NCTracks ALERT: Be Aware and Vigilant of These Phishing Attempts
ALERT: Phishing Attempt Targeting Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment/Prosthetics & Orthotics Suppliers Providers
NC DHHS has received notification of an email phishing attempt targeted at Durable Medical Equipment/Prosthetics & Orthotics Suppliers (DME/POS) providers.
The email appears to be from NC Medicaid, complete with the NC DHHS name and logo, and offers a link…
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…
UNC Scientists Create New Drug Delivery System
Wireless Drug Patch Shows Promise as Chronic Disease Treatment Delivery System
The Spatiotemporal On-Demand Patch’s exposed circuit will be covered by material resembling a Band-Aid. It can receive commands wirelessly from a smartphone or computer to schedule and trigger the release of drugs from individual microneedles.
Led by Juan Song, PhD, at the UNC School of Medicine, and…
New Cases of MPox Reported in NC
New Cases Lead to Call for Vaccinations to Those at Risk
Wake County Public Health (WCPH) announced three new confirmed cases of mpox within the last six weeks and is encouraging those at risk of the virus to get vaccinated.
Symptoms
Mpox is a rare, but potentially serious, viral illness that typically involves flu-like symptoms. According to the CDC, symptoms of Mpox can include:…
Keto Flu, VO2 Max, Bed Rotting. Some New Words Are Being Added to the Dictionary!
There's A Word For That!
Girl dinner, skiplagging, range anxiety, sound bath, shacket! These are just a few of the new words introduced this year and many of them are from the medical field.
by Nick Norlen, Senior Editor, and Grant Barrett, Director of Lexicography
It’s 2024, and the pace of language change is as rapid as it has ever been. Our lexicographers are updating the…
CDC: Syphilis cases at highest levels since 1950s
Skin lesion with syphilis bacteria (Treponema pallidum) under microscope (1000x magnification) Getty Images
Racial and Ethnic Minorities Disproportionately Affected
The number of syphilis cases in the U.S. are on the rise. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases increased by nearly 80% to more than 207,000 between 2018 and 2022.
Rates increased…
The Most Important Part of Super Bowl LVIII? The Commercials! Here Are All The Ones Already Released
Super Bowl LVIII will air on CBS this year, and stream live on Paramount+
Yes, we are all excited to see the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Yes, we are all excited to see Usher perform the halftime show, Yes, we are all wondering if Taylor Swift will be there. But, really aren't we all just watching for the ads?
Well, the NCMS is here to help! Here is a…
NC Leaders Announce Steps to Strengthen Caregiving Workforce
North Carolina leaders released a new report on the state's caregiving workforce, announcing the next steps in strengthening this critical group of workers. The report comes from the Caregiving Workforce Strategic Leadership Council, a group convened by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Department of Commerce of leaders from government…
93-Year-Old Rowing Champ Has Scientists Reconsidering Beliefs About Aging
This 93-Year-Old Indoor Rowing Champion Has the Cardiovascular Engine of a 40-Year-Old
(Photo: Row2k.com)
In a recent study, scientists were shocked and had to reconsider two beliefs about aging and longevity.
(The Washington Post, Gretchen Reynolds) -- For lessons on how to age well, we could do worse than turn to Richard Morgan.
At 93, the Irishman is a four-time world…
NC System Utilizes New Tech to Detect Breast Cancer Earlier
Catawba Valley Health System has announced new technology that helps doctors find breast cancers earlier, when they may be more easily treated, with fewer false positives, which can be stressful for patients. The technology is the first of its kind in the Catawba County region, the next closest located in Greensboro.
Located at Catawba Valley Imaging Center (CVIC), a service of…
Do You Know? NC Medicaid Launches Expansion Enrollment Dashboard
Last month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched a dashboard to track monthly enrollment in Medicaid for people eligible through expansion.
More than 600,000 North Carolinians are newly eligible for health coverage through the historic expansion of NC Medicaid. The NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard offers a detailed overview of enrollment…
NC Hospital Celebrates Success of World’s First Partial Heart Transplant
DURHAM, N.C. – The world’s first partial heart transplant has achieved what researchers have spent more than a year hoping for -- functioning valves and arteries that grow along with the young patient, as hypothesized by the pioneering team behind the procedure at Duke Health.
