NCDHHS: New App Offers eRecovery Support for Substance Use Disorder

This app is not a substitute for clinical treatment, rather an additional tool that can help people connect with peers and get additional recovery supports.

 

Through a new partnership, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is making available CHESS Health's proven eRecovery program to help thousands of North Carolinians struggling with substance use disorders to achieve long-term recovery.

CHESS Health's eRecovery program features the Connections app, a smartphone app that provides participants with immediate access to a team of certified peer recovery specialists available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It offers moderated peer support groups, on-demand digital cognitive behavioral therapy programs and a robust set of recovery tools. This solution is offered free of charge for North Carolinians who choose to enroll through their provider and download the app, funded fully by NCDHHS.

The CHESS Health eRecovery program will be introduced in phases to more than 100 organizations across North Carolina over the next two years.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis right now, help is available. Both the NCDHHS Peer Warmline and 988 are available to anyone, anytime. Call 1-855-PEERS NC (855-733-7762) or call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org. People who speak Spanish can now connect directly to Spanish-speaking crisis counselors by calling 988 and pressing option 2, texting "AYUDA" to 988, or chatting online at 988lineadevida.org or 988Lifeline.org.


Calling All NCMS Physician and PA Members! Nominations Open for Leadership Positions

Want to be an NCMS leader? Did you resolve to be involved on a committee? Here's your opportunity!

 

The NCMS Nominating and Leadership Development Committee submits the following:

Call for Nominations:

  • NCMS Board of Directors
  • NC American Medical Association Delegation
  • Nominating and Leadership Development Committee

Overview

The call for nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association Delegation, and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee are now open.

 NCMS Board of Directors

  • President Elect: OPEN
  • Region 1 Representative: Claude Jarrett, MD (eligible for an additional term)
  • At-Large Member: Jugta Kahai, MD (eligible for an additional term)
  • At-Large Member: OPEN

View current NCMS Board of Directors here.

View the NCMS Board of Directors Job Description here.

NC American Medical Association Delegation

  • AMA Delegate: E. Rebecca Hayes, MD (eligible for an additional term)
  • AMA Delegate: Karen Smith, MD (eligible for an additional term)
  • AMA Delegate: Royce Syracuse, MD (eligible for an additional term)
  • AMA Delegate: OPEN

View current NC AMA Delegation here.

View the NC AMA Delegation Job Description here.

Nominating and Leadership Development Committee

NLDC Region 1: Joe Navejar, MD (eligible for an additional term)

NLDC Region 1: OPEN

NLDC Region 2: OPEN

NLDC Region 3: Labron Chambers, Jr., MD (eligible for an additional term)

NLDC Region 3: OPEN

NLDC Region 3: OPEN

NLDC Region 4: OPEN

NLDC Region 4: OPEN

NLDC Region 4: OPEN

View current NLDC members here.

View the NLDC Job Description here.

Nominations are due by May 13, 2024 (click here to view Nomination Form).

Process

Step 1: Candidates are nominated or may nominate themselves for a leadership position on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association Delegation, and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (click here to view Nomination Form).

Step 2: Once a candidate submits their nomination form, they will receive an email confirmation and made aware of any follow-up if needed.

Step 3: Upon careful review of submitted materials, the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (NLDC) will select candidates to be interviewed. Candidates will be notified via email by May 14, 2024, if they are selected for an interview. Interviews will take place via videoconference on Saturday, June 1, 2024.

Step 4: The NLDC will present the initial slate of candidates to NCMS membership on July 19, 2024, including a nomination form for Specialty Society-Component Society nominations. Specialty Society-Component Society nominations are due by August 9, 2024.

Step 5: Following any additional candidate interviews, the NLDC will select a final slate of candidates to be approved by the NCMS Board of Directors that will then be brought before the NCMS membership for a vote.

Step 6: The voting period for the elected positions will begin for all Active NCMS Members (Members who have paid 2024 dues) on October 14, 2024, and will end on October 30, 2024. Election results will be announced at the NCMS Annual Business Meeting on November 2, 2024.

All nominations and any information collected as part of the nominating process is strictly confidential.

For more information or questions about the nominating process, please contact Evan Simmons at [email protected].


Don't Miss March's Lunch & Learn Webinar: NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey Review

 

March Lunch & Learn Webinar


NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey Review

Thursday, March 28 | noon - 1:00 PM EDT | Zoom

 

Data matters. It is essential healthcare practices annually review their complete compensation package to help attract and retain exceptional employees. Tracey Martin of BRC will detail 2023's North Carolina-specific NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey highlights and address important KPIs and year-over-year salary trends.

During this webinar participants will:

  • Hear the current state of healthcare compensation within North Carolina.
  • Learn to use survey data to update and validate current compensation/recruitment practices for the following areas:
      • Salary Administration.
      • Nursing.
      • Benefits.
      • Office Staff.
      • Laboratory and Radiology.
  • Hear additional KPIs and year-over-year trends based on data gathered through NCMGMA’s highly respected annual Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey.

Registration

This webinar is free but you must be registered to attend. Space is limited so register early! After you register, you will receive an emailed confirmation with webinar and phone-in instructions. Please check your spam/junk folder if you do not see the confirmation email after you register.

Continuing education credit may be granted through your professional organization (MGMA, PAHCOM, AHIMA, etc.). Please self-submit for these organizations.

Questions

For questions or more information please contact the NCMGMA offices at [email protected].


Just Released: NC Maternal Mortality Report

 

The NC Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) of the NC Division of Public Health has issued its 2024 report on maternal deaths in the state associated with pregnancy.  The report presents the most recent data available from 2018-2019.

The MRCC was instituted in 2015 by legislation that was supported by the NC Medical Society in partnership with the NC Ob/Gyn Society and other stakeholder groups. The committee consists of twenty members, including ob/gyns - Kate Menard, MD, Stephanie Pierce, MD, Maria Small, MD, Jim Devente, MD, and Jennifer Glover, MD.

This 2024 report presents an overview of maternal deaths in North Carolina during the 2018-2019 period.  Notable datapoints in the report included:

  • “The MMRC reviewed 181 NC resident deaths occurring from 2018 to 2019.
  • 42% (n=76) of the cases were determined to be pregnancy-related.
  • Among the 76 deaths occurring in 2018 and 2019 classified as pregnancy-related by the MMRC, mental health conditions were the overall leading cause of death, comprising nearly one-third of all cases (31.6%, n=24).
    • Twenty pregnancy-related deaths were attributed to overdoses.
  • Eight pregnancy-related deaths were homicides:
    • For non-Hispanic Black individuals, the increase in pregnancy-related mortality ratios (PRMRs) was associated with an increase in pregnancy-related homicides.
  • Nearly all the overdose deaths involved opioids (18 of 20) and fentanyl was noted in 14 of the 20 overdose cases.
  • Among the 76 pregnancy-related deaths, more than half occurred during pregnancy, delivery, or within 42 days postpartum (n=40; 52%).
  • Discrimination was determined to be a probable contributing factor in 53 pregnancy-related deaths (69.7%) and was the most common contributory factor recorded.
  • The majority (85.5%) of pregnancy-related deaths occurring in 2018 and 2019 were preventable, that is ‘the committee determined that there was at least some chance of the death being averted by one or more reasonable changes.’”

The MMRC defines a “Pregnancy-Related Death” as:

“A death during pregnancy or within one year of the end of the pregnancy from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. “

“Pregnancy-Associated Death” is defined as:

“A death during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from a cause that is not related to the pregnancy.”

The full report is available online at: 2018-2019 Maternal Mortality Review Report.


In Memoriam: NCMS Life Member Sarah Taylor Morrow, MD, MPH

NCMS Life member Dr. Sarah Taylor Morrow, MD, MPH, died Friday, March 1. She was 102.

Dr. Morrow was the daughter of pioneering dentist Dr. Lois McKeown Taylor, and surgeon Dr. Frank V. Taylor. By the age of five, Morrow was determined to become a doctor.

Just before the great depression of 1929 she moved to Charlotte with her younger brother and mother to the Dilworth neighborhood where her mother practiced dentistry out of her home office. She attended Queens College where she became quite accomplished at piano before transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill where she received a bachelor’s degree in medicine.

She completed her medical training at the University of Maryland earning her MD degree at the young age of 23 in 1944. She was then one of the first women to be accepted into the Pediatric residency program at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Ga.

Adding to her accomplishments, Morrow was the first female Secretary of NC DHHS.

Dr. Morrow joined the NCMS in 1961.

The North Carolina Medical Society extends its deepest sympathies.

