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Board
Briefs
April 29, 2002
The Board members expressed their appreciation to District 4 Board
member James Bartley, M.D. Dr. Bartley is moving his practice to
Orange County and transferring his membership to the Orange County
Medical Association.
San Bernardino County Public Health Officer Thomas J. Prendergast,
Jr., M.D. announced that San Bernardino County will receive approximately
$2.5 million from the Federal government for bioterrorism preparedness,
to improve public health's understanding of disease and communication
with people, and allow the county to create a local advisory committee.
He invited Board members to submit names of physicians who would
like to participate in the advisory committee. Planning will take
place in disease control information, laboratories, information
technology, risk communication and training. Dr. Prendergast also
announced that information is available on the vaccine shortage
on a CDC website, www.cdc.gov/nip.
IEHP Assistant Medical Director Dr. Dennis de Leon announced that
total IEHP membership is 230,949. Medi-Cal enrollment is 208,982
with 21,967 enrolled in the Healthy Families program. The auto assignment
percentage in January was approximately 28 percent.
The Board approved the third quarter financial report for the period
ending March 31, 2002 as presented by Treasurer Edward Hess, M.D.
Revenue is $30,357 over budget and expenses before depreciation
are $12,079 under budget. SBCMS ends the third quarter with a net
surplus of $39,324.
Board members were provided a summary report prepared by Dr. Ron
Bangasser of the April 2002 Save Our Seniors (SOS) trip to Washington,
D.C. SOS was formed in January 2002 as an organization of medical
groups and IPAs in San Bernardino and Riverside counties to address
their common concerns about losing the Medicare+Choice (M+C) Plans
in our two counties in 2003.
Board members approved the Executive Committee's recommendations
for the 2002 Outstanding Physician/ Citizen Awards: Rodney Willard,
M.D., Nicholas P. Krikes Award for Outstanding Contribution to the
Medical Society; Thelma Korpman, M.D. and Lisa Perry-Gilkes, M.D.
for Outstanding Contribution to the Community; G. Gordon Hadley,
M.D., William L. Cover, M.D. Outstanding Contribution to Medicine;
and in memory of Hannah "Honey" Jordan, the Outstanding
Citizen Award.
Board members accepted the Executive Committee's recommendation
and approved a proposal from the Historical Committee to build a
45' x 4' permanent storage room for the Medical Museum collection
on the north side of the SBCMS building adjacent to the conference
room provided the project meets the City of Colton planning and
inspection codes. The Historical Committee will be responsible for
all expenses and liabilities related to the building addition, and
the funds estimated to be approximately $9700 would be raised and/or
contributed by the committee members. SBCMS will not reimburse the
Historical Committee the monies spent to build the storage area,
however, SBCMS guarantees that the storage room will be the Historical
Committee's as long as the Medical Society owns the building.
Board members reviewed information on AB 2700, the anti-motorcycle
helmet bill. It would allow drivers and passengers who are at least
18 years old or older to ride without a helmet if they have on their
person proof of at least $1 million in medical insurance. The Assembly
passed the bill with a vote of 10 to 7. Physicians are encouraged
to contact their legislative representatives and urge a no vote
and then notify CMA.
Board members were also provided information on a MBC hearing held
in San Diego the week of April 22. Because of pressure from the
media, consumers and the legislature, the MBC is recommending disclosure
of all malpractice settlements over $150,000, and the settlements
of physicians who have three settlements over $30,000 over three
years; consideration of disclosure of raw complaints; and allowing
administrative subpoenas to obtain hospital peer review data in
process.
Board members agreed it is a bad prescription for a problem. Some
legislators are in favor of scrapping the MBC and replacing it with
another entity under consumer affairs. Dr. Randolph said that CMA
should be campaigning to protect physicians' civil rights, as this
would bring an end to most peer review.
Board Briefs
May 20, 2002
Dr. Kenneth Lane announced that the San Bernardino County Board
of Supervisors on May 21 will dissolve Arrowhead Health Administrators,
a Joint Powers Authority that processed claims for AB75/SB612 emergency
medical programs (EMS) and the County Medical Services Program for
medically indigent adults. The county believes that they can save
$311,000 per year in reduced administrative costs by dismantling
AHA. Dr. Lane recommended that the SBCMS: 1) Convene a meeting of
the EMS Committee to meet with County staff and approve the 2002
St. Anthony's RVS software; 2) send a letter to the Board of Supervisors
emphasizing the expectations of the medical community; and 3) raise
concerns about ARMC processing eligibility and claims for the CMSP
program and suggest SBCMS representation on the MIA task force.
