NC Breaks Records for Pollen Count in 2025

Pollen across state is troubling for allergy sufferers CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – If you’ve noticed your allergies seem to be much worse this year – you’re not alone. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports that allergies are worse this year and may continue in that direction. The North Carolina Division of Air Quality measured a new record at the end of March. The…

NC AHEC Announces Next CoCM Provider Learning Collaborative

Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Provider Learning Collaborative April 17, May 29, June 19, 2025 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Location: Livestream Webinar Target Audience These Learning Collaboratives are for primary care providers, behavioral health professionals, and anyone else who has implemented or is considering the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) for integrating behavioral health in a…

NCMS is Sending Match Day Congratulations!

The North Carolina Medical Society congratulates all the new graduating medical students on their Match Day success! Jonathan Bowling matched into the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He earned his undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and will graduate from ECU Brody School of Medicine in May. Jonathan is also a scholar in…

NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Devdutta Sangvai Has Message About NCMB Board Leadership Opportunities

NCMB is accepting applications for Board Members NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Devdutta G. Sangvai NC DHHS Secretary and former NCMS President Dr. Devduttta Sagvai has an important message for potential NCMB Board members. Click here to hear his thoughts on Board membership.. Board Members are appointed by the Governor. Physicians and PAs must apply according to a process established by…

Take a Look! NCMS Future Healthcare Leaders 3rd Session

RALEIGH -- The NCMS in action!  The Future Healthcare Leaders are a group of interdisciplinary graduate healthcare students from across the state. During their 3rd Learning Session in March, they participated in Leading with Others and Communication Skills workshops.  It is part of the NCMS Kanof Institute for Physician Leaders. Each program provides a unique leadership journey that is…

Genomic Sequencing Reveals Previously Unknown Genes That Make Microbes Resistant to Drugs and Hard To Kill

This article was written by Nneka Vivian Iduu, a graduate research assistant in pathobiology at Auburn University, for The Conversation — a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of researchers and scientists, under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. (The Conversation) -- In the 20th century, when a routine infection was treated with a standard…

NC Trend: Duke University Drives to Become Bigger Healthcare Force in NC

Business NC takes look at expansion efforts by Duke University (Business NC, David Mildenberg) -- It hasn’t attracted attention like Blue Devil basketball phenom Cooper Flagg, but the pace of change at Duke University’s healthcare operation has accelerated dramatically. In December, Duke Health said it would invest $280 million to buy Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and related businesses…

NCMS is Sending Match Day Congratulations!

The North Carolina Medical Society congratulates all the new graduating medical students on their Match Day success! Sophie Hockran matched in General Surgery at St. Elizabeth Hospital. "I am so excited to match General Surgery in Youngstown, Ohio at St Elizabeth Hospital!" Hockran said.  "North Carolina will always hold a special place in my heart for propelling my medical career. It’s been…

Powerful Partnership for Clinician Well-Being – NCCPRW Joins the Joy & Wholeness Summit 2025

NCCPRW Joins the Joy & Wholeness Summit 2025 In every corner of healthcare, there is a growing call for change. A call to prioritize the well-being of the people who care for others, to build systems that support clinicians, and to create a future where physicians and APPs don’t just endure—but flourish. We are honored to announce that the North Carolina Clinician and Physician Retention…

CDC: Nearly 500 Cases of Measles Reported Across 19 States

  Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown (ABC News, Mary Kekatos, Youri Benadjaoud, Sony Salzman) -- The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 400, with 73 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday. Almost all of the cases are in…

DEA Again Delays New Telehealth Prescribing Rules for Veterans, Buprenorphine

As of March 20, 2025, the effective dates of the final rules amending 21 CFR part 1306 and 42 CFR part 12 published in the Federal Register on January 17,  are effective December 31, 2025. (Healthcare Brew, Caroline Catherman) -- As every chronic procrastinator knows, nothing feels better than an extension on a due date. So we bet it was a big relief for the US Drug Enforcement Administration…

NCMS is Sending Match Day Congratulations!

The North Carolina Medical Society congratulates all the new graduating medical students on their Match Day success! Pankti Sheth, a 4th year medical student at ECU Brody School of Medicine, matched at Duke for Internal Medicine! Look for more Match Day successes soon!

