Pertinent Information
2024 HCMA Membership renewals were due January 1st.
Your HCMA membership renews on the first of each year. Check your membership status by logging into your account at HCMA.net. You can pay your dues securely online, or by calling the HCMA at 813.253.0471, or by mailing your payment to HCMA, 3001 W. Azeele Street, Tampa, FL 33609.
HCMA Membership Dinner
Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 6:15pm
Westshore Grand Hotel
Dr. Joseph Dituri, our guest speaker, broke the world record for the longest time spent living in a fixed underwater habitat. Also known as “Dr. Deep Sea,” the USF professor lived underwater to study how the human body responds to long-term exposure to pressure from the underwater habitat. RSVP by clicking here! Sponsor and exhibit opportunities are available, 813.253.0471.
Is it time to retain your fingerprints?
As part of the background screening process, every physician who applies for licensure in Florida must submit a set of fingerprints to the Department of Health. The information is then stored in Florida’s Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, and licensees must retain the stored fingerprints every five years from the date they were first submitted. Failure to meet the retention deadline will result in the information being deleted automatically, and a new set of fingerprints will have to be submitted. Read more about this requirement and how to find out whether it’s time to retain your fingerprints.
Some healthcare-related legal issues to watch in Florida next year
Health-related cases that will go before the state Supreme Court involve ballot referendums, with issues including abortion, guns, and marijuana. Read more.
New resource available: Confusion Assessment Method (CAM©) Video Tutorial
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a video tutorial to assist providers with guidance application and assessment strategies for C1310. Signs and Symptoms of Delirium taken from the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM©). This video tutorial is approximately 14 minutes in length and is designed to provide targeted guidance for accurate coding using a live-action patient/resident scenario. To access the video, click on the following link: CAM Video Tutorial.
An invitation to serve...
HCMA President, Dr. Michael Cromer, invites members to consider being placed, as a candidate, on the 2024 HCMA ballot. You must be a member in the ACTIVE, AFFILIATE, or LIFE membership categories and your 2024 HCMA membership dues must be paid in full.
Open seats include:
- Vice President - 1 year term
- Treasurer - 1 year term
- Secretary - 1 year term
- District and At Large seats on the Executive Council - 3 year terms
- HILLPAC Board member - 2 year term beginning January 1, 2025 (HILLPAC dues must be paid)
- Delegate to the FMA - 3 year term (FMA dues must be paid)
Nominations to specific seats will be determined by the Nominating Committee members on February 6th. However, if you have a preference to serve in a certain capacity, please indicate such when submitting your request. Click here to submit your name for nomination no later than January 30th.
Another Benefit of HCMA Membership
According to the Board of Medicine list downloaded on December 12th, there are 5,363 physicians in Hillsborough County. Of those physicians, 1,867 had not renewed their medical license which is due to expire on January 31st. 281 of those physicians are HCMA members. Each one of those members was sent a reminder via email if an email address was available. VERY IMPORTANT: Please check your information on the Board of Medicine. If you do not have updated contact information, you will not receive important information regarding your license from the Board. Many times physicians list a practice manager's email, but when that person is no longer there, the physician risks not receiving crucial messages.
Tampa Bay Street Medicine - Wish List
Tampa Bay Street Medicine, a USF Health student-led organization dedicated to bringing healthcare to Tampa’s unsheltered population, is holding a donation drive via an Amazon Wishlist. Please view their list via THIS LINK and consider making a donation. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Heideman, MD Candidate ‘24, Morsani College of Medicine, eheideman@usf.edu.
Tampa General Hospital completes purchase of Bravera properties to form ‘TGH North’
The new division extends TGH’s footprint into Citrus and Hernando counties. It includes three hospitals, an ER, two surgery centers, and 10 clinics. Read more.
PHYSICIANS NEEDED to conduct guardianship evaluations for the Court in Hillsborough County
Applications are currently being sought from licensed Florida physicians to serve as members of the 13th Judicial Circuit’s Guardianship Examining Committee. The work product of the Examining Committee is an essential consideration of the Guardianship Court, before declaring a person to be legally incapacitated, in whole or in part, and before removing any of that person’s rights and, potentially, delegating some of those rights to a legal guardian. Physicians are required to complete the evaluation and file a written report to the Court, for which they are paid a $350 or $500 flat fee, depending on the circumstances of the case.
A completed application must be submitted for consideration, along with a résumé reflecting relevant experience. Applicants must also be cleared through a court-conducted criminal records check. A one-time initial training is required to be completed within four months of appointment and is available in this Circuit via online video training. After that, members of the Committee must simply demonstrate 2 hours of relevant continuing education training that will enhance their ability to conduct the evaluations.
For more information about this Examining Committee work and/or to request an application, please contact the Court’s Elder Justice Center by email at elder@fljud13.org or by calling (813) 276-2726. Thank you for your consideration regarding this important community service.
Recognizing group practices with 100% HCMA membership
HCMA recognizes the following practices for their dedication to strengthening the voice of medicine in the Tampa Bay area. Thank you for your continued support!
10-25 Physicians
26-50 Physicians
Over 50 Physicians
HCMA Government Affairs Committee
The HCMA's Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is gearing up for another busy legislative season.
- The GAC, in conjunction with the FMA, has compiled a list of 2024 Legislative Priorities, that will be presented to our legislators locally, through our Key Contact program, and in Tallahassee.
- The GAC is coordinating a contingency of members to visit Tallahassee on February 20th, during the 2024 Legislative Session. This one-day event includes a meeting with FMA legislative experts followed by scheduled appointments with legislators and/or their administrative staff. Members often arrive in Tallahassee the evening prior to the scheduled day at the Capitol. If you are interested in joining the GAC contingency in their visit to Tallahassee, contact Elke Lubin or call the HCMA office: 813.253.0471.
- If you are interested in serving as "Doctor of the Day" any time during the 2024 Legislative Session (January 9 - March 8), download this information packet which includes the DOD application. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Legislative Services directly: Kelly Welborn, (850) 717-0301, welborn.kelly@leg.state.fl.us.
Physician Salaries: How Does Yours Compare?
Are you satisfied with your income? How does your salary compare to your peers'? The new 2023 Medscape Physician Compensation Report delivers the latest data. Click here.
Is there a doctor in the house?
An ED nurse crosses a busy freeway to save a life. Read her story. Are you a medical professional with a dramatic story outside the clinic? Medscape would love to consider your story for Is There a Doctor in the House? Please email your contact information and a short summary to access@webmd.net.
