Register Now! 36th Annual Fall Foliage Cancer Conference

36th Annual Fall Foliage Cancer Conference - Update on Prostate and GU Cancers   Omni Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa 290 Macon Ave Asheville, NC 28804   The 36th Annual Fall Foliage Cancer Conference - Update on Prostate and GU Cancers will be held on October 25-26, 2024, at the Omni Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. The event has been approved for 10.0 AMA PRA…

Semaglutide Shows Promise for Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder

  Christian Hendershot, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Clinical and Translational Addiction Research Program at the UNC School of Medicine, recently presented early findings from the first completed randomized controlled trial of semaglutide in participants with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The preliminary and unpublished findings, which were presented at the…

Risant Health to Acquire North Carolina Hospital System

(image credit: Cone Health)   Cone Health and Risant Health have signed a definitive agreement under which Cone Health will become part of Risant Health, pending regulatory approvals. Risant Health is a nonprofit, charitable organization created by Kaiser Foundation Hospitals to bring together like-minded organizations, increase access to value-based care and coverage, and raise…

Side-by-Side Webinar with NCDHHS’ Mental Health Division

  Join staff from NCDHHS' Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services on July 1 at 2 p.m. to learn more about policies and programs that affect the Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Substance Use Services and Traumatic Brain Injury community.

Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Screening Strategies – Live Webinar

Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Screening Strategies     NCMS member Dr. Lisa Gangarosa will facilitate the upcoming live webinar Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Screening Strategies on Wednesday, July 10. This informative session will include an overview of epidemiologic trends in colorectal cancer (CRC) modifiable and non-modifiable…

Stay Alert: Medical Records Request Phishing Scam

  CMS identified phishing scams for medical records. This may include scammers faxing fraudulent medical records requests to get you to send patient records in response; see example (PDF). When you review any requests, look for signs of a scam, including: Directing you to send records to an unfamiliar fax number or address Referencing Medicare.gov or @Medicare (.gov)…

Save Lives This Summer with Operation Blood Drive

  What: Operation Blood Drive When: Thursday, June 27 | 10 am to 3 pm Where: AdventHealth Hendersonville 100 Hospital Drive Hendersonville, NC 28792 To ensure hospitals across the region have a sufficient blood supply through the Fourth of July holiday, AdventHealth, the American Red Cross, the Blood Connection (TBC), and WLOS-News 13 are partnering to sponsor the 37th annual…

Time is Running Out! NC Medicaid Needs to Hear from Enrolled Providers.

All primary care and ob/gyn providers enrolled in the Medicaid program are asked to respond to the request you should have received to complete a satisfaction survey. Below is a notice from NC Medicaid announcing that the survey will remain open through June 30, 2024. If you received the survey notice, please be sure to respond. If you have not received the notice or no longer have access to it,…

Medical Marijuana Legislation Revived for Second Year in a Row

  North Carolina Senate looks poised to pass legislation to legalize medical marijuana (The North Carolina Medical Society Position on Cannabis included in this story)   The Compassionate Care Act is back in front of the North Carolina Senate, backed by powerful members of the chamber. If it happens, it will move to the House where it stalled last year. If the legislation is…

NCMS Advocacy Celebrates at Legislative Reception

Advocacy Takes Center Stage at NCMS Legislative Reception (RALEIGH) -- The North Carolina Medical Society continues to lead state physicians, PAs, residents, and students to new heights in advocating for the profession and for patients. Following a full day of meetings with Representatives, Senators, and legislative staff members, more than 40 NCMS members met at the NCMS headquarters with…

Researchers Discover Major Cause of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

  UK Research Hinges on Gene Called ETS2 (NICENEWS.COM) -- In a study published June 5, U.K. researchers revealed they found a major cause of inflammatory bowel disease, the umbrella term for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These autoimmune conditions are increasing in prevalence — they were estimated to affect 6.8 million people worldwide in 2017, up from 3.7 million in 1990 —…

US Supreme Court Maintains Access to Mifepristone

Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Challenging FDA Approach to Regulating Mifepristone   (WASHINGTON, DC) -- The Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s approach to regulating the abortion pill mifepristone with a ruling that will continue to allow the pills to be mailed to patients without an in-person doctor’s visit. The appeal was filed by…

It’s Heating Up Outside! With Help from Operation Fan Heat Relief, Your Patients Could Stay Cool this Summer!