Read Morrow's full obituary here.


Save the Date: Inaugural Collaborative Care Model Behavioral Health Care Manager Summit

SAVE THE DATE!

Inaugural Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) Summit

Thursday, May 16, 2024
9 am- 3:15 pm

McKimmon Center
1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606

 

Mark your calendars for the inaugural Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) Summit, presented jointly by NC AHEC and Southern Regional AHEC. This event will be held on Thursday, May 16 at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.

Explore the pivotal role of BHCMs in CoCM and their significant impact. This summit will feature esteemed national and state CoCM experts, including representatives from the AIMS Center at the University of Washington, as well as state government representatives.

Attendees will benefit from insightful presentations by experienced CoCM BHCMs, integrated behavioral health Subject Matter Experts, university graduate education, and patient perspectives. Additionally, gain valuable insights from a primary care practice team that has successfully implemented CoCM in their clinic.

Don't miss out on this invaluable training opportunity. Registration details will be available soon.


Duke Team Uses Deep Brain Stimulation to Improve Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

(image credit: Duke)

 

A team of physicians, neuroscientists and engineers at Duke University has demonstrated two new strategies that use deep brain stimulation to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

By simultaneously targeting two key brain structures and using a novel self-adjusting device, the team showed that they can efficiently target and improve disruptive symptoms caused by the movement disorder.

The research appears online in the journal Brain.

“Physicians place the electrodes for DBS in either the subthalamic nucleus or the globus pallidus, which are two structures in the brain closely associated with movement,” said senior author Dennis Turner, professor of neurosurgery, neurobiology, orthopaedic surgery and biomedical engineering at Duke. Turner conceived and organized the research and assembled the interdisciplinary team.

Read the full article here.


New Collaborative Care Model Training Series Modules Released

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has partnered with NC AHEC to provide educational and practice-based support to primary care practices interested in implementing the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) -- a team-based, interdisciplinary approach to deliver evidence-based diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up care for patients with mild to moderate behavioral health needs.

Module 14: Collaborative Care in Perinatal Populations

Speaker: Lori Raney, MD, Faculty Psychiatrist at MAHEC Center for Psychiatry and Mental Wellness

This webinar will cover the adaptations to the collaborative care model necessary for successful implementation in the perinatal population. It will cover the roles of the key team members including the OB/GYN, behavioral health care manager (BHCM) and the psychiatric consultant. Specific adaptations for the BHCM will be discussed in detail. Diagnostic consideration for different diagnoses seen in pregnancy and postpartum will be described and the screening tools to consider.

Module 15: Improving CoCM Quality Using Technology

Speakers: Nathaniel A Sowa, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor and John N Copeland, MD MPH

In this session, participants will learn about how technology can facilitate implementation and maintenance of a high-quality CoCM program. The course will demonstrate different ways that patient registries can be utilized to monitor patient progress, as well as fidelity to the treatment model. Construction and use of data dashboards that facilitate monitoring of program quality metrics will be examined. A brief description of how technology can be incorporated into the CoCM workflow to gather patient reported outcomes will demonstrate ways to utilize technology solutions to improve program efficiency and patient engagement.

Click button below to register for the CoCM Training Series, including modules 1-15. When you click "REGISTER" on the webpage, you will be asked to log in to your MyAHEC account, or create one. Once you register for any one module, you are registered for the entire series.

Visit NC AHEC's Collaborative Care Model Webpage here.


Join NCMS for a Post Match Day Social in Chapel Hill on March 19th!

Join NCMS for a post Match Day social!

If you are newly matched, 20 years matched, or have yet to be matched, come share your stories with each other and the NCMS!


Students, Residents, Physicians & PAs
*see student incentive below

Bring your colleagues, family and friends!
Drinks and snacks will be provided!

March 19 - 6-8pm
Four Corners, Chapel Hill
175 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514


REGISTER NOW!

If you cannot register at the above link, or need more information, please contact Toni Hill, [email protected].


First 25 students to register and attend this social, can receive an NCMS Membership for 2024!

Thanks to generous NCMS members who believe in the power of student members, the first 25 students who register, attend, and complete a membership application will receive a one-year NCMS membership for the 2024 membership year.

REGISTER NOW!


Capitol Chronicle: Medicare Payment – Relief But No Reversal

 

Medicare Payment – Relief But No Reversal

 

Last week, Congress took significant action by enacting a spending package to fund the federal government.  There was, however, a significant omission in the $460B spending bill– a reversal of the 3.37% Medicare physician payment cut for 2024.  Rather than eliminating the cut, as the NC Medical Society and our partner medical societies had lobbied for, Congress instead reduced the pay reduction by 1.68%. This adjusted rate will apply to Medicare claims going forward and will not be retroactive to the first of the year.

The NCMS and collaborating stakeholders have been active and aggressive in fighting the pay reduction since CMS announced the 2024 fee schedule on November 2, 2023.  The payment reduction for 2024 comes on the heels of a 2% cut in 2023 and is exacerbated by a projected 4.6% increase in medical practice operational costs for 2024.  Meanwhile, hospitals received positive consideration by delaying cuts in their Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments along with additional payment extensions.

Those who have weighed in with our members of Congress over the past several months deserve a big, Thank You.  You have helped amplify our message that declining rates of reimbursement are unsustainable, especially when Medicaid and commercial insurers use the Medicare physician fee schedule as a primary index for setting their payment schedules.

The fight continues. 

Each of our state’s House and Senate offices on Capitol Hill has been made aware of our displeasure over the insufficient consideration that physicians caring for Medicare patients received in the funding package.  They have been informed on numerous occasions about payment reductions’ negative impact on practice viability and seniors’ access to care; and that message will continue. There are pending measures in the House and Senate which would revise the Medicare payment formula by implementing an automatic inflationary adjustment, a consideration already granted to other providers.  Another proposal would adjust the parameters which trigger required “budget neutrality,” thereby allowing physician payment adjustments without requiring budget offsets.

Have you shared the impact of the Medicare payment cut with your member of Congress?  If not and you’d be willing to share your story, please indicate your willingness by email. Your patients’ voices would be impactful as well.  We would be pleased to help connect you with those who represent you on Capitol Hill.


Do you know your state and federal legislators? More importantly, do your legislators know you?
The NCMS can help you connect with policy makers as a constituent and advocate!




Recognize, Celebrate, Honor: National Health Workforce Well-Being Day of Awareness


Health workers continue to face a mental health crisis.

 

Last month US. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) led the charge in declaring March 18th  Health Workforce Well-Being Day of Awareness.

March 18, 2022, holds important significance by marking the day President Biden signed The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act—landmark, first-of-its-kind legislation supporting health workers’ mental health and well-being—into law.

“Our health care providers protect our health and well-being every day, often at the expense of their own. My Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is making strides to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals. I was proud to introduce a bill to reauthorize the law—but there’s more we can do to raise awareness,” said Senator Kaine. “Designating March 18 as Health Workforce Well-Being Day of Awareness would help reduce stigma, advance research, and ensure providers can get the care they need.”

Read the full press release here.

Learn more about Dr. Lorna Breen and the significance of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation here.


Check Your Cabinets! Your Cinnamon May Be Contaminated with Lead.

 

The Food and Drug Administration is warning against purchasing six brands of ground cinnamon that contain potentially unsafe levels of lead. Elevated levels of lead were found in ground cinnamon products from the following brands:

  • La Fiesta, sold at La Superior and SuperMercados
  • Marcum, sold at Save A Lot
  • MTCI, sold at SF Supermarket
  • Swad, sold at Patel Brothers
  • Supreme Tradition, sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar
  • El Chilar, sold at La Joya Morelense

Exposure to lead in utero, infancy and early childhood can lead to harmful neurological effects like learning and behavior disabilities and lowered IQ, according to the regulator. For adults, chronic lead exposure is linked to kidney dysfunction, hypertension and neurocognitive effects. [source]

If you've purchased any of these brands of ground cinnamon, throw them out immediately, the FDA says. Cinnamon and other spices have a long shelf-life, so check the labels of any cinnamon you may have bought some time ago to be sure it isn't one of these contaminated brands. Although the FDA has requested a recall, these products could still be on store shelves — so do not buy them.