Vaccine and COVID Research, LGBTQ Studies Among NC Projects Hit by NIH Cuts

  More than two dozen NIH grants have been canceled at North Carolina research groups, including Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. (The News & Observer, Drew Jackson and Brian Gordon) -- Nearly two dozen grants and millions in research dollars have been canceled at UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University and other North Carolina institutions as part of the growing list of projects cut by the National…

All About National Doctors’ Day

NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY 2025 All About Doctors Day   We celebrate National Doctors Day in America on March 30 each year, honoring the dedication and compassion displayed daily by more than one million physicians providing healthcare to patients nationwide.   These providers are the heart of the American healthcare system. In the US, doctors…

NCMS Member Dr. Damian McHugh Pens Letter: Reflections on National Doctors’ Day

Damian McHugh reminds us all why celebrating our nation’s doctors, especially in the face of ongoing pressures, stressors, and burnout, is more important than ever.   Courtesy of the Curi Blog: Whether or not you subscribe to the popularity of nationally recognized days or weeks for almost anything you can think of, they certainly do exist for our awareness and consumption. These…

🎉It’s New Member Monday!🎉

    Join us in welcoming these new members to the North Carolina Medical Society! Bradley W. Alsip, PA-C   Maximiliano M. Cavallini Martin, MD   Sean R. Costello, DO   Michael P. Cowherd, MD   Stefano Crosio, DO   Mili Dave   Ankita S. Desai, MD   Erin E. Dunneback, MD   Raisa J. Durrani, MD   Jeffrey Foster   Matthew Greene, PA-C   Neelam…

NCMS is Sending Match Day Congratulations!

The North Carolina Medical Society congratulates all the new graduating medical students on their Match Day success!   Daniel van Rooyen will continue to serve Harnett County through the Campbell University Harnett Health Family Medicine Residency. He completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Campbell University and will graduate from Campbell University School of Osteopathic…

A Message from Western Carolina Medical Society Six Months After Hurricane Helene

Six Months That Changed a 140-Year-Old Institution Western Carolina Medical Society (WCMS) started in 1885, but, in many ways, it has been “reborn” since Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina. The agency, which serves as the philanthropic arm of more than 670 physician assistant and physician members, has long been known for Project Access, a program that coordinates free specialty…

Register Now! Webinar on Tools to Manage Measles Outbreaks Effectively

Join South Piedmont AHEC (part of NC AHEC) for a FREE live webinar to gain critical insights and practical tools for managing measles outbreaks effectively. Apr 10, 2025 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST | Live Webinar Description Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to severe health complications. Join us for an in-depth  panel discussion where we will explore the…

The Life of a Medical Board Complaint

The NC Medical Board Wants to Demystify the Process When a Complaint is Filed The life of a Medical Board complaint Imagine checking your email and finding a message indicating that you are the subject of a complaint to the North Carolina Medical Board (Board). While no licensee of the Board wants to receive such a message, knowledge of the Board’s investigatory process may help reduce the…

NCMS in the News: WRAL Posts Story on Possible Changes to Healthcare Rules

RALEIGH -- As nurses gathered in downtown Raleigh, a news station was on hand to cover the event.  WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie covered the story, including reaction from the North Carolina Medical Society. Click here to see the video. Additional reading: Contact your legislator   

NC DHHS to Cut 80 Jobs, Lose $100 Million in Federal Funding

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ reductions are due to the federal government’s “abrupt and immediate termination of several federal grants,” a department spokesperson said in a statement. (WRAL) -- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is planning to cut 80 jobs and will lose more than $100 million in funding. The reductions are due to the…

NC AHEC Needs Your Help Assessing AI Adoption Across the State

Survey Should Take 10 Minutes to Complete. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve at a rapid pace, organizations across disciplines are exploring its opportunities, challenges, and impact. To better understand the current AI landscape, NC AHEC is conducting a high-level environmental scan, gathering insights from a diverse range of stakeholders and partners like you. This survey…

Corporate Practice of Medicine

The North Carolina Medical Society supports upholding the prohibition on corporate intrusion into the practice of medicine in North Carolina, as there is inherent conflict between a corporation’s fiduciary duty owed to its shareholders to maximize profits and a clinician’s legal and professional duty of care to their patients. Corporate intrusion into medicine, including the “corporate practice…

New Research: Chewing Gum Can Shed Microplastics Into Saliva

Pilot Study Could Burst Your Bubble on Chewing Gum (CNN) --  Are you keeping a mental list of all the sources of microplastics finding their way into your daily life? You may have another culprit to consider: It’s gum, according to a new pilot study that found chewing just one piece can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into saliva. The study is currently being peer-reviewed and…