San Bernardino County Public Health Officer Thomas J. Prendergast,
Jr., M.D. reported on the time frame of the county's plan for developing
a bioterrorism response plan. The plan detailing how they will meet
all the state's requirements is due to the state on August 18. On
July 1, the Health Department will begin HIV reporting using a unique
identifier, which will provide more information about HIV patients
in the county. The law mandates the use of social security numbers
as identifiers.
Board members approved the 2002/2003 Commission and Committee assignments
and the 2001/2002 annual reports from the committee and commission
chairpersons.
Board members approved the SBCMS Budget for 2002/2003. The budget
lists $543,080 in anticipated revenue. This is an increase of $45,400
from the previous year's budget, a result of the anticipated increase
in rent, the building being fully occupied. SBCMS will also publish
a membership directory in 2003 and $23,000 in income from directory
advertising is included in the budget. Total budgeted expenses are
$576,810 for the year. The budget shows a net profit for the year
2002/2003 of $24,080.
Dr. Randolph reported that the Joint SBCMS/SBCBA Medical Legal
Committee has discussed a proposal to organize an educational program
for members of both organizations on elder abuse in the format of
their biannual dinner meeting. A panel including a malpractice defense
attorney and a physician expert on elder abuse will present the
issues.
Dr. Randolph also presented a draft proposal prepared by CMA and
Invizeon for an Emergency Health Alert Network. CMA V.P. Sam Roth
will make a formal proposal to the SBCMS' Local Disaster Response
and Electronic Communications Committees on May 22. If approved,
the proposal will then come back as a recommendation to the Board
of Directors on June 24. If the Board approves, SBCMS would work
with the CMA to embark on a major effort to provide member physicians
with a "portal" to the Internet. Built into the desktop
application is a unique feature - the Community Health Alert Information
Network (CHAIN). It permits the CDC, the California Department of
Health Services and individual county local health officers to post
urgent health alerts, warnings and advisories as well as other public
health information. Authenticated, secure communications are possible.
It can be enhanced to facilitate continuing medical education and
a variety of distance learning options. The technology can permit
surveillance, specimen and laboratory results, security of possible
cases with manual entry by authorized users, and directories of
users can be maintained and modified. The desktops can be used by
hospitals, emergency departments and other first-responders, so
that the urgent public health information posted electronically
can be assessed by all relevant health care sectors. CDC, DHS and
local health officers alone control the postings, alerts, advisories
and other information.
Dr. Ron Bangasser reported that he and Dr. Marc Hoffing, an internist
with the Oasis Medical Group in Riverside County, were invited to
join two other physicians and senior patients in a meeting with
President Bush on May 17 to advocate for increased senior health
benefits in the Medicare Plus Choice (M+C) plan. He described President
Bush as very conversant in the subject of Medicare under funding
and especially the problem of Medicare Plus Choice. President Bush
also acknowledged that he needed to fix the malpractice problem.
Dr. Bangasser said it was the experience of a lifetime and a unique
opportunity to tell medicine's story and support our patients in
San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
Dr. Bangasser reported that over 150 people attended the Influenza
& Adult Immunization Summit Monday, May 13 in Oakland. They
created some contingencies in case the vaccines are late.
Dr. Manmohan Nayyar reported that the High Desert General meeting
on May 9 at the Ramada Inn in Victorville was excellent and the
physicians attending were very impressed. John Whitelaw, MD, CMA
President was the guest speaker.
Board members discussed CMA President Dr. John Whitelaw's testimony
to the May 1, 2002 Joint Legislative Business and Professions Committee
on SB 1950, Medical Board reauthorization. CMA supports reauthorization
of the Medical Board. The CMA's recommendations for reform:
· Require the MBC to develop a list of the highest disciplinary
priorities and to report on disciplinary actions according to those
priorities.
· Commission the MBC to conduct a systematic analysis of
its sources of information on physicians to determine which sources
most frequently lead to discipline in high priority areas.
· Require the MBC to investigate and prosecute cases according
to the established priorities with emphasis on using the most productive
sources of information in the investigative process.
· Refine the existing Medical Board physician web-profiling
system (including meaningful enforcement of mandated reporting requirements)
to accurately represent official actions taken against physicians
(e.g. discipline in and out of state, malpractice judgments, felony
convictions), and prohibit posting of ambiguous information that
misleads the public concerning the competency of physicians.
Dr. Bangasser commented that the public advocacy groups want complete
disclosure. This is a serious matter and will affect all physicians
by raising their malpractice rates. The Board agreed to send a letter
to Senator Liz Figueroa, author of SB 1950, supporting Dr. Whitelaw's
testimony and CMA's recommendations.
Dr. Shankar reported that the CMA-opposed biker-backed measure
to relax California's motorcycle helmet law fell 7 votes short of
the 41 needed for passage. The bill would have allowed motorcyclists
18 and older to ride without headgear if they possessed a $1-million
insurance policy.
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