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…

Register Now for ‘Global Impact: Climate Change and Our Health’

Global Impact: Climate Change and Our Health, April 11 Thursday, April 11, 2024, 3:45pm EST VIRTUAL From poor air quality and flooding to extreme heat and years-long droughts, devastating weather events take a physical, emotional, and financial toll on populations across the globe and here in the U.S. especially in marginalized communities. Are increased extreme weather events leading to a…

Doctors Perform First-ever Kidney Transplant from Gene-edited Pig

  Doctors have performed the first transplant of a genetically modified kidney from a pig into a living human. The four-hour surgery was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital, which was also the first hospital to perform a kidney transplant in 1954. The patient, Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old manager with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation who had been diagnosed with…

NCTracks: Providers Should Use These Updated Consent Forms

Providers should use the latest version of the sterilization consent form to ensure that the correct version of the consent form is submitted to the NC Medicaid fiscal agent.   NCTracks is reminding providers that the sterilization consent form found on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) website was updated in 2023. It is available in English and Spanish. These…

New Mobile Mammography Unit Brings More Access to Southeastern NC

Novant Health is hitting the road to protect women’s health.   Novant Health has unveiled its new mobile mammography unit. Novant’s new mobile mammography unit will provide quick and easy access to breast cancer screenings. This new bus includes new equipment such as 3D scanning, which will be less painful for patients and give clearer results. “Being able to take this technology to our…

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…

Match Day Madness! NCMS Celebrates Milestone for All Physicians!

NCMS Match Day Social in Chapel Hill is Roaring Success! NCMS celebrated Match Day with members, physicians, PAs, students, residents, friends, and supporters.  It is a great example of the importance of being together!  The North Carolina Medical Society provides the space and community to come together, across all specialties, to enhance the profession of medicine as colleagues and medical…

Important Policy Updates for NC Behavioral Health Providers

  Clinical Coverage Policy 8A, Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services was amended and promulgated on March 1, 2024, with a retroactive implementation date of Jan. 1, 2024. The clinical coverage policies amended includes:   Professional Treatment Services in Facility-Based Crisis Program (FBC) FBC was amended and promulgated on March 1, 2024, with a retroactive…

Diabetes Prevention Program Navigator Service Ending

  After 5 years, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Navigator service will be coming to an end on March 31, 2024. The DPP Navigator office will be reaching out to all physicians who have utilized the DPP navigator to connect them to local and state-wide DPPs where they can directly send referrals going forward. DPP services are still available to patients who have prediabetes or…

Mark Your Calendar: Statewide Assistive Technology Resource Fairs

  The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is hosting resource fairs where adaptive equipment and resources to make recreational and leisure activities accessible to people of all ages will be showcased. The resource fairs, presented by the North Carolina Assistive Technology Program, are free and open to the public. Those interested in accessible recreation, sports,…

Stanley Cup Owners Rejoice! What a CT Scan Reveals.

  Stanley cup owners can rejoice!   According to Lumafield, a startup that makes X-ray CT scanners for engineers, Stanley cup owners can rejoice, because the odds of getting lead poisoning from the viral tumblers are vanishingly small. Images from a recent industrial CT scan performed by Lumafield supports what Stanley has been saying from the beginning: The cups contain lead,…

NC Medicaid Information for Providers Impacted by Change Healthcare Disruption

  NC Medicaid continues to monitor the network interruption with Change Healthcare related to cybersecurity and the resulting decision to disconnect systems while the issue is resolved. It's focused on ensuring access to care for beneficiaries once electronic claims submission functionality resumes. To support providers during this transition, NCTracks will implement the following…

Match Day 2024: Record Number of Applicants and Residency Positions Offered

  Match Day 2024 proved to be a momentous day for the future of medicine as this year's Match Day saw record-high applicant participation, according to data from NRMP, the organization that facilitates Match Day. “The NRMP is proud to deliver the results of another successful Main Residency Match, and we congratulate all future physicians and training programs on this momentous…

NCMS Member Dr. David T. Tayloe Co-Authors Book

  NCMS member and pediatrician David T. Tayloe, Jr., MD, FAAP, has co-authored a book on the advocacy history of the NC Pediatric Society. Fifty Years of Advocacy: The North Carolina Pediatric Society is a collection of commentaries explaining the evolution of the infrastructure of the North Carolina Pediatric Society, the efforts of its leaders, the multitude of successful advocacy…

FDA Clears First Over-the-Counter Continuous Glucose Monitor

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared for marketing the first over-the-counter (OTC) continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor System is an integrated CGM (iCGM) intended for anyone 18 years and older who does not use insulin, such as individuals with diabetes treating their condition with oral medications, or those without diabetes who want to better…

EPA Bans Ongoing Use of Chrysotile Asbestos

EPA’s ban is the first rule to be finalized under new Toxic Substance Control Act process, marking historic milestone for nation’s chemical safety efforts The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to prohibit ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of asbestos currently used in or imported to the United States. The ban on ongoing uses of asbestos is…

Resources and Guidance for Those Impacted by Change Healthcare Cyberattack

  The unprecedented February 2024 cyber-attack to Change Healthcare, a division of United Healthcare, has caused significant impacts to physicians and other health systems across NC. Your NCMS Board of Directors discussed these impacts extensively during their most recent meeting this past Saturday. NCMS staff have worked to stay abreast of the evolution of this massive data breach and…

CMS Reopens MIPS EUC Application in Response to Change Healthcare Cyberattack

  In response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack in late February, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) extended the data submission deadline and is now reopening the 2023 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) Exception Application to provide relief to MIPS eligible clinicians impacted by this cybersecurity incident.…

Register Now for Thursday’s 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…

