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NEED TO KNOW
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Thank
You for Joining the VMS, VTAFP, VPA and the AAPVT for the 211th Annual
& Collaborative Meeting!
The Vermont Medical Society (VMS) physician and physician assistant members met last weekend for the 211th VMS Annual meeting. Hosted in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians, and the Vermont Psychiatric Association, the meeting included topics focused on how improved collaboration between primary care and specialty care can increase efficiency and lead to better patient outcomes; how technology like AI can be harnessed to reduce administrative burden for health care professionals; and how removing race-based health decision tools can improve care for all patients. During the meeting, VMS members elected a new slate of Society officers and honored 2024 VMS Leadership awardees.
VMS members named as the new VMS President Katherine Gamble Marvin, M.D., family physician at Lamoille Health Partners, in Stowe; Naiim Ali, M.D., diagnostic radiologist at UVMMC, as President-Elect; and Lauren MacAfee, M.D., Director of the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at UVMMC, as Vice-President. Click for the full press release: Vermont Medical Society Taps New Officers.
VMS members also recognized six individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of Vermonters and the nation during the past year. L.E. Faricy, M.D., pediatric pulmonologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center, received the Vermont Medical Society’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award. Katherine "Katie" Gamble Marvin, M.D., family physician at Lamoille Health Partners, received the Vermont Medical Society's 2024 Physician of the Year Award. Andrea Green, M.D., pediatrician, received the Vermont Medical Society’s 2024 Physician Award for Community Services. Rep. Lori Houghton, Chair of the Vermont House Health Care Committee, and Rep. Alyssa Black, Ranking Member of the Vermont House Health Care Committee, were awarded the Vermont Medical Society’s 2024 Citizen of the Year Award. Jessica McNally, M.D., ophthalmologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Berlin received the Vermont Medical Society’s 2024 Founder’s Award. Click for the full press release: Vermont Medical Society Honors Outstanding Service 2024. |
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From the VMS President's Desk
Katherine "Katie" Gamble Marvin, M.D., who was just named as the 2024-25 VMS President addresses the VMS membership with some hopeful thoughts for the year ahead.
Thank you, Becca Bell, MD! At the VMS annual meeting on Saturday we had the opportunity to honor Becca Bell, MD as an incredible VMS President over the past year. She has been a leader for all physicians across Vermont, and a critical advocate for families and children, patient safety and community health. As the leader of the VMS, she was active in the passing of H. 766 (Act 111), a bill that helps decrease administrative burden for primary care providers ordering imaging studies and continued to champion child and adolescent safety. I appreciate Becca’s ability to listen AND to really hear people, and she does so in her fun, humble way, bringing people together to lift the entire system.
I am excited to lead with Becca, other executive committee members and the VMS staff over the next year. Thank you for believing in me. Past leadership and the VMS have a strong tradition of advocating for causes that benefit all Vermonters, and we will continue to do so. Vermont is a unique state in its size and ability to partner with one another to get things done. As I think about my VMS colleagues, I know you, and have even called some of you on weekends and the middle of the night! We respect that we all can bring a different perspective to the table, AND that we all need one another. I hope you feel comfortable calling on me. For the full address click here. |
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5th Cohort Graduates from VMSERF Physician and PA Executive Leadership Institute
The VMS Education and Research Foundation congratulates the latest cohort of physicians and PAs who graduated on Friday, Nov. 1 from its Physician Executive Leadership Institute, run in conjunction with the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership. Participants completed a nine-month course covering topics including health finance, leading teams and change management. They also selected projects and presented their work at the final course meeting. Course participants pictured above from left to right: John “Nez” Nesbitt, MD; Nels Kloster, MD; Bronwyn Kenny, MD; Nikiruka Emeagwali, MD; Tiffini Lake, MD; Rachel LaRocca, MD; Monique Morneault, PA-C; Melissa Volansky, MD; Joshua Kallen, MD; and Hanley program faculty Bob Wright. Participants not pictured: Erin Duquette, MD; & Michael Vooris, PA and Vermont faculty lead Trey Dobson, MD. Congratulations to the class and thank you to Trey for his time and mentorship! Stay tuned as VMS plans future leadership opportunities. |
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2024 Vermont Clinician Prior Authorization Impact Survey Now Open
VMS has launched a survey to inform policy makers regarding the impact of prior authorizations on your health care facility/practice and patients. This survey was requested by the Vermont legislature in Section 7(a) of Act 111 of 2024 to measure the impact of the law on prior authorizations both before and after the law goes into effect on January 1. Thank you in advance for your assistance in completing the survey! Your input is very important! Contact the Vermont Medical Society with questions at https://vtmd.org/contact-us.