The procedure was performed in the spring of 2022, in an infant who needed heart valve replacement. The…
Just in Time for Holiday Travel: Coronavirus Subvariant JN.1 Growing Fast in US
The spread of JN.1 seems to be getting an assist from holiday travel and waning immunity.
(CNN - Brenda Goodman) -- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus. It’s already dominant in the Northeast, where it is…
Plan Now to Attend 2024 AMA National Advocacy Conference
Join us on Capitol Hill
The AMA’s National Advocacy Conference is scheduled for February 12-14, 2024. This yearly event offers an opportunity for personal involvement in the health policy debate on Capitol Hill. We need increased NCMS member engagement with our members of Congress, so mark your calendar and stay tuned for forthcoming details.
Some helpful details and links . . .…
Wake Forest University School of Medicine Research Roundup
Recently published findings and publications from Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty
December 13, 2023
Study Finds Differences in Time Perception Consistent with Varying Clinical Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Dec. 13, 2023 – Scientists from Wake Forest University School of Medicine have shown that the way patients with Parkinson’s disease…
The Science of Swoon! New Discovery May Explain Why People Faint
A fibrous pathway between heart and brain may make you faint
(NPR - Jon Hamilton) -- A newly discovered pathway between the heart and brain may explain why healthy people faint.
The pathway appears to carry signals from the heart's lower pumping chambers to an area of the brainstem that controls heart rate, blood pressure and breathing, says Vineet Augustine, a neurobiologist at the…
PAI Research Digest – Special Edition. A Look at Quality of Patient Care at Non-Physician Owned Practices.
PAI partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to examine the “employed” physician experience—from the impact on patient care, to clinical decision making, to influences and factors driving the growing trend of corporate practice. The survey provides an unprecedented inside look at the shifting physician employment landscape and offers key insights into the implications of the…
Are You Ready? Shipping Deadlines Start Next Week!
This could be your the last weekend to shop for holiday gifts that need to be shipped!
When is the Christmas shipping deadline for 2023? See the last days to order and mail packages.
The holiday shopping season is in full swing and it won't be long before time runs out on deadlines for mailing Christmas packages. Shippers, as well as retailers, have announced Christmas 2023 cutoff…
Old Memories Help Us Learn New Things, According to Science (and Snails)!
Change in perception can help link past and future memory storage
(Makika Spitulski) -- It’s often said that we’re “learning by experience” when we try new things, practice skills, and make mistakes. In other words, our memories of past experiences can shape our perceptions of ourselves, the world, and even the future. Though we can all probably think of examples that back up this…
Helping New Mothers! National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is Ready in English and Spanish.
24/7, free, confidential hotline for pregnant and new moms in English and Spanish
Pregnancy and a new baby can bring a range of emotions. Many new moms feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or exhausted at different times during their pregnancy or after the baby is born. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline can help, providing 24/7, free, confidential support before,…
New Addiction Medicine CME Series Helps You 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 new training requirement recently established by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations…
Join NCMS for 2024 National Advocacy Conference in Washington
October 16, 2023
Join us on Capitol Hill
The AMA’s National Advocacy Conference is scheduled for February 12-14, 2024. This yearly event offers an opportunity for personal involvement in the health policy debate on Capitol Hill. We need increased NCMS member engagement with our members of Congress, so mark your calendar and stay tuned for forthcoming details.
2024 National…
Joseph T. Bell, MD wins Region 3 Golden Stethoscope Award
Dr. Joseph T. Bell founded Pembroke Pediatrics in 1998. Now his practice has a staff of over 25 and offers childhood obesity prevention. He is a general pediatrician at Children's Health Pembroke and Managing Partner of Children's Health of Carolina. Dr. Bell is the first Lumbee pediatrician and first Native American pediatrician in North Carolina.
