MMS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Advance your communication skills and career at the MMS Women’s Leadership Forum
Confident, effective communication touches every aspect of our professional lives. Join us next Friday, September 15, 2017, and build your skills for Confident Communication: Achieving Socially Intelligent Leadership. Hear the movers and shakers in medicine discuss their personal
leadership development. Learn to influence stakeholders, speak and present publicly, build motivated teams, draw boundaries, and confidently handle difficult conversations and negotiations. Network with your peers and influencers in interactive sessions and at lunch.
The forum is at the MMS headquarters in Waltham, sponsored by the Committee on Women in Medicine;
learn more and register.
MMS makes $25K donation to rebuild Texas medical practices after Hurricane Harvey and will match members’ donations up to $75K
The Massachusetts Medical Society has donated $25,000 to the Texas Medical Association’s Disaster Relief Fund. The donation will be deployed by TMA explicitly to help re-establish medical practices in federally-designated disaster areas, allowing for doctors to more
rapidly deliver patient care. “It is our hope that the compassionate and capable health care professionals in Texas remain safe and are soon able to resume administering the very best care to their patients,” said Henry Dorkin, MD, FAAP, president of the MMS.
In an effort to encourage and maximize giving, MMS has committed to match the first $75,000 in member and district medical society contributions made to organizations providing hurricane relief. To participate, please email Jennifer Day at
jday@mms.org with the amount and date of your donation, and the organization receiving it. More information on the match and links to organizations involved in relief efforts may be found
here.
While many feel compelled to help at times of disaster, volunteering year round is an effective way to support your community and potentially be a resource for other communities in times of need. The MMS and Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommend that you consider
opportunities with the Massachusetts
Medical Reserves Corp and
Citizen Corps organizations.
2018 Annual Awards: Help MMS recognize physicians' achievements
Do you have a colleague who deserves to be nominated for their outstanding work or service to the community? Do you know a medical student or resident who is worthy of recognition for innovative IT solutions for medicine? The MMS recognizes excellence in multiple categories,
including: medical service or public health; contributions to medical education, men’s health, women’s health, women’s physician leadership, or reducing health disparities; service to the MMS; and more. The MMS and its Committee on Recognition Awards are currently seeking
nominations for the 2018 Annual Award Program; additional
information and applications.
MMS fall forum on free health care programs and community resources
Beyond healthcare, the critical areas that influence the health of communities include housing, transportation, food security, and language competency. Learn and discuss with experts and others on the front line about best practices, innovations, and community-based
resources. This free forum will be held on October 25, 2017, at the MMS headquarters in Waltham, and is hosted by the Committee on Senior Volunteer Physicians. Current and potential volunteers and staff at free health care programs are welcome;
learn more and register.
Check your spam folders: Medical-Aid-in-Dying survey (and free CME)
This week, MMS members should have received an emailed survey on your opinions regarding medical aid-in-dying, also referred to as physician-assisted suicide. Your views on this issue are highly valuable. If you have not received the email, please check your spam
folder; it may have been mistakenly diverted owing to increased cybersecurity concerns. If you would prefer a paper copy, please contact
research@mms.org. Survey responses are due by September 20.
When you complete this 10–15 minute survey, you will receive free access to one MMS end-of-life focused online CME program, which can be applied toward the two CME credits in end-of-life care required of Massachusetts physicians in each licensing cycle. These credits may also
be used toward meeting risk management survey requirements. Thank you in advance for your participation.
Symposium: Climate change and the risk of nuclear war
Please join us for a timely and urgent symposium on Climate Change and the Growing Risk of Nuclear War: An Agenda for Change, organized by Physicians for Social Responsibility and sponsored by the MMS and the Mass. Chapter of the American College of Physicians (among others).
The event features local and national activists and thinkers on these existential issues and how they intersect. We will address the perils we face and how to overcome them. The event will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Hadley Farms Meeting House (41 Russell St,
Hadley, MA), 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Students attend free; everyone else can
register here. Registration costs $35 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Learn more at the event
website and
Facebook page.