If you have consumed of these brands of cinnamon, or suspect you or your children were exposed to lead, see your health care provider for testing, as most people don't have symptoms of exposure. [source]


FDA Approves Expanded Use of Blood Cancer Drug Brukinsa

 

The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to zanubrutinib (Brukinsa, BeiGene USA, Inc.) with obinutuzumab for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

The regimen was evaluated in Study BGB-3111-212 (ROSEWOOD; NCT03332017), an open-label, multicenter, randomized trial that enrolled 217 adult patients with relapsed or refractory FL after at least 2 prior systemic treatments. Patients were randomized (2:1) to receive either zanubrutinib 160 mg orally twice daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity plus obinutuzumab (ZO), or obinutuzumab alone. The median number of prior lines of therapy was 3 (range 2-11).

Continue to the full FDA release here.


Happening Soon! Register Now for Next Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat


Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat: Key Medicaid Updates

Thursday, March 21 | 5:30 p.m.

 

This month's Back Porch Chat will be hosted by Dr. Janelle White, Chief Medical Officer of Medicaid, and Sarah Gregosky, Chief Operating Officer, NC Medicaid.

The webinar will include important news for all providers about NC Medicaid on preparing for Tailored Plan Launch, the latest on Medicaid Expansion, and additional clinical updates on the following topics:

  • Total Cost of Care Dashboard
  • Bicillin Rate Increase
  • Congenital Syphilis Update


Reminder: Free At-home COVID Tests Ends TODAY! Grab Yours Now.

Today is your last opportunity to order free at-home COVID tests. 

Here's what you need to know about your order:

  • Each order includes #4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests (COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates)
  • If an order has not been placed for your address since the program reopened on September 25, 2023, you can place# 2 orders now
  • Orders will ship free

Complete this simple form here to order your tests.


New CME Series Helps Meet Updated DEA Requirements

Addiction Medicine CME Series Helps Meet Updated DEA Requirements

The North Carolina Medical Board and Wake AHEC, in collaboration with the North Carolina Medical Society and the Addiction Medicine Fellowship program at UNC School of Medicine, have developed an eight-hour CME series that meets the training requirement established by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time requirement for active DEA registrants to complete eight hours of education on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. DEA registrants who renew on or after June 27, 2023, will be asked to certify that they have completed the required hours.

The new Addiction Medicine Series offers education on a variety of key topics in addiction medicine, including the impacts of stigma, integrating addiction treatment in the primary care setting, and treatment of substance use in special populations.

Here is the full list of classes available in the series:

1. The End of a Bygone Era: Removal of the X-waiver Next Steps in Buprenorphine Prescribing
2. Addiction in Primary Care
3. Treating Chronic Pain and Addictions
4. Responding to Pediatric Substance Use
5. Understanding the Impacts of Stigma: Substance Use Disorder
6. Addiction and Mental Illness
7. The Impact of Stigma and Bias on Substance Use Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment
8. Current State of MOUD Access

Learn more and how to register here.


Time for a Healthier NC! Pledge to Stop Diabetes in its Tracks.

 

Take a stand against diabetes!

 

DIABETESFREENC is a joint initiative of the NCMS Foundation and the American Medical Association (AMA) aimed to stop the spread of diabetes in NC.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a lifestyle change program that has free or low-cost options for patients, regardless of their insurance provider and you can refer using any of these convenient platforms: Our Community Health Initiative (OCHI), NC CARE 360 and the DPP Navigator.

Your pledge demonstrates your willingness to support diabetes prevention in NC! Pledge TODAY!


NCDHHS Places Important Focus on Sickle Cell Disease with Federal Partnership

 

With approximately 6,800 people in North Carolina suffering with sickle cell disease, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) intends to increase access to new therapies through the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model.

The Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model aims to improve the lives of people with Medicaid living with rare and severe diseases by increasing access to potentially transformative treatments.

Cell and gene therapies have high upfront costs but have the potential to reduce health care spending over time by addressing the underlying causes of disease, reducing the severity of illness, and reducing health care utilization.

Initially, the model will focus on access to gene therapy treatments for people living with sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that disproportionately affects Black Americans.

NCDHHS has updated a white paper it issued in December when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the historic therapies named Casgevy and Lyfgenia, which are now available on the market. In clinical trials, both therapies were found to reduce or completely eliminate the extreme pain crises experienced by people living with sickle cell disease.

For additional information on the Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model, see the fact sheet and CGT model page.

Related Reading:

U.S. Set to Approve First Gene-editing Treatment for Sickle Cell Patients


FDA Approves Amivantamab as First-Line Lung Cancer Treatment

 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) with carboplatin and pemetrexed for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

The FDA also granted traditional approval to amivantamab-vmjw for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. FDA previously granted accelerated approval for this indication.

Read the full article here.


New NC Food Program Will Feed Children Over the Summer

 

Expected to provide food for nearly a million school children this summer

 

Food and nutrition security means having reliable access to enough high-quality food to avoid hunger and stay healthy. Improving access to nutritious food supports overall health, reduces chronic diseases, and helps people avoid unnecessary health care. That’s why food and nutrition security is one of the key social determinants of health, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A new program in North Carolina is expected to provide food for nearly a million school children this summer.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, has announced its intent to administer the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (S-EBT) Program known as "SUN Bucks."

"Food is foundational to health," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "The SUN Bucks program will help relieve kids' hunger, support their health and promote the ability for them to learn."

Get all the details on this beneficial program here.


Free Community Wellness Event in Greensboro This Saturday

 

J. Douglas Galyon Depot

234 East Washington Street
Downtown Greensboro

Saturday, March 9

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 

Cone Health is partnering with Downtown Greensboro, Inc. to provide a free community health screening event on Saturday, March 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot located at 234 East Washington Street.

Free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings will be offered at the event. There will also be team members on hand to provide patient education and health resources, including information about where to receive care in the community.


AMA Center for Health Equity: Applicants for Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship Needed

 

The AMA Center for Health Equity seeks applicants for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship program’s 2024-2025 cohort. The program is administered through a partnership between the AMA and the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Satcher Health Leadership Institute.

Using an anti-racist, equity-centered learning framework, fellows engage with equity experts and trailblazers. The fellowship equips and empowers fellows to be part of the next generation of advocacy leaders, driving meaningful policy and structural changes that produce equity and justice in the communities they serve.

Application deadline is April 1, 2024.


Duke, UNC Hospitals Ranked in Top 100 in Nation

(Photo: Duke Health)

Newsweek Ranks Duke, UNC Hospitals Top in Nation

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Duke University Hospital in Durham has been recognized as one of the top medical centers in the country in 2024.

Newsweek magazine, in partnership with Statista, has released its annual rankings of the world’s best hospitals, with an overall global list as well as ones divided by country.

Duke University Hospital comes in at No. 16 on the list of the best hospitals in the United States, the highest ranking of any hospital in North Carolina. The medical center is also on the list of top 250 hospitals worldwide, ranking at No. 68 globally.

While Duke University Hospital is the only one in North Carolina that ranked globally, several others from around the Triangle made the list of best in the country.

Two UNC-system hospitals ranked in the top 100 — UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh at No. 71, and UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill at No. 79.

Another Durham facility, Duke Regional Hospital, comes in at No. 143. Also ranking in the top 200 is FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst at No. 171.

Newsweek lists two more Triangle hospitals among its list of the 412 best in the U.S. — UNC Health Johnston in Smithfield (No. 333) and Duke Health Raleigh (No. 408).

The rankings were put together using data from online recommendation surveys taken by medical professionals as well as patient satisfaction surveys, hospital quality metrics and patient-reported outcome measures, or PROMs. [source]


NC Hospital to Host Colorectal Health Lunch and Learn

 

Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva will host a special “Lunch and Learn” opportunity focused on colorectal health on Thursday, March 21st from noon – 1:00 p.m.

The event, which will be held in the Easton Board Room on the first floor of the hospital, will be led by general surgeon Gilberto Robles, MD, who will share his expertise on the importance of maintaining colorectal health, including prevention, screenings, warning signs, and more.

The event is open to the public and individuals who have questions about colorectal health are encouraged to attend. Lunch will be served at the event and dietary preferences can be accommodated.

For questions or to register for the event call 828.631.7429.


First Over-the-counter Birth Control Pill Will Be Available Later This Month

 

More than 50 years after the oral contraceptive pill went on the market in the United States, the country's first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in stores and online nationwide later this month.

Known as Opill, the birth control pill will be available without prescription necessary in major retailers and pharmacies nationwide in late March, the drug's maker, Perrigo, announced Monday.

"People have a new choice, a new option to access the oral contraceptive pill without a prescription," said Contraceptive Access Initiative (CAI) Co-founder Dana Singiser.

The medication will cost $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply in stores. Online customers can buy Opill at Opill.com for $49.99 for a three-month supply and $89.99 for a six-month supply. Patients may begin pre-ordering the drug from select stores as of this week.

