New Resources Ahead of July 1st Tailored Plans Launch

  Tailored Plans are a new kind of NC Medicaid Managed Care health plan for approximately 210,000 beneficiaries with a serious mental illness, a serious emotional disturbance, a severe substance use disorder, an intellectual/developmental disability or a traumatic brain injury in North Carolina. They will cover doctor visits, prescription drugs and services for mental health, substance…

Calling All NCMS Physician and PA Members! Nominations Open for Leadership Positions

Want to be an NCMS leader? Here's your opportunity to be a vital part of our 175-year legacy!   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…

Are You Taking Advantage of Collaborative Care Model Training Series?

  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…

NC Health System Performs First-in-the-State Valve Replacement

For the first time in the state of North Carolina, the structural heart team at UNC Hospitals has performed a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement in the clinical setting. The implant, which was only the 12th in the United States, is a revolutionary treatment for patients living with tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR), a common type of heart valve disease. (Left to Right) Thelsa Thomas…

Mark Your Calendar: 2024 Second Primary Election

    To complete the state’s primary election cycle, a second primary (run-off election) will take place on May 14, 2024.  The statewide ballot will include the following contests: Republican nomination for lieutenant governor: Hal Weatherman Jim O’Neill Republican nomination for state auditor: Jack Clark Dave Boliek Republican nomination for U.S.…

NCMS Has Retirement Solutions for You!

Are you ready to retire? You can take advantage of all the power of the NCMS and plan for the future with our Retirement Solutions! Caleb Sanderson talks about our new program to help YOU be ready for your next chapter. Become a member of the North Carolina Medical Society and join thousands of your friends and colleagues. Click here for more reasons why you should join today.

Registration Closing Soon for the 2nd Annual Smoky Mountain Primary Care Conference

2nd Annual Smoky Mountain Primary Care Conference Kern Auditorium, Lake Junaluska Conference Center Lake Junaluska, NC April 27, 2024 The Smoky Mountain Medical Society is sponsoring a CME program on Saturday, April 27 at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center. This program is geared toward primary care providers and nurses in Western North Carolina, covering the topics of Diabetes & Weight…

NCMS Member Named Physician of the Year at AHHC H.O.M.E. Awards!

(Photo: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare) Dr. Deric Weiss AHHC H.O.M.E. Physician of the Year Congratulations to NCMS member Dr. Deric Weiss for being named Physician of the Year at the 2024 Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHC) H.O.M.E. Awards! Lower Cape Fear LifeCare says Dr. Weiss's unwavering dedication to his role as physician at LCFL’s Dr. Robert M. Fales Hospice…

NC Medicaid State Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report Available Online

  NC Medicaid published its State Fiscal Year Annual Report on its website at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports/annual-reports-and-tables. The public report summarizes the investments the Department has made in the health of North Carolinians and the impact of those investments. The report highlights key investments and efforts NC Medicaid made in its programs and services as part of the…

NCMS Member Dr. David Tayloe, Jr. Recognized in US Congressional Record

NCMS Member, Congressman Greg Murphy, MD, Recognizes Dr. David Tayloe in the Congressional Record April 7, 2024 -- Congressman Gregory Murphy, MD, honored NCMS member Dr. David Tayloe in the Congressional Record. Here is statement: "I was honored to recognize an incredible physician, Dr. David Tayloe, in the Congressional Record for his commitment to community healthcare and his passionate…

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…

2024 NCMS Candidate Series – Dr. Greg Murphy

2024 NCMS Candidate Series Featuring Dr. Greg Murphy   The 2024 North Carolina Medical Society Candidate Series has an exclusive interview featuring Dr. Greg Murphy, who is running for reelection to the third Congressional District of North Carolina. In this episode, Dr. Murphy talks about his career as a physician in Greenville and his plans to improve access to quality healthcare…

Health System Names New Chief Physician Executive Officer for Patient Experience

Roxie Cannon Wells, MD   Winston-Salem-based Novant Health has named Roxie Cannon Wells, MD, as chief physician executive officer for patient experience. In her new role, Dr. Wells will help steer the system's patient experience strategy, supporting both employed and independent clinicians. According to the press release, Wells has over 25 years of healthcare experience, most…

Dermatologists Encouraged to Consider Skin Cancer, Infection Risks in Posttransplant Skin Disease

