Wonderful Wednesday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.

June 23, 2021

 

Call for Nominations: NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees 

Overview

The call for nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees is now open. Nominations are due by August 30, 2021 (view NCMS Foundation Candidate Application Form).

The North Carolina Medical Society Foundation (NCMSF) is the philanthropic arm of the North Carolina Medical Society. The mission of the NCMSF is to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. Our portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here.

Those who serve on the NCMS Foundation’s Board of Trustees have general experience with and understanding of a philanthropic, 501c3 organization. Trustees are willing and able to articulate the purpose of each of the Foundation’s initiatives, and, ideally, will be able to offer details about their firsthand experience with a particular NCMS Foundation program and the value it brings to the profession and to North Carolina. Knowledge about the challenge’s health care professionals and their patients face and a desire to be innovative and collaborative in finding solutions is essential to this role. Fundraising ability also is crucial to fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving access to quality health care for everyone in the state.

In 2021, the NCMS Foundation will be filling the following leadership positions:

Trustee: Up to four (4) Trustees to serve three-year terms.

Process:

Step 1: Candidates are nominated or may nominate themselves for a position on the NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees (view NCMS Foundation Candidate Application Form).

Step 2: Once a candidate submits their application form, they will receive a confirmation and be made aware of any follow-up needed.

Step 3: Upon careful review of submitted materials, the NCMS Foundation Board Development Committee will select candidates to be interviewed. Interviews will take place via videoconference on September 14, 2021.

Step 4: Following candidate interviews, the NCMS Foundation Board Development Committee will vote to select candidate(s) to fill open leadership positions. The NCMS Foundation Board of Trustees will approve the slate of candidates at its next board meeting.

All nominations and any information collected as part of the nominating process is strictly confidential.

Physicians Foundation Releases Study on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System 

On May 14, the Physicians Foundation released a study on the time and financial costs for physician practices to participate in the Medicare Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The MIPS track of the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) influences payment for more than 1 million physicians annually. There is growing concern that MIPS increases administrative burden, and little is known about what it costs physician practices to participate. Research published by the Foundation examines this issue using interviews from December 2019 to June 2020 with leaders of 30 physician practices across the U.S. Key findings from the study include:

  • An average of $12,811 was spent per-physician to participate in MIPS in 2019; small and medium primary care practices had mean per-physician costs of $18,466 and $13,631 respectively.
  • Physicians and administrators spent more than 200 hours per physician on MIPS-related activities.
  • Physician time accounted for the greatest proportion of overall MIPS-related costs with a mean cost of $6,909.
  •  Average MIPS-related costs were substantial, totaling $1,111 per physician.

HHS Awards $125 Million in Workforce Grants for Community-Based Efforts to Bolster COVID-19 Vaccinations in Underserved Communities

Vaccine Safety Tool

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after someone receives a COVID-19 vaccination. Through V-safe, vaccine recipients can quickly tell CDC if they have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on their responses, CDC may follow up with them by phone to get more information. V-safe will also remind them to get their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, if needed.

Download V-safe Print Resources here.

In the News

Delta Variant May Have Different Symptoms, Early Data Suggests, Becker’s Hospital Review, 6-17-21

Learning Opportunity

North Carolina Society for the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (NCS-ACOFP) Hosts Annual CME Conference at the Pinehurst Resort

The annual NCS-ACOFP Annual CME Conference will be held at the beautiful Pinehurst Resort on August 13 – 15, 2021. Conference registration and guest room reservations are open. The event will offer up to 18 AOA Category 1-A Credits.  This Primary Care Update will include lecture tracks focusing on Musculoskeletal/Sports Medicine, Pain/Addiction Medicine, COVID-19, Obesity/Lipids/Nutrition and Practice Management.  The lecture schedule is available here. 

Virtual access will be provided for attendees that cannot attend in person. Select the option to attend virtually on the registration form. Early Bird registration rates end July 5th.

The conference will include a Regional Poster Competition and Exhibition on Saturday, August 14, that is open to medical students, interns, residents, fellows, faculty, practicing physicians and medical administrators.  Read the details here.

Visit the NCS-ACOFP website for information about the hotel accommodations, conference social activities and registration rates.  If you have questions, contact Nancy Guy, NCS-ACOFP Director at [email protected] or at 910-893-7960.

 

If you have policies you’d like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!