For more information on The Doctors Company, click here. | |
Florida’s Public Health Integrity Committee Addresses FDA’s Inconsistent Drug Approval and Advertising Protocols | |
On Tuesday, Florida’s Public Health Integrity Committee (PHIC), led by State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, held a meeting to discuss potential harms of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) inconsistent process for drug approval and lack of regulation of pharmaceutical advertising. Florida’s PHIC members expressed concerns regarding the revolving door between the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA’s inadequate safety standards, and the lack of enforcement of pharmaceutical data requirements. Based on the PHIC’s concerns, Florida is calling on the FDA to enforce greater oversight of the pharmaceutical industry and bring transparency to consumers on the lack of data within the current regulatory processes in place.
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Source: Florida Department of Health
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Florida Approves a 15.1% Decrease in Workers' Compensation Rate for 2024 | |
Florida businesses will see a decrease in workers’ compensation insurance rates in 2024.
The state Office of Insurance Regulation said Monday it has approved an overall 15.1 percent rate decrease, which will take effect in January.
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Source: Health News Florida
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Biden Administration’s Limit on Drug Industry Middlemen Backfires, Pharmacists Say | |
A rule taking effect Jan. 1 was intended to stop one set of abuses by pharmacy benefit managers, but some pharmacists say it’s enabling these price brokers to simply do new things unfairly.
READ MORE
Source: Health News Florida
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Florida Senate Gives Final OK to Voucher Expansion for Kids with Special Needs | |
The measure focuses on the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, which has been limited to nearly 41,000 children. The bill would eliminate the cap this year.
READ MORE
Source: Health News Florida
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Barefoot Workers, Cracked Floors Found at a Factory That Made Recalled Eyedrops, FDA Says | |
U.S. health inspectors found a host of sanitation and manufacturing problems at an Indian plant that recently recalled eyedrops sold in the U.S.
READ MORE
Source: Health News Florida
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Heart Scans May Indicate Who Will Develop Parkinson’s, Lewy Body Dementia |
Can heart scans tell a story about Parkinson’s?
One potential avenue is looking for changes that happen earlier in other parts of the body. New research using positron emission tomographyTrusted Source (PET) scans of the heart has found that at-risk individuals with low F-dopamine-derived radioactivity — a cardiac imaging agent — in the heart were highly likely to develop Parkinson’s disease or dementia with Lewy bodies during long-term follow-up.
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Source: MedicalNewsToday
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High Blood Lead Levels in Children Consuming Recalled Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches | |
Multiple states have reported potential cases to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of high blood lead levels (BLLs) in children consuming recalled cinnamon-containing applesauce products that have high levels of lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to advise clinicians and health departments to consider the possibility of illness due to lead exposure and report cases to their local health authorities.
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Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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Are You Taking Advantage of All of Your Tax Deferred Investment Options? | |
Given the tax bracket most doctors are in, reducing their tax burden is a key factor in their investment success and long-term retirement plan. At this time of year, many doctors may not have maximized all of their retirement tax-deferred options. Here is a summary of different options to consider.
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Source: KevinMD.com
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Decoding Doctor Designations: the Crucial Need to Ditch the “Provider” Label | |
Health care terminology has evolved significantly over the years, with the term “provider” becoming a standard reference for various health care professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. While the term includes many health care professionals in current medical practice, it’s important to discuss why “provider” was initially used and should not be used interchangeably with “physician.”
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Source: KevinMD.com
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Medicare Advantage Prior Authorizations are a Growing Burden for Physicians | |
Administrative burdens for prior authorization are getting worse under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) followed up a report from a year ago to better understand an obstacle to high-quality patient care.
READ MORE
Source: Medical Economics
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8 Health Systems Calling it Quits with Medicare Advantage: What ASCs Should Know | |
This year, eight major U.S. health systems have canceled their Medicare Advantage contracts, often citing low reimbursement rates and prior authorization hassles.
The large-scale termination of these contracts could signal a national trend that could affect ASCs and health systems.
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Source: Becker's ASC Review
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Widening Gender Gap in Life Expectancy in the US, 2010-2021 | |
As life expectancy at birth in the US decreased for the second consecutive year, from 78.8 years (2019) to 77.0 years (2020) and 76.1 years (2021), the gap between women and men widened to 5.8 years, its largest since 1996 and an increase from a low of 4.8 years in 2010. For more than a century, US women have outlived US men, attributable to lower cardiovascular and lung cancer death rates related largely to differences in smoking behavior. This study systematically examines the contributions of COVID-19 and other underlying causes of death to the widened gender life expectancy gap from 2010 to 2021.