Make Your Plans Now to Attend 3rd Annual Smoky Mountain Primary Care Conference

Smoky Mountain Medical Society 3rd Annual Primary Care Conference is April 26 The event is being held at the beautiful Lake Junaluska and features sessions on weight loss medications, rheumatology, POTS, and psychiatry. The day long event includes breakfast and lunch with exhibitors and a long list of faculty on hand. Registration is open.  Click here for more information and to register.……

NC AHEC Announces Quality Improvement Course for Practice Managers

Quality Improvement Course Starts April 3 Target Audience Practice managers or leader-providers who are knowledgeable or experienced in other areas of practice management but desire an introduction to the basics of quality improvement. About the Practice Manager Bootcamp The Practice Manager Boot Camp (PMBC) is part of the NCAHEC Practice Management Academy. It is designed for the novice…

Contact Your Legislators; Ask Them to Oppose the SAVE Act

Contact Your Legislators; Ask Them to Oppose the SAVE Act The SAVE Act was introduced Tuesday. This will allow Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), including nurse anesthetists, to practice without physician involvement. We ask you to email your state Senator and House member TODAY asking them to oppose the SAVE Act. Specifically, request that they do not co-sponsor the legislation.…

MIPS Penalty Can be Avoided Due to Impact of Hurricane Helene

MIPS penalty can be avoided due to impact of Hurricane Helene In response to AMA advocacy urging CMS to hold physicians harmless from Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) penalties as a result of the nationwide IV fluid shortage and to reopen the MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) hardship exception, the agency announced that it will accept new applications to avoid a…

Tracking Measles Cases in the United States

Measles Outbreak are Raising Alarm Among Public Health Experts (CNN, Alex Leeds Matthews, Matt Stiles, Deidre McPhillips and Annette Choi) -- Recent outbreaks of measles in the United States are driving up case counts and raising alarm among public health experts, especially as vaccination rates among children lag. The concern this year comes after the first reported death in the US since 2015…

Spring is Here: North Carolina Ranks as One of the Toughest States for Seasonal Allergies

Raleigh is ranked as the 7th most challenging place to live in America with allergies, while Greensboro is ranked 10th (The Carolina Journal, Brianna Kraemer) -- America’s list of the most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies. Raleigh is ranked as the 7th most challenging place to live in America with allergies, while Greensboro is ranked 10th. Several other major North Carolina…

Duke Doctors Perform First Living Mitral Valve Transplant

Doctors saved the lives of Journi Kelly, Margaret Van Bruggen, and Kensley Frizzell by transplanting Kelly's original mitral valves — after she received a full heart transplant — to Van Bruggen and Frizzell. HealthDay News — In a groundbreaking series of surgeries, doctors at Duke Health have successfully performed the world’s first living mitral valve replacement, saving the lives of three…

Wake County to join medical experts, community partners for Ask the Doc town hall series

March and April events to provide sessions in Spanish, English and Arabic Wake County’s health equity initiative, HealthLit4Wake, is bringing back its popular Ask the Doc: A Wake County Town Hall series for 2025, providing residents with direct access to medical experts and essential health information. Kicking off the quarterly series, the first event – Pregunte Al Doc: Navigating Primary…

New Study: Babies form fleeting memories

The human hippocampus constructs short-lived memories from around 1 year of age (Science) -- When you think of your first memory, it’s probably not from the day you were born. But that’s not because babies are incapable of forming memories; it’s because people have trouble retrieving those early memories later in life, according to a new study. ​ To study “infantile amnesia,” the researchers…

Register Now for UNC Eye Symposium

The UNC Eye Symposium is hosted by the UNC Department of Ophthalmology every April at the William & Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill, NC. Offering CME credits to attendees, this annual conference provides updates to Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Ophthalmic Technicians, and Photographers on the latest evidence-based diagnostic and medical/surgical approaches to…

3 NC Cities Among Highest in Country for STD Rates

CDC STI Surveillance Statistics Point to Continuing Struggle in the South (Innerboody, CDC, Charlotte Observer) --  For our 8th annual study of STI rates, using the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Innerbody Research analyzed statistics on a city-by-city basis and developed our list of the Top 100 metropolitan areas with the highest STI rates. In…

Coming Soon! Applications for the Collaborative Care Management Capacity Building Fund 

  Collaborative Care Management (CoCM) Capacity Building Fund APPLICATIONS OPEN APRIL 1 FOR PHASE 2 Applications remain open for Phase 1 The NC General Assembly has earmarked $5 million for capacity building for Medicaid-enrolled primary care practices across the state to adopt Collaborative Care Management (CoCM). The NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and…