Get set up to access PQRS reports this fall
Prepare now to access the 2016 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) feedback reports and 2016 Annual Quality and Resource Use Reports
(QRURs), available in early fall. The PQRS feedback reports depict your program year 2016 PQRS reporting results, including payment adjustment assessment for calendar year 2018. The 2016 Annual QRURs show how groups and solo practitioners performed in 2016 on the quality and cost
measures used to calculate the 2018 Value-Based Payment Modifier. Prepare now by either signing up for an Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) account or ensuring that your existing account is active. To register for an EIDM account, visit the
CMS Enterprise Portal and click “New User Registration” under “Login to CMS Secure Portal.” Additional resources are available
here.
Women in Medicine Month: Share your stories and career insights
In celebration and support of women's contribution to medicine, the MMS is sharing the stories and insights of women across Massachusetts—from medical students to established trailblazers. To join that conversation, please check out our video clips, quotes, and photos throughout
September on
Facebook and
Twitter. The September issue of Vital Signs is dedicated to the voices of women in medicine, with additional content on our
website. This coverage is based in interviews with 20 medical students and physicians, whose themes include
career strategies and mentorship,
work-life tensions,
avoiding burnout, the
value of MMS, and more.
What's up at the State House
Supervised Injection Facilities: Addressing the opioid epidemic
The MMS provided
testimony this week on a bill that seeks to recognize Supervised Injection Facilities (SIFs) as an essential element of the continuum of healthcare necessary to stem the tide of opioid-related death and disease in the Commonwealth. The MMS’s exploration of the issue has found a clear,
evidence-based argument in support of SIFs as a harm reduction approach—outcomes that also underlie the growing interest in SIFs in other health organizations and agencies in the US. While the Society strongly supports the establishment of a SIF program as part of a
multifaceted approach to addressing the opioid epidemic, MMS policy is to advocate for a pilot facility with state-led direction and oversight, a feature that is not included in the current bill.
Reminders: Stuff you should click on
PPRC Talks: Crucial Conversations in an Era of Transition
Join us for this free, livestreamed event. Our two moderated panels will answer these questions:
- How can you truly engage physicians as part of the health care delivery team? How can you empower physicians at the practice management and care delivery levels? And how can patients become more active and engaged participants in the care process, promoting shared
decision-making and improved outcomes? Our presenters include Sarika Aggarwal, MD, CMO at Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization, and Adam Licurse, MD, MHS, assistant medical director at Brigham and Women's Physician Organization and associate medical director at Partners Center
for Population Health.
- What are the current and future models of physician compensation? What's the role and nature of negotiating, performance incentives, and other emerging compensation mechanisms? This panel features practice management consultants and compensation law experts.
For the first time, PPRC Talks will be webinar-only, to facilitate your participation. The event will be held on September 29, 2017, 10:00 a.m.–noon;
more information and registration.
International Health Studies grants: DEADLINE IMMINENT
Medical students and resident physician members of the MMS are eligible to apply for grants of up to $2,000 to defray the costs of studying abroad. The deadline for proposals is September 15, 2017;
information and application. Read in Vital Signs how a dramatic experience in Haiti helped resolve a recent grant recipient's career doubts.
LGBT Health Disparities Grants: DEADLINE EXTENDED
Medical students and residents/fellows who are MMS members from Massachusetts institutions can apply for grants to address health disparities in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. The MMS Committee on LGBT Matters is offering grants for curriculum development
or research. The proposal deadline is extended to October 30, 2017; download the
application form.
Avoid retirement mistakes with solid planning: NEW DATE
There are many critical considerations – legal, regulatory, business, medical records, licensing, notifications and more – when retiring from your medical practice. Learn, network and engage with your retired physician colleagues and MMS experts for a smooth, less stressful transition. Join
us on October 4, 2017 at the MMS headquarters in Waltham. Spouses and partners are welcome. This free event is hosted by the Committee on Senior Physicians;
learn more and register.
