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Your Champion.
Your Cheerleader.
Your Voice.
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Sunday, February 23, 2025
Recap of Lobby Day, Take Action! & Upcoming Events
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HOW DO *YOU* DEFINE EMPOWERMENT? | |
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ANSWER: Thirty-five women physicians wearing red at an MCMS event Thursday night. Such great energy, excitement and engagement. Grateful to all who came and to Dr. Irfana Ali, former MCMS President, who hosted us in her lovely new home.
The theme for the night was “empowerment.” Drs. Marsha Seidelman and Myria Petrou, co-chairs of the Women in Medicine Committee, provided opening remarks and recognized current MCMS female leaders, past presidents and sponsors.
Dr. Ilse Levin, MCMS member and member of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association spoke about her journey in organized medicine and how she became involved. She encouraged members to look for an opportunity in the medical society to engage in a meaningful way. Following her motivating presentation, the group discussed how to be empowered in our communities and in the profession.
Susan D’Antoni, MCMS CEO, shared information about the outcomes of the strategic planning process and the focus on engagement of physicians as the most important direction of the Society in the future. If you know a female physician who would benefit from being involved in MCMS, contact Susan D’Antoni at sdantoni@montgomerymedicine.org.
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MCMS LOBBY DAY RECAP:
ADVOCATING FOR PHYSICIANS AT THE STATE HOUSE
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On February 19th, MCMS physicians took to Annapolis for Lobby Day, meeting with 18 legislators to advocate for policies that impact our profession and our patients. Our delegation of 13 physicians engaged in meaningful discussions centered on MedChi’s priorities, with a focus on three key legislative issues currently in session.
We opposed HB113/SB584, which seeks to raise the noneconomic damages cap, warning that it could increase litigation costs, drive up liability insurance rates, and, if expanded to medicine in future legislation, worsen physician shortages, ultimately harming patient access to care.
We also opposed HB867, a bill granting naturopaths prescribing authority, citing concerns about their insufficient medical training, lack of residency experience, and potential patient safety risks.
We supported HB848/SB474, which increases insurer accountability for adverse coverage decisions, ensuring transparency, protecting patient access, and preventing wrongful denials.
Lastly, we raised concerns about the AHEAD model, emphasizing the need for sustainable physician practices, workforce investment, hospital accountability, and improved patient access to quality care.
Advocacy is a valued benefit of membership in our organizations. Your voice matters! If there are issues that concern you or if you’d like to get more involved, please reach out. Thank you to everyone who participated—we are stronger together.
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LEGISLATORS TAKE UP LIABILITY | |
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Contact Your Legislators about Opposing the Repeal or Increase of the Noneconomic Damages Cap
Maryland legislators are considering removing or significantly raising the noneconomic damages cap. Although these efforts do not explicitly include the noneconomic damages cap for health care claims, we know the next effort by the trial lawyers will be to seek a similar repeal of the noneconomic damages cap in medical malpractice cases, either through legislation or the court system.
We need to stop these efforts now and make sure the General Assembly does not set this dangerous precedent.
Take 2 minutes right now to send a message to your state legislators. www.medchi.org/TakeAction
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AMA RESOURCE ON PHYSICIAN RESILIENCE | |
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Individual Resilience and Well-Being -
Protect Against Burnout and Encourage Self-Care
Although there is not a unifying definition of well-being, most models of well-being include multiple spheres such as physical, emotional, and financial states as well as roles, skills, and work environment.
Well-being also includes personal resilience, and physicians actively pursuing their own resilience are better equipped to handle the many challenges presented in a medical career. As such, they are less likely to experience burnout, and physicians who are not burned out make fewer errors, get sued less often, and have higher patient satisfaction scores.
Read more here.
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EARLY CAREER PHYSICIANS’ NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: How’s it going?
Early Career Coffee & Kvetch Tuesday, February 25
12:30 p.m. on Zoom
Early career physicians will gather virtually over lunch to share the progress they are making on their own New Year’s resolutions. We’ll also be talking about lessons learned from colleagues. Grab a coffee and a bite and join us on Tuesday, February 25 from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. for a facilitated discussion about the challenges you and other early career physicians face.