  SAN DIEGO — The number of solid organ transplant survivors is on the rise, a dermatologist told colleagues, and they face unique challenges from higher risks for skin cancer and skin infections because of their suppressed immune systems. "There are over 450,000 people with a solid organ transplant living in the United States. If you do the math, that works out to about 40 organ…

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…

BCBSNC: Additional Behavioral Health Care Services Reimbursable as Telehealth

  Starting April 10, 2024, Blue Cross NC will begin reimbursing additional behavioral health inpatient and outpatient services performed via Telehealth visits according to the updated Telehealth Reimbursement Policy. These additional behavioral health services include inpatient or outpatient daily care evaluative and/or discharge management services. Claims will still need to be billed…

Your Feedback Needed to Improve the Medicaid Clinician Experience

  NCMS's partners, Carolina Complete Health (CCH) and Carolina Complete Health Network (CCHN) will host their 2nd Annual Medicaid Managed Care Town Hall at the 2024 CPP Annual Meeting during NCMS LEAD Conference in November. In preparation for that session, we want to hear from clinicians across North Carolina who provide care to Medicaid enrollees. Please share your experiences,…

Spring into Life Saving! Give a Little, Save a Lot!

  Spring into Life Saving Blood Drive   Iredell Health System, along with The Blood Connection, is hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, April 9, which will take place from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Iredell Mooresville, located at 653 Bluefield Road. You can make a life-altering difference in your community by donating blood. Donating blood is crucial for saving lives in emergencies,…

CDC Warns of Rise in Invasive Meningococcal Disease

  Healthcare Workers Should be on Alert, Even if Patient Shows No Signs   The CDC announced there has been an increase in cases of the rare “invasive meningococcal disease." According to an advisory, healthcare workers should be on alert, even if patients do not exhibit typical symptoms. "In 2023, 422 cases were reported in the United States, the highest annual number of cases…

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…

It’s Official! Tailored Plans Launches July 1st.

It’s official! Tailored Plans will launch on July 1.   At a recent legislative committee hearing, NC Medicaid shared that the Local Management Entities (LMEs) that will run Tailored Plans – Alliance Health, Partners Health Management, Trillium Health Resources, and Vaya Health – are all ready to go live. Tailored Plans include services for people with serious mental health issues,…

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…

Two NC Hospitals Make Business NC’s Top 20

(image credit: Hendersonville Lightning)   UNC Health Pardee and AdventHealth made the top 20 in the annual best hospital rankings by Business North Carolina. Pardee claimed the 12th spot, while AdventHealth ranked No. 19. Both made top 10 in patient satisfaction surveys with Pardee also winning a high ranking for two types of surgeries. In the magazine's annual ranking of the state’s…

More States Confirm Cases of Bird Flu as it Continues Spread Across Country

  Contaminated water or feed may have caused dairy cows to become infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Recently, Texas officials issued a health alert about the first confirmed case of a human infection with a bird influenza virus that has found its ways into dairy cows. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it has confirmed that the virus has infected cattle at…

Join NCMS for a Regional Meeting With NHPCMS in Wilmington!

New Hanover-Pender County Medical Society and North Carolina Medical Society invite you to a joint meeting! Pine Valley Country Club 500 Pine Valley Dr. Wilmington, NC 28412 April 10th 6-8pm Are You Feeling More Like a Factory Line Worker Than a Health Care Professional? Join us to learn how we are working to put YOU back in health care decision making! Here's what you can expect:…

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…

Register Now for NC Medicaid Managed Care Special Webinar

  Medicaid Managed Care SPECIAL WEBINAR: Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Dashboard Launch for Providers This month, NC Medicaid is launching a Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Dashboard for Advanced Medical Homes (AMHs). This tool will allow AMHs to access and analyze data related to resource use and total cost of health care received by Medicaid members assigned to their practices. The…

Join Us in Durham Next Week for the DOCMS Meeting at the University Club!

Join DOCMS at the University Club! Wednesday, April 10, 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 Speaker 7:30pm- 7:45pm – Q&A 7:45pm- 8:00pm – DOCMS 2024 Business REGISTER NOW - Hybrid…

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…

2024 NCMS Candidate Series – Dr. Steven Feldman

2024 NCMS Candidate Series Featuring Dr. Steven Feldman   The 2024 North Carolina Medical Society Candidate Series has an exclusive interview featuring Dr. Steven Feldman who is running for North Carolina House District 10. In this episode, Dr. Feldman talks about his desire to reintroduce civility to national politics, the national debt and its impact on healthcare. He also offers…

Happy Birthday to Our Members Celebrating This Month!

