Mark Your Calendar for the Next DOCMS Meeting!
Join DOCMS at the University Club!
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm
University Club, 3100 Tower Boulevard, Suite 1700 - Durham, NC 27707
AGENDA:
6:00pm- 6:30pm – Socializing & Housekeeping
6:30pm- 7:30pm – Dinner & Guest Speakers
7:30pm- 7:45pm – Q&A
7:45pm- 8:00pm – DOCMS 2024 Business
“The Criminal Legal System, Incarceration and Health…
New Report: US FDA Clears Neuralink’s Brain Chip Implant in Second Patient
Wall Street Journal reports Elon Musk's Neuralink can implant brain chip in 2nd person
May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. health regulator has allowed billionaire Elon Musk's Neuralink to implant its brain chip in a second person after it proposed to fix a problem that occurred in its first patient, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
Earlier this month, Neuralink said tiny wires…
Problematic Proposed Revisions to HB 681 Heard by Senate Healthcare Committee, NCMS Members at Meeting to Answer Questions
NCMS members Dr. Timothy Reeder and Dr. Kristin Baker attend meeting of Senate Healthcare Committee
RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Senate Health Care Committee met Wednesday morning with Senator Kevin Corbin presiding. Proposed revisions to House Bill 681 was considered. The bill is sponsored by North Carolina Medical Society members Dr. Timothy Reeder and Dr. Kristin Baker, who were both in…
Updates for Certain Clinicians Serving Dually Eligible Beneficiaries
Starting January 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare began covering certain services for dually eligible beneficiaries (those enrolled in both Medicare and NC Medicaid Direct) who receive NC Medicaid coverage. This includes services furnished by the following providers: Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) or Mental Health Counselors…
NCDHHS Pilots Mobile Crisis, Co-Responder Models for Behavioral Health Crisis Response
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced a $1.35 million investment to begin piloting trauma-informed mobile crisis and crisis co-responder services. These services will deploy teams who are trained and experienced to respond to people experiencing a behavioral health emergency, including mental health professionals and peer support specialists who can…
AI is Dreaming Up Drugs That No One Has Ever Seen. Now We’ve Got to See if They Work.
MIT Technology Review Looks at What is Happening with Artificial Intelligence and Drug Research
(MIT Tech Review, Will Douglas Heaven) -- At 82 years old, with an aggressive form of blood cancer that six courses of chemotherapy had failed to eliminate, Paul appeared to be out of options. With each long and unpleasant round of treatment, his doctors had been working their way down a list…
Do People With Diabetes Need to Fast Longer Before Surgery?
Expert Identifies Noteworthy Study Limitations
(Medscape, Miriam Tucker) -- People with diabetes don't have higher gastric volumes than those without diabetes after following standard preoperative fasting instructions, suggested a study from a team of anesthesiologist researchers.
However, an endocrinologist faulted the study in part because the participants appeared to…
Early Voting Ends Saturday! Meet Your NCMS Member Candidates Here
In-Person Early Voting Ends May 11
The nation is at the six month mark for the November election. In North Carolina, there are tight races across the state. The run-off election is May 14, but early in-person voting ends soon.
The North Carolina Medical Society has interviewed several member candidates on issue important to members. Click here to see what they have to say.
Overview…
Celebrating AAPI Month at Duke Hospital!
Traveling Mural Symbolizes Connection within Duke’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Community
(Duke News, Bernadette Gillis) -- May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Duke Asian American and Pacific Islander Affinity Group will kick off a month of celebrations with the unveiling of a unique traveling mural at Duke Regional Hospital on May 3. The unveiling is the…
New Research: Genes Known to Increase Risk of Alzheimer’s May be Inherited
A gene long understood to increase the risk of Alzheimer's should be considered an inherited form of the disease, researchers say.
(CNN) -- Alzheimer’s disease may be inherited more often than previously known, according to a new study that paints a clearer picture of a gene long known to be linked to the common form of dementia.
Authors of the study, published Monday in the journal Nature…
Today is Melanoma Monday. Stay Safe with These Skin Cancer Tips.
Today is Melanoma Monday
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) began Melanoma Monday on Monday, May 1, 1995, and has observed it every year since. Melanoma Monday always occurs during Skin Cancer Awareness Month on the first Monday in May.
Key facts to know about melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. In 2024, it’s estimated that more than 200,340 melanomas…
NCDHHS Tele-Town Hall: Medicaid Expansion, Who is Eligible and How to Apply
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion resources, who is newly eligible, and how to apply for health coverage.