Read full article here.

Related Reading:

FDA Approves First Over-the-counter Birth Control Pill

FDA Advisers Vote Unanimously in Support of Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill


Capitol Chronicle: North Carolina Neurologists Take to The Hill

 

On February 27, 2024, a delegation of neurologists from North Carolina visited Capitol Hill to advocate for some key issues impacting medicine. Their day, which included stops at each of our state’s Senate and House offices, focused on:

Medicare – Reversal of the 3.37% cut in physician payment

Medicare – Updating the physician payment formula to allow for an annual inflationary adjustment

Step Therapy – Relief from insurers’ unsubstantiated delays in approved care

Research – Funding to help advance research and therapies for treating neurologic diseases

The Washington, DC fly-in was hosted by the American Academy of Neurology and North Carolina’s advocates included:

Robert Armstrong, MD
Asheville Neurology Specialists / Asheville

Zahra Cain-Akbar, DO
Harnett Health / Wade

Amy Guzik, MD, FAAN
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist / Winston Salem

Casey Jeffreys, MD
Raleigh Neurology / Raleigh

Maria Minor, MD
Duke University Medical Center / Durham

W. Alan Skipper, CAE
NC Medical Society & NC Neurological Society / Raleigh


We need you!

Join us for in-district meetings with North Carolina members of Congress. If you would like to be included in a meeting with your member of Congress, please let us know by email.




Today is Super Tuesday! Your Voice, Your Vote. Be Heard!

 

Today is Super Tuesday! Find your location and voting hours here: Primary Election (PDF).

The North Carolina Medical Society has several members running for state and federal offices. Here are your fellow members who are on the ballot:

Grant Campbell, MD – NC House – 83
www.campbellfornc.com

Ralph Carter, MD – NC House – 48
www.ralphcarterforhouse.com

Mary Ann Contogiannis, MD – US House – NC6
www.drmaryannforcongress.com

David Hill, MD – NC Senate – 7
www.hillforncsenate.com

Greg Murphy, MD – US House – NC3
www.murphy4congress.com

Tim Reeder, MD – NC House – 9
www.drtimreeder.com

Over the past two months, some members have made the journey to Raleigh to sit down and answer questions submitted by NCMS members. View the 2024 Candidate Series videos here.


NCMB Issues Call for Physician, PA and NP Candidates

 

Applicants are needed for two physician seats, one physician assistant (PA) seat and one nurse practitioner (NP) seat on the North Carolina Medical Board for terms beginning November 1.

 

All positions must be filled by the process set down in statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-2 and 90-3), which requires interested parties to apply via the Review Panel for the North Carolina Medical Board. The Review Panel is an independent body that nominates candidates for consideration by Governor Roy Cooper. By law, the Review Panel must nominate two candidates for each open seat.

One physician seat and both advanced practice provider seats are currently occupied by individuals who are eligible for reappointment. However, incumbents must apply for reappointment via the normal application process.

Applications will be accepted online through 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 27. For more information visit this website.

The Review Panel will consider only physicians (MDs or DOs), PAs and NPs who hold active, unrestricted NC medical licenses. Applicants must be actively providing patient care at least part time and must have no history of disciplinary action within the past five years.


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

 

Don't Miss the upcoming NCMS Advocacy Summit This Month!

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.


Register Now for the "All Politics is Local" Advocacy Webinar

All Politics is Local: How Engaging Local & State Officials Can Aid Your Congressional Advocacy Efforts

March 13
8pm ET

This AMA Very Influential Physician event will explore the benefits of connecting, interacting, and building personal relationships with state and local legislators. Tracy Mattison Brandon, a current Town Commissioner in Davidson, NC, and Beatrice Lanzi, a former Rhode Island lawmaker with 20 years tenure in the state Senate and House, will share their experiences as elected officials.

Hear how constituents made impressions, both positive and negative, on these public officials; what members of their communities did to endear themselves to these legislators; and, how their roles as local and state government officials were intertwined with the work of their members of Congress.

Space is limited. Be sure to register early.


2024 NCMS Candidate Series - Ralph Carter, MD

2024 NCMS Candidate Series Featuring Dr. Ralph Carter

 

The 2024 North Carolina Medical Society Candidate Series has an exclusive interview featuring Dr. Ralph Carter, who is running for North Carolina House District 48. In this episode, Dr. Carter outlines what motivated him to run for office and his most important legislative issues. He is passionate about bringing jobs to his district, improving education in District 48, fighting against government health mandates, and his strong support for pro-life policies.

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. Carter here:

https://youtu.be/eybBCn9yN9o


Happy Birthday to Our Members Celebrating This Month!

Grab your party hats and noisemakers and let’s celebrate!

 

