Early In-Person Voting Begins Tomorrow. Do You Know Where to Go?

Below are the in-person early voting dates for the 2024 primary election:

  • Begins Thursday, February 15, 2024.
  • Ends 3 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024.
  • The primary election is on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

See the full 2024 Primary Election schedule here.

Find an early voting site in your county by clicking here.

Your Vote, Your Voice!


Nominations Open for E. Harvey Estes, Jr., MD, Physician Community Service Award

The North Carolina Medical Society is accepting nominations for the E. Harvey Estes, Jr., MD, Physician Community Service Award.

This award is to provide recognition for the many and varied services rendered by physicians to their communities apart from their practice of medicine.

The recipient must be a physician licensed in North Carolina; must not have received the award previously; and must have compiled an outstanding record of community service, which, apart from his or her specific identification as a physician, reflects well on the medical profession.

All nominations must be received by June 1, 2024.


Mark Your Calendar! Registration Now Open for 2024 NCS-ACOFP Winter CME Conference

 

Real-World Treatment of Obesity - Case-Based Presentations
March 2, 2024
8 am until 1 pm

 

On March 2, 2024 the North Carolina Society for the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (NCS-ACOFP) will host a CME event in Raleigh at the Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. The theme of the conference is Real-World Treatment of Obesity - Case-Based Presentations.

The half-day event will offer 4.5 hours of AOA Category 1-A Credit and 4.50 ACPE Knowledge-based-Contact hours.

Information about the CME content and the schedule is available here: Schedule for 2024 NCS-ACOFP Conference (Final).

Download and share the flyer here.

To register and pay by credit card, use the form found here.


Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Are Public Health Issues. Here is How to Learn More on Prevention.

Syphilis and congenital syphilis are a public health issues that require urgent attention and action.

 

Missed Opportunities for Preventing Congenital Syphilis Webinar

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

12:00 - 1:00 PM

 

Join the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) in collaboration with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention for a webinar developed for clinicians and other health care providers.

This webinar will provide an overview of congenital syphilis and explore missed opportunities for preventing congenital syphilis as well as interventions for prevention.

Objectives of this presentation:

  1. Understand the epidemiology of syphilis and congenital syphilis in the United States.
  2. Diagnosis and counsel about syphilis and congenital syphilis.
  3. Practical implementation of syphilis screening and treatment in the clinical setting.
  4. Discuss missed opportunities to prevent congenital syphilis in the US and possible interventions.


Take the Health Employer Workforce Demand Survey Today!

The NC Health Talent Alliance has released its Annual Workforce Survey. The goal of this survey is to gather detailed employer demand for jobs critical to health care operation. The survey will also gather demand projections. This is the first statewide effort to capture real-time employer demand.

Please take a moment to complete this important survey. The Health Talent Alliance will use this data to identify and drive meaningful improvements to our health care workforce pipeline.

Deadline for submission: Friday, March 1, 2024

 

Who Should Complete the Survey: We encourage participation from hiring managers or those involved in human resource management.

If you represent a larger employer with a corporate office and multiple facilities (3 or more), we are working to coordinate with you directly if providing data at the facility level is challenging. The NC Health Talent Alliance team will be actively reaching out to larger systems. However, if we have not yet connected with you, please send a note to Emily McCartha, Project Manager at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, at [email protected] to initiate this process. Additionally, if you work for a larger group or system and are unsure whether your organization has been in contact with us, please reach out to us or check with your organization to help us avoid duplication.

How to Participate: You can access the survey using this secure link. Additionally, an Excel template is available here for download to assist with organizing your workforce data. If you use the Excel template to organize your data, please submit it to Emily McCartha upon completion at [email protected]. If you cannot complete the online survey in one sitting, your progress will be automatically saved online.

Privacy & Security: Your data is securely stored at UNC's Cecil G. Sheps Center. Information will only be shared in aggregate, with no PHI or HIPAA data requested. Firm-specific data will always remain confidential and strict security and privacy protocols will be followed.

For any questions related to this survey, please email Emily McCartha, PhD, Research Project Manager for the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at [email protected].

If you’re interested in joining our NC Health Talent Alliance work, please reach out to Vincent Ginski, Director of Workforce Competitiveness for the NC Chamber Foundation directly at [email protected].

