E-DMN - April 27, 2009

April 27, 2009

In My Opinion: House 2009: Stirring Debate, Action Stalls On Key Issues
Richard Smith, MD, Named MSMS President
Swine Flu Information
Michigan Blues Launch Patient-Centered Medical Home Program
Detroit Mayoral Candidates Share Health Care Views
Dr. Puklin To Chair Key Research Committee At WSU
DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Receives Chest Pain Accreditation
5th Annual James C. Hazlett, Jr. Golf Outing May 2

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In My Opinion: House 2009: Stirring Debate, Action Stalls On Key Issues

By FEDERICO MARIONA, MD
Fresh back from the just finished MSMS House of delegates meeting I will be remiss if I don’t share my personal and professional experiences with my WCMSSM colleagues who did not have the opportunity to attend.

The enthusiasm of the delegates filled the meeting rooms, the halls and the suites of the elegant Amway Grand Plaza. Lively, creative and provocative conversations related to the multiple health care concerns we all have were everywhere.

Richard Smith our new MSMS President fired up the membership with his positive approach “there is nothing we can not do,” enhanced by Ted Jones magnificent vocal rendition of “I dream the impossible dream,” to a standing ovation.

At the other end of the spectrum, I was disappointed and dismayed at some of the reports submitted by some of the so-called reference committees. To the point: a resolution requesting support from the Michigan physicians to ban for life the availability of firearms to persons convicted of domestic violence called for a “no action” from the assigned reference committee. According to the committee and its advisors, the concern with domestic violence and the daily killings and injuries caused by firearms “is beyond the scope of issues MSMS would typically address”. How about atypically addressing the public health issue represented by the non-lethal injuries caused to approximately 70,000 persons per year? The medical cost alone is projected to be nearly $2 billion. Those injuries are the leading cause of uninsured hospital days. Not a typical issue?

When the state physicians resolve to take no action on an issue of this magnitude I wonder how proud their colleagues, committee members and their advisors feel as they return to their practices, hospitals, emergency rooms and urgent care centers Monday morning.

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Richard Smith, MD, Named MSMS President

Richard E. Smith, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Henry Ford Hospital and WCMSSM Past President, becomes the new president of the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Saturday, April 25 at the House of Delegates meeting in Grand Rapids.

Dr. Smith is the first African American in the 144 year history of the MSMS to be elected president.

He will serve one year and act as spokesperson for 16,000 Michigan physicians on state and national policy issues. In addition, Dr. Smith will focus his attention as president to increase collaboration among physicians, health systems, insurers and government to increase access to quality medical care for all residents of Michigan.

A Michigan native, he completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan and earned his medical degree with Honors from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C. He completed his residency in OB/GYN at Wayne State University.

He has been a senior staff physician at Henry Ford Hospital for more than 28 years; during which time, Dr. Smith has served as the Service Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has delivered more than 7,000 babies. He has recently served as chair, Board of Governors of the 1,000-member Henry Ford Medical Group.

During his career, Dr. Smith has been active in local, state, national and international efforts to improve prenatal care for teens. He played a leading role in advocating for both state and federal legislation that improved prenatal care for women and teens across the country, and his testimony before Congress in 1985 helped to establish the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality.

Dr. Smith currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan State Medical Society, as well as the MSMS Foundation Board. Dr. Smith serves on the Board of Governors of the Cranbrook Institute of Science

He also serves as the past chairman, Board of Governors of the Henry Ford Medical Group and is a former Trustee of the Henry Ford Heath System, and continues to be a strong advocate for the improvement in the quality of health care for women.

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Swine Flu Information

The following was provided by the Greater Detroit Area Health Council and is forwarded from the NSC Emergency Alert Network of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with a specific request to send to our coalition members. GDAHC is a communication link for the CDC through the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH). This is the latest information on the Swine Flu.

Twenty confirmed cases of swine flu have been reported in people in the U.S. CDC is working closely with state and local officials to investigate the human cases of swine influenza.

It is important to communicate that there is no human influenza pandemic at this time. Continuing to prepare and plan for a pandemic influenza is critical. Your organization plays a key role in this effort and will help to limit the potential negative impact to your business.

Your business should develop specific plans to protect your employees and maintain operations during a potential pandemic. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, also have a responsibility to plan for continued operation in a crisis.

For the latest information, go to:

http://www.pandemicflu.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

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Michigan Blues Launch Patient-Centered Medical Home Program

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan last week announced plans to designate more than 1,000 physicians in its Patient-Centered Medical Home program, making it the largest such program in the nation, according to the insurer. These physicians represent close to 300 primary care practices, located across Michigan. The Michigan Blues PCMH program may affect close to 2 million Michigan residents.

Patient-centered medical home is an approach in which patients take an active role in their own health care, working closely with their primary care physicians (pediatricians, internists and family practice doctors) throughout the journey across the health care system. Doctors coordinate patients' health status, manage chronic conditions, track all medications, offer extended office hours and practice ongoing health management to keep patients healthy and prevent complications.

"Blue Cross's medical home program is about strengthening the bonds of doctors and patients to achieve lasting improvements in health care quality," said Daniel J. Loepp, president and CEO of the Michigan Blues.

The Michigan Blues and its physician partners have been testing the criteria for a Patient-Centered Medical Home program since 2004.