  The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Aging is partnering with the N.C. area agencies on aging and local service providers to distribute fans to eligible recipients through Operation Fan Heat Relief from May 1–Oct. 31. People 60 and older, as well as adults with disabilities, are eligible to sign up for assistance from May 1–Oct. 31 at local aging…

NCMS 2024 NCMS Photo Contest is Waiting for You! But Hurry, Submissions Close Soon!

Photo submissions are currently being accepted for 2024! Now in its 16th year, the NCMS Photo Contest is an annual tradition that has gained national recognition, and we want you to be a part of it! Submissions are currently being accepted for the 2024 contest. Think you have the perfect picture to send in? Check out the rules here. We've already received several breathtaking…

Combination Flu/COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Promise in Late-Stage Trial

Moderna said its combination vaccine targeting Covid and the flu was more effective than existing standalone shots for those viruses in a late-stage trial (CNBC) --  Moderna on Monday said its combination vaccine that targets both Covid-19 and the flu was more effective than existing standalone shots for those viruses in a late-stage trial. The biotech company is the first to release positive…

FDA Advisers Endorse Eli Lilly’s Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Drug Donanemab

    Independent advisers to FDA vote to endorse monoclonal antibody   (CNN) -- On Monday, a panel of independent advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted to endorse Eli Lilly’s drug donanemab, a monoclonal antibody designed to slow the progression of early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, agreeing that it was safe and effective. One in three older Americans dies…

Summer is Approaching! So Is This Threat from Lone Star Ticks.

Health officials say tick activity can increase during the summer.   Ahead of summer's approach, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning about the lone star tick and alpha-gal syndrome. According to the CDC, alpha-gal syndrome is a serious and life-threatening allergic reaction that appears in mammals after a tick bite. Once a person is bitten, they…

Register Now for this Important Webinar: Workplace Violence – CMS and JC Standards

  Workplace violence has escalated over the past 15 years, especially in the health care arena. Providers and staff as well as family members and bystanders (including other health care providers) frequently experience this violence. In November 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo on workplace safety that addressed care in a safe environment. On…

NCDHHS Implements Flexibilities to Ease Administrative Burden at Tailored Plan Launch

  Ahead of the launch of the Behavioral Health Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DDs) Tailored Plans on July 1, 2024, NCDHHS has implemented the following policy flexibilities to ease provider administrative burden at launch and ensure beneficiaries receive uninterrupted care: Medical Prior Authorizations (PAs): Tailored Plans are required to implement strategies to minimize…

Don’t Miss the Next Collaborative Care Model Learning Collaborative!

Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Provider Learning Collaborative Caseload Management/Relapse Prevention Plan June 20, 2024 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Location: Livestream Webinar The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is an integrated modality that provides patients with medical and behavioral health care in a primary care setting. The CoCM Learning Collaborative sessions will highlight collaborative…

New Bill Could Allow Physician Assistants to Practice Across State Lines in NC

  Physician assistants could practice across state lines under a bill moving in the North Carolina House. The legislation would make North Carolina the latest state to join a compact agreement. The agreement means that physician assistants will be able to practice here with licenses from other states. Representative Erin Pare from the 37th District south of Raleigh is the bill's…

Researchers Study Link Between Vigorous Exercise, Cognition, High-Risk Hypertension Patients

  People with high blood pressure have a higher risk of cognitive impairment, including dementia, but a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that engaging in vigorous physical activity more than once a week can lower that risk. The findings appear online in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. “We know that…

Meet Legislators from Both Sides of the Aisle at the NCMS Legislative Reception!