Links:

About the NC Health Talent Alliance

About the Workforce Demand Survey

This survey is conducted in partnership with the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina, Benchmarks NC, Community Care of North Carolina, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, North Carolina Alliance of Public Health Agencies, North Carolina Area Health Education Centers, North Carolina Association for Free & Charitable Clinics, North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors, North Carolina Chamber Foundation, North Carolina Community Health Center Association, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina Dental Society, North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, North Carolina Healthcare Association, North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities, North Carolina Institute of Medicine, North Carolina Medical Society, North Carolina Pediatric Society, North Carolina Psychiatric Association, North Carolina Senior Living Association, University of North Carolina Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina Community Colleges, and University of North Carolina System.

Make an Impact! Secure Your Spot at the NCMS Advocacy Summit Today!

 

Don't Miss the upcoming NCMS Advocacy Summit in March!

Don’t forget to register for the NCMS Advocacy Summit - a gathering of healthcare leaders and policy experts dedicated to fostering meaningful discussions around legislative developments crucial to our profession. The event is March 23rd, so register now as space is limited!

Why Attend?

  • Stay informed about critical legislative changes affecting your practice.
  • Equip yourself with effective communication strategies for impactful advocacy.
  • Network with fellow healthcare professionals and policy experts.
  • Play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare in our state.

We are confident that your participation in the NCMS Advocacy Summit will not only enrich your understanding of legislative landscapes but also empower you to make a tangible impact on behalf of your patients and the healthcare profession.

McKimmon Center

1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, NC 27606

March 23, 2024
9:00 AM-5:00 PM

 

Secure your spot at this influential summit here.


New NCMS Member Perk with an Exciting Bonus!

If you need another reason why it's good to be an NCMS member, this is it!

Get a discount on the premiere state magazine and a donation will also be made to NCMS.

Click here to go to Our State Magazine. Don't forget to use promo code: DSMDS


Higher-Dose Naloxone Spray Increases Side Effects But Not Benefits

New Spray Does Not Save More Lives

In a recent study, researchers concluded a new, higher-dose Naloxone nasal spray for reversing opioid overdoses did not save more lives than the previous standard dose but did cause more side effects, which were significantly more common in the patients who got the higher-dose sprays.

The 8-milligram naloxone spray is twice as potent as the highest dose previously available. About 38% experienced signs and symptoms of withdrawal, including vomiting, abdominal pain, sweating, shaking and diarrhea. Only 19% of those getting the lower dose had those problems, the study found.

 

Read to full article here.


2024 NCMS Candidate Series - David Hill, MD

2024 NCMS Candidate Series Featuring Dr. David Hill

The 2024 North Carolina Medical Society Candidate Series has an exclusive interview featuring Dr. David Hill who is running for North Carolina Senate District 7. In this episode, Dr. Hill outlines what motivated him to run for office and his most important legislative issues. He discusses how he will address disparities in healthcare in North Carolina's rural areas, what the next steps are following last year's Medicaid expansion, and the many challenges physicians and PAs face on a day-to-day basis. Dr. Hill shares his passion for protecting the patient-physician relationship and for bringing more healthcare workers to the people of North Carolina.

All candidates who are members of NCMS and are running for either state or federal office have been extended invitations to articulate their perspectives on these crucial subjects. Stay tuned for forthcoming interviews with other candidates leading up to the November election.

 

 

See the full interview with Dr. Hill here:

https://youtu.be/WGVborq4vP0


NCDHHS Looking to Hire Organization to Help Manage Children and Families Specialty Plan

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is seeking requests for proposals to hire the organization that will help manage the Children and Families Specialty Plan (CFSP), a first-of-its-kind statewide health plan designed to ensure access to comprehensive physical and behavioral health services for Medicaid-enrolled children, youth and families served by the child welfare system.

"The Children and Families Specialty Plan is an innovative approach to improving behavioral health services for children in North Carolina," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "By ensuring services are better coordinated and more consistently delivered across the state, the plan will help us ensure children and families have the right care at the right time to meet their needs."

Organizations that are interested and eligible to submit a proposal to help manage the CFSP are encouraged to apply. The Children and Families Specialty Plan RFP is posted on the North Carolina electronic Vendor Portal.

For questions from potential bidders on the procurement, contact Danielle Dodson, NCDHHS Division of Health Benefits, Senior Contract Development Specialist, at [email protected]. [source]