Clinician Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C87NTSV. Intended for clinicians who participate in the prior authorization process.
Practice Administrator Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C7G292X. Please have the practice or facility staff familiar with the prior authorization process and staffing at your location complete this survey for your practice. Please only complete once per facility/practice. |
MISC.
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Sterile Fluids Shortage: Clinical Guidance for Practices
Find practice guidance and communications for management of the current IV fluid shortages from the American Medical Association here. Resources address the extension of expiration dates for some products, substation and practice changes and resources for alternative product sourcing. |
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Next Commissioner Call, This Thursday - November 7th
The Commissioner of Health, Mark Levine, MD, will hold his next Public Health Update with VMS Members this Thursday, November 7th at 12:30 pm. You can join the zoom meetings here.
He held his most recent VMS member call on October 3rd. Notes from the call are here. |
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VMS Board Meeting Wednesday Nov. 6th
The VMS Board will be meeting this Wednesday via Zoom. Topics on the agenda include: welcoming the new officers elected at the Annual Membership Meeting this past weekend; electing several new Board members, including two new medical student representatives from the Larner College of Medicine; reviewing and voting on dues and the 2025 VMS Budget (the dues are proposed to stay flat – they have not been raised in 27 years!); and discussing several topics likely to be raised this legislative session, including a new pathway of licensure for international medical graduates. Find an updated organizational dashboard, highlighting Society accomplishments for 2024 here. To join the Board meeting contact bpauley@vtmd.org. |
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Final 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule
Last Friday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Payment Schedule. While American Medical Association (AMA) staff continue to analyze and develop a summary of the 3,000+ page rule, we wanted to make you aware of a handful of key issues.
The 2025 Medicare conversion factor will decrease for the fifth straight year by approximately 2.83 percent from $33.2875 to $32.3465. Unfortunately, these cuts coincide with ongoing growth in the cost to practice medicine as CMS projects the increase in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for 2025 will be 3.5 percent. Physician practices cannot continue to absorb increasing costs while their payment rates dwindle. This is why the AMA and state medical society partners are strongly supporting the bipartisan H.R. 10073, Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2024, which would stop the cut, increase physician payment by one-half of the MEI, and result in a 12-month payment update of 4.73 percent.
In addition, following ongoing advocacy by the AMA not to increase the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance threshold due to significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Change Healthcare cyberattack, CMS proposed to maintain the threshold to avoid a MIPS penalty of up to 9 percent at 75 points for the CY 2025 performance year/2027 MIPS payment year.
The text of the final rule can be accessed at: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-25382.pdf
Additional links include:
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DVHA Drug Utilization Review Board Currently Recruiting Physician Board Members
Vermont Medicaid (DVHA)’s Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board is recruiting physician board members. The Board is composed of prescribers, pharmacists, and other qualified medical professionals that meet approximately every 6 weeks with a total of 7 meetings per year. Meetings are hybrid. Members receive per diem compensation for attendance and milage reimbursement. The agenda consists of drug utilization review and analyses, review of new drugs, new indications, and dosage forms, therapeutic class review, safety, and drug information. You can find the DURB description, meeting schedule, location, agenda, minutes, current members, and contact information on our website at https://dvha.vermont.gov/advisory-boards/drug-utilization-review-board. For additional information on becoming a member of the Drug Utilization Review Board, please email AHS.DVHAPH@vermont.gov. |
EVENTS
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Learning Collaboratives on In-Basket Reduction and Reducing Regulatory Burden
October 2024 – March 2025
AMA STEPS Forward® Innovation Academy is launching two new, six-month learning collaboratives on optimizing the in-basket to reduce work burden and rethinking how organizations apply regulatory rules to clinical practice. Each collaborative will convene dyads or triads of leadership representatives from multiple organizations to engage in a longitudinal shared learning experience. Limited space available. Learn more.
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For more information about offerings from UVM
CMIE, visit here. |
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Vermont Medical Society 134 Main Street Montpelier, VT 05602 -- Unsubscribe -- |
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