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Source: JAMA Network
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Survey Results: Threats, Opportunities Facing Primary Care Physicians | |
Medical Economics asked our audience of internal and family medicine physicians about the state of primary care, including how much time they spend with patients, how they make treatment decisions and what they see as the major opportunities and threats facing the field of primary care today.
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Source: Medical Economics
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Quality, Ease of Use, Type of Care are Factors in Choosing Telehealth Over In-Person Patient Visits | |
Clinician beliefs about the quality and ease of using telehealth play a role in how they use telehealth or in-person visits with patients, according to a new study.
Attitudes about telehealth also vary based on practice, with different preferences among clinicians in primary care (PC), specialty care and mental health.
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Source: Medical Economics
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CMS MEMBERS - Reminder: CMS Foundation Holiday Auction RSVP Deadline is November 28 | |
Thank You to Our Sponsors of the 2023 CMS Foundation Holiday Auction | |
Capital Health Plan - Walk with a Doc - Saturday, November 18, 2023 | |
Doctor of the Day Program for the 2024 Regular Legislative Session | |
To: All Physicians and Interested Parties,
In anticipation for the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, preparations for this program are underway.
You can find information regarding the Doctor of the Day program, as well as the Doctor of the Day application HERE.
Please contact me regarding any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Kelly Welborn
Office of Legislative Services
Claude Pepper Building, Room 874
111 West Madison Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1400
(850) 717-0301
welborn.kelly@leg.state.fl.us
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DEA Requirement CME Available |
The Florida Medical Association (FMA) has announced they will be providing the 8-hour, required DEA continuing education requirement through their CME portal: www.flmedical.org.
Here is the clickable link to the FMA site for further information and courses. Signing in is required, membership is not required.
Course fees apply: Member $200 / Non-Member $300 for the one-time requirement.
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DEA-Registered Practitioners' Training Requirement |
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On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time, eight-hour training requirement for all Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. Below is information on this new requirement.
Who is responsible for satisfying this new training requirement?
• All DEA-registered practitioners, with the exception of practitioners that are solely veterinarians.
How will practitioners be asked to report satisfying this new training requirement?
• Beginning on June 27, 2023, practitioners will be required to check a box on their online DEA registration form—regardless of whether a registrant is completing their initial registration application or renewing their registration—affirming that they have completed the new training requirement.
What is the deadline for satisfying this new training requirement?
· The deadline for satisfying this new training requirement is the date of a practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission—regardless of whether it is an initial registration or a renewal registration—on or after June 27, 2023.
· This one-time training requirement affirmation will not be a part of future registration renewals.
· How can practitioners satisfy this new training requirement?
· There are multiple ways that practitioners can satisfy this new training requirement.
• First, the following groups of practitioners are deemed to have satisfied this training:
1.Group 1: All practitioners that are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry from the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Board of Addiction Medicine, or the American Osteopathic Association.
2.Group 2: All practitioners that graduated in good standing from a medical (allopathic or osteopathic), dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the United States within five years of June 27, 2023, and successfully completed a comprehensive curriculum that included at least eight hours of training on:
· Treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including the appropriate clinical use of all drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of a substance use disorder; or
· Safe pharmacological management of dental pain and screening, brief intervention, and referral for appropriate treatment of patients with or at risk of developing opioid and other substance use disorders.
• Second, practitioners can satisfy this training by engaging in a total of eight hours of training on treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders from the groups listed below. A few key points related to this training:
1.The training does not have to occur in one session. It can be cumulative across multiple sessions that equal eight hours of training.
2.Past trainings on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders can count towards a practitioner meeting this requirement. In other words, if you received a relevant training from one of the groups listed below— prior to the enactment of this new training obligation on December 29, 2022—that training counts towards the eight-hour requirement.
3.Past DATA-Waived trainings count towards a DEA registrant’s 8-hour training requirement.
4.Trainings can occur in a variety of formats, including classroom settings, seminars at professional society meetings, or virtual offerings.
5. What accredited groups may provide trainings that meet this new requirement?
· The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
· The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP)
· American Medical Association (AMA)
· The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or any organizations accredited by the AOA to provide continuing medical education
· The American Dental Association (ADA)
· The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS)
· The American Psychiatric Association (APA)
· The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
· The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
· The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
· Any other organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
Education (AACCME) or the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition (CCEPR), whether directly or through an organization accredited by a State medical society that is recognized by the ACCME or CCEPR
· Any other organization approved or accredited by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, the ACCME, or the CCEPR
We hope this information is helpful. For information regarding the DEA Diversion Control Division, please visit www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov. If you have any additional questions on this issue, please contact the Diversion Control Division Policy Section at (571) 362-3260.