Free personalized assistance with MACRA QPP prep
Join us for light refreshments and personalized assistance in developing your strategy for successful MACRA Quality Payment Program (QPP)
implementation in your practice. The program includes Mapping Out MIPS: Keys to Success in 2017, which outlines reporting requirements and timelines. It is designed for providers who are MIPS eligible and required to report for 2017 (
check here for your MIPS participation status. Space is limited. The session will be led by Yael Miller, MBA, Director of Practice Solutions & Medical Economics at MMS, and Leila Volinsky, MHA, MSN, RN, Senior Program Administrator at Healthcentric Advisors. Two sessions
will be held—October 23 or November 8, 2017, 5:30–8:00 p.m.—at MMS Headquarters, Waltham (participants need attend only one session);
register here. Your registration should include at least one clinician and one colleague/team member responsible for reporting.
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.
Norfolk County Safe Prescribing and Dispensing Conferences
September 14, 2017, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Randolph, MA
Open to all Norfolk County registered prescribers and pharmacists
The above activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Featured online CME courses – topics in public health
Workplace Violence Against Healthcare Workers in the US
Engaging Physicians and Care Teams to Prevent Diabetes
Concussion Treatment, Management, and Prevention: In School and on the Field
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Find additional risk management
online CME activities.
This week in health care
Sign up for daily roundups of health news affecting Massachusetts.
Alnylam halts hemophilia drug trial due to patient death, renewing safety worries
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, one of the state's largest and most valuable biotechs, has temporarily halted a mid-stage trial of one of its experimental drugs for hemophilia after one patient died, shaving $1 billion from its market cap.
Supervised injection sites pitched as 'roadblock to death'
The Massachusetts Medical Society voted this year to endorse a state pilot program
for supervised injection facilities, and the Massachusetts Health and
Hospital Association's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to advocate
for the creation of such facilities. Dr. Henry Dorkin, the medical
society's president, said in a statement that the group would "offer its
staunch backing" if the bill is amended to include "a pilot phase with
direct input from – rather than approval by – a state authority, such as
the Department of Public Health, which boasts a history of convening
qualified expert collaborators to address complex problems."
Dementia patient fatally beaten at health care facility
Authorities say an 86-year-old resident of a Massachusetts nursing home's dementia ward has been beaten to death
and his 58-year-old roommate is the suspect. Norfolk District Attorney
Michael Morrissey said in a statement that it appears as if James
Schappell was beaten Tuesday morning with a piece of furniture in the
room at the CareOne facility in Randolph.
Statewide program hopes to tackle addiction before it starts
The new initiative is called Project Here.
A portion of the funding comes from the office of the Massachusetts
Attorney General, it's also funded by a grant from General Electric. "I
don't think that there's been an issue that has had a more profound
affect a deeper effect on families and communities than addiction and
this opioid crisis," said Attorney General Maura Healey.
Opioid drug users tell of rarely discussed injury: Rape
It's an injury active drug users often don't report
out of shame, distrust of police or fear they'll be labeled a "cop
caller" and have trouble buying heroin. It's an injury women say they
can't figure out how to prevent. And it's one few doctors think to ask
about, and thus do not treat.
Chris Dadlez to step down as CEO of Trinity Health Of New England
Dadlez
joined Saint Francis Care 13 years ago and led the consolidation in
2015 into the national Trinity Health system. Trinity will conduct a
nationwide search to replace Dadlez in coming months.
UMass doctors give hope to girl with rare malformation
It was the first persistent cloaca repair
performed by Dr. Aidlen and the team at UMass Memorial in the five
years since he's been there, although Dr. Aidlen had performed the
surgery in New York. He said he knew of only two others done previously
at UMass Memorial.
