The March 8 deadline is quickly approaching for Congress to reverse the 3.37% Medicare payment cut that took effect on Jan.1, 2024.  We need a high volume of physicians to contact our U.S. Senators and Representatives to tell them to CANCEL THE CUT!  Please take two minutes and use the AMA link below to contact Congress. 

Contact your members of Congress today 

and urge them to reverse the 3.37% Medicare payment cut. 

CMA is trying to involve our patients in this advocacy fight. Patients are the ones suffering from lack of access, and Congress listens to patients. Please post/distribute the CMA flier “WILL YOUR DOCTOR BE THERE” in your waiting room.  

Reserve your place now! Pre-dinner festivities include the Wellness EXPO and champagne reception—followed by a seated "Food as Medicine" focused dinner with addresses by CMA president Dr. Tanya W. Spirtos and keynote speaker Dr. John Chuck. Announcements of nominations and presentation of awards will complete this special evening.

Dinner seating is limited. You must register to attend.

Dinner tickets NO COST for SMLMA & SFMMS members

Guests of members and award nominees $50 • Nonmembers $165

(You must still register for free attendance so that we can plan accordingly)

See full details and links on the SMLMA Website

Event information: 707-525-4375 or rachel@smlma.org

A conversation with Sonoma and Lake County

Public Health Officers

Our new Public Health Officers, Dr. Tanya Phares (Sonoma County) and Dr. Noemi Doohan (Lake County), invite you to get acquainted during a series of town hall-style virtual forums exclusively for physicians and medical professionals.

Drs. Phares and Doohan will discuss One Health Harmful Algal Bloom Systems (HABs) and allow plenty of time for questions and other topics. You can submit questions and topic requests in advance (e.g., role of Public Health Officers, drug overdoses, chronic disease prevention — anything you would like to know more about).

Please register and submit your topics ASAP so we can gauge interest in the series. A high level of interest will mean more frequent forums; both officers are happy to meet as often as participation merits. There are many areas to cover! Did you know that California law gives local health officers 171 separate, distinct duties? See Health Officers Association Guide for Counties for more information. You may also find ideas for discussion in 10 Essential Public Health Services from the Public Health Accreditation Board.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 • 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

You must register to attend the Zoom conversation

Link will be sent following registration.

RSVP and submit your topic requests to Rachel Pandolfi.

rachel@SMLMA.org or 707-525-4375

The California Medical Association will host its 50th annual Legislative Advocacy Day on April 10, 2024, in Sacramento. The SMLMA caucus will join more than 400 physicians, Residents, medical students, medical group leaders from across the state to meet with California's elected officials (legislators) and advocate for legislative and policy actions that protect and benefit the practice of medicine. SMLMA will set up all legislative meetings and has rooms blocked for an overnight stay at the Sheraton Grande Sacramento.

The SMLMA trip includes:

• Webinar training with legislative update (March 26)
• CALPAC legislative reception (April 9)
• CMA breakfast and lunch sessions with keynote speakers
• Scheduled appointments with legislators

For more information on travel and hotel accommodations, please contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@SMLMA.org or 707-525-4375. Residents and medical students wishing to attend should connect with Rachel as soon as possible. Attendees will receive hands-on experience and learn the nuts and bolts of advocating for their patients and the practice of medicine. This advocacy session is FREE to all SMLMA physician members, Residents, and medical students.

RESIDENTS CORNER features articles* written by Residents in local Family Medicine Residency programs. SMLMA's goal is to provide a forum for Residents to share their work and ideas with the medical community. This month's spotlight is on Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency. This dynamic program builds on Kaiser Permanente’s 70-year commitment to graduate medical education and the long heritage of Santa Rosa as a model for full-scope Family Medicine practice and education. For more information about KP’s program, visit the website or contact Shannon McDermott at Shannon.C.McDermott@kp.org. 

Click on the titles to read or download the articles.

The Importance of Pathway Programs – Marissa Westerland, MD, writes about the pivotal role of mentors and KP's new Pathways alliance with Sonoma State University.

Bridging the Gap: Digital Health Navigators – Yimdriuska Magan Mendoza, MD, explores using navigators to provide guidance for patients with barriers to accessing digital technology in healthcare systems.

*Articles have been reviewed by program faculty and are intended as informational only. Publication of an article does not represent endorsement or approval by the Sonoma-Mendocino-Lake Medical Association.

The Cognitive Health Assessment (CHA) is a dementia screening approach intended to be used with older adult patients whenever a cognitive screen is indicated. This FREE CME/CEU training is geared for SMLMA practice managers and office support staff, but all are welcome to attend. See flier for details.



Join us for the virtual training via Zoom

Friday, March 15, 2024 • 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Protect your practice from embezzlement

Join us for a complimentary lunch and learn about keeping your practice safe from embezzlement and fraud. The importance of educational, credit checks, and drug screening will be covered as well as practice policies and implementation of procedures. Real life case examples will be discussed. At the conclusion of this workshop for physicians and practice managers, attendees will know how to:



• Identify potential embezzlers behavior and ways they can steal.
• Protect the practice from employee embezzlement by instituting accounting controls, effective screening, and management techniques.
• Take action to prosecute and/or obtain restitution.