Robert B. Abrahams, DO
Yousef S. Abumostafa, MD
Stephen J. Acosta, MD
Jeffery A. Adams, MD
Mia R. Adkins, MD
Mamatha Agrawal, MD
Mahmood G. Aijazi, MD
Lysle K. Ailstock, MD
Raul C. Aizcorbe, MD
Muhammad S. Alam, MD
Kira M. Alatar, MD
Kyle A. Alexander, MD
Kimberly A. Alford, MD
Hassan Alhosaini, MD
David J. Allison, MD
D. Kevin Allred, PA-C
Ishwari S. Amin, PA-C
Rakesh D. Amin, MD
David T. Anderson, MD
Vincent C. Andracchio, MD
Nicole E. Aristy, MD, FAAP
Robert F. Armstrong, MD
Melanie R. Artho, MD
Michael S. Artman, MD, FAAP
Adedayo O. Ashana, MD
Arthur Axelbank, MD
Malick V. Bachabi, MD
J. Russell Bailey, MD, FACC
Donald W. Bales, Jr., MD
Stephanie L. Balkman, PA-C
James D. Ball, MD
Edwin C. Bartlett, Sr., MD
Edgar H. Batcheller, Jr., MD
Shayne E. Bates, MD
Alan S. Baumgarten, MD, MPH
Jeffrey S. Beecher, DO
Nana A. D. Benneh, MD
Christiana J. Bernal, MD
Joe D. Bernard, MD
Gregory M. Bertics, MD
Margaret L. Bertrand, MD
Navin C. Bhojwani, MD
Preecha Bhotiwihok, MD, MPH
George A. Binder, MD
Richard E. Bird, MD
John P. Birkedal, MD
Taylor M. Bishop, PA
Jeffrey R. Blackburn, MD
Jamie E. Bleyer, MD
Zachary T. Blom, MD
Hannah E. Boghosian, PA-C
Jeffrey Borders, MD
Jared B. Bowns, MD
Ker Boyce, MD, FACC, FACP
Brian A. Boyd, MD
Robin Boyd-Kranis, MD
Tyler C. Bradley, PA-C
Ashley J. F. Brandon, MD
Andrew R. Brant, MD
Lori C. Bridges, PA-C
George M. Brinson, MD
Thomas E. Brock, MD
Brian K. Brodwater, MD
Jeffrey A. Brody, MD
Bradley J. Broussard, MD
Cynthia J. H. Brown, MD
Jared W. Brown, MD
Rebecca H. Brown, MD
Richard F. Bruch, MD
Matthew J. Bruehl, MD
Vardaman M. Buckalew, Jr., MD
Philippe I. Bulauitan, MD
Donald K. Bulla, PA-C
Joseph M. Bumgarner, MD
Edwin K. Burkett, MD
Aaron M. Burman, PA-C
D. Patrick Burney, MD
Merle R. Busby, MD
Parag Butala, MD
Jerome M. Butler, Jr., MD
Brian R. Cabarrus, MD
Elaine S. Cabinum-Foeller, MD, FAAP
Dwayne D. Callwood, MD
Bernard C. C. Campo, PA-C
Gerald W. Capps, MD
Thomas K. Carlton, Jr., MD
Dennis D. Carmichael, MD
Laurel E. Carter, MD
Margaret F. Carter, MD
Steven R. Carter, MD
Virginia F. Casey, MD
N. Daniel Catz, MD
Margaret E. K. Champion, MD
John S. Chang, MD
Sarah J. Chapman, PA-C
Danielle N. Chavis, PA-C
Dev R. Cheti, MD
John C. Childress, III, MD
Mohan M. Chilukuri, MD
Katherine E. Chockley-Nystrom, PA-C
Christina H. Choe, MD
Michele M. Clancy, MD
Robert E. Clark, MD, PhD
Jim R. Cleary, MD
David A. Clements, II, MD
Margaret R. Clifton, DO
H. Leslie Clinton, Jr., MD
Timothy E. Cloninger, MD
Michael R. Coan, MD
Joseph A. Coladonato, MD
Ann S. Collins, MD
Dana D. Copeland, MD
Donald L. Copeland, MD
Mark W. Cornelius, MD
Alexandra F. Covington, PA
Michael A. Cowan, MD
Karen D. Coward, MD
Kirsten S. Cox, MD
James S. Coxe, III, MD
William L. Craig, III, MD
Benjamin Craighead, MD
Larry M. Crane, MD
Adam C. Creech, MD
Matthew A. Creighton, MD
Lori K. Crihfield, DO
Daniel L. Crocker, MD
Charles C. Crowell, III, MD
John B. Crudup, III, MD
Nathan S. Cuka, MD
Edith R. Curry, MD
Richard F. Curtis, MD
Thomas L. D'Alessio, MD
Michael B. Daley, MD
Julie Daniel, DO
Laura F. Danile, MD
Stephen M. David, MD
John D. Davis, Jr., MD
Jeffrey R. Daw, MD
Troy C. Dawley, DO
Lindsey E. de Guehery, MD, FACP
Gary J. DeFilipp, MD
Bridget M. Degele, MD
Derek W. DelMonte, MD
William T. Derry, MD
Maureen Despres, MD
Crystal M. Dickson, MD
Robin Dimitrious, MD
Steven A. Dingeldein, MD
Robert M. Doline, MD
Shannon B. Dowler, MD
Shannon M. Drohan, MD
Douglas A. Drossman, MD
Elizabeth D. Dryden, PA-C
Josiah W. Duke, MD
Melissa B. Duncan, MD
Thaddeus L. Dunn, MD
Allyson P. Dupay, PA-C
Michael R. Duran, PA-C
Sarah K. Dusel, PA-C
Daniel P. Dwyer, MD
H. Shelton Earp, III, MD
E. Stephen Edwards, MD
George S. Edwards, Sr., MD
Kent R. Edwards, Jr., MD
Vance H. Edwards, MD
Bryan A. Ehlert, MD
Carl J. Eisenberg, MD
Mohamed T. El-Kara, MD
Justin D. Ellis, PA-C
Sherif O. El-Mahdy, MD
Shandal S. Emanuel, MD
J. Mark Englehardt, MD
Paul N. Erckman, MD
Heath B. Ergas, MD
John M. Erickson, MD
Vaishali G. Escaravage, MD, FAAD
William M. Eubanks, Jr., MD
Uzma S. Faheem, MD
William L. Fangman, MD
John C. Faris, MD
Robert A. Ferguson, DO
Daniel H. Fertel, MD
Nicholas J. Fitzsimons, MD
Gitanjali M. Fleischman, MD
Herbon E. Fleming, MD
Joseph P. Flynn, DO
Adam W. Fosnaugh, MD
John D. Franklin, MD
Earl A. Frantz, DO
Lynn Marie Fraser, MD
Darrell W. Freeman, MD
Jon E. Fromke, MD
Elaina K. Furr, DO
Robert H. Gaither, MD
Lance M. Garber, MD
Michael L. Garner, MD
John W. Garrett, MD
Timothy M. Gast, PA-C
Matthew P. Geib, DO
Mathew George, MD
Wood B. Gibbs, MD
Kathleen Gibson, MD
Herman A. Godwin, Jr., MD
Kyle T. Golden, DO
Jason F. Goldie, MD
Barbara L. Goldman, PA-C
H. Ronald Gollberg, MD
Tristan Gonzalez Sanz, MD
Allison C. Gordon, PA-C
Daniel S. Gordon, MD
Hormoze A. Goudarzi, MD
Matthew R. Grafenberg, MD
William M. Gramig, III, MD
David Josip Grasic, MD
Patrick D. Green, MD
Thomas M. Green, Jr., DO
Chad C. Greer, MD
Amardeep S. Grewal, MD
Amy M. Griffin, MD
John P. Grimm, MD
Sarah R. Grossman, MD
Kelly R. Grove, DO, FAAP
Leah M. Gruber, PA
Mark J. Gruchacz, MD
Marc F. Guerra, MD
Alison P. Guptill, MD
Shauna L. Guthrie, MD, MPH
Amy Guttmann, MD
Jason C. Haag, MD
Trevor Hackman, MD
Jeremy M. Hackworth, MD
Elizabeth Hagenmaier, DO
Brian H. Hamilton, MD
Gene T. Hamilton, MD
Douglas I. Hammer, MD
Jonathan A. Hancher, MD
Charin L. Hanlon, MD, FACP
Perry M. Harmon, MD
Willard C. Harrill, MD, FACS
James A. Harris, MD, FACS
Tina G. Harris, MD
David L. Harshman, MD
Omer A. Hassan, MD
Robert E. Hassler, MD
Michael W. Hauser, MD
James H. Hawkins, Jr., MD
Seth C. Hawkins, MD
Sherman M. Hawkins, Jr., MD
Yasmin Heater, MD
Kathryn J. Hecker-Magee, MD
William D. Heizer, MD
Joel H. Heller, MD
George P. Henderson, Jr., MD
Richard R. Henderson, MD
Mark D. Henin, MD
Victoria M. Herriott, MD
Marc A. Herschelman, DO
David L. Hill, MD, FAAP
Shannon N. Hill, MD
Nancy M. Hill-Price, MD
Thomas R. Hinson, Jr., MD
Jason G. Ho, MD
Audrey J. Hockeborn, PA-C
Marcus A. Hodges, MD
Bennett R. Hollenberg, MD
Kevin D. Hollis, MD
Douglas K. Holmes, MD
Adrian W. Holtzman, MD
Andrea L. B. Honeycutt, MD
Janice R. Hong-Messier, MD
James B. Hooker, MD, MPH
William W. Hope, MD, FACS
Jeffrey J. Horvath, MD
Robert G. Howard, Jr., MD
William C. Hubbard, MD
Edward V. Hudson, MD
Michael B. Huggins, MD
Kathryn J. Hull Wood, MD
Megan A. Hunstad, PA-C
Jacklynn L. Hunt, PA-C
Karrar Husain, MD
Farah S. B. A. Hussain, MD
Odinaka G. Idada, PA-C, MHS
Lourdes Illa-Sanchez, MD
Isaac L. Jaben, MD
Kayla M. Jacobs, PA-C
William R. Jacobs, MD
Elizabeth G. Jarvis, MD
Casey V. Jeffreys, MD
Jerome E. Jennings, MD
Sarah C. Jernigan, MD
Jolene R. Jewell, MD
Andrew E. Johansen, MD
Charles S. Johnson, MD
Kenneth L. Johnson, II, MD
Kamlyn Jones, MD
Steven A. Josephson, MD, FACP
Patrick K. Jowdy, MD
Walton K. Joyner, Jr., MD
Beatriz E. Juncadella, MD, FAAP
Hassan Kahi, MD
Ciamack Kamdar, MD
Barry K. S. G. Kang, MD
Leonardo Kapural, MD, PhD
Kenneth S. Karb, MD
Stephen L. Kash, MD
Rachel Keever, MD, FACC
Mary K. Keith, MD
Jessica K. Kim, DO
Paul S. Kim, MD
Sarah Kim, MD
Seung W. Kim, MD
Stephen W. Kimmel, MD
Edgar W. Kirby, IV, MD
David Kirk, MD
Alvin P. Kitchin, Jr., MD
Bert J. Klein, III, MD
Steven D. Klein, MD
John T. Klimas, MD
Christine T. Knettel, MD
Gilliam J. Knox, MD
Margaret M. Kocsis, MD
Dennis D. Kokenes, MD
Aaron Kollross, MD
Amy M. Kornegay, PA-C, MPAS
Jonathan H. Kornegay, MD
Walter T. Koscielniak, III, MD, FAAP
Jeffrey M. Kotzan, MD
