MMS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Gun violence: Resources for providers from the MMS, NEJM, and Attorney General’s office
An article published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine
in the aftermath of the Florida school shooting describes the
partnership between the MMS and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s
office. This initiative brought together a coalition of stakeholders to
develop tools for providers related to firearm risk mitigation. The
resulting brochures and fliers for patients and providers can be downloaded and printed. The MMS offers CME courses on gun violence
(listed under Public Health), addressing how to talk with patients
about gun safety, how to evaluate the risks for gun violence in
patients, the role of the clinician, and more.
MassHealth update: Transition to new plans and ACOs
On
March 1, MassHealth will officially begin its much anticipated reform
allowing approximately 1.2 million MassHealth beneficiaries to enroll in
new plans, many of which are newly formulated accountable care
organizations (ACOs). Auto-enrollment will seek to assign patients to
the ACO of their primary care physician. This week, MassHealth outlined
its Continuity of Care plan detailing how the immediate 30-day transition period will work as patients move to new plans. This memo covers:
- Topics such as transfers of prior authorizations and referrals, pharmacy services, and durable medical equipment requests;
- Plans for some exceptional cases, such as continuity of care for pregnant patients who wish to maintain their current OB/GYN;
- Customer
service information for all parties to help physician offices
troubleshoot any issues that may arise over the next few weeks.
Questions? Contact Lori DiChiari at MMS: ldichiari@mms.org or (781) 434 7215.
MassHealth update: Ordering, referring, and prescribing requirements
MassHealth is preparing to deny claims that do not meet the ordering, referring, and prescribing requirements described in All Provider Bulletin 274.
No date has been set yet for denying claims. The Society is following
this important issue and will let you know in advance of the date that
the denial process is set to begin. The information in Bulletin 274 is
intended to help billing providers prepare their processes and systems
for compliance with the ordering, referring, and prescribing
requirements, and to reduce the impact on them when claim denials take
effect.
Changes to the adult immunization schedule for 2018
The
CDC has released the 2018 Adult Immunization Schedule. Updates include a
new two-dose shingles vaccine for people aged 50+, and updated
recommendations for MMR, HPV, MenACWY, and TdapTD. Read the recommendations in detail.
Reminders: Stuff you should click on
Managing Workplace Conflict: 17 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
Managing Workplace Conflict: Improving Leadership and Personal Effectiveness is an interactive course based in real-life scenarios, carrying up to 17.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. In a recent evaluation, all participants perceived substantive advances in their own relevant skills. Their comments included:
- “Excellent course, and I appreciated the role-playing scenarios, engagement and participation of the attendees"
- “I feel that now I can work to be [a] more assertive and heard leader in my office"
- “Where great theory and data meet!”
The
program is designed for physicians in clinical practice, and those in
administration and leadership, to explore and improve the relationships
that drive the medical work environment. It
is jointly provided by the MMS and Physician Health Services, Inc.
Space is limited; register today. The program takes place March 22–23 at
MMS Headquarters in Waltham; information and registration.
Negotiate your best job contract: Free for residents and students
Learn strategies for negotiating your salary, bonus, workload expectations, and more, with this live webinar, Negotiating Your Best Employment Agreement. You'll also learn what mistakes to avoid. It will be held February 28, noon–1:00 p.m.; information, including CME credits, and registration. This
webinar is part of a series of financial resources being developed by
the Physician Practice Resource Center of the Medical Society. Look
forward to our forthcoming webinars: Physician Employment Contract Basics, Reading Financial Forms and Budgeting.
Bridging Syndemics: Treating infections complicated by substance use disorder
This
case-based, interdisciplinary program is for those involved in the care
of patients with difficult-to-treat infections complicated by substance
use disorder. It explores
the nexus of substance use disorder, and prevention and management of
infectious diseases, with the goal of identifying strategies to improve
patient outcomes. The course will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at MMS Headquarters, Waltham; information and registration. It
is jointly provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health,
Boston Public Health Commission, Massachusetts Infectious Diseases
Society, Northeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, and the MMS.
Unrest: Join your peers for this Oscar-nominated film
The MDPH invites all public health and health care professionals, scientists, and researchers to a screening of Unrest,
a documentary exploring the experience of poorly understood disease,
with a panel discussion and light supper. The documentary has won awards
from Sundance and the Boston Globe. It tells the story of a Harvard PhD student struck down by myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic
fatigue syndrome). The screening will be held March 27, 5:30 p.m., at
the State Public Health Laboratory, 305 South Street, Jamaica Plain; registration.
Deborah Becker, NPR/WBUR's senior correspondent and host, will moderate
a post-film panel featuring Jennifer Brea, director and protagonist of
the film, and science and health care professionals. The screening is hosted by MDPH in conjunction with the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association.
Last chance to join an MMS committee: Apply by 3/2
When
you get more involved with the MMS, you help diversify the Society,
expand your network and friendships, and shape medical practice and
policy. Consider participating on a committee (with more than 40, we're
bound to have at least one that aligns with your interests) or the
Member Interest Network Executive Council. Committee appointments are
for specific terms. We have put in place resources for distance
participation, including conference calls and online
meetings. Applications are due March 2; more info and applications.
Educational programs and events
View our full calendar of upcoming live CME activities. Unless otherwise noted, all events are held at MMS Headquarters, 860 Winter St., Waltham, MA.
Live CME events
Negotiating Your Best Employment Agreement: Live webinar
Wednesday, February 28, 2018, noon–1:00 p.m.
Managing Workplace Conflict: Improving Leadership and Personal Effectiveness
Thursday & Friday, March 22–23, 2018, 8:00– 6:00 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.
800,000 MassHealth members automatically moved to new plans
Next week, MassHealth will undergo a massive reorganization in which more than 800,000 MassHealth members will be moved to new insurance plans.
Boston health care firm rumored to be heading to Dallas
Steward
Health Care System, which describes itself as the country's largest
private hospital operator, has leased 18,000 square feet of office space
in a downtown office building, according to city of Dallas building permits.
Ousted Vineyard hospital chief lands job in Alaska
Woodin, who last year was fired as chief executive of Martha's Vineyard Hospital, is moving 5,000 miles to lead a hospital
in rural Alaska — though he remains locked in a legal dispute with the
Vineyard hospital and its parent company, Partners HealthCare.
A simple form lightens the burden of end-of-life decisions
The health care proxy form
is available to download for free on the Massachusetts Medical Society
website. Some health insurance companies, like Health New England, also
have a generic version of the form available for free online.
Body of man who died in sober house sat for hours
There are only about three funeral homes across the state who will take bodies when people die without resources or any immediate family members.
Partners HealthCare will outsource some expensive, back-office jobs
Partners
HealthCare, the largest private employer in Massachusetts, has told
about 100 employees they are being let go and their jobs outsourced to India, where workers will perform the same tasks for a much smaller paycheck.
Dr. Provenzano's regrets lead to call to action on opioid patients
Provenzano decided to undergo the eight-hour training that authorizes her to prescribe buprenorphine, best known by the brand name Suboxone. The drug helps to stop cravings and blocks overdoses.
Malpractice lawyer in Boston finds that he is a victim
Now Mone, 75, says that despite everything he knows about what can go wrong in a hospital, he himself has become a victim of medical malpractice. Mone has inoperable kidney cancer that has spread to his spine and shoulder.
MA lab to pay $400K over unnecessary urine tests
A
settlement with the state Attorney General Maura Healey's office will
see a Southbridge clinical laboratory pay more than $400,000 to resolve
claims it billed MassHealth for unnecessary drug screens.