Grab your party hats and noisemakers and let’s celebrate!   Zachary A. Aberman, MD Jennifer H. Adair, PA-C John E. Adams, MD Adeyinka A. Adegoroye, MD Muhammad N. Ahmed, MD Richard E. Akers, MD J. McClees Aldridge, III, MD Herbert R. Allen, Jr., MD James L. Allen, MD Nana Akua Amponsah, PA-C James D. Anderson, MD Eileen S. Andres, PA-C Rebecca Anketell, DO Vittorio…

Share Your Feedback on New Environmental Health Draft Policy

  The North Carolina Medical Society's (NCMS) Policy Committee is charged with developing policies that align with the NCMS Mission and the NCMS Guiding Principles. The Policy Committee recently came together to create a policy addressing environmental health. This policy will serve as an effective tool to guide and support NCMS advocacy efforts addressing environmental health in North…

Celebrating Women’s History Month with Dr. Cheryl Walker-McGill

To help celebrate Women's History Month, NCMS has an in-depth interview with NCMS member Dr. Cheryl Walker-McGill, Executive Producer of the acclaimed documentary "Someone Else's Shoes." The film focuses on the establishment of St. Agnes Hospital, one of the first Black-owned and operated hospitals in Raleigh. It also celebrates the achievements of Black pioneers in the field of healthcare and…

How Has Your Practice Been Impacted by the Change Healthcare Cyberattack? Take this Survey.

  Since the Change Healthcare cyberattack in February and resulting system outages, the American Medical Association (AMA) has urged federal and state regulators to support physician practices with financial assistance and flexibilities in administrative requirements. To assess the current level of workflow disruptions and financial impact on practices, the AMA is requesting those…

HHS Distributes Additional Provider Resources for the Change Healthcare Disruption

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) distributed additional resources to assist physicians, pharmacists, and hospitals with the aftermath of the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attacks. In addition, HHS is making available the voluntary Healthcare and Public Health Cybersecurity Performance Goals, designed to help healthcare organizations strengthen cyber preparedness,…

We Need Your Feedback on Fiscal Impact of Prior Authorization

  NCMS and the North Carolina Medical Group Managers Association have partnered to create a survey on the fiscal impacts of prior authorizations on practices. As we enter into short session at the legislature, we need to hear from YOU and your practice. Legislators in Raleigh need to be aware of the large impact this has on clinicians' ability to provide care. Please take 5-10…

Duke Awarded Up to $33 Million to Develop OA Therapies that Rebuild Bone and Joints

Along with Boston Children’s Hospital and UCLA Health, the federally funded project aims to alleviate the heavy cost burden of osteoarthritis (DukeHealth) --  Duke Health is part of a multi-institution research team receiving funding from the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop an osteoarthritis treatment that regenerates joints. The research project,…

Doctors’ Day is Saturday, but You Can Thank Your Favorite Healthcare Hero with an E-Card Today!

Saturday, March 30, is the annual observance of Doctors’ Day, a time to honor you and the amazing work you do. And we want to give you an opportunity to recognize your colleagues. Consider sending an e-card to show a colleague you care and recognize their contributions in honor of Doctors’ Day. If you choose, their name will be publicized in our Morning Rounds newsletter and on our social…

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 Report: Hospitals Are Adding Billions in ‘Facility’ Fees for Routine Care

Unsuspecting patients find themselves at the mercy of institutions tacking on the bills   (Wall Street Journal) -- Hospitals are adding billions of dollars in facility fees to medical bills for routine care in outpatient centers they own. Once an annoyance, the fees are now pervasive, and in some places, they are becoming nearly impossible to avoid, data compiled for The Wall Street…

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…

Register Now for AMA Advocacy Insights Webinar

What We Need to do—Now—to Address the Maternal Health Crisis Monday, April 15 11:00 a.m. Central time With the U.S. having the highest maternal mortality and morbidity rates among developed countries, the AMA continues to sound the alarm to policymakers that a multi-faceted approach is needed, one which includes addressing the leading causes of preventable maternal deaths and investing in…