Event participants include:
Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer, NCDHHS…
Surprise Billing – Independent Dispute Resolution Update
On Dec. 27, 2020, the No Surprises Act (NSA) was signed into law to address unexpected gaps in insurance coverage that result in “surprise medical bills” when patients unknowingly obtain medical services from physicians and other providers outside their health insurance network. The NSA and its implementing regulations establish a Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process…
Is Buprenorphine Subject to the STOP Act’s Prescribing Limits?
Recently the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) has received inquiries about whether prescriptions for buprenorphine that are written for the treatment of opioid use disorder are subject to prescribing limits established for certain controlled substances by the NC STOP Act of 2017. The answer is, unequivocally, no.
The STOP Act places 5-7 day limits only on initial prescriptions for…
Cyberattack on UnitedHealth Firm Forces Doctors to Dig into Personal Savings
Health providers have been struggling with fallout from the Change Healthcare cyberattack
(CNBC, Ashley Capoot) -- On a Sunday in early March, Dr. Angeli Maun Akey noticed something peculiar while making payroll for her private practice in Gainesville, Florida: She was missing $19,000.
Akey owns and operates a primary care practice that serves around 3,500 patients in the area, many…
CPT Codes for Ambulatory Surgery Setting Updates
Effective with date of service of January 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified the following new CPT codes as separately reimbursable in the ambulatory surgery setting:
27278
33276
33278
33279
33280
33281
33287
33288
52284
58580
64596
64598
Providers are now able to resubmit NC Medicaid Direct claims for services…
Happy Birthday to Our Members Celebrating This Month!
Grab your party hats and noisemakers and let’s celebrate!
Ole S. Aassar, MD
William B. Abernethy, Jr., MD
Surafeal G. Abraha, MD
Peter K. Acheampong, MD
Maureen N. Achuko, MD
Douglas H. Adams, MD, MPH
Van L. Adams, MD
Henry T. Adkins, Jr., MD
Kerry E. Agnello, DO
Julian S. Albergotti, Jr., MD
Dustin B. Alderson, MD
Fuad Y. Aleskerov, MD
Chelley K. Alexander, MD
Erin B.…
NC Health System Unveils Innovative Procedure to Treat Irregular Heart Rates
Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) is now offering a unique new device to treat intermittent atrial fibrillation (AFib), known as an irregularly fast heart rate.
On April 25th, CVMC and Catawba Valley Cardiology performed the first procedure with the FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System. Approved by the FDA in January, the innovative technology is described as a catheter…
In Memoriam: NCMS Life Member Arthur J. Prange, Jr., MD
NCMS Life member Arthur J. Prange, Jr., died Saturday, April 6.
He was 97 years old.
After graduating from high school, Arthur J. Prange served briefly in the U.S. Navy toward the end of World War 2. He attended college and later medical school at the University of Michigan. He graduated in medicine in 1950.
After graduate training in general medicine and anesthesiology, Prange was called to…
New HHS Rule Strengthens Nondiscrimination Protections and Advance Civil Rights in Health Care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advancing protections against discrimination in health care. By taking bold action to strengthen protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national…
WCMS Meet-up at the Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Reserve Park, May 4
Saturday, May 4 from 10am-1pm: WCMS Meet-up at the Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Reserve Park
WCMS Members are invited to a Saturday morning of fun, fellowship, learning, and restoration as we meet at the Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park in North Raleigh on Saturday, May 4 from 10am-1pm. Dr. Wilkerson was an OB/Gyn surgeon and practiced medicine for 53 years in Wake County.…
Want to Slow Down Aging? There May Be A Cheap Way To Do It.
A drug taken by millions of people to control diabetes may do more than lower blood sugar
(NPR, Allison Aubrey) -- Research suggests metformin has anti-inflammatory effects that could help protect against common age-related diseases including heart disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.
Scientists who study the biology of aging have designed a clinical study, known as The TAME…
New WFU School of Medicine Study: Racial Discrimination Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease
Study Suggests Racial Discrimination During Midlife Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Later in Life
(WakeHealth) -- Racial discrimination experienced during midlife is associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology, according to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Georgia.
The findings appear online today in Alzheimer’s…
“I would be dead.” Ali Ingersoll is proof that the time is NOW for Prior Auth Reform
Ali Ingersoll, the Quirky Quad, has a powerful message about the broken healthcare system in North Carolina (photo: Ali Ingersoll)
RALEIGH -- Ali Ingersoll has turned a tragic accident into a siren call for change in the American healthcare system. She was left paralyzed at 27 and spend seven years facing life altering diagnoses, surgeries, and mountain-after-mountains to climb as she…
UnitedHealth Cyber Attack- How You Can Secure Your Practice
An Update on How to Secure Your Practice after UnitedHealth Cyber Attack
On February 21, Blackcat, a ransomware group, accessed Change Healthcare’s systems and 6 TB of data. This included medical and dental records, payment information, and patient information from a variety of Change Healthcare partners.
