President’s letter – November 2017

Free training on advance care directives for medical practices
October 31, 2017
President’s letter: Winter 2018
February 5, 2018
Free training on advance care directives for medical practices
October 31, 2017
President’s letter: Winter 2018
February 5, 2018
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President’s letter – November 2017

Welcome, winter!

Wow! It’s been quite the ride! This is my last letter as President, and after the past two years I am quite proud of the progress NCMS has made in working to serve our members in a much broader spectrum. Please check our website regularly, as we continue to post on current issues; check our calendar for all the current and upcoming educational programs in Northern Colorado; and check out our videos!

We recently sponsored a Legislative Night with most of our state legislators, with our NCMS Board of Directors reviewing issues including: the opioid epidemic, advance care directives, Medicaid coverage and payment issues. The discussions were intense and informative! Our purpose was to ensure the legislators are aware of the legislative support our providers and patients need for support for treatment, education, reduction of narcotic use, and community projects to decrease harm relative to the use and misuse of opioids. Additionally, we wanted to discuss options related to a state-wide registry for advance care directives, so that that critical information is readily available across systems. We discussed the payment issues related to the new Medicaid vendor, mental health resources (and needs!) for our Medicaid patients, and the access issues – especially related to concerns that the state will be tasked by the Federal Legislature to assure funding and services for our expanded Medicaid population.

Additionally, more than 120 folks attended our co-sponsored SOCI fundraiser at the Gillespie-Wagner ranch last month, complete with barbecue, an auction and cattle dog herding demonstrations; funds raised will be attributed directly to staff who will come to YOUR office to either educate and help your patients complete their advance care directives, or train your staff to do this critical paperwork! Please let us know WHEN you would like the SOCI team to contact and come to YOUR office! Click here for details.

In addition to the above issues that we will continue to focus on, we are pursuing discussions with the Banner system to engage more than 200 employed physicians in Greeley and Loveland, so that they may participate in Northern Colorado Medical Society resources and functions. We are also pursuing the needs of nearly 250 rural physicians within our two counties, so that our rural colleagues are able to utilize resources as well.

Looking forward, please plan to attend our Annual Meeting on Jan. 10, 2018; we’ll be moving the venue this year to the Brookside Gardens in Berthoud, a lovely facility, which is more easily accessible by our Estes Park members as well as those from rural areas. Our topic is NURTURE YOUR HEART, and we’re planning to make it as much fun as possible! We look forward to engaging many more of our members at this event … you pay the dues … join in on the fun and social contact! We’ll be introducing our newest Legacy Scholarship award winner and our 2017 Physician of the Year!

We are planning to sponsor an educational event in the spring of 2018 to address the evolving educational issues for our members related to management of patients on opioids and those suffering from substance abuse disorder, as well as encouraging and supporting community support programs. We will be sending out a survey soon asking for your input relative to your concerns and needs.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your president for the past two years; I’m excited to participate in our upcoming events and hope to bring more programs to help more and more of our members.

Have a great holiday season! God bless. See you at the Annual Meeting on Jan. 10!

Donna

Donna Sullivan, MD, FAAFP