LATEST INFORMATION:

	San Bernardino County Medical Society Board Briefs
	Dev GnanaDev, MD Elected CMA President-Elect The San Bernardino County Medical Society is pleased to announce that our former president, Dev GnanaDev, MD, was elected president-elect of the California Medical Association on October 27, 2007 at the CMA's 136th Annual House of Delegates meeting in Anaheim. Complete information...
	The Medical Leadership Council on Cultural Proficiency has unveiled a first-of-its-kind database designed to assist physicians and others in providing improved language access and culturally competent health care. To access the database, go to http://medicalleadership.org and click on "Language Access Resources". View Press Release The searchable, internet-based, free-to-the-public database includes contact information for interpreters, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, public health departments and others that provide health information and services in languages other than English. Users, including physicians, nurses, social service workers, patients and the general public, can search for listings by county, by language, or by type of service.
	Don't Wait Until the Last Minute to Get Your National Provider ID. In less than a year, physicians who are covered by HIPAA will be required to use their new National Provider Identifier (NPI) on claims and other electronic health care transactions. All physicians who bill Medicare - even if not covered by HIPAA - must also obtain and begin using NPIs by May 24, 2007. NPIs will replace UPINs and other payer-specific provider identification numbers. Medicare providers and physicians covered by HIPAA will have their claims denied if they do not have NPIs. Physicians are strongly urged to apply for NPIs immediately, if they haven't already done so. Because many health care providers are expected to wait until the last minute to apply for their NPIs, there will likely be a backlog of applications in months leading up to the deadline. Physicians can apply online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov. If you do not have Internet access, call the NPI Enumerator at 800-465-3203 and request a paper application form. While applying for an NPI is straightforward, making sure your billing systems and vendors are ready for the transition is a more complicated process, one that requires some preparation and internal assessment. CMA's HIPAA partner, PrivaPlan, has developed an inexpensive CD-ROM toolkit to help physicians navigate the process. The toolkit will help physicians understand their NPI "readiness" and the impact the NPI may have on their practices. CMA members can purchase the toolkit for $99. Order the toolkit by calling 877-218-7707.
	Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed a checklist to help medical offices and ambulatory clinics assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. To view this checklist, click on the following link: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/medical.html
	2007 Annual Outstanding Physician and Citizen Awards
	SBCMS/CMA Member Benefit - Save 30-35% off Epocrates Clinical Reference Guides; Students, Residents get 50% discount!
	Check out our extensive page of medical related links .
	Visit the Department of Public Health Web Site for the County of San Bernardino. To view a list of current public health personnel and departments click on the following link: http://www.sbcounty.gov/dph/AboutUs_Personnel.htm

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	San Bernardino County Health Clinics - Low Cost - Sliding Fee Scale