Sentinel, a risk management and benefit solutions company, has offered the following…
Plan Now! NCDHHS Livestream Town Hall: HPV and Cancer Prevention
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tuesday, April 23, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention as well as HPV-related cancer guidance, resources and care.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on…
Medicare’s Push to Improve Chronic Care Attracts Businesses, but Not Many Doctors
Medicare enrollees with two or more chronic conditions are eligible for Chronic Care Management, which pays doctors to check in with those patients monthly. The service hasn't caught on.
(NPR, Phil Galewitz, Holly K. Hacker) -- Carrie Lester looks forward to the phone call every Thursday from her doctors' medical assistant, who asks how she's doing and if she needs prescription refills. The…
Free Prostate Cancer Screening Event in Greensboro
According to Zero Prostate Cancer, North Carolina ranks 13th in the nation in incidence of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer that may not show symptoms in its early stages. Regular screening is important to detect the disease before it spreads.
Cone Health Cancer Center is hosting a free prostate cancer screening event on Monday, April 29th from 9 am-1 pm…
8th Annual Pirates vs. Cancer Event Raises $15k at ECU
Volunteers have their hair cut and donated at this year's ECU's Pirates vs. Cancer fundraiser (photo: ECU Photography)
ECU medical students lead Pirates vs. Cancer fundraiser for pediatric cancer patients
(Published Apr 16 by Kelly Rogers Dilda, Spaine Stephens, ECU University Communications)
Over the years, students in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina…
ALL IN: Caring For North Carolina’s Caregivers Initiative Launches to Improve Health Worker Well-being
Raleigh, N.C. (April 18, 2024) – The North Carolina Clinician and Physician Retention and Well-being (NCCPRW) Consortium today announced a new statewide initiative with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, the only non-profit organization exclusively focused on health worker mental health and well-being. ALL IN: Caring for North Carolina’s Caregivers seeks to support the state’s…
PAI Regulatory Advocacy Update
The latest Physician Advocacy Institute advocacy and federal regulatory developments.
PAI Files Amicus Curiae Brief in No Surprises Act Qualifying Payment Amount (QPA) Case Before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
PAI’s brief supports the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA) challenge to certain QPA calculation factors that allow insurers to skew the benchmark downward. Read more.…
Register Now for Navigating Communication and De-Escalation Webinar
Navigating Communication and De-Escalation
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 • 1 - 3 p.m. • Live Webinar
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 • 1 -3 p.m. • Location: Live Webinar
Friday, May 31, 2024 • 1 - 4:15 p.m. • Location: SR-AHEC
Friday, June 21, 2024 • 1- 4:15 p.m. • Location: SR-AHEC
Today people are offended more easily and a lot less tolerant of anything that disrupts their day. In an…
AMA Provides Follow-up Information & Resources on Change Healthcare Cyberattack
In follow-up to a virtual meeting held Wednesday, April 10, in conversation on the Change Healthcare cyberattack with Jon Blum, CMS’s Principal Deputy Administrator & Chief Operating Officer, and Roger Connor, Optum Insight’s Chief Executive Officer, the AMA is making the following information and resources available:
The AMA Press Release on most recent Change Healthcare…
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…
Meet Ali Ingersoll, the Quirky Quad, and Hear Her Take on Prior Auth Reform
Ali Ingersoll, the Quirky Quad, tells her life story, advocates for Prior Auth Reform
RALEIGH -- If you've never heard of Ali Ingersoll, this is your lucky day! She is a force of nature who has overcome unbelievable obstacles to emerge as healthcare advocate, public speaker, podcaster, disability consultant, and Ms. Wheelchair America!
Ali’s life took an unexpected turn when a tragic…
Shining Red Eyes and Deafening Noise! The Cicadapocalypse Coming Any Time Now
First Time This Has Happened Since
Thomas Jefferson Was President!
Southeast Should See Them Soon
(CNN) -- In a matter of weeks, they will dig their way out from underground, red eyes shining, deafening song filling the air. It will be a confluence of creatures the likes of which hasn’t been seen in the United States since Thomas Jefferson was president — and won’t happen again until 2245.…
Duke Researchers Lead International Study on Jardiance and Heart Failure
Therapy Shows Promise in Delaying Hospitalizations for Heart Failure
Diabetes drug did not prevent all cardiovascular outcomes, but it did affect hospitalizations
(DukeHealth News & Media) -- About 800,000 people in the U.S. suffer a heart attack every year, and about 30% of them will go on to develop heart failure. There are limited treatments to prevent or slow that development.