Register here.
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES | |
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Leadership Development for
Physicians in Academic Medical Centers
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
For over 40 years, Harvard has conducted Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Medical Centers, an executive development program designed specifically to help answer this enduring question. This program convenes medical directors and chiefs of divisions from academic medical centers together with an interdisciplinary faculty team for an intensive two-week systematic study of the critical leadership and management issues faced by physicians in administrative positions and academic medical centers. In the current health care climate, this includes topics like:
- Burnout: Physician leaders are increasingly worried by their team’s burnout, but how do they respond to their increasing burnout rate?
- Encroachment of the Business of Health Care: Physicians are spending more time with administrative and financial tasks than on patient care, expanding the ongoing conflict between clinical and financial viewpoints.
- Diminishing Resources: Shrinking budgets make resources scarcer exacerbating a culture scarcity.
- Higher Patient Expectations: An aging population and new technologies—including generative AI—require health care providers to guide often-misinformed patients.
Learn more about the program.
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West Texas measles outbreak grows to 58 cases, including some people who said they were vaccinated - CNN, February 18, 2025
RFK Jr. Pledges to Use 'Unbiased Science' to Find the Causes of Chronic Diseases - MedPage Today, February 18, 2025
Training gaps between physicians, nonphysicians are significant - AMA News, February 17, 2025
Are we seeing progress on preventing physician burnout? - Today's Hospitalist, February 2025
What Happens When Science Stops - Medscape, February 14, 2025
Trump wants to lower the cost of IVF. A new executive order seeks ideas to do that - NPR, February 19, 2025
Federal Register hold makes ‘end run’ around court pause on NIH funding freeze - The Transmitter, February 18, 2025
South African scientists were testing a promising HIV vaccine. Then came Trump’s aid cuts - Reuters, February 18, 2025
An Open Letter to RFK Jr.: Stop the Spread of Private Equity in Healthcare - MedPage Today, February 19, 2025
Inside Trump’s Million-Dollar Dinners With Healthcare Executives - Wall Street Journal, February 18, 2025
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Montgomery County Medical Society’s Physician Connect partnership program provides physicians with valuable personal and professional resources that help them thrive, while offering businesses opportunities to develop quality leads and strategic connections with practice decision-makers. | |
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This edition of eNews is brought to you by Physician Connect Partner Bluestone Services, LLC. Bluestone Medical Practice Management Consultants specialize in working with Maryland-based independent physician’s practices, hospital-based-physician groups, Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) and medical practice accounting services. Our medical practice consulting team possesses a wealth of knowledge best suited to provide practice advisory solutions tailored to improve your long-term operational and financial performance revenue cycle. Get in touch with us today if you would like to discuss your situation to see how we can meet your objectives to develop a healthier practice. | |
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Successful Mentorship Programs: Built on Mutual Dedication
By Deborah Dagg & Michele Hayward
Just like any successful Olympic relay team, mentoring successful leaders requires dedication, collaboration, communication, and teamwork. The journey begins with establishing a meaningful and rewarding mentor/mentee relationship. It is crucial for the mentees to have a clear understanding of their career goals and to identify the type of mentor who can best guide them on their journey. Sometimes, the connection is immediate; other times, it may take a while to find the right individual. In our case, the connection was immediate, and our relationship continues to grow.
Additionally, both the mentor and mentee must be committed to continuous improvement and open to honest feedback. This mutual dedication fosters a supportive environment where both parties can thrive and achieve their goals. Just as relay team members encourage each other to perform their best, mentors and mentees support and inspire each other to reach their full potential. As a mentee, learning something new daily is a norm and embracing challenges becomes a way of life.
Read the full article here.
Deborah L. Dagg, MHA, FACHE, FACMPE, CHFP
Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC)
Director of Medical Business Advisors
deborah.dagg@bluestonesvc.com
(443) 798-3489
Michele Hayward, MHA, MS, CG(ASCP)CM
Senior Healthcare Consultant
michele.hayward@bluestonesvc.com
(410) 512-5809
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