Bruce J. Kowalski, MD
Michael V. Krasnokutsky, MD
Ronald E. Krum, MD
Andrew J. Kubinski, DO, MS
Lydia E. Kuo-Bonde, MD
Jeffrey G. Kuremsky, MD
Robert S. Lackey, MD
Mallory C. Lake, PA-C
Venkatesh Lakshman, MD
Matthew J. Landfried, MD
David R. Lane, MD
Fred D. Lassiter, MD
Adeyemi A. Lawal, MD
Mary Katherine Lawrence, MD
Robert L. Lawrence, MD
Mary Lou Lawson, MD
Daniel P. Leas, MD
Choo H. Lee, MD
Daniel P. Lee, DO
Jinoo T. Lee, MD
Elizabeth R. Lemoine, MD
Julie V. Levengood, MD
Ronald H. Levine, MD
Frederic E. Levy, MD
Jay B. Levy, MD
Caroline H. Lewis, PA
Katherine M. Lewis, MD
Andrew I. Light, MD
Alexander J. Lim, MD
Roger Lim, MD
Chelsea W. Lindley, PA-C
Timothy L. Lockamy, DO
Hillary E. Lockemer, MD
Thomas T. Long, III, MD
William P. Lorio, MD
Jennifer M. Lovin, MD
Macie N. Lucas, PA
Donald T. Lucey, MD
Kondie L. Lykins, PA
Edward B. Mabry, MD
Damien C. Macaluso, MD
J. Alexis MacDonald, Jr., MD
Kevin A. MacDonald, MD
Graham L. Machen, MD
John P. Mahaney, Jr., MD
Alden B. Maier, MD, FACS
Anita M. Makowski, PA
Morton D. Malkin, MD
Michael S. Mallonee, MD
Peter G. Mangone, MD
Charles F. Marshall, Jr., MD
A. Michele Martin, MD
Charles R. Martin, MD
Matthew B. Martin, MD, FACS
Michael M. Marushack, MD
H. Benno Marx, MD
David P. Mason, MD, FACOG
Robert D. Matthews, MD
Lisa L. May, MD
Karen E. Mayer, MD
Bradley T. McCall, MD
Samuel G. McCaskill, Jr., MD
John T. McCormick, MD
Marion M. McCrary, MD, FACP
Gordon R. McDevitt, Jr., MD
John N. McDowell, MD
Barry D. McGinnis, MD
James S. McGrath, MD, MPH
Sheppard A. McKenzie, III, MD
Joseph T. McLamb, MD
Michael E. McLeod, MD
Thomas K. McMahan, MD
J. Eugene McMurry, Jr., MD
Ryan P. McWey, MD
Andrew M. Mealin, DO
Stephen J. Melson, MD
Matthew J. Merritt, DO
Jobe C. Metts, III, MD
Michael A. Meuse, MD
Q. Alexander Mewborn, Jr., MD
Karen V. Meyers, MD
Stephen C. Meyers, MD
Joel B. Miller, MD
Justin D. Miller, MD
Leona A. Miller, MD
Meagan P. Miller, PA-C
David D. Miner, MD
Richard W. Minielly, MD
Bonnie E. Minnick, PA-C
Ann Ree S. Mitchell, MD
Henry T. Mixon, MD
Mark B. Moeller, MD
Ali S. Mofrad, MD
Joseph A. Molitierno, Jr., MD
Michelle J. Moore, PA-C
Scott M. Moore, MD
Derek W. Moss, MD
Gregory J. Mosteller, MD, FACEP
Gary J. Mullen, Jr., MD
Robert L. Munt, Jr., MD
Gregory F. Murphy, MD, FACS
Sean M. Murphy, MD
Laura W. Murray, MD
Wissam E. Nadra, MD
Manjula Nagaraja, MD
Aswani S. Naidu, MD
Patrick J. Nailer, MD
Musharraf Navaid, MD
Shahla Naz, MD
Ronald J. Neimkin, MD
Matthew J. Newsome, MD
Chelsea K. Ngongang, MD
Nathaniel P. Nonoy, MD
Christopher J. Norbet, MD
Ray G. Norby, MD
Sylvanus W. Nye, MD
Tadhg J. O'Gara, MD
Ada T. Ogunsiakan, MD
Alfred E. Okeke, MD, FACE
Nicomedes G. Osalvo, PA-C
Jesse E. Otero, MD
Max M. Palatnik, MD
Jill M. Pappalardi, MD
Kinjal R. Parikh, DO
Norman H. Parks, MD
Laura A. Parra, MD
Cornelius T. Partrick, MD
Ann S. Pate, MD
Bhavesh B. Patel, MD, MBA
Bindit S. Patel, MD
Mahendra S. Patel, MD, FACP
Milan A. Patel, DO
Neha A. Patel, MD
Shil K. Patel, MD
Viral D. Patel, MD
Nadine Pechter, MD
Joshua J. Penninger, MMS, PA-C
Jennifer F. Pensado, DO
James R. Perrott, MD
James L. Perruquet, MD
Kirk D. Peterson, MD
Sommer E. Philips, MD
Wesley F. Phillips, MD
Andy Phung, DO
Michael J. Plakke, MD
George W. Plonk, MD
Edward T. Plyler, MD
George Podgorny, MD
John J. Poggi, MD
Ronald D. Polite, MD
Morris A. Pollock, MD
Frederick L. Potts, III, MD
Demetri T. Poulis, MD, FACS
Jess A. Powell, III, MD
Thomas G. Powers, MD
Claire M. Poyet, MD
Steven D. Prakken, MD
Jessica J. Prestwood, MD
David H. Priest, MD
Randall L. Proctor, Jr., MD
V. Watson Pugh, Jr., MD
Craig S. Purcell, PA-C
Matthew K. Rapp, MD
Eric Rappaport, MD
Michael G. Ribadeneyra, MD
John R. Rice, MD
Lucian C. Rice, Jr., MD
Donna M. Richardson, MD, MBA
R. Paul Rieker, Jr., MD
J. Wayne Riggins, MD
Rebecca C. H. Riley, MD
Kenneth M. Robert, MD
Surry P. Roberts, MD
Justin D. Rodriguez, MD
Kevin P. Rooney, PA-C
Manfred S. Rothstein, MD
Perry J. Roy, MD
Mary K. Rudyk, MD
Donald B. Russ, MD
Michael B. Russell, MD
Sarah D. Ryan, MD, FAAP
Isami Sakai, DO
Richard G. Saleeby, Jr., MD
Rodrigo T. Samodal, Jr., MD
Joseph L. Sampson, Jr., MD
Geetha Samuel, MD
John A. Sanchez, DO
Terry Sarantou, MD
Adam W. Saucerman, MD
Mariam S. Sauer, MD
Shannon M. Sawin, MD
Lauren A. Scarfo, PA-C
W. D. Schaefer, MD
Deanna M. Schantzen, PA-C
Charles P. Scheil, MD
Shadley C. Schiffern, MD
Herbert M. Schiller, MD
Gregory F. Schimizzi, MD
David M. Scholle, MD
Brandon W. Schoonover, PA-C
Amanda L. Schuman, PA-C
Curtis W. Schupbach, MD
Matthew W. Schwanke, PA-C
Joshua D. Schwartz, MD
Blake K. Scott, MD
Zeni Scott, MD
Daniel P. Seeburg, MD, PhD
Christian D. Selby, PA-C
John W. Sensenbrenner, MD
William D. Shaw, Jr., MD
Ronald B. Shealy, MD
Rashid A. Sheikh, MD
Kellie Shell, MD
Meredith L. Shillinglaw, PA
Amy J. Shipley, MD
Melissa F. G. Shipley, MD
F. Philip G. Singer, MD
Rajdeep Singh, MD
Adrienne H. Singleton, MD
Daniel J. Smith, MD
Todd C. Snyder, MD
Ralph Snyderman, MD
Michael F. Soboeiro, MD
Anjali Solanki, DO
Taylor R. Sorensen, PA-C
Andrea H. Sparr, PA-C
Amanda C. Spiritos, PA-C
David E. Spivey, Jr., MD
Daniel J. Stackhouse, MD
Ronald J. Stanley, MD
Joslin Stanton, DO
Anna F. Stephenson, PA-C
Sharon R. Stephenson, MD, FACOG
Wesley H. Stepp, MD, PhD
Joey S. Stevens, PA-C
Amy E. Stinson, DO
F. Keith Stirewalt, PA
Leon E. Stockton, MD
Jennifer K. Stoddard, MD
Taylor J. Stone, MD
Megan K. Straughan, MD
Jacob J. Subash, MD
Sara M. Suh, PA-C
R. Alan Summers, MD
John P. Surratt, MD
Carisa M. Sutherland, MD
Mark J. Sutherland, MD
Dylan J. Suttle, MD
Charlotte A. Sweeney, MD, FACOG
John T. Sweeney, MD
Charlie L. Sykes, Jr., MD
Michael G. Taggart, MD
Christopher P. Tanzie, MD
James A. Tart, MD
Syed T. Tasleem, MD
David H. Tate, MD
David T. Tayloe, Jr., MD, FAAP
Britton E. Taylor, MD
Jeffrey S. Taylor, MD
Paul L. Tenzel, MD
Antonia G. Tettamanti, MD
Vipul V. Thakkar, MD
Ronald L. Thiele, MD
J. Alexander Thomas, MD
Laura O. Thomas, MD
Corey A. Thompson, MD
Ricky A. Thompson, MD
Timothy A. Tolson, MD
Shannon K. Tomlinson, MD
Kevin M. Trapani, DO
Joseph E. Tripp, MD
Bradford A. Tyler, MD
Richard D. Ulstad, PA-C
Hiren M. Umrania, MD
Bailey H. Underhill, PA-C
Henry A. Unger, MD, FACS
Paul A. Vadnais, MD
Bradley S. Van Dyke, MD
William J. Vanarthos, MD
Jennifer Vande Loo, ATC, PA-C
Rajat Varma, MD
Irene Vasko, DO
Ronald J. Viola, MD
Paul E. Viser, MD
Joshua I. Vogel, MD
George M. Wadie, MD, FACS
Joshua A. Wallace, MD
Daniel B. Wallihan, MD
Matthew C. Ward, MD
Jeffrey D. Warden, MD
Alicia L. Warlick, MD
Raymond G. Washington, Jr., MD
Bradley J. Wasserman, MD, FAAP
Tyler S. Watters, MD
H. Boyd Watts, MD
William J. Weatherly, MD
Joseph J. Wehner, MD
James E. Weilbaecher, Jr., MD
Elizabeth S. Weinberg, MD, FACS
Carl L. Welch, MD
Earl P. Welch, Jr., MD
Kimberly E. Wells, MD
Mark G. Wertman, MD
Jennifer K. E. Whitham, MD
Donna J. Whitt, MD
Thomas B. Wiggins, MD
Aaron T. Wild, MD
E. Brooks Wilkins, MD
Kayleigh K. Williams, PA-C
Kristin R. Williams, MD
Rhoderick T. Williams, Jr., MD
William T. Williams, Jr., MD
Sarah B. Wilson, MD
Andrew Win, MD
Emily R. Wirt, PA-C
Benjamin Wise
Daniel E. Wise, MD
Colleen L. Wisnosky, PA-C
James C. Womble, MD
Michael G. Woodcock, MD
Tanya Sue Woodson, PA-C
Robert W. Woodward, MD
Alfred H. Woodworth, MD
Joe H. Woody, MD
Aldona Z. Wos, MD
Eileen M. Wright, MD
Farhad K. Yazdi, MD
Chad A. York, PA-C
Matthew L. Zerden, MD
J. Jean Zhang, MD
James G. Zolzer, MD
Donald L. Zust, Jr., DO


