CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory: Advice for Health Care Providers Treating Patients in or Recently Returned from Hurricane-Affected Areas, Including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin IslandsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 10/24/2017 02:49 PM EDTSummaryThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with federal, state, territorial, and local agencies and global health partners in response to recent hurricanes. CDC is aware of media reports and anecdotal accounts of various infectious diseases in hurricane-affected areas, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Because of compromised drinking water and decreased …

CSMS signed onto a MACRA recommendation letter to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce from the American Medical Association.CSMS was joined by over 70 national specialty societies, and the medical societies of all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.All of the signatories share a common interest in ensuring successful implementation of MACRA. Since its enactment, these organizations have worked closely with policymakers and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure that implementation of the law reflects Congress' intent to focus payment on improving quality and value and that physician practices are able to successfully participate.View …

September 27, 2017 (North Haven, CT) – At the 225th Annual Meeting of the Connecticut State Medical Society, Steven C. Thornquist, MD was sworn in as the 179th CSMS President.In his inaugural address, Dr. Thornquist spoke of the unique role of the physician:The practice of medicine allows us great insight into humanity. We get to be present for incredibly intimate moments in our patients’ lives, and to influence them in powerful ways. We see them when they are vulnerable, and help them to rise again. What we do is far more than a job, it is a profession. Dr. Thornquist …

CSMS recently joined with more than 40 state medical societies and 33 national specialty societies in a letter to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) regarding the Maintenance of Certification (MOC).Acknowledging that physicians and certifying boards share the goal of patients receiving the right care, at the right time, in the right place, by well-trained physicians, the letter shared the issues and potential unintended consequences of the current MOC program. The letter also suggests a December 2017 meeting with ABMS, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), and state medical societies to directly share views and seek agreement on …

The Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI) recently submitted a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma providing comments on the 2018 proposed rule for the Quality Payment Program (QPP), which encompasses MIPS and APM. The PAI Board is comprised of CEOs and former CEOs from nine state medical associations, including CSMS.The PAI letter encourages Medicare to simplify the QPP and reduce physician burden, make the program translatable across specialties and settings, make the program more predictable, make it accessible, and make it relevant to positive patient impact and related to everyday practice.Read the PAI QPP Proposed Rule Comment Letter.

National Physician Services (NPS) is a national healthcare information technology company founded by physicians in Connecticut over 12 years ago. NPS provides managed IT, application support, reporting, system integration and workflow automation solutions to the medical community. With experience and depth of an extenstive suite of solutions, NPS has a stellar track record in supporting practices throughout the Northeast. The value NPS offers is providing state-of-the-art technology solutions for physicians to optimize their workflows, enhance patient care and maximize revenue. NPS has proudly grown over the years by putting its clients first, with strong governance by a physician board of …

For Immediate ReleaseJuly 25, 2017(North Haven, CT) – CTHealthLink, Connecticut’s first state-wide health information exchange (HIE), uses technology developed by Diameter Health, the Farmington-based health information technology company.CTHealthLink is pleased to announce that Diameter Health has received National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) certification for 21 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs) for 2017. NCQA certification assures providers and payers that the new technology has undergone rigorous and extensive testing.eCQMs are indicators of the quality of care provided to a patient, including measures that reflect management of chronic diseases, preventive care received, use of appropriate medications and overall cost of care …

For immediate release7/14/14(North Haven, CT) – Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has signed into law Special Act 17-22, which expanded eligibility for the Small Business Express program to include primary care physicians and physician offices, regardless of the number of employees.SA 17-22 provides new access to capital, making it easier for physician practices to expand services, invest in new healthcare equipment, recruit/retain physicians and other healthcare professionals, and continue to thrive in independent practice.CSMS President Jeffrey Gordon, MD issued the following statement: "On behalf of the Connecticut State Medical Society, we extend our sincere thanks to Governor Malloy for signing this …

They say the sun always shines on the Biondino Classic, and 2017 was no exception.Held at Great River Golf Club in Milford, Monday's tournament offered bright, breezy weather -- and a scenic, challenging course (Golf Digest calls Great River one of America's Top 100 Golf Courses).Many thanks to our golfers, sponsors, and supporters, whose generosity made the day a success. Thanks also go to Biondino Co-Chairs Robert Russo, MD and Steven Fleischman, MD. As always, 100% of the Biondino Classic proceeds benefit the CSMS Charitable Trust.Check out this video for highlights of the 2017 Biondino Classic:Did you miss the Biondino …

(June 29, 2017) Yesterday, Connecticut's Freedom of Information Commission accepted all of the recommendations made earlier this month, finding in favor of CSMS' Freedom of Information Act request to the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID). "[CID] Commissioner [Katharine] Wade, acting in part through her deputy commissioners, is the official directly responsible for denying the complainant its right of prompt access to non-exempt public records. It is found that the exemptions claimed by Commissioner Wade were almost entirely without merit, and it also found that the Commissioner's refusal to submit records for in camera inspection and to provide an index of exempt …