Sincerely,
Thomas W. Prevoznik
Acting Assistant Administrator Diversion Control Division
Source: U.S Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
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CMS Foundation Physician Wellness Program is Here for Physicians and TMH Residents | |
Overloaded? Stressed? You're Not Alone.
Does your workday start before dawn and end well after dusk? Do you go to bed tired and wake up the same way? Maybe it’s time you talk to someone who can help you make positive changes for a healthier, happier life and lifestyle. The CMS has five professional counselors who are available to you - free of charge - free of worry. This program remains one of the few in the state that serves all local practicing physicians and TMH Residents, without cost, without question. Six sessions annually are completely confidential and autonomous.
WELLNESS COACHES:
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Paul Deitchman, Ph.D.
313 Williams St., #5
Tallahassee, FL 32303
850-878-3571
UNIVERSITY: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
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Tracey Morse, Ph.D.
1114 E. Tennessee St.
Tallahassee, FL 32308
850-556-7944
UNIVERSITY: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY – CARBONDALE
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Stephen Wright, Ph.D.
313 Williams St., #7
Tallahassee, FL 32303
850-222-3045
UNIVERSITY: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
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SPECIALTY AREA WELLNESS COACHES: | | |
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Jane Marks, LFMT, LMHC
3325-C Thomasville Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
850-385-8222
UNIVERSITY: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
For five decades, Jane Marks has helped countless families navigate the challenges in life. As a Licensed Family & Marriage Therapist, she will bring a thoughtful approach to wellness for those seeking individual, family or marriage coaching through the CMS Foundation’s Physician Wellness Program.
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Brenda Rabalais, Ph.D.
216 Lake Ella Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32303
850-841-7733
UNIVERSITY: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Brenda Rabalais, Ph.D., specializes in providing counseling services to those who are struggling with a loss or a trauma. Examples include; divorce, abandonment (foster care, adoption, service families), abuse, suicide, homicide, crime, loss of functionality, loss of home or job, long-term illnesses, other life transitions, as well as death. Brenda founded Lee's Place, a grief, loss and trauma counseling center, in 2000 and has been a practicing therapist as well as the Executive Director for those 21 years.
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Special thanks to the MagMutual Foundation and the TMH Medical Staff for helping the CMS fund this program. | |
African-American Alzheimer's Caregivers Training and Support (ACTS 2) Project | |
Informational Correspondence with the Capital Medical Society |
In this digital era, we strive to keep you updated with the latest in information. Please let us know when your emails and contact information change. We want you to be part of this Society and be active in your practice networking. Patients seeking provider referrals and providers seeking provider referrals keep your practice flourishing. If your membership information is old and you would like to contact us about relocating, new staff changes, or if you haven’t heard from us in a while, your information may not be current. Your personal contact information is kept confidential but is our way of reaching out to you about meetings, medical updates, license requirements, legalities in medicine and patient privacy and care, Journals, newsletters and more.
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Are You One of our Members on the Move? |
If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, we want to know more!
· Is your practice expanding? Are you adding staff members?
· Do you have a new practice administrator/office manager?
· Have you changed or added locations?
· Have you changed your email/phone/fax?
· Have you added a new specialty or passed your Board Certification(s)?
· Have you retired within the last six months?
Subject line: Member Updates
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Updated Physician Headshots |
The CMS website is your link to our physician member database. The CMS has been actively working on each provider search. Please take the time to search the listing. If you find there is any inaccurate information or an outdated headshot, please reach out to CMS to update your information. Let us know as soon as possible to make sure your information is current.
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Electronic Version of November 2023 Cap Scan | Click here to view the November 2023 Cap Scan. | |
Free Monthly Webinars: "The Business Side of Medicine" |
Each webinar is on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM.
Source: MIRZA, Healthcare Law Partners
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Medicare Revalidations are back in full force after a brief pause during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. All healthcare providers and suppliers are required to revalidate their Medicare enrollment every 3-5 years per CMS’ request. Medicare has implemented new revalidation screening criteria that you will need to be aware of. Missing this important deadline will have significant financial consequences on your medical practice! This link is to a tool to a searchable database that allows you to look up the revalidation due date for Medicare providers who must revalidate their enrollment record information every three or five years.