In addition to working as a general…
Karen Harum, MD, FAAP, Named as Region 1 Golden Stethoscope Award Winner
Dr. Karen Harum, a Neurodevelopmental Pediatrician, is the founder of The Clinic for Special Children in Wilmington. Her practice strives to provide accurate diagnosis, whole-child treatments, specialty care, and consultation for children with developmental disabilities and behavioral problems, including special expertise in the neuroscience of learning and autism. As her nominator, Practice…
NCTracks: Avoid Delays, Issues, Additional Fees with Your Reverification Application
To prevent delays and problems with processing reverification applications, clinicians should thoroughly review their record in NCTracks prior to submission, including taking the following actions to ensure its accuracy:
Confirm that all active taxonomies are used by the provider. Each service location must have at least one active taxonomy, but some require additional credentials,…
NC Health Officials Encourage North Carolinians to Get Fall COVID-19 Vaccine and Flu Shot
RALEIGH - Everyone 6 months and older should get the fall COVID-19 vaccine with their flu shot. Because the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, the updated COVID-19 vaccine is designed to match the changed virus and help protect people from serious illness, hospitalization and death. The vaccine becomes available at a time when North Carolina is seeing an increase in COVID-19 infections according…
FDA Approves Updated Covid Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna as Hospitalizations Rise
The Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna targeting the omicron variant XBB.1.5.
(CNBC - Annika Kim Constantino) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved updated Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, putting the shots on track to reach Americans within days as U.S. hospitalizations from the virus rise.
The new…
Back to School Time: Recommended Vaccines for Children and Teens
Time to Get Up to Date on Required and Recommended Vaccines.
RSV Vaccine Recommended for Youngest Children.
As children head back to school, a reminder that vaccinations are an important part of success and well-being
RALEIGH -- As children across North Carolina head back to school this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reminds…
Physicians Advocacy Institute Releases Regulatory Advocacy Update
This newsletter outlines key federal regulatory developments and highlights PAI’s advocacy on matters that impact physicians and patients, including:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Suspends Surprise Billing Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Process
CMS Releases Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) Proposed…
New Addiction Medicine CME Series Helps You 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 new training requirement recently established by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations…
Sign Up Now! 2023 AADA Legislative Conference
Join us on the Hill! Sign up today!
Registration is open for the AAD’s 2023 Legislative Conference. This annual event in Washington, DC offers a great opportunity to help dermatology advance its federal advocacy priorities. The NC Dermatology Association has participated in the conference for many years and we are looking forward to again have a delegation of North Carolina…
Carbon Monoxide … Colorless, Odorless, Deadly
How can you protect yourself, your family, and your patients?
According to the CDC, each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 14,000 are hospitalized.
CO is and odorless, colorless gas that can be deadly. It's found in fumes produced by burning fuel in cars or trucks,…
New Addiction Medicine CME Series Helps You 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 new training requirement recently established by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations…
NC Medicaid Credentialing Reminder from DHHS
Avoid Suspension and Termination
by completing reverification upon notification!
Re-credentialing/reverification is an evaluation of a provider’s ongoing eligibility for continued participation in NC Medicaid, normally conducted every five years as mandated 42 CFR 455.414. The COVID-19 federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) paused reverification from March 2020 through May 11, 2023,…
New Therapy May be on the Horizon for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Could it Help Your Patients?
Scientists are testing new medication and treatment regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer
(Medical News Today - Jessica Norris) -- Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that can be very dangerous when it spreads. Screening can help with early detection, but researchers are still working to understand the best way to treat colorectal cancer that has already spread.
A recent study…
President Joe Biden Expected to Pick NC’s Dr. Mandy Cohen to Head CDC
Former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services would take over sprawling agency facing challenges
(The Washington Post) -- President Biden plans to select former North Carolina health secretary Mandy Cohen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to three people with direct knowledge of the pending announcement.
Health and Human Services Secretary…
CCHN Seeks Provider Advisory Committee Participation
Carolina Complete Health Network is currently seeking provider participation for its Provider Advisory Committee.
The purpose of the CCHN Provider Advisory Committee is to provide input on Carolina Complete Health (CCH) provider incentive programs, administrative practices, and supports development of provider scorecard indicators, useful analyses of the data, and effective means of…
What Are The Drivers of Patient Health?