From the HHS/ASPR Critical Infrastructure Protection ProgramJune 28, 2017 If you are the victim of a ransomware attack Mitigating against this threat US-CERT Resources Sector ISAO and ISAC resourcesIf you are the victim of a ransomware attackIf your organization is the victim of a ransomware attack, HHS recommends the following steps: Please contact your FBI Field Office Cyber Task Force (www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/field-offices) or US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force (www.secretservice.gov/investigation/#field) immediately to report a ransomware event and request assistance. These professionals work with state and local law enforcement and other federal and international partners to pursue cyber criminals globally and …

Connecting for Better Care with New Statewide Health Information ExchangeNew: Webster Bank offers special CTHealthLink financing for CSMS members - customized for your practice. Learn moreIn support of its mission to improve the quality of care and safeguard the health of patients, the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) is pleased to announce CTHealthLink, a statewide health information exchange (HIE) that is now live. CTHealthLink encompasses an interoperable health information exchange, as well as patient health portals, extensive data analytics tools, and population health solutions.CTHealthLink’s proven technology is already successfully operating in Kansas and similar efforts are under development in Georgia …

CSMS is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Maloney Distinguished Service Award and the 2017 Healthcare Leader and Innovator (HLI) Award. All CSMS members are welcome to nominate their colleagues for recognition of outstanding work. The Paul K. Maloney, Jr., MD Distinguished Service Award was established to honor the life and work of Dr. Maloney, an eminent physician known for his exemplary service, active engagement, and dedication to the community. The Maloney Award is the highest honor CSMS can confer upon a member. Each year, CSMS donates $1,000 to the charity of the Maloney Award winner’s choice. The Connecticut Medicine …

For Immediate Release May 12, 2017(North Haven, CT) – Today, Anthem announced that it is ending its effort to merge with Cigna. This is a significant victory for Connecticut physicians and their patients.CSMS President Jeffrey Gordon, MD welcomed the news, saying, “Today, CSMS and its local and national coalition proved that we can make a difference through hard work and relentless advocacy. Together, we are stronger, protecting both access to care and the patient- physician relationship.”This decision is the result of nearly two years of tireless CSMS physician advocacy at the national level, working in partnership with the American Medical …

We’re halfway through the 2017 MIPS program year – is your practice where it needs to be?Join CSMS for this free one-hour MIPS Essentials webinar, and learn how your practice can succeed. Overview of 2017 MIPS participation MIPS components and scoring MIPS reporting options Live Q&A session – get real-time answers for your MIPS questionsOffered at two convenient times: Thursday, 6/22 from 4 - 5 pm (register) and Tuesday, 6/27 from 12:15 - 1:15 (register).

CSMS applauds today’s decision by the US Court of Appeals to uphold the District Court ruling that blocked the Anthem-Cigna merger.“Since late 2015, CSMS has expressed serious concerns about the negative impact of the Anthem-Cigna ‘mega-mergers’ on patients and physicians. The anti-competitive effects of the merger would have forced patients to accept higher prices and reduced access to care,” said CSMS President Jeffrey Gordon, MD. “Continued access to high quality medical care can only come through competition, not consolidation, in insurance markets.”  

https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00401.aspDistributed via the CDC Health Alert NetworkApril 18, 2017, 16:00 ET (4:00 PM ET)CDCHAN-00401SummaryThis Health Advisory describes the identification of emerging Shigella strains with elevated minimum inhibitory concentration values for ciprofloxacin and outlines new recommendations for clinical diagnosis, management, and reporting, as well as new recommendations for laboratories and public health officials. Current interpretive criteria provided by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) categorize these strains as susceptible to ciprofloxacin, which is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic and a key agent in the management of Shigella infections.However, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and …

You can now review your 2016 Open Payments data, which shows any payments drug or device companies say they made to you. If the data is wrong, you can dispute it and give those companies the chance to fix the data before the public can see it on 6/30/17.Data review is not required, but it is strongly encouraged.If you wish to dispute any of the data, be sure to initiate your dispute before the review period closes on May 15, 2017.If the dispute is initiated after 5/15, any corrections will not be reflected in the published data. Need to register? …

For immediate release March 29, 2017 CSMS, KHS Partner on Physician-led Health Information Network for ConnecticutIn support of its mission to improve the quality of care and safeguard the health of patients, the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) is pleased to announce a new partnership with KaMMCO Health Solutions (KHS) to establish a statewide, physician-led health information network.This new health information network, also known as a health information exchange, will allow connected physicians, hospitals and other providers to share patient information, employing powerful analytic tools designed to help improve clinical outcomes, reduce inefficiencies, and positively impact patient safety. A launch …

Below is the text of a letter signed by CSMS, the American Medical Association, and other state and national specialty societies. Click to view the PDF of the letter.March 21, 2017Seema VermaAdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesDepartment of Health and Human ServicesHubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 445-G200 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20201Dear Administrator Verma:The undersigned physician organizations welcome the Trump Administration’s emphasis on reducing regulatory burdens. Congress recognized when it passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) in an overwhelming bipartisan vote that the existing Medicare value-based purchasing programs affecting physicians—Meaningful Use (MU), Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), …