Final Rule on Substance Use Disorder Patient Records Confidentiality Released

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), finalized modifications to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations at 42 CFR part 2 (“Part 2”), which protect the privacy of patients’ SUD treatment records. Specifically, the…

UNC Research Team Aims to Understand T Cells Energy

  A UNC research team led by Jessica Thaxton, PhD, MsCR, associate professor of cell biology and physiology and co-leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, aimed to understand why T cells do not sustain energy in tumors. T cells are often called “assassins” or “killers” because they can orchestrate and carry out missions to hunt down…

CDC Issues Health Advisory on Increase of Global and U.S. Measles Cases

Measles (rubeola) is highly contagious; one person infected with measles can infect 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals with whom they come in close contact. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and public health officials of an increase in global and U.S. measles cases and to provide guidance on…

HHS Provider Briefing on Response to Cyberattack on Change Healthcare Happening TODAY

Provider Briefing on Response to Cyberattack on Change Healthcare Date: Tuesday, March 19 Time: 4:00-4:45pm ET Join Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, along with leadership from the Immediate Office of the Secretary and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to learn how HHS is responding to the cyberattack on Change Healthcare.…

NC Health System Celebrates a First in Alzheimer’s Care

(image credit: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist)   Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist became the first health system in the region to treat a patient with lecanemab, a new medication for Alzheimer’s disease. This is the first Alzheimer’s drug approved by the FDA in more than 20 years. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. It is a…

Today is Health Workforce Well-being Day. We Recognize, Celebrate, and Honor YOU!

Recognize, Celebrate, and Honor: National Health Workforce Well-being Day of Awareness   Health Workforce Well-being Day aims to recognize the importance of protecting health workers’ well-being to sustain our health system and ensure quality patient care. One of the North Carolina Medical Society's priorities this year focuses on fostering health system environment changes that…

Register Now for the 2024 CENNC Clinical Ethics Conference: Where Ethics Meets Law

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Conference Center Friday, April 19, 2024 8 am–4:30 pm Live in-person Only Medical and hospital staff often encounter ethical tensions in practice arising from understandings of relevant law, as well as from a variety of other sources such as institutional policy, risk avoidance, financial concerns, professional guidelines, and political influences.…

FDA Delays Approval of Alzheimer’s Drug

  Eli Lilly recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established a committee to evaluate donanemab, the Alzheimer’s drug that had its approval blocked last year. The committee is expected to convene later this year before the FDA makes a final decision about approving donanemab. Donanemab is one of three monoclonal antibody treatments for Alzheimer’s that…

Register Now for the Physical Therapy Approaches to Oncology Care: Beyond Lymphedema Webinar

Physical Therapy Approaches to Oncology Care: Beyond Lymphedema Wednesday, March 20 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST/EDT Tailored for medical providers, this session led by a physical therapist addresses challenges like speech and swallowing difficulties or pelvic floor issues in gynecological cancer. Explore the pivotal role of physical therapy in survivorship care plans and delve into current research…

Lace Up for the Spring Into Health 5k/1m Run!

  Spring Into Health is a 'health raiser' opportunity to get people running, walking, strolling and rolling.   BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The Brunswick Wellness Coalition is set to hold its annual Spring Into Health 5k/1m Run on Saturday, March 16, at Dosher Memorial Hospital. People of all ages, skill levels and abilities are encouraged to take part and raise awareness…

Foundation Friday! Thank You to These NCMS Foundation Donors.

  Today, the NCMS Foundation recognizes donors who have joined us to help all North Carolinians live their healthiest lives. These individuals are contributing to make sure clinicians are where they are needed most and that clinician leaders are lighting the way. John H. Buck, MD Elizabeth H. Hawes, PA-C Melissa S. Morse, PA-C Christopher N. Shatley, PA-C Jacob B. Sooter, PA-C…

Know an Exceptional Group Practice Administrator? Tell the World About Them! Deadline Coming Soon

The 2024 Administrator of the Year award, sponsored by Curi, recognizes a medical group practice administrator affiliated with the North Carolina Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA). This person has exhibited exceptional leadership management proficiency and enhanced the effectiveness in the delivery of health care in his/her practice and community through a recent, noteworthy…

Happy Pi Day from NCMS!

Why shouldn't you eat too much pi? You'll end up with a big circumference!   Happy Pi Day from the North Carolina Medical Society!      

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…

UNC Researchers Expand Understanding of How Body, Brain Communicate

Researchers Expand Our Understanding of How the Body and Brain Communicate CHAPEL HILL -  The human brain constantly receives information from the body, specifically from internal organs such as the heart and lungs. This information seldom reaches consciousness but is crucial for maintaining a healthy body and for influencing performance in the brain, including perception, emotion, and…

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…

NC Representative David Rouzer Joins Other Congress Members to Relaunch Congressional Primary Care Caucus

(Photo courtesy US Congressman David Rouzer) Five US Congress Members Relaunch Congressional Primary Care Caucus During State of Primary Care Briefing WASHINGTON, DC - This week, Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC), Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT), and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) relaunched the bipartisan Congressional Primary Care Caucus. The…

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…

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…

Registration open for the UNC Eye Symposium, April 13

Join UNC Department of Ophthalmology on Saturday, April 13th, 2024, for our annual UNC Eye Symposium at the William & Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. This conference is designed for Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Ophthalmic Technicians, and Photographers to hear the latest evidence-based diagnostic and medical/surgical approaches to comprehensive eye care and treating ocular…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Important CMS Announcement For Physicians Impacted by Cyberattack, Change Healthcare Disruptions

Hospitals, doctors, and clinics express frustration that they have to wait even longer for reimbursements after hackers paralyzed the largest U.S. billing clearinghouse The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a new opportunity for physicians impacted by the cyberattack and resulting disruptions with Change Healthcare to request advanced Medicare payments to help with cash flow…