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Your Dose of Medical Humor | |
Save the Date for Upcoming CMS Meetings/Events | |
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Friday, December 8, 2023
CMS Foundation Holiday Auction
6:00 pm
Dunlap Champions Club at FSU
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Here's Another Connection for CMS Members: Healthcare Lawyer On Call |
The CMS has had a long-standing relationship with Jeff Cohen and The Florida Healthcare Law Firm. Did you know that you can tap into a program called Healthcare Lawyer On Call through Jeff and his firm? That's right! On-Call is different than what you may be used to and doesn't mean that you'll find an attorney at 3 AM to answer a question, but what it does mean is that you can call and speak with someone at The Florida Healthcare Law Firm for 15 minutes at no charge! Please remember that any purely verbal discussion on legal matters is simply the lawyer’s best (and unconfirmed) understanding. Another benefit of being a CMS member!
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Accredited Education Courses to Meet DEA Training Requirement
The Doctors Company offers 6.75 hrs. that meet the DEA requirement for free. These hours can be combined with previous opioid education the physician may have completed to achieve the 8 hr. requirement. This, and all The Doctors Company CME, is available for free to any physician. They do not have to be a The Doctors Company insured.
https://www.thedoctors.com/patient-safety/education-and-cme/accredited-education-courses-to-meet-dea-training-requirement/
FreeCME.com
Easy to use web portal makes it easy to find courses and track credits. Accredited activities for over 30 medical specialties; Over 100 active courses at any given time; Activity accreditations include ACCME, ANCC, AANP, ACPE, and more; Content is always current, and always free.
CME - From Brain Disorders to Brain Health
Free 1-hour online CME opportunity!
University of Florida's Department of Epidemiology
Raising awareness for Alzheimer's disease and increasing screening for cognitive impairment. This CME has a focus on primary care physicians but is applicable to all physicians who may encounter patients with cognitive impairments.
On-Demand CME by The Doctors Company
Prevention of Diagnostic Error in Primary Care
Diagnostic error continues to be a top patient safety concern, a global burden, and cause patient harm from treatment delay, testing, or misdiagnosis. “Prevention of Diagnostic Error in Primary Care” is an on-demand CME activity that features patient safety expert Jeffrey A. Gold, MD, professor of medicine, vice chair for quality and safety, for the department of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University. This program highlights major contributing factors of diagnostic error along with the diagnostic process of care framework with additional focus on strategies to mitigate risk of patient harm in the primary care setting.
On-Demand CME by The Doctors Company
Telemedicine to Telehealth: Trends and Emerging Risks
1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
Explore the challenges and risks associated with telehealth. Concerns regarding privacy, security, licensure, and technology that might instigate a malpractice claim are discussed.
On-Demand CME by The Doctors Company
Safe Opioid Prescribing for Physicians and Dentists
2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or 2.5 ADA CE Credits
Opioids play an important role in pain management—both in acute and chronic care settings—but overuse, misuse, and diversion have contributed to an opioid-related epidemic leading to addiction and death. Our on-demand program provides a useful and informative examination of the epidemic’s prevalence and effects.
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National Human Trafficking Hotline |
If you suspect human trafficking, please call:
National Human Trafficking Hotline
1 (888) 373-7888
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Suicide Prevention Hotline |
Reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line by Phone and Text
By Phone:
Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline today. 988 is not a nationwide calling code right now.
Veterans should Press 1 to be connected with the Veterans Crisis Line.
By Text:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available today through online chats. 988 is not a nationwide texting code right now.
Service members, Veterans, and their families can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by texting 838255, and through online chats at veteranscrisisline.net.
Source: Federal Communications Commission
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PAP Machine Donations Needed! |
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A PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) machine is an electronic respiratory ventilation device used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Capital Medical Society Foundation, Inc.'s We Care Network program assists low-income, uninsured adults, whose income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, with obtaining these potentially life-saving medical devices, when prescribed by a pulmonologist. Thanks to our partners at Desloge Home Oxygen and Medical Equipment, Inc., we are able to provide refurbished CPAP, AutoPAP, and BPAP machines for eligible We Care Network patients in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, and Wakulla Counties. We Care Network also accepts unused, unopened supplies for PAP machines, such as masks, nasal cannulas, and tubing. We Care Network coordinates over $5,000,000 in donated specialty medical and dental care annually.
Machine donations can be dropped off at Capital Medical Society Foundation's office at 1204 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Donations to Capital Medical Society Foundation are tax-deductible within IRS guidelines Federal Tax I.D. #: 59-2104510. For additional information, please call 850-942-5215 or email dbixler@capmed.org.
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Check Out the Latest CMS Member Benefits | | | | |
