Year: 2018
-
Does Your Workforce Know Its Privacy/Security Officials? They Better.
As a health care compliance attorney for more than 12 years, I may not have seen it all, but I’ve definitely seen a lot. An unfortunate, yet common, pattern is a lack of compliance with some of the most basic state and federal regulations. There are some documents and practices that are required to be…
-
Association Announces New Online, OnDemand Education Center
Did you know that as a member of the Medical Association, you have access to our new online, OnDemand Education Center? Featured are seven Alabama Opioid Prescribing courses that meet the Alabama Board of Medical Examiner requirements for holders of an ASCS and are FREE to Medical Association members. The Medical Association’s new OnDemand Education Center…
-
Congress Passes New Opioid Package; Awaiting Presidential Signature
Earlier this week Congress reached agreement on legislation to address the opioid epidemic with the passage of the “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act,” which President Donald Trump is expected to sign. The legislation touches on almost every aspect of the epidemic and includes numerous provisions to expand access to substance-use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment…
-
New Interactive Map Shows How Alabama Measures Up in the National Opioid Crisis
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2018 – A new interactive data tool launched by the United States Department of Agriculture and NORC at the University of Chicago shows for the first time an in-depth, county-by-county, look at the impact of the opioid epidemic across the entire country. The tool is intended to help leaders build grassroots strategies to…
-
Manpower Shortage Task Force Continues Work through Subcommittees
When the Association’s Manpower Shortage Subcommittee met formally in August, the group discussed a number of issues but focused on the importance of fully funding the Board of Medical Scholarship Awards, scope of practice, physician pipeline programs, education and the possibility of GME expansion, recruitment and retention of physicians through meaningful tax credits and rural…
-
Alabama Medicaid Agency Updates
Short-Acting Opioid Naïve Limits — Effective Nov. 1 Effective Nov. 1, 2018, the Alabama Medicaid Agency will begin implementing limits on short-acting opiates for opioid naïve recipients. The Agency defines “opioid naïve” as a recipient with no opioid claim in the past 180 days. Edit Details: A 7-day supply limit for adults age 19 and older…
-
Navigate the New Medicare ID Transition in Nine Steps
Due to a legislative mandate in MACRA passed in 2015, Medicare will no longer use Social Security numbers to identify individuals. Instead, a new randomly generated Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) will be assigned to all 58 million Medicare recipients. New Medicare ID cards containing the MBI are currently being sent to recipients. The MBI replaces…
-
After EMR Implementation, Surgeons Spend Less Time Interacting with Patients
Implementing an electronic medical records (EMR) system at an orthopaedic clinic may have unanticipated effects on clinic efficiency and productivity – including a temporary increase in labor costs and a lasting reduction in time spent interacting with patients, reports a study in September 19, 2018, issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is…
-
A Good Leader’s Sphere of Influence Expands in Every Area of Contact
In Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, seven behaviors are examined in relation to how they contribute to being effective in achieving goals. The first of these behaviors is being proactive. Covey explains that proactive people focus their efforts on their Circles of Influence, meaning they proactively seek out opportunities to…
-
In Memoriam: Brig. Gen. Max McLaughlin, M.D.
We are saddened to share the passing of Mobile physician Max V. McLaughlin. Known as Dr. Max to many, he passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Nikki, his children Victor, Anne and Lauren, and his granddaughter Savannah. He leaves a legacy of achievement across…