the Horizon
Friday, April 28, 2017, 8:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
MMS Annual Meeting, Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, MA or Via Live Webinar
Shattuck Lecture and Luncheon – Personalize Medicine or Precision Medicine
Friday, April 28, 2017, 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
MMS Annual Meeting, Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, MA
Bleeding Control for the Injured/Stop the Bleed Training
Friday, April 28, 2017, Session 1: 2:30 p.m.–3:15p.m. OR Session 2: 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
MMS Annual Meeting, Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, MA
Engaging Physicians and Care Teams to Prevent Diabetes via Live Webinar
Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Discussions on Concussions: Clinical Headlines Via Live Webinar
Wednesday, May 10, 2017, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Directors of Medical Education Conference – Advancing Collaboration and Compliance
Thursday, May 18, 2017, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
15th Annual Symposium on Men’s Health – The Many Facets of Men’s Health: Clinical Conversations Impacting Your Patients
Thursday, June 15, 2017, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Featured Online CME Activities – Risk Management Credit
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Check out our additional
online CME activities
.
This Week in Health Care
State’s health shopping website to debut this fall
A user-friendly website that
includes the average prices of common health care procedures, safety
and quality measures for individual hospitals, and basic information
about obtaining insurance and getting care, is set to go live by
September. The website is being developed by the Center for Health
Information and Analysis, and is designed to encourage consumers to shop
around for health care as for other goods and services.
Baker Joining White House Task Force on Opioids
Governor Charlie Baker is joining
a White House task force on opioids. Gov. Baker has a reputation for
action on the opioid epidemic. His initiatives may have reduced the
availability of opioid prescriptions, but they have not stopped the
steady rise in overdose deaths in Massachusetts..
Science Supporters To Rally in New England
Science
supporters in New England are hosting rallies on April 22, in
collaboration with a national science march in Washington D.C., an
effort to promote science and oppose funding cuts. Pediatrician John Snyder, who is organizing a march in Amherst, Massachusetts, said evidence-based policy can
be a hard sell across the political spectrum, citing anti-vaccine
rhetoric from the left and climate change denial on the right.
Task Force to Review How MA Hospitals Put Money to Use in Community
A new health care task force
convened by Attorney General Maura Healey is seeking to update the
state’s guidelines for community benefits provided by nonprofit
hospitals, with several members calling for a focus on maximizing
resources for a broader impact on overall health.
More Consumers Sign Up for Insurance Through Connector
Outreach by the Massachusetts Health Connector to the Latino community and other target populations contributed to 63,000 people newly signing up for private health insurance coverage in 2017, a nearly 30 percent increase over last year.
MMS Backs School Initiative to Prevent Epi-Pen Waste
Millions of dollars are wasted on unused Epi-Pens because of
requirements that parents of children with known allergies provide the
potentially life-saving devices—which typically go unused and have a
one-year shelf-life. Shewsbury school district is opting to keep its own stock of Epi-Pens, relieving families of the financial burden and reducing waste. The Massachusetts Medical Society passed a resolution encouraging school districts statewide to follow suit.
Reliant Medical to be Acquired, say Sources
Reliant Medical Group,
the largest independent physician practice in Central Massachusetts,
may soon be acquired by a much larger organization. Reliant has 2,500
employees and $677.5 million in annual revenue.
Massachusetts Health Care Organizations Reach into Rhode Island
Partners HealthCare
has agreed to acquire one of Rhode Island’s largest hospital operators,
the most aggressive move yet by the Boston-based company to extend its
reach beyond Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Tufts Health Plan, based in Watertown, has won a five-year contract to manage care for Rhode Island residents on Medicaid.
52 percent of Massachusetts hospitals score As for safety
Five hospitals in Central Massachusetts were
among Bay State hospitals that received As for safety in the Leapfrog
Group’s semi-annual ranking, based on their performance in five areas of
care. Harrington HealthCare, Saint Vincent Hospital, Nashoba Valley
Medical Center, Milford Regional Medical Center and Marlborough
Hospital. Overall, Massachusetts hospitals ranked eighth nationally for
the number of hospitals earning "A" scores.
DPH Says UMass Memorial Psych Beds are Necessary
The state public health agency said 13 psychiatric beds
UMass Memorial Health Care hoped to discontinue this summer are
necessary, and if the health care network wants to close them, it has to
prove that access won't suffer. The move to eliminate psychiatric beds
runs counter to many hospitals in the region, which are adding beds to
address long ER waits and the state’s growing opioid epidemic.
Every Year’s a Bad Tick Year, Experts Say
The
Cape’s mild winter has hikers, gardeners and parents worried that the
lack of a prolonged deep freeze will unleash a springtime explosion of
the deer ticks that causes Lyme and other diseases. But some
entomologists said mild winters are not a major factor in the tick threat.
Lawrence General Opens Major Surgical Center
Lawrence General Hospital has opened its Santagati Center for surgery, a $56 million investment that boasts the most modern surgical technology in the state north of Boston.
The award goes to… a Boston Trauma Surgeon
Dr. Adil Haider, a trauma surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Past recipients include former Vice President Joe Biden and civil
rights activist Rosa Parks. The medal, awarded by the National Ethnic
Coalition of Organizations, is one of the nation’s most prestigious
awards honoring the work of immigrants and their children, and people
who work for the inclusion of marginalized communities.