NCMB: Telephone Scams Targeting Licensees Still Active in NC

 

The North Carolina Medical Board continues to hear from licensees and healthcare employers that physicians and PAs are being targeted by scammers. The caller or callers may claim to be a medical board investigator and may even use technology to make it appear that they are calling you from the actual number of the North Carolina Medical Board. Licensees are told that their license will be suspended, or their practice closed if they do not agree to send money to the false investigator.

NCMB's Chief Investigative Officer has written a letter offering advice on how licensees can protect themselves if they receive a suspicious phone call. Read it now.


New Duke Health Research Could Help Reduce Racial Disparities in Kidney Disease

DURHAM, N.C. – In a finding that could help reduce the racial disparity in kidney disease, Duke Health researchers have detailed how two common gene variants among African Americans can cause kidney failure.

Opeyemi Olabisi, MD (image credit: Duke)

The finding, reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could point to new treatment approaches and advance investigational therapies that block the gene.

“African Americans develop end stage kidney disease at four times the rate of white Americans and represent more than 30% of people on dialysis,” said lead author Opeyemi Olabisi, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. “For more than a decade, we have known that two APOL1 gene variants account for much of the excess risk of non-diabetic kidney failure in African Americans, but we have only a limited understanding of how these variants work. Our study provides that insight."

Read full article here.


Newborn Genetic Screening Study Reaches New Milestone

Cynthia Powell, MD (image credit: UNC)

 

Jennifer Law, MD (image credit: UNC)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Early Check, a groundbreaking research study that provides free health tests to newborns up to four weeks old in North Carolina, announced that it has screened 1,000 newborns in the state under its genome sequencing study.

The study, launched in September of 2023, screens newborns for hundreds of childhood-onset genetic conditions, many of which are not identified through state newborn screening, and assesses a newborn’s genetic risk of developing type 1 diabetes in their lifetime.

“There are many serious and treatable conditions that traditional newborn screening cannot identify,” said Cynthia Powell, MD, professor of pediatrics and genetics at the UNC School of Medicine and the project’s lead investigator at UNC. “Genomic sequencing allows us to identify infants with genetic changes that indicate a high likelihood of having one of these conditions.”

Read the full article here.


In Memoriam: NCMS Life Member Eugene Bozymski, MD

NCMS Life member Dr. Eugene Bozymski died Thursday, February 15. He was 88.

Bozymski graduated from John Carroll University and Marquette School of Medicine in a remarkable six years. He trained at Scripps Mercy in San Diego and returned to the Medical College of Wisconsin for his three-year residency as he began his over 50-year career as a gastroenterologist. A fellowship at UNC School of Medicine helped to prepare him to serve as Professor of Medicine and Head of Endoscopy at Carolina for many years.

His commitment to excellence in patient care and dedication to nurturing future generations of gastroenterologists were evident in his leadership roles and mentorship of GI fellows.

Dr. Bozymski joined the NCMS in 1969.

The North Carolina Medical Society extends its deepest sympathies.

Read Bozymski's full obituary here.


Mark Your Calendar: Workforce Retention and Resiliency Within Integrated Care Setting Webinar

 

Join this webinar aimed at providing key factors contributing to burnout, compassion fatigue, and employee turnover among primary and behavioral health providers.

In addition, you'll learn:

  • How these challenges intensified during the pandemic.
  • Effective supervisory strategies for employee engagement, resilience, and retention.
  • Key organizational policies and practices that can enhance workforce retention and resilience.

Workforce Retention and Resiliency within Integrated Care Setting​
Wednesday, March 6

1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

Earn 1 continuing education credits (CEUs) for attending this webinar.


Meet Your Legislator: Senator Lisa Barnes

Senator Lisa Barnes (image credit: NCGA)

 

Your NCMS Advocacy team has a meeting scheduled with Senator Lisa Barnes on March 7th at 11:30am in Raleigh. If you are a constituent of Senator Barnes and interested in attending, please email Hannah Rice at [email protected] for details.

Senator Barnes represents Franklin, Nash, and Vance counties.


Join CMS for the Innovation in Behavioral Health Model Overview Webinar

IBH Model Overview Webinar

Thursday, February 29
2 - 3:30pm ET

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a webinar on Thursday, February 29, to provide an overview of the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model.

During this webinar, the IBH Team will discuss the model’s goals, eligibility, participant types, care delivery framework, and payment structure. The team will also provide additional details on the application process, timeline, and resources.

The IBH Model’s goal is to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for people with moderate to severe behavioral health conditions, including mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders. The model will test a value-based payment approach that enables community-based behavioral health practices to integrate behavioral health care with physical health needs and health-related social needs.

Following the event, presentation materials will be available on the IBH Model webpage.

Please contact the IBH Help Desk at [email protected] with questions.


First Comprehensive Evidence-Based Guideline on Use of Fecal Microbiota-Based Therapies

Anne Peery, MD (image credit: UNC School of Medicine)

For use in patients with recurrent CDI at high risk of recurrence

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released the first comprehensive evidence-based guideline on the use of fecal microbiota-based therapies for gastrointestinal disease, recommending fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) in most cases of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Specifically, the guideline recommends the use of FMT-based therapy in patients with recurrent CDI at high risk of recurrence following standard-of-care antibiotics and in hospitalized patients with severe CDI after standard-of-care antibiotics if there is no improvement. Of note, the AGA does not recommend FMT therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

“Using fecal microbiota transplant, we take stool from a healthy donor and transfer it to the colon of the person with recurrent C. diff, restoring balance to their gut microbiome,” Anne Peery, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of the adult inpatient nutrition support team at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said in a press release. “FMT is a safe and effective treatment with enough scientific evidence to be offered to most patients with two or more C. diff recurrences.”

Continue to full article here.


Reminder: Missed Opportunities for Preventing Congenital Syphilis Webinar is Wednesday

 

Missed Opportunities for Preventing Congenital Syphilis

Wednesday, February 28
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET

 

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 on Congenital syphilis 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.