A…
EPA Takes Action on PFAS Pollution in Drinking Water, NC Response
EPA Administrator Michael Regan shares details on the drinking water standards the EPA is implementing for PFAS chemicals at the Hoffer Water Treatment Facility in Fayetteville on April 10, 2024 (Photo: Tony Wooten/City View Today)
EPA Announces First-Ever National Standard to Address PFAS in Drinking Water, Delivers an Additional $1 Billion through President Biden’s Investing in America…
NCMS Member Dr. Leo Spector Featured in “Business NC”
OrthoCarolina’s CEO has MD-MBA cred
OrthoCarolina’s new leader merges business acumen with a surgical background.
(BusinessNC, Kevin Ellis) -- When Charlotte spine surgeon Leo Spector returned to the classroom more than four years ago, his fellow students in the Duke University Executive MBA program peppered him with questions. A disconnect existed, he says, about the business of healthcare…
Need Help? The Physician Support Line is Here for You!
Physician Support Line is a national, free, and confidential support line made up of hundreds of volunteer psychiatrists joined together in the determined hope to provide peer support for physicians and medical students.
Physician Support Line was created with the mission of physicians supporting physicians as they navigate the many professional and personal intersections of their…
Join Dr. Damon Tweedy for a Lively Conversation on His Latest Book Release
From the New York Times bestselling author of
Black Man in a White Coat
comes a powerful and urgent call to center
psychiatry and mental health care
within the mainstream of medicine
Quail Ridge Books-North Hills
4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
7:00pm
ABOUT THE EVENT
Tickets include a signed copy of FACING THE UNSEEN, guaranteed entry to…
NCDHHS Urges Vaccination for Mpox as Cases Increase Statewide
NCDHHS Announces Statewide Increase in Mpox Cases, Urges Vaccine
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a statewide increase in mpox cases. Over the past six months, 45 cases have been reported in 12 counties across North Carolina.
The national mpox outbreak began in late May 2022 and peaked from July to August 2022. A total of 703 cases were…
NCDHHS: “Fight the Bite!” Avoid Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Disease
Warm Weather Means it is Time to 'Fight the Bite'
As warmer weather approaches, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging North Carolinians to "Fight the Bite" by taking measures to reduce their risk of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. In 2023, almost 900 cases of tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses were reported across the state.
April is Tick and Mosquito…
Going to See the NC State Wolfpack (Men and Women – Woo Hoo!)? Here Are Some Tips for Your Trip
A Historic Weekend for NC State! Both the Men's and Women's Basketball Teams
are Playing in the Final Four!
RALEIGH -- Fans of North Carolina State are getting ready to switch into high gear. On Friday, play begins for two teams hoping to make it to a National Championship! First up will be the women on Friday at 7pm. The Wolfpack take on Number One seed South Carolina. If they…
Measles Remain in Spotlight as Cases Continue to Rise Nationwide
As cases of measles continue to rise, health officials continue to stress the importance of vaccinations.
As of March 28, 2024, a total of 97 measles cases have been reported by several states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and…
Governor Roy Cooper Declares April Child Abuse Prevention Month
PRESS RELEASE — Recognizing the role everyone plays in helping North Carolina’s children reach their full potential, Governor Roy Cooper declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This Child Abuse Prevention Month, community organizations, government agencies, businesses, faith groups and other stakeholders will come together to focus on creating partnerships to prevent child…
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…
Are the Days of Lyme Disease Numbered? Research Looks Promising!
Tick season is kicking off early this year — experts warn of Lyme disease risk
A vaccine for Lyme disease is not currently available, but two scientific initiatives to fight the condition are showing promising results, with one soon to be rolled out.
Borrelia burgdorferi and, less commonly, Borrelia mayonii are the bacteria that spur Lyme disease. In the northeastern, mid-Atlantic…
With Cancer Diagnosis, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Shines Brighter Light on Rise in Disease Among Young People
Over the past 30 years, early-onset cancer rose 79 percent, one global study found
(Rachel Uda) -- When Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer, it stunned the world.
She’s active, she apparently maintains a diet rich in antioxidants and raw fruits and veggies, and she’s only 42. But sadly, the princess is part of an alarming global trend. Studies…
2024 Dirty Dozen List of Fruits and Vegetables, Clean 15 Released
Report: Strawberries still have the most pesticides of any American produce
(Business Insider - Lauren Edmonds) -- Strawberries continue to reign supreme on the Environmental Working Group's annual "Dirty Dozen" list, which ranks fruits and vegetables by pesticide contamination.
The "Dirty Dozen" list is part of EWG's 2024 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce published on Wednesday. The…