The Physicians Foundation Launches Campaign to Help Physicians Address Patients' Drivers of Health
The Physicians Foundation launched Let’s Take 5 to Address Drivers of Health, a new campaign to support physicians in addressing their patients’ drivers of health (DOH), such as food security and transportation access. The Physicians Foundation also announced the selection of five medical…
Two Companies Show Progress is Being Made For Cancer Vaccine
Could new research into melanoma be new hope for your patients?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting an mRNA-powered cancer vaccine from Moderna Inc. and Merck & Co., when combined with the immunotherapy Keytruda, kept more melanoma patients from relapsing than when Keytruda was used alone, a midstage trial showed. While more data is needed from larger-scale trials before the vaccine…
Register Now: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes 2023 Update
The American Diabetes Association Institute of Learning is offering the 2023 Standards of Care in Diabetes, Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
It is intended to provide clinicians, patients, researchers, payers, and others with the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals, and tools to evaluate the quality of care.
It includes presenters Brittany Bruggeman, MD, FAAP,…
Join Your NCMS Delegation at National Advocacy Conference
The National Advocacy Conference (NAC) offers an excellent opportunity for physicians to support our federal advocacy efforts, highlighted by a day on Capitol Hill and meetings with our Senate and House members and staff. Additionally, the conference will feature health policy updates from industry experts.
This year, the event is scheduled for February 13-15 in Washington, DC., in…
A Gift That Keeps on Giving
Did you know the NC AHEC Program gives you the opportunity to work with its professional librarians to help you find the information you need to care for your patients?
The AHEC Digital Library (ADL) is a virtual collection of healthcare resources. It offers NC healthcare professionals free access to a curated set of medical journals, books, and databases, including a point-of-care…
Concerned About Bias in Your Practice? Here Are Some Tools to Use Today.
What happens when a primary care pediatrician calls on his profession to address racism in pediatric care?
In his article "Confronting Racism in Pediatric Care", Dr. Ben Danielson recounts the story of a Black child removed from his mother's care and placed temporarily into a medical foster home due to bias and racism.
Dr. Danielson shares these helpful tools to address providers’…
Forbes: Leadership Among Top 10 Priorities in Healthcare in 2023!
image credit: Getty Images
Forbes recently shared the top 10 Healthcare Industry Predictions for 2023. Among those is once again, leadership, but with more emphasis on value than ever before. The future prediction holds that healthcare needs "leaders who fight to make the words in the organization’s mission statement really mean something", in line with the era of value creation,…
Health Equity Technical Assistance for Health Care Professionals
The CMS Office of Minority Health, Health Equity Technical Assistance is available to health care organizations ready to systematically take action on health disparities.
The program offers personalized coaching and resources on developing a health equity strategic plan; resources on improving care for the populations we represent, and rural populations; data collection and analysis;…
Deadline to Connect to NC HealthConnex January 1
The mandate for health care organizations and providers that serve state-funded (e.g., Medicaid, State Health Plan) patients to connect to the state-designated Health Information Exchange (NC HealthConnex) by Sunday, January 1, 2023, is fast approaching.
The legislative changes enacted in the 2022 Appropriations Act may leave organizations and providers with questions about their…
Carolina Complete Health Updates Its Provider Portal
In November, Carolina Complete Health added a new tool to their secure Provider Portal (which enables providers to conduct business with Carolina Complete Health from the convenience of their desktops seamlessly and in real time), meant to simplify the provider experience.
This exciting tool, InterQual Connect™, offers several new capabilities:
• Streamlined web authorization request*
•…
A New Restaurant Has Gone to the Dogs
Dogue, at 988 Valencia St. in San Francisco’s Mission District, offers French-inspired pastries and haute cuisine crafted just for dogs. (David Trapani)
SAN FRANCISCO -- A new fine-dining restaurant in the Bay Area has gone to the dogs, literally.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the new restaurant Dogue only serves canines.
Owner and head chef Rahmi Massarweh said Dogue may be the…
One in 10 Physicians Consider or Attempt Suicide. No, You Didn’t Read That Wrong.
Burnout, depression, stress, hopelessness, and despair are increasingly words used by physicians as they face a new normal after the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The result is that one in 10 have considered or attempted suicide. A new report from MedScape shows nearly a quarter of physicians are clinically depressed and over 60 percent suffer from colloquial depression (feeling down, blue,…
Mental Health Expansion Coming to NC School System
In the past decade, NC has seen an increase in mental health issues among the state’s youngest population. School systems like Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) are finding ways to help combat these growing numbers.
WCPSS currently offers in-school mental health services to schools in the district. Currently, 16 contracted therapists travel to the 40 schools in the program to provide these…