For more information, contact: Chepkorir Maritim, Nurse Consultant, [email protected]


New CMS Vaccine Coverage and Payment Toolkit Offers Helpful Guidance

Understand federally funded Vaccines for Children program

This new CMS toolkit, Coverage and Payment of Vaccines and Vaccine Administration under Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program (PDF), can help to understand coverage, cost-sharing, and payment for vaccines and vaccine administration.

The toolkit addresses the federally funded Vaccines for Children program and assists in navigating vaccination coverage requirements. This includes providing guidance regarding the commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines and the end of the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 vaccination coverage period (September 2024).


NC Medicaid: Reimbursement Changes to Popular Syphilis Treatment

 

As part of a larger effort to address rising rates of syphilis, including congenital syphilis, rates for Bicillin® L-A, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code J0561, increased as part of the recent changes NC Medicaid made to the Physician Administered Drug Program (PADP) fee schedule. This applies to NC Medicaid Managed Care and NC Medicaid Direct.

The rate for Bicillin® L-A increased effective February 1, 2024, for drugs administered in the physician’s office (as part of the PADP program). The rate increase reflects updated costs of the medication. Bicillin® L-A is a drug which can be used to treat syphilis and the only known effective treatment for preventing congenital syphilis. For more information on the PADP fee schedule change, please see the NC Medicaid to Revise the PADP Fee Schedule bulletin.

For more information on the PADP, please see the NC Medicaid Physician Administered Drug Program webpage. For the PADP fee schedule, please see Fee Schedules and select “Physician Administered Drug Program” from the Program or Fee Schedule drop down boxes and click “Apply Filters”.

This change to the reimbursement for Bicillin® L-A follows other actions by the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), including joining other southeastern states in partnership to combat the surge in congenital syphilis infections, establishing a provider resource webpage and a public education campaign.


NC University Launches New Eye and Vision Research Center

 

Wake Forest University School of Medicine has launched a new Translational Eye and Vision Research Center. Leaders envision the center serving as a visionary hub that will redefine the landscape of eye and vision research.

"The launch of the Translational Eye and Vision Research Center represents a profound commitment to advancing our understanding of vision and eye diseases,” said Ebony Boulware, M.D., dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “We believe that this center will not only impact the lives of countless individuals but also foster collaboration and innovation in the broader scientific community. This center will serve as a cornerstone in our mission to establish Wake Forest University School of Medicine as a leader in vision excellence."

At its core, the center is dedicated to promoting translational and team-based research in vision and eye disease.

Central to the center's initiatives are pilot and travel award programs designed to expedite discovery and innovation. These programs will empower vision scientists and clinician-scientists to pursue groundbreaking research, driving remarkable progress in the field.

Read the full article here.


Nominations Open for NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees

The NCMS Foundation Board Development Committee Submits:

 

Call for Nominations: NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees Overview

Overview

The call for nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees is now open. Nominations are due by May 31, 2024 (view NCMS Foundation Candidate Application Form here).

The North Carolina Medical Society Foundation (NCMSF) is the philanthropic arm of the North Carolina Medical Society. The mission of the NCMSF is to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. Our portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here.

Those who serve on the NCMS Foundation’s Board of Trustees have general experience with and understanding of a philanthropic, 501c3 organization. Trustees are willing and able to articulate the purpose of each of the Foundation’s initiatives, and, ideally, will be able to offer details about their firsthand experience with a particular NCMS Foundation program and the value it brings to the profession and to North Carolina. Knowledge about the challenges health care professionals and their patients face and a desire to be innovative and collaborative in finding solutions is essential to this role. Fundraising ability also is crucial to fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving access to quality health care for everyone in the state.

In 2024, the NCMS Foundation will be filling the following leadership positions:

Board of Trustee: Up to two (2) Trustees to serve a three-year term.

Process

Step 1: Candidates are nominated or may nominate themselves for a position on the NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees (view NCMS Foundation Candidate Application Form here).

Step 2: Once a candidate submits their application form, they will receive a confirmation email and made aware of any follow-up if needed.

Step 3: Upon careful review of submitted materials, the NCMS Foundation Board Development Committee will select candidates to be interviewed. Candidates will be notified via email by June 7, 2024 if they are selected for an interview. Interviews will take place via videoconference on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Step 4: Following candidate interviews, the NCMS Foundation Board Development Committee will vote to select candidate(s) to fill open leadership positions. The NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees will approve the slate of candidates at the August 21, 2024 board meeting.

Step 5: The Board of Trustees slate of candidates will be submitted to the NCMS Board of Directors for approval and appointment at the November 2, 2024 board meeting.

*All nominations and any information collected as part of the nominating process is strictly confidential.


‘Beyond the Pink Runway’ Fundraiser Coming to Charlotte

Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center

319 Wellesley Ave
Charlotte, NC 28207
March 2, 2024
6:30 p.m.

 

Atrium Health Levine Center cordially invites you to an event benefiting research, education, and support programs for the Sandra Levine Young Women's Breast Cancer Program.

The “Beyond the Pink Runway” event will be held Saturday, March 2 at the Sandra Levine Theater at Queens University. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature a cocktail party, fashion show, and silent auction.

Tickets and information on sponsorship opportunities can be found here.


NCDHHS Launches New Statewide Peer Support Line

 

Help with support and resources for those in crisis

 

On February 20, The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched a new Statewide Peer Warmline.

The Peer Warmline is a phone line staffed by Peer Support Specialists who offer non-clinical support and resources to those in crisis. Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The new Peer Warmline will work in tandem with the North Carolina 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by giving callers the option to speak with a Peer Support Specialist. Peer Support Specialists (or “peers”) are people living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance use disorder who provide support to others who can benefit from their lived experience.

Individuals in need of assistance and wanting to speak with a peer can call the warmline at 1-855-PEERS NC (1-855-733-7762), and people who call 988 will have the option to connect with the Peer Warmline if they prefer to speak with a peer.

Read the full press release here.


NC Mobile Health Unit Providing Easier Access to Quality Healthcare

"We see everyone regardless of their ability to pay."

Mobile health clinics can be an essential resource to those without access to quality healthcare. One such clinic, the Cone Health Mobile Medicine Unit, provides basic acute and primary care services, including patient education, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses.

In a recent interview, Dr. Olu Jegede, vice president of Clinical Care - Healthy Equity for Cone Health, answers questions about mobile medicine services:

Learn more about Cone Health's Mobile Health Program here.


What You Need to Know About State Health Plan Contracting

Open Enrollment begins this year

 

Aetna® will be the new third-party administrator for the North Carolina State Health Plan beginning January 1, 2025. Open enrollment begins in the fall of 2024, which is when members will select a primary care provider (PCP).

Here are the steps you can take to get ready:

Step 1: Join the Aetna Network

The North Carolina State Health Plan will use Aetna’s Choice POS II network. If you are not already participating with Aetna, join our network as soon as possible.

Step 2: Join the Clear Pricing Project (CPP)

Join the CPP by May 31, 2024. If you’re a current CPP provider, you will need to re-enroll in the CPP with Aetna. Visit North Carolina State Health Plan for more information.

Step 3: Make sure your provider profile information is accurate and up to date

Our provider search tools play a key role in connecting members with providers. Ensure that your information is correct and available to our members when they need care.

You can follow along with our quick reference guide (PDF) to make essential updates in the Provider Data Management (PDM) tool on our Availity provider portal.*

If your practice is new to Availity, you can register to set up your account. If you’re unable to use Availity, go to our Update Your Provider Data page.

Step 4: Credential mid-level primary care providers

If you’d like members to be able to select nurse practitioners and physician assistants as their PCPs, you need to credential them with Aetna. You can do this by visiting our Join Our Network page. In the “I am joining” drop-down menu, select “a provider applying under a SSN or TaxID/EIN that is currently participating with Aetna.”

Questions?

Send an email message to the Aetna Network Management staff or call us at 1-800-353  1232 (TTY: 711) during normal business hours.

To stay informed and keep in better touch with us, sign up for email communications.

*Availity is available only to providers in the U.S. and its territories.


AMA Center for Health Equity: Applicants for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship Needed

 

The AMA Center for Health Equity seeks applicants for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship program’s 2024-2025 cohort. The program is administered through a partnership between the AMA and the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Satcher Health Leadership Institute.

Using an anti-racist, equity-centered learning framework, fellows engage with equity experts and trailblazers. The fellowship equips and empowers fellows to be part of the next generation of advocacy leaders, driving meaningful policy and structural changes that produce equity and justice in the communities they serve.

Application deadline is March 15, 2024.