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 • 12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Partnership HealthPlan • 495 Tesconi Circle, Santa Rosa

SMLMA members and staff NO COST • Nonmembers $25 (includes lunch)

To reserve your place, contact:

Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@smlma.org

Managing your manager

This webinar for physicians, office managers, and practice administrators will address how to effectively manage, evaluate and motivate practice managers. An excellent practice manager can increase revenues, decrease practice overhead and manage staff to highest performance. Topics include how to hire a superlative manager, staff motivation and morale development, cost benefit analysis, and strategic planning.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 • 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Webinar link will be sent following registration.

SMLMA members and staff NO COST

To reserve your place, contact:

Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@smlma.org

SMLMA Supporting Business Partner Debra Phairas, president of Practice & Liability Consultants LLC, will present and lead both discussions. Based in Napa, Calif., Debra presents seminars and lectures nationwide for state and local medical associations, management organizations, and specialty societies.

NEW RxYoga! Join Gail Dubinsky, MD, for a special series of themed workshops teaching personalized exercises and yoga tools to reduce pain and increase function. Monthly on designated Saturdays and Mondays, starting Saturday, March 30 with focus on knees and hips. 10:30-11:45 a.m. in Sebastopol. See flier for schedule and details. Each workshop limited to 6 participants; registration is required. Contact Gail at dubinsky@rxyoga.com or 707-829-7596.



••••••••••••••••••••••

Join Sonoma County Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, Sutter Health, First Five of Sonoma County, Sonoma County NAACP and Mother's Care for a screening of the award-winning documentary BIRTHING JUSTICE, followed by a panel discussion on the experiences of Black birthing people. Film will be shown at The Backdrop in Santa Rosa on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. 

Hospital and clinic providers, administrators, and healthcare workers who care for pregnant and birthing people in Sonoma County are highly encouraged to attend this event. Dinner will also be provided, but seating is limited. Register here.

Office Manager for solo surgeon with two other excellent part-time employees in established office. Manage small staff responsible for all patient communications, scheduling, and follow up. Will involve credentialing, dealing with insurance issues, making sure billing, collections, and all office issues are closely monitored. Office uses NextGen EMR. Majority of work can be done remotely, but should be on-site in Ukiah two days per week. Looking for experienced professional who is responsible, compassionate, and detail oriented. Handling insurance-related claims/issues is a key responsibility. EMR and billing already in place. Excellent pay. Call 707-578-3000.

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Calling all licensed healthcare professionals (MD, DO, PA, RN, NP, LVN, EMT and Paramedic) with a heart to serve. You are invited to Disaster Health Services' “Informational Meet & Greet Day” to learn how you can support communities impacted by local, regional or national disasters. We need your help!

Please join us at the Red Cross offices in Santa Rosa on Saturday, March 16, 2024, for Session 1 at 10:00 AM or Session 2 at 1:00 PM. Click here to RSVP and reserve your place. See event flier for details. To learn more about medical volunteer opportunities, contact Cindy Jones, RN, at cindy.jones5@redcross.org or 707-849-1035.

Adventist Health Ukiah Valley

CME Community Resiliency Training: Building Resilience to Trauma

PART II Friday, March 1, 2024 • 8:00 - 9.00 a.m. 

In-person and virtual sessions presented by First 5 Mendocino. See flier for workshop details. To register for the training and receive future CME invitations directly from Adventist Health, text Nate Pardini at 707-972-3023 or email him at pardinn@ah.org.

California Medical Association

Virtual Grand Rounds: New Weight Loss Medications – Panacea or Pandora's Box

Tuesday, March 12, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital

Virtual Grand Rounds: Undiagnosed Schizophrenia and Suicidal Tendencies in Young Men

Friday, March 15, 2024 • Buffet lunch 12:00 p.m. | Presentation 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. 

Presented by Mariya Borodyanskaya, DO, Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine. See program flier for details. Registration not required.

San Bernadino County Medical Society

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare w/Congressman Jay Obernolte

Friday, March 8, 2024 • 12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

Special opportunity to learn from one of the nation's most respected experts on AI and healthcare in our evolving technological and regulatory landscape.| REGISTER HERE

Sutter Health

The Sutter Health Virtual Grand Rounds is a Continuing Education (CE) webinar series hosted by Sutter Health Network providers for all medical professionals across Northern California. Interactive Q&A session takes place with each live event. Learn about the series here.

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

Orthobiologics: Platelet-Rich Plasma and Stem Cells

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

Age-Friendly Health Systems Nationally and Locally

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

To succeed in today's changing healthcare environment, practices must shift their focus to team-based-care, a structured, fully integrated collaborative approach for methodically working together to optimize outcomes for their patients. The Practice Optimization series from Riverside County Medical Association is a 6-part program based on the The Patient Who Swallowed A Mouse parable and the 6 Workbooks.

This unique program includes surveys, challenges and thought-provoking exercises designed to heighten awareness and provide foundational evidence and insights for practice transformation. See website for details.

11 hours of Category One CME

April 2 - June 11, 2024 • Every other Tuesday 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

For questions or to register,

please call RCMA at 800-472-6204

To learn more about becoming a CAP member:

Contact Dorine Leong at 650-543-2183 or DLeong@CAPphysicians.com. 

Request an Instant Quote  and see how much you can save on medical malpractice coverage.

NEED HELP? Contact CMA's Reimbursement Help Line

888-401-5911 or economicservices@cmadocs.org