MMS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
2017 Interim Meeting: Just two weeks away
The
2017 Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates (HOD) will be held Friday, December 1, at MMS Headquarters and Saturday, December 2, at the Westin Hotel, Waltham.
Help shape MMS policy: How to testify online
Do you worry that your patients aren't getting needed medications because they are discharged on a weekend and the treatment they need isn't covered by their insurance plan's formulary – but no insurance company staff are available to facilitate coverage? A resolution at this year's
Interim Meeting seeks to change that.
You can share your thoughts on these and other resolutions that are slated for discussion. Log on to our
easy-to-use site to submit online testimony, which will be presented in writing at the meeting on December 1. Learn more about the value of online testimony in the November issue of Vital Signs.
Free MMS opioid prescribing CME: Approaching 40,000 completed courses
The Society’s
free CME courses on opioid prescribing have become a major resource for physicians and other providers in and beyond Massachusetts. Since the launch of the modules in May 2015, 37,000 online courses have been completed by more than 13,000 users; 84
percent of users are physicians, and 62 percent are in Massachusetts. Topics covered include safe prescribing for chronic pain, screening for opioid abuse disorder, managing pain without overusing opioids, and therapies that can serve as an alternative to the prescribing of opioids. The
19 courses represent the commitment of the MMS to the ongoing multifaceted, collaborative effort to end the opioid epidemic.
The Society last week
welcomed Governor Charlie Baker’s opioid-combatting “CARE Act," including its support for partial fill legislation, electronic prescribing, and prevention efforts. The MMS also backs the state’s prescription drug-monitoring program.
Free webinar series on medication-assisted treatment
Gain the knowledge and skills to treat opioid use disorder within your practice and community. This free series of virtual clinics is designed to expand the network and capacity of providers with specialty training in medication-assisted treatment (MAT), a proven evidence-based practice
for opioid use disorder. Despite the effectiveness of MAT, few people have access to it. Beacon Health Options’
Project ECHO webinar series on MAT links specialists with nonspecialists through virtual clinics, where the specialists mentor participants and share their knowledge through case-based learning and guided practice. Nonspecialists include primary care providers, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners,
physician assistants, and other community-based clinicians. Participants do not have to be UniCare or Beacon providers. For information and registration, please contact livia.ataide@beaconhealthoptions.com.
Antibiotic Awareness Week: New multimedia CDC resources for practices and patients
Antibiotics use is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance, which results in tens of thousands of deaths a year in the US alone.
New promotional materials and educational resources for patients and families are available from the CDC for Antibiotics Awareness Week. The resources include graphics, brochures, fact sheets, audio and video elements, and press kits designed for print and web.
Please share this information with your local partners.
- Up to 50 percent of all the antibiotics prescribed for people are not needed, or are not optimally effective as prescribed;
- Each year in the US, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics; 23,000+ people die as a direct result; many more die from other conditions complicated by antibiotic-resistant infections
Antibiotic Awareness Week is November 13-19, 2017. Questions? Contact the ISIS Help Desk, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, at
ISUShelp@state.ma.us or (617) 983-6801.
HPV-related cancer awareness: Summit and coalition meeting
The Fifth Annual HPV-Related Cancer Summit, hosted by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts Coalition for HPV-Related Cancer Awareness, will explore cervical cancer screening guidelines, HPV prevention in sexual/gender minorities, HPV vaccination updates, current
cervical cancer research studies, and the dental professional’s role in HPV prevention. The Summit will be held on Friday, December 1, 2017, 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at the DFCI’s Yawkey Conference Room;
information and registration.
The bi-annual meeting of the Massachusetts Coalition for HPV-Related Cancer Awareness will follow the HPV Summit at 2:45-4:00 p.m. Stakeholders from across the State who would like to collaborate to reduce HPV-related cancer are invited. RSVP at
cmcreynolds@mms.org.
Reminders: Stuff you should click on
MMS Awards season: Help us honor and celebrate success
Members of the Society — You can help your colleagues and peers get recognized for improving the lives of their patients and strengthening their communities. Please let the MMS know who they are and what they've achieved. In some award categories, you can
self-nominate. The following deadlines are approaching for MMS award nominations:
- Medical Information Technology Award (students, residents, fellows) (Nov 26)
- Senior Volunteer Physician of the Year Award (Dec 4)
- Award for Outstanding Contributions to Medical Education (Dec 4)
- Award for Excellence in Public Health (Dec 4)
- MMS Lifetime Achievement Award (Dec 15)
- Distinguished Service to the MMS Award (Dec 15)
- Excellence in Medical Service Award (Dec 15)
- Medical Student Scholar Awards (Jan 19)
How to apply or nominate a colleague The MMS Committee on Recognition Awards wants to hear from you;
information and applications.
How the MMS awards make a difference
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"The MMS Information Technology Award was the first prize we ever won. It allowed
Twiage to invest in life-saving technology and gave us credibility when we talked to our first clients. Recognition from MMS empowered hospital leaders to say, 'This is great technology; there are experts who've looked at this, and we want to be on the cutting edge.' That kind of external
validation, especially for a startup, is critical."