Meet YOUR lawmakers at the NCMS Legislative Reception June 12th! On Wednesday, June 12, the North Carolina Medical Society will welcome legislators from both sides of the aisle to our 2024 NCMS Legislative Reception, including Rep. Kristin Baker, Rep. Timothy Reeder, Rep. Larry Potts, Senators Todd Johnson and Jay Chaudhuri, and many others. The NCMS Legislative Reception has a host of…

Don’t Miss Friday’s Shaping Access to Reproductive Health Care Webinar

Shaping Access to Reproductive Health Care: Financing and Delivery Systems June 7, 2024 | 12-1:30 p.m. ET June 12, 2024 | 12-1:30 p.m. ET   The National Academies Standing Committee on Reproductive Health, Equity, and Society will organize a two-part public webinar series to explore the ways in which public and private financing, institutions, and systems shape access to comprehensive…

New NC Food Program is Ensuring Your Smallest Patients Stay Fed This Summer

    North Carolina will receive around $120 million in federal benefits to feed over a million school children in North Carolina this summer. The first benefits from the SUN Bucks program will begin to be issued to eligible families across the state next week. "Summer can be a hard time for children who rely on our public schools for a healthy school breakfast and lunch," said…

2024 AMPAC Campaign School Now Open for Registration

    AMPAC is excited to announce that the 2024 Campaign School will be returning in-person July 25-28 at the AMA offices in Washington, DC and registration is now open! Running an effective campaign can be the difference between winning and losing a race. That's why the Campaign School is designed to give you the skills and strategic approach you will need on the campaign…

NCMS 2024 NCMS Photo Contest is Waiting for You!

Photo submissions are currently being accepted for 2024! Now in its 16th year, the NCMS Photo Contest is an annual tradition that has gained national recognition, and we want you to be a part of it! Submissions are currently being accepted for the 2024 contest. Think you have the perfect picture to send in? Check out the rules here. We've already received several breathtaking…

Too Much! Prior Authorization is Costly, Time Consuming for Clinicians Across North Carolina

  RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Medical Society conducted a survey on the costs and burden to clinicians of Prior Authorization.  The results show costs to small, medium, and large practices and break down the costs by region.  It further breaks down the amount of time required by staff to manage Prior Authorization and how most clinicians believe they could take on more patients if the…

Register Now! Shaping Access to Reproductive Health Care

Shaping Access to Reproductive Health Care: Financing and Delivery Systems June 7, 2024 | 12-1:30 p.m. ET June 12, 2024 | 12-1:30 p.m. ET   The National Academies Standing Committee on Reproductive Health, Equity, and Society will organize a two-part public webinar series to explore the ways in which public and private financing, institutions, and systems shape access to comprehensive…

Automated Tool Anticipates Hospital Disease Outbreaks

  Outbreaks at hospitals are a common and costly issue—an estimated one in every 31 hospitalized patients in the US has at least one hospital-acquired infection at any given time, costing healthcare systems “billions of dollars” annually, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Researchers from the CDC, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, HCA Healthcare, and the…

Happy Birthday to Our Members Celebrating This Month!

Grab your party hats and noisemakers and let’s celebrate!   Ana R. Abaroa Salvatierra, MD Scott M. Abernathy, MD Nicole Abinanti-Kotula, MD Dina S. N. Ahmad, MD T. Rupert Ainsley, Jr., MD, FACP Reece Linden T. Alkire, DO Alexandra A. Allaun, PA Matthew C. Alleman, MD R. D. Almkuist, II, MD Hussam Alsarraf, MD, MS Radhalakshmi D. Aluru, MD Daniel E. Anderson, MD Ruth K.…

Don’t Miss AMA’s Medicare Physician Payment Mid-Year Update

  Register now for this Advocacy Insights webinar on June 4 at Noon CT to hear about the latest AMA efforts on Medicare physician payment reform: what’s happening on Capitol Hill, how the AMA’s grassroots campaign is raising the volume, and what to expect on the regulatory side—particularly as the proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare physician fee schedule is expected later this summer.……

2024 Physician Compensation Report lists NC City as a Metro Area With Highest Compensation

Average Physician Compensation Up Nearly 6 Percent Between 2022 and 2023, the average compensation for U.S. physicians increased nearly 6% (5.9%), rebounding from a slight decline of 2.4% in the previous year. Physicians in the San Jose metropolitan area experienced one of the most significant surges in compensation, with an annual growth rate of 13.5%. This sizable increase propelled San Jose…

