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MMS News & Announcements
New Online: Just-Released 2012 MMS Physician Workforce Study
MMS this week released the 2012 Physician Workforce Study, the Society's 11th annual comprehensive look at the physician workforce in Massachusetts. The study again shows shortages in several specialties and continuing difficulty in recruitment and retention of physicians. The study also noted some new trends: More physicians say they are willing to participate in new models of care such as accountable care organizations and global payments.
Additionally, slightly fewer physicians said they have altered or limited the scope of their practice for fear of being sued.
"This year's study has mixed results," said MMS President Richard Aghababian, M.D. "We still have shortages of physicians in key specialties, especially primary care, and, despite some positive trends, physician recruitment is problematic, particularly for community hospitals."
Media Coverage:
Member Survey: How Do You Use Mobile Technologies?
The Massachusetts Medical Society is collaborating with ICF Ironworks to conduct a study about current and future mobile technology use among physicians.
We would like to invite you to participate in this survey. Responses will only be reported in aggregate and will serve as a benchmark for technology use and needs in the healthcare industry. The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and will remain open through Friday, October 12. Your participation is completely confidential and anonymous.
To begin the survey, click here.
Interim Meeting: Upcoming Deadlines and Online Registration
The 2012 MMS Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates will be held on Friday and Saturday November 30-December 1, 2012. The deadline for submitting resolutions is Tuesday, October 16. Members can submit resolutions online at www.massmed.org/resolutions or via e-mail to resolutions@mms.org.
At the HOD Community website, members who would like feedback on their draft resolutions for the 2012 Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates can post their draft prior to the October 16 resolution deadline. The site is visible only to MMS members and you must log in to the MMS website to see the content. Sponsors are strongly encouraged to share their draft resolution with an MMS committee and/or district and ask them for feedback prior to submitting a resolution.
The MMS deadline for hotel reservations at the Westin Hotel is October 22. Please click here to make your reservations online or call the hotel at 1-800-WESTIN1 and tell them you are with the Massachusetts Medical Society. Visit www.massmed.org/interim2012 for more details about the 2012 Interim Meeting and to register.
Garland Lecture to Feature "Emperor of Maladies" Author
Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, will be the speaker at the 37th Annual Joseph Garland Lecture, , on Thurs., Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Armenise Amphitheatre, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave., Boston. Dr. Mukherjee's topic is "Writing a History of Cancer: An Epilogue." The lecture is sponsored by the Boston Medical Library in the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. For more information, contact Roz Vogel at (617) 432-4807 or rvogel@hms.harvard.edu
Benefit Buzz: VaultLogix Offers Dedicated Website for MMS Members
VaultLogix is the premier provider of cloud data backup and recovery services that are customized to protect critical business data by transporting copies in encrypted form to their multiple secure offsite data vaults.
MMS members can now link to the VaultLogix website created exclusively for MMS members. Visit to learn more about the latest MMS preferred vendor and their service, review relevant white papers, sign up for a FREE trial and more. Exclusive discounts are offered to MMS members.
Education Programs & Events
Live CME Activities
PubMed: How to Search Like a Librarian
Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
CME Accreditation Orientation
Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Federal Funding Opportunities
Thursday, October, 18, 2012, 3:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Controversies in the Screening and Management of Breast Disease
Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Protecting the Protected Health Information in the Commonwealth: Health Data Security Training for Physicians
Thursday, October 25, 2012, 8:30 a.m.to noon.
Managing Workplace Conflict
Thursday, November 1, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, November 2, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Learning from Our Errors - The Road to Safety
Thursday, November 1, 2012, 6:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Directors of Medical Education Conference
Thursday, November 8, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, call (800) 322-2301 ext. 7306.
MSCO 2012 Annual Meeting: Burkitt's Lymphoma: From Uganda to the U.S.; a Personal Journey
Thursday, November 8, 2012, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Physician Contracting Basics WEBINAR
Friday, November 16, 2012, noon to 1:00 p.m.
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Online CME Activities
* Also available in print. Call (800) 322-2303, ext. 7306.
Coming Soon: Acid Suppression Therapy: Neutralizing the Hype
For additional risk management online CME activities, visit www.massmed.org/cme.
Contact us at MMSContinuingEducation@mms.org
This Week in Health Care
Framingham Pharmacy Possible Source of Meningitis Outbreak Blamed for 4 Deaths
The pharmacy, New England Compounding Center, which was warned about production problems in the past, has voluntarily recalled three lots of Methylprednisolone Acetate. More coverage: Rare US meningitis outbreak grows; 4 dead, 22 sick
Boston EMS Paramedic Drug Tampering May Have Affected 57 Patients
Boston health officials have notified 57 people who, they say, may have been exposed to blood-borne illnesses in the summer of 2011 when treated by a city ambulance paramedic believed to have tampered with vials of painkillers and sedatives. More coverage: Ambulance security tightened after potential drug tampering
Medical Journal Publishes "Expression of Concern" About Seniors Study
The statement from the Journal of the American Medical Association said that the scientists at Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston and two other institutions were not forthcoming with journal editors about 2007 research that may have exposed more than 1,000 elderly nursing home residents in Massachusetts and elsewhere to an increased risk of falling.
DPH Alert for Pediatric Providers: Pentacel Shortage
Sanofi Pasteur's Pentacel (DTaP-IPV-Hib) vaccine shortage has now become more severe. Effective immediately, the MDPH Immunization Program will only be able to supply practices enough Pentacel vaccine for one dose in the series. There currently are sufficient quantities of single antigen vaccines and GlaxoSmithKline's Pediarix (DTaP-IPV-HepB) so no child should go unvaccinated. MDPH is asking providers to adjust their vaccine orders accordingly and consider using both Pentacel and Pediarix in their practice. Additional guidance on vaccine ordering and suggested interim schedules will be forthcoming. If you need to place a vaccine order for DTaP-containing vaccines prior to next week please call the Vaccine Unit (617) 983-6828 for guidance.
U.S. Census: Doctor Visits Down Sharply
According to new Census data, people aren't going to the doctor as frequently as they were almost a decade ago. In 2010, adults aged 18 to 64 made an average of 3.9 visits to doctors, nurses or other medical providers, down from an average of 4.8 visits in 2001.
Health Gap Between Boston's Blacks, Whites Explored
Health disparities persist in the city of Boston between people of color and white residents, and efforts to combat racism and increase minority patients' awareness of their rights as health care consumers are needed to bridge the divide, specialists said on Monday.
Report: Mass. Foster Kids At Risk From Unnecessary Anti-Psychotic Drugs
The Department of Children & Families is failing to keep track of the anti-psychotic medications it's doling out to foster children, putting kids at risk of taking drugs they don't need, according to a scathing report by a national child advocacy group suing the Patrick administration.
Report: Mass. Health Plans Among Most Comprehensive in U.S.
The analysis included 67 plans from four Massachusetts insurers that are sold to individuals or families. Each earned at least four of five stars based on scope of coverage and cost to consumers.
Partners HealthCare Pledges $90 Million for Community Health Centers
Partners HealthCareplans to award community health centers $90 million over the next 15 years under a new grant program, part of a broad push to strengthen Massachusetts primary care providers.
$12M Health Clinic Opens in Framingham
The new center will work with MetroWest Medical Center to find patients without primary doctors and connect them with services.