—YiDing Yu, MD; founder and CEO of Twiage; internist at Atrius Health; 50 Healthcare Leaders Under 40 (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Awards, accomplishments, promotions? Feature in Member News & Notes
Vital Signs, the monthly print and online newsletter of the MMS, is now listing your professional news
— such as joining a new hospital, opening a practice, or a recent
promotion — and your other achievements: board appointments, awards, or
speaking engagements. We are currently seeking submissions for the
February issue of Vital Signs. Please include your full name and
title, medical school with graduation year, residency institution,
hospital affiliation, recent update, and a high-resolution headshot.
Send submissions to vitalsigns@mms.org by December 5, 2017.
Benefit Buzz: Legal Advisory Plan—Have you renewed or enrolled?
Safeguard
your medical license. It is important to be enrolled in the Legal
Advisory Plan (LAP) at the initiation of a Board of Registration in
Medicine (BORIM) investigation to avail yourself of the expert Plan
counsel. Take advantage of the LAP, a members-only, low-cost legal
service; learn more. Questions? Email lap@massmed.org, or call (781) 434-7311.
MDPH publishes new child blood screening regulations
On December 1, 2017, new regulations
for child blood lead screening will go into effect. Questions? Call the
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (800) 532-9571.
2017 Massachusetts State Health Assessment
The 2017 Massachusetts State Health Assessment
(SHA) is now available on the MDPH website. The Statewide Partnership
Advisory, including the MDPH, the MMS, and other organizations, guided
and informed this update to the Massachusetts State Health Assessment. A
pdf and accessible versions
are available. The SHA covers: Population Characteristics; Maternal,
Infant and Child Health; Environmental Health; Infectious Disease;
Injury and Violence Prevention; Addiction; Health Systems & Health
Access; and Wellness & Chronic Disease.
Update: More info on new requirement for all licensed physicians
All physicians
who hold an active medical license in Massachusetts must enroll in
MassHealth — either as billing or nonbilling providers — in order to
maintain their licensure. There are no exceptions to
this requirement. Whether you are currently practicing, retired, work in
industry or teach, if you hold an active license in Massachusetts you
must comply to maintain licensure.
Your license will be
impacted at your next renewal date. The Board of Registration will be
updating its online licensing application but has not done so to date.
The HHS site provides links to the registration forms for nonbilling providers and billing providers.
This
requirement came into effect early this month. Although there is no
imminent date for denial of MassHealth claims, noncompliance will affect
reimbursement for MassHealth billing providers going forward.
This does not
mean that physicians must accept MassHealth patients. Nonbilling
providers' National Provider Identifier (NPI) may be included as
relevant on claims submitted by billing providers. This derives from a
requirement of the ACA that the state is now implementing.The HHS website has the full, updated regulations.
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.
2017 Annual Oration – Traumatic Brain Injury, Concussion, and American Football
Friday, December 1, 2017, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Ethics Forum – CRISPR and the Ethics of Germline Manipulation
Friday, December 1, 2017, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Featured online CME courses – Risk Management credit
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.
Boston Children's reverses type 1 diabetes in mice
Researchers from the hospital said they successfully used the treatment to reverse type 1 diabetes in mice. All the mice were cured of diabetes in the short term, and a third of the mice were cured for the duration of their lives.
Talk of Steward Health moving out of Mass. is making the rounds
The talk in the local health care industry is that Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre will move key management jobs
elsewhere. A spokesman for Steward declined on Wednesday to comment,
but people outside of the company have mentioned Texas as a likely
location for a new corporate office.
Dorkin: Partial-fill approach to opioid prescribing remains a vital component
The Massachusetts Medical Society said it supports Baker's bill
overall and particularly a provision that would merge the state and
federal law on partial-fill prescriptions. Those let patients fill less
than their full opioid prescription initially, and permits them to go
back to the same pharmacy for the balance within 30 days.
Beth Israel Deaconess to build 10-story patient building
The building in Boston's
Longwood medical area would house private patient rooms, operating
rooms, and imaging facilities, and it would include a rooftop landing
pad for medical helicopters, according to a letter hospital officials
filed with the Boston Planning & Development Agency.
Opioid-related overdose deaths down 10 percent in Massachusetts
A
report released Monday by the Department of Public Health found that
the 1,470 estimated and confirmed overdose deaths in the first nine
months of 2017 represented a decline of about 10 percent compared to the 1,637 deaths in the first nine months of 2016.
Senate advances health care overhaul, single-payer study
Final passage came on a 33-6 vote
shortly before midnight after two days of debate and dozens of
amendments. All six Republicans in the Democratic-controlled chamber
voted against the final bill, which faces an uncertain road ahead.
Researchers: Hernandez's brain reveals most extensive CTE in young adult
Boston
University researchers say the donated brain of former New England
Patriots player Aaron Hernandez reveals the most extensive evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) they've ever seen in a person that young.
Provision In health care bill passed by Senate would allow a 'medicaid buy-in'
There's
a provision tucked into a sweeping health care bill approved
by the Mass. Senate that would let anyone, no matter how much you earn, buy insurance through the state's Medicaid program.