Don’t Miss June’s Lunch & Learn Webinar: Navigating the Healthcare Workforce

  June Lunch & Learn Webinar Navigating the Healthcare Workforce: Insights into Employee Turnover and Retention Trends Tuesday, June 18 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT | Zoom   Dive deep into the heart of healthcare operations with our illuminating session, “Navigating the Healthcare Workforce: Insights into Employee Turnover and Retention Trends.” In today’s ever-evolving…

Discuss Vaping Prevention and Support for NC Youth at NCDHHS Live Fireside Chat and Tele-town Hall

  The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall, TODAY, Wednesday, May 29, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss vaping prevention and resources for youth in North Carolina as well as ways parents and caregivers can support their families. Event participants below include state and local experts on vaping prevention and support, as…

Otolaryngology Health Policy Advisory Committee (OHPAC)-2024 Report

Otolaryngology Health Policy Advisory Committee (OHPAC)-2024 Report The Otolaryngology Health Policy Advisory Committee (OHPAC) has demonstrated meaningful collaboration with BCBSNC for the benefit of patients in North Carolina. The highlights of the successful efforts between OHPAC and BCBSNC over the past 4 years can be found HERE. The OHPAC Board would also like to thank the following…

Meningococcal Disease Cases Linked to International Travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory to alert clinicians to cases of meningococcal disease linked to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Since April 2024, 12 cases of meningococcal disease linked to KSA travel: United States (5 cases), France (4 cases), and the United Kingdom (3 cases). Recommendations for…

Federal Trade Commission Announces Webinar on Noncompete Rule

  On May 31, 2024, at 1:00 PM ET, the FTC will host an online overview of the final rule banning noncompetes, focused on healthcare. Chair Lina Khan will kick off the session before turning it over to the Office of Policy Planning. The briefing will include a summary of the rule with a focus on healthcare and time for answering questions submitted in advance using the email address…

NCMS Opposes Attempt to Put North Carolinians’ Safety at Risk

NCMS Opposes Proposals on House Bill 681 That Continue to Promote NP Pathways to Independent Practice The situation over House Bill 681 continues to evolve. The NCMS lobbying team learned on Tuesday that a third Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) would be introduced at the Wednesday meeting of the Senate Health Care Committee.  Each version continues to put patient safety at risk and…

2024 AMPAC Campaign School Now Open for Registration

    AMPAC is excited to announce that the 2024 Campaign School will be returning in-person July 25-28 at the AMA offices in Washington, DC and registration is now open! Running an effective campaign can be the difference between winning and losing a race. That's why the Campaign School is designed to give you the skills and strategic approach you will need on the campaign…

AMA Issues Call for AMPAC Board of Directors Applicants

  The American Medical Association is currently soliciting applications to fill three vacancies on the AMPAC Board of Directors. In 2024, two members of the AMPAC Board will reach maximum tenure and one member has resigned creating three vacancies. New members will be appointed by the AMA Board of Trustees at the September 2024 meeting. Members of the AMPAC Board serve a two-year term…

Side-by-Side Webinar with NCDHHS’ Mental Health Division

  Join staff from NCDHHS' Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services on June 3 at 2 p.m. to learn more about policies and programs that affect the Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Substance Use Services and Traumatic Brain Injury community. The goal of these monthly webinars is to bring everyone together in one (virtual)…

Don’t Forget to Register for AMA Advocacy Insights Webinar

What’s exacerbating the physician shortage crisis—and what’s needed to fix it Wednesday, May 22, 2024 2:00 PM-3:00 PM CT   The U.S. is facing a shortage of between 13,500 and 86,000 physicians by 2036—a deficiency that is almost certain to be compounded by rising rates of physician burnout and early retirement. The physician workforce, like our general population, is aging, with nearly…

NCMS At Work For You – Commission for Public Health

  Last week, the Commission for Public Health held their second meeting of 2024. Significant updates and concerns were discussed, providing crucial insights into the state's public health landscape. Below are the key takeaways: Attorney General Update: Senate Bill 512 Alterations Senate Bill 512 has reshaped the Commission for Public Health, prompting legal challenges from the…

Register Now! A Conversation on Substance Use.

  A Conversation on Substance Use Wednesday, May 29 - 7pm COMMA Performing Arts Center 401 S. College Street Morganton, NC 28655 Free Community Event. General Admission seating. Doors open at 6pm, Event begins at 7pm.

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…