About 3,800 primary care physicians are focusing on at least one element in the PCMH program. Those 1,000 early adopters who have made the most progress in transitioning to the PCMH model will be designated as Patient-Centered Medical Home practices by the Michigan Blues. The final stages of designation will be complete by June 15. More physicians can achieve designation as they progress with implementing PCMH tools and processes, and quality and use performance.

Because making changes to their practices is costly, PCMH-designated physicians will be compensated for the time and effort required to manage their patients' care across all health care settings, according to the company. In addition, the Michigan Blues have dedicated close to $30 million from already-existing physician group incentives toward physician organizations that are working to meet some or all of the PCMH features. Changes that physicians have made in their practices will benefit all of their patients, including those patients who do not have insurance with the Michigan Blues.

This PCMH program is part of Value Partnerships, a collection of collaborative initiatives among physicians, hospitals and the Michigan Blues, all aimed at improving quality in medical care.

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Detroit Mayoral Candidates Share Health Care Views

In a forum with Crain’s Detroit Business writers and staff, Detroit Mayoral Candidates Ken Cockrel, Jr. and Dave Bing commented on health care issues affecting Detroit’s residents. The business newspaper reported that the interviews took place April 8 and 9.

Cockrel’s comments focused on the uninisured and Medicaid populations and the need to expand the number of clinics and health care professionals to serve that population. He also Urged the city and the Detroit Wayne County Health Authority to work together on the problem. “(DWCHA CEO) Chris (Allen) is doing a good job,” Cockrel told Crain’s. “I was skeptical when he began. He has a public relations problem. Word about the work they are doing is not getting out as much as it should. The efforts need to be ramped up.

Bing emphasized involving the “traditional health care delivery systems in Detroit” as a first step. Crain’s reported that Bing met with executives at Henry Ford Hospital, the Detroit Medical Center and St. John Health during the past year.

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Dr. Puklin To Chair Key Research Committee At WSU

James E. Puklin, MD, professor of Ophthalmology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and a retina expert at Kresge Eye Institute, knows his way around medical research. His more than 260 presentations, dozens of grants, 58 published scientific articles and six book chapters have put him in good stead to become a reviewer himself.

Dr. Puklin recently received two prestigious appointments that put him in a position to review research by many types of scientists and medical researchers. At Wayne State University, he has been named chairman of the Human Investigation Committee, reporting directly to the university president. The committee’s six Institutional Review Boards review, approve and supervise 2,500 protocols for local studies and national clinical trials in the biomedical and social sciences.

“IRBs were established by the federal government to protect the safety of human subjects who participate in all types of research,” Dr. Puklin said. “We work to ensure patients are not coerced into participating; that risk levels are reasonable; and that patients are treated with dignity, respect and openness.”

Before being named chair, Dr. Puklin served on the IRB since 2000.

In 2008, he was reappointed to the Medicare Evidence Development Coverage Advisory Committee of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As the only ophthalmologist among 100 experts on the national committee, Dr. Puklin advises CMS on which medical procedures provide effective and appropriate patient outcomes and should receive Medicare reimbursement. He had previously served on MedCAC from 2005 to 2007.

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DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Receives Chest Pain Accreditation

DMC Huron Valley–Sinai Hospital received full Cycle II Accreditation with PCI from the Society of Chest Pain Centers’ Accreditation Review Committee.

The Society of Chest Pain Centers awarded Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital the three-year accreditation with a percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI) designation, the only hospital in the area to be awarded such designation. PCI is the technical name for angioplasty, the process of clearing a blocked or narrowed coronary artery that could lead to a heart attack. The accreditation follows the Society's rigorous review of the hospital’s clinical protocols and the patient care it provides chest pain patients.

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5th Annual James C. Hazlett, Jr. Golf Outing May 2

5th Annual James C. Hazlett, Jr. Memorial Golf Outing

Spots are filling up! Register online @

http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/11468-HazlettMemorialGolfOuting

Payment and registration can also be dropped off at Student Affairs

The 5th Annual James C. Hazlett, Jr.

Memorial Golf Outing

Bringing together students, faculty, alumni, and friends

of Wayne State University School of Medicine

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Twin Lakes Golf and Swim Club

455 Twin Lakes Drive

Oakland Township, MI 48363

Come out for the awesome golf, tasty dinner buffet,

and prizes - including Winning Team, Longest Drive,

Closest to the Pin, and tons of raffle giveaways!!!

Proceeds help to support the James C. Hazlett Jr. Medical Student Scholarship fund, graduation expenses for senior classmen, and the philanthropic student organizations of Wayne State University School of Medicine who actively volunteer in the Metropolitan Detroit community.

An associate professor of anatomy and cell biology, Dr. James Hazlett, Jr. joined the WSU faculty in 1980, and was instrumental in the design and implementation of the medical school curriculum. He served as course director for medical neuroscience and gross anatomy - two critically important comprehensive areas that are required of all medical students. In addition, he taught human body dissection, anatomy, neuropharmacology and neuroanatomy in the School of Medicine. In 2001, he was named assistant dean after serving many years on the Admission and Curriculum Committees, which then allowed him to play a critical role in the development of the Year I and II medical doctorate programs.

The James C. Hazlett Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund and Annual Golf Outing were established in honor of Dr. Hazlett's deep commitment to medical education and student success after his death on February 22, 2005. For more information or to donate to the fund, please contact Terri Larrew at 313-577-8311.

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