Pertinent Information
Membership Dinner
September 19, 2023, 6:15pm
Westshore Grand Hotel
Kent Myers, Managing Principal of Vision Companies, will present "Seeing Impact through the Eyes of the Patient." Foundation grant recipients will be recognized. Sponsor and exhibit opportunities are available. Call 813.253.0471 or click here for more information and to RSVP. Sponsors include Tampa General Hospital.
Happy Birthday, HCMA!
September 3rd marks the HCMA's 128th birthday. Click here to view the September 4, 1895 edition of The Tampa Morning Tribune in which the birth of our organization was announced (click "zoomable" and see the center of the first page, under M.D's). For more about the HCMA, visit the HCMA website's history page or reread HCMA Executive Director, Debbie Zorian's, two-part history of the HCMA and our community, A Step Back in Time, published in the Fall and Winter 2021 editions of The Bulletin. Lookin' good, HCMA!
Encourage a colleague to join the HCMA and receive membership through 2024!
Throughout all the changes in healthcare, your HCMA has remained a strong leader and physician advocate. Please encourage your colleagues in Hillsborough AND surrounding counties to join the HCMA. Share this edition of Enews or direct them to our website to learn more about the HCMA and all the benefits we offer! They can also call the HCMA office at 813.253.0471 or email Debbie Zorian, Executive Director for more information. Your assistance is appreciated as we continue to provide great benefits and services to members and our communities.
HCMA's new website feature - YOUR website!
Visitors to the HCMA website can not only find the office address and phone number for members - we have included the opportunity to list your website too! To add your website to your online HCMA profile, simply log into your HCMA profile (www.HCMA.net) or call the HCMA office, 813.253.0471.
See us on your social media feed!
Click these links and "follow" us so we will show up in your feeds. Keep updated on events, legislative alerts, and see what we have been up to.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Member Spotlight … we want to hear from you!
If you have received an award, have written an article pertinent to medicine, or if you are serving our communities by volunteering for your favorite charity, we would love to showcase your endeavors! Submit a photo along with a brief description of your activities and watch for it in a future edition of Enews, The Bulletin, or on the HCMA website’s upcoming Member Spotlight feature.
Attention Practice Administrators
The HCMA is in the planning stages of another reception to honor HCMA members' practice administrators. Please call Asta at the HCMA (813.253.0471) with your name, title, direct phone, and email address, or email her the information by CLICKING HERE. We look forward to another fun event!
Report: Hidden fees are costing physicians millions annually
According to a recent ProPublica investigation, physicians are being forced to pay millions of dollars in fees each year — likely adding up to billions collectively — to receive electronic payments. Meanwhile, the middlemen processing these fees share millions in revenue each year with insurance companies. Read the FMA’s policy update for an overview of this developing story.
Medical Briefs
The first 10 drugs that Medicare will target for price cuts
The government will negotiate new prices for the commonly prescribed drugs, but the cuts won't take effect until 2026. In the meantime, drug-makers are fighting the negotiations with lawsuits. Read more.
Need to know about lifesaving CPR? A new study says it’s probably wise not to ask Alexa or Siri!
Ask Alexa or Siri about the weather. But if you want to save someone’s life? Call 911 for that. Voice assistants often fall flat when asked how to perform CPR, according to a study published on August 28th. Researchers asked voice assistants eight questions that a bystander might pose in a cardiac arrest emergency. In response, the voice assistants said: “Hmm, I don’t know that one.” “Sorry, I don’t understand.” “Words fail me.” and “Here’s an answer … that I translated: The Indian Penal Code.” Only nine of 32 responses suggested calling emergency services for help, an important step recommended by the American Heart Association. Some voice assistants sent users to web pages that explained CPR, but only 12% of the 32 responses included verbal instructions. Read more.
FMA House of Delegates update
- The FMA Annual Meeting was held the last weekend of July. To see a list of resolutions presented in the 2023 FMA House of Delegates (HOD) and summaries of the actions taken, read the FMA HOD update.
- The HCMA delegation submitted four resolutions this year, three of which were supported by the House of Delegates. Making a difference at the state begins at the local level. Watch this brief Annual Meeting recap video to be inspired!
- Click here if you are interested in serving as an HCMA delegate at the 2024 FMA Annual Meeting (August 2-4, in Orlando).
New physician fellowship program: Apply by Sept. 18
The Physicians Foundation is accepting applications for a new fellowship program aimed at new or early-career doctors with a passion for addressing drivers of health (DOH) and improving health equity. Selected fellows will develop and implement projects focused on helping physicians better understand DOH and integrate that knowledge into medical practice. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 18.
HAVE YOU CREATED YOUR HCMA PROFILE YET?
In order to make use of our innovative new database and all of its features, all HCMA members need to create a password for their profile.
By setting up your profile, it will ensure that you have full access to our website in which you can register for all events, update your office information, your home mailing address, pay your dues, and receive all future correspondence from the HCMA.
Please follow these few simple steps to set up your profile:
- Log in to your HCMA account at www.hcma.net
- Click the orange sign-in icon located in the upper right-hand corner
- Enter your email address - IF YOU HAVE NOT CREATED A PASSWORD YET, click the "forgot password" link and follow the instructions.
If you have any questions please contact Anni Blackwell.
