The Board and Delegates observed a moment of silence for the victims of the
September 11 terrorist attacks on the New York Trade Center and Pentagon.
SBCMS Alliance President Nancy Horstmann announced that Alliance members met September 4, 2001 and welcomed two new board members. Two delegates attended the CMA-Alliance Fall Conference, and she thanked Dr. Ron Bangasser for attending. The Alliance has their own office and secretary in the new CMA Sacramento headquarters. This summer the SBCMS Alliance donated four $1,000 scholarships to Chaffee College, Cal State University San Bernardino, Victor Valley Community College and San Bernardino Valley College RN programs. The Fall newsletter will be sent to all physician spouses in San Bernardino County this year.
San Bernardino County Public Health Officer Thomas J. Prendergast, M.D. provided copies of the San Bernardino County AIDS Program Report issued in August 2001. He announced that Doug Hallen was appointed to the permanent position of Public Health Program Administrator. The Public Health Department performed a review of reporting by Loma Linda University Medical Center and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. There has been a dramatic reduction in cases of sexually transmitted diseases. The county had two apparently unrelated cases of typhoid fever. In response to possible terrorist attacks, the Public Health Department is establishing a syndromic surveillance system whereby emergency rooms are able to report cases to Public Health within one shift.
Dr. Dennis de Leon, Assistant Medical Director of Inland Empire Health Plan, reported that IEHP membership is 212,251. Medi-Cal enrollment is 193,710 and Health Families enrollment is 18,541. Dr. de Leon discussed a program proposed by IEHP that is being implemented in Riverside County. The program, endorsed by the Riverside County Medical Association, establishes a medical insurance program to cover the children of working poor families in Riverside County who do not qualify for Medi-Cal or the Healthy Families Program. Board members agreed to endorse the plan for San Bernardino County and to write a letter to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors requesting their support.
Dr. Shankar referenced a letter that was sent on September 14 under his signature to SBCMS members explaining how they can contribute to the rescue efforts in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. Physicians in the High Desert have contributed approximately $8,000 to the relief effort with an additional $25,000 in pledges from the Indian American Cultural Society. The High Desert physicians will host a series of fundraising events, and. Desert Valley Medical Center is organizing a fund raising walk a thon to be held October 13.
Dr. Ron Bangasser said that he was asked by CMA to coordinate a physician volunteer response process for California, obtain names of volunteers and share them with the AMA, and find out what was needed in New York. He coordinated efforts through State Senator Pro-Tem John Burton's office. The Governor's office assured him that the funding and transportation would be arranged, and enlisted the UC Deans and Travis Air Force Base. Dr. Bangasser learned that there is not a coordinated physician volunteer response from the state of California, although there are some small groups involved, including the local DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team). He noted that there is a state-wide disaster plan however the physician component is missing. The CMA still stands ready to help on long-term cases such as psychiatry and burns, which are currently the biggest problems. Dr. Bangasser will work with Sen. Burton's office to establish a communication and response process. He encouraged board members who were interested in volunteering to contact mike_lynch@ama-assn.org. Dr. Prendergast is Regional Disaster Medical Health Coordinator for the Region VI disaster plan for the counties, which includes a process for delivering resources to the affected areas.
Board members discussed circumstances where physicians have been harassed because of their ethnic background and appearance. Drs. Randolph, Bangasser, Prendergast, and Gnanadev will prepare a statement for the media expressing that SBCMS opposes the harassment of people, including physicians, who are innocent of any involvement in the New York City and Washington D.C. terrorist activities and might appear to be of middle eastern heritage. They agreed that this discussion presents an opportunity to inform and reassure the public about medical preparedness for subsequent disasters, the disaster plan and the process involved, and to include a comment about the Blood Bank.
Dr. Manmohan Nayyar referenced the current nursing shortage in California. There is a current law that establishes a compulsory ratio of nurses to patients. It was not implemented immediately but was to take effect over a period of three or five years. Dr. Nayyar said that with the nursing shortage, the compulsory ratio would jeopardize the care provided patients in our hospitals. Board members agreed to ask the Governor to delay full implementation of the law which, in view of the nursing shortage, is not only impractical but impossible.
The Board of Directors voted to accept a recommendation from the Electronic Communication Committee and approved a proposal from Invizeon to provide photography and a web based physician locator service for SBCMS active members.
Dr. Bangasser reported that the backers of AB 1600 had enough votes to pass the bill, however, the bill's authors decided to postpone the Assembly vote until January and hold hearings in the interim to air certain concerns raised by the opposition. AB 1600 would allow physicians, other health care providers, and patients a private right of action to sue health plans for violations or threatened violations of the Knox-Keene Act, if the Department of Managed Health Care does not act on the complaint. Last-minute opposition by Kaiser Permanente and disinformation by other opponents that was being disseminated by unknown sources led to confusion and the decision to delay the floor vote. Drs. Philip Carney and Edward Hess explained Kaiser's opposition. The bill's language wording was vague so that any interested party could initiate legal proceedings against any medical entity. Dr. Carney said that there is common ground, but the language of the bill needs to be refined.
Due to insufficient information, Board members placed on hold a proposal from Jeff Newman, M.D., CMRI Vice President, Medical Affairs for a closer working relationship with SBCMS on the Medicare quality improvement projects:; myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke and pneumonia in the inpatient setting; and influenza/pneumonia immunizations, mammography, and diabetes in ambulatory settings.
Board members congratulated Dr. Perry-Gilkes for receiving the League of Women Voters' 2001 Citizens of Achievement Award. At the July 30 meeting, the Board of Directors nominated her for the honor. The ceremony will be held on October 21 from 2-4 p.m. at the San Bernardino County Government Center. Tickets are $15.
CMA is alerting physicians that MDs are being barraged by official-looking letters informing them of the urgent need to obtain HIPAA manuals, books and consulting services. CMA attorneys are urging physicians to be cautious. CMA will have a printed guide in early October that will help physicians assess their practice policies against HIPAA requirements.