CARE FIRST Act Gains Dozens of Co-sponsors, Rep. Tim Reeder Has a New Message

NCMS Past President Representative Timothy Reeder, MD, is a sponsor of the CARE First Act.   House Bill 434 is gaining traction in the General Assembly quickly.  Since the initial introduction of the CARE FIRST Act, the bill has garnered 57 co-sponsors along with the four original sponsors. Click on image of Dr. Reeder for a message to all our members and health professionals across the state:……

Bill to Study Medically Assisted Death Filed in NC

MAID is legal in 10 states and District of Columbia (WGHP, Emily Mikkelsen, Gretchen Stenger, Dolan Reynolds) -- A bill filed in the North Carolina House of Representatives would fund the study of medically assisted death. HB410, titled “Medical Aid in Dying,” was filed on Tuesday. The bill directs the North Carolina Institute of Medicine to study the impacts of legalizing medically assisted…

NCMS Past President Dr. Devdutta Sangvai Nomination to Lead NCDHHS Clears Key Senate Committee

Gov. Josh Stein's choice to run DHHS was sworn into office in January (NC Newsline, Lynn Bonner) -- Dr. Devdutta Sangvai received unanimous support Wednesday to run the state’s health care agency from a key state Senate committee. Sangvai is Gov. Josh Stein’s choice to run the state Department of Health and Human Services. His nomination will eventually move to a vote of the full Senate.…

CCNC CEO Dr. Tom Wroth Talks Primary Care

  Pulse on Carolina Health, Episode 2: Primary Care at a Crossroads: Challenges, Changes & the Value-Based Model in North Carolina Podcast  03.19.2025 Dr. Tom Wroth Primary care is evolving in North Carolina. Host Robert Shaw talks with Dr. Tom Wroth, CEO of Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC), about the state of primary care in North Carolina and its intersection…

New Study: NC in Top 10 Best States to Practice Medicine

NC ranks sixth in nation for doctors to practice medicine (WNCN and WalletHub) -- North Carolina is the sixth best state for doctors in the nation, a new study has found. The study, released Tuesday by WalletHub, is based on 19 metrics, including opportunity and competition, medical environment, average annual wage for physicians, punitive state medical boards, malpractice award payout per…

700+ Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing

(Getty Images) Millions of Americans at risk of losing community care (Healthcare Brew and CHPQR, Cassie McGrath) --  About 768 rural hospitals in the US are at risk of closing, with 315 at “immediate risk” of closing within three years. That’s according to a new report by healthcare finance policy organization the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR), which cited…

CDC Issues Update on Measles Outbreak in US and Guidance for Travel Season

 CDC issues HAN Health Advisory to notify clinicians and travelers about measles outbreak CDC and Health Alert Network --  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify clinicians, public health officials, and potential travelers about a measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico and offer guidance for prevention and…

NCMS Supported Press Conference on New Prior Authorization Reform Bill Gets Statewide News Coverage

CARE FIRST Act Looks to Curb Insurance Barriers to Medical Decisions North Carolina representatives, the North Carolina Medical Society, and other healthcare leaders from around the state were on hand Tuesday to support House Bill 434, the CARE FIRST Act.  The bill aims to reform the process of patients seeking prior authorization from their health insurance provider. Passage of the bill is a…

NCMS Shows Support for CARE FIRST Act at Press Conference to Reform Prior Authorization

(L-R Back Row: NCMS Interim CEO Steve Keene, NCMS BOD Member Dr. Ronnie Laney, NCMS President Dr. John Meier, Josh Dobson. Front Row: Lindsi Franklin, Rep. Timothy Reeder, MD, Rep. Grant Campbell, MD, Rep. John Bell, NCMS Board Member Dr. Charul Haugan, Sumathi Iyendar) The CARE FIRST Act Looks to Reform Prior Authorization in North Carolina   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu0Eyw9m-Mo…

Tune in Tuesday for the NCMS Reform Prior Auth Press Conference

The NCMS is taking steps to make the practice of medicine easier for you! Tune in Tuesday at 12:00 PM for an important press conference, where the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) will stand alongside North Carolina Representatives to introduce groundbreaking legislation aimed at reforming health insurance prior authorization. This initiative seeks to address our members' concerns…

Topical Steroid Withdrawal Diagnostic Criteria Defined by NIH Researchers

Hand and wrist of a participant in the pilot study before (left) and after (right) treatment of topical steroid withdrawal symptoms with berberine, a mitochondrial complex I-blocking drug.NIAID   Criteria may help guide treatment of dermatitis. What Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have determined that dermatitis resulting from topical steroid withdrawal (TSW)…