Mecklenburg Medicine May 2014

Mecklenburg MedicineA Publication of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society | www.meckmed.org

May 2014 • Vol. 44, No. 5

Mecklenburg County Medical Society • Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and EndowmentFounders of: Bioethics Resource Group, Ltd., Hospitality House of Charlotte, Teen Health Connection, N.C. MedAssist, Physicians Reach Out

SUN-sational

Spring!Don’t forget to protect your

skin, and remind your patients to slather on the

SPF, too!

2 | May 2014 • Mecklenburg Medicine

Novant Health can help your patients diagnosed with cerebral vascular system issues regain the quality of life they deserve. Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center provides advanced care for conditions affecting the brain, head, neck and spine. Our expert interventional neuroradiologists are specially trained in the latest minimally invasive techniques, which can mean shorter recovery times and fewer side effects than traditional treatments. And through our participation in clinical trials for carotid stenosis and stroke, we’re providing access to world-class treatments close to home.

Our most commonly performed procedures include cement injection for osteoporotic compression fractures, angioplasty/stenting for carotid stenosis and intracranial atherosclerosis, and embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

Minimally invasive cerebrovascular care

To arrange an outpatient office evaluation for your patient, call 704-384-9654.

Mecklenburg Medicine • May 2014 | 3

May 2014Vol. 44 No. 5

OFFICERS

PresidentJames B. Hall, MD

President-ElectSimon V. Ward III, MD

SecretaryStephen J. Ezzo, MD

TreasurerJP McBryde, MD

Immediate Past President Janice E. Huff, MD

BOARD MEMBERS

Lloyd L. Bridges, MDRaymond E. Brown, PAJonathan A. Buice, MD

Scott L. Furney, MDW. Frank Ingram III, MDScott L. Lindblom, MDShivani P. Mehta, MD

Elizabeth B. Moran, MDCheryl L. Walker-McGill, MD

Thomas N. Zweng, MD

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

Gretchen Allen, PresidentMecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment

Sandi D. Buchanan, Executive DirectorMecklenburg County Medical Society

Keia V. R. Hewitt, MD, PresidentCharlotte Medical Society

Docia E. Hickey, MDNCMS Speaker of the House

Darlyne Menscer, MDNCMS Delegate to the AMA

Marcus G. Plescia, MD, Health DirectorMecklenburg County Health Department

Douglas R. Swanson, MD, FACEP, Medical DirectorMecklenburg EMS Agency

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Executive DirectorSandi D. Buchanan

Director, Meetings & Special EventsTrisha G. Herndon

Executive Assistant Stephanie D. Smith

MECKLENBURG MEDICINE STAFF

EditorMark E. Romanoff, MD

Managing EditorSandi D. Buchanan

Copy EditorLee McCracken

AdvertisingMark Ethridge

[email protected] Board

N. Neil Howell, MDJames B. Hall, MD

Jessica Schorr Saxe, MDGraphic Design — Wade Baker

Mecklenburg Medicine is published 10 times per year by the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, 1112 Harding Place, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28204. Opinions expressed by authors are their own, and not necessarily those of Mecklenburg Medicine or the Mecklenburg County Medical Society. Mecklenburg Medicine reserves the right to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submitted. Mecklenburg Medicine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Non-members may subscribe to Mecklenburg Medicine at a cost of $30 per year, or $3.50 per issue, if extra copies are available.

Classified Ads: Open to members, nonprofits and non-member individuals only; advance approval of the Managing Editor and advance payment required. Member rate is 0, non-members $20 for the first 30 words; $.75 each additional word.

Display Ads: Open to professional entities or commercial businesses. For specifications and rate information, contact Mark Ethridge at [email protected]. Acceptance of advertising for this publication in no way constitutes professional approval or endorsement of products or services advertised herein.

We welcome your comments and suggestions:Call 704-376-3688 or write Mecklenburg Medicine, c/o Mecklenburg County Medical Society, 1112 Harding Place, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28204.

1112 Harding Place, #200, Charlotte, NC 28204704-376-3688 • FAX [email protected] 2014 Mecklenburg County Medical Society

Table of Contents5 President’s Letter: The Affordable Care Act ... Is It? By James B. Hall, MD

7 Feature: Ban the Tan North Carolina Dermatologists Need Help to Protect Kids from Tanning Beds, Cancer

N.C. Dermatology Association

8 Feature: Medic Receives 2014 Five Star Excellence Award

9 Feature: Charlotte Community Health Clinic Has Moved and Continues to Grow By Jill Lipson and Joyce Brooks

10 National Health & Wellness Observances for May

11 Member News

11 Upcoming Meetings & Events

12 Feature: Carolinas HealthCare System Names New Chief Academic Officer

14 At the Hospitals

16 Independent Physicians of the Carolinas

18 Charlotte AHEC Course Offerings for May

18 Advertising Acknowledgement

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President’s Letter

The Affordable Care Act ... Is It?By James B. Hall, MD, President

I think we all can agree our citizens need healthcare coverage, and I don’t intend to discuss whether the ACA is the vehicle to accomplish that end. However, I do think it would be instructional if we

have a better handle on which sectors of our economy it will impact. This legislation involves one-sixth of our economy. It is important.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in 2012 we had a slowing of the growth of healthcare spending for the fourth consecutive year; and because of an increase in the GDP, there was a decrease in that share of the economy devoted to healthcare spending (how’s that for government speak!). Medicare spending in 2012 represented 20 percent of national health spending, but actually decreased by virtue of a payment reduction to skilled nursing facilities, which often represent a step down from acute-care hospitals. However, given the role Medicaid plays in the enrollment in ACA, it is important to look at what has happened with these costs, as well. In 2012, Federal Medicaid expenditures decreased 4.2 percent, but this was because of cost shifting to the states as local Medicaid expenditures grew by 15 percent. Bottom line: It’s still a lot of money, representing about $8,915 per person.

I went to the IRS website to get an idea of some of the provisions in the ACA, as the Supreme Court has ruled this is a tax. There are a number of ways this impacts insurance companies, some of which I doubt they anticipated. There is the Medical Loss Ratio, which requires insurance companies to spend 80-85 percent of premium dollars on medical care, while also limiting potential rate increases, both of which are good features of this law for citizens. Companies that fail to meet these standards must provide a rebate to their customers. Additionally, there is a Comparative Effectiveness Fee, which amounts to an excise tax estimated to be 3 percent in 2014, which will be passed on to consumers. This is paid by the insurance companies to the government as one of the fees to pay for the ACA; interestingly, the more business they produce, the greater the fee, which is counter-intuitive to the way that most businesses work. One of the major benefits for citizens is the coverage of pre-existing conditions, but the benefit and also the curse, while there is an annual limit of $2 million, there appears to be no total limit, which may limit the financial viability of some companies. There also is a Marketplace User Fee, which will begin in 2014 and has been proposed by HHS to be a monthly user fee equal to 3.5 percent of the monthly premium in federally facilitated marketplaces; these no doubt will be passed on to the consumer. Then,

there is also the “Cadillac Fee” of 40 percent on that portion over the threshold of coverage for a family when the health insurance is more than $27,500; this fee has been an issue with some union organizations whose members have these high-end coverages. Finally, given the concern there will be more elderly signing up than the healthy young, there is fear that the insuring companies will not stay solvent; as a balm to this fear, it has been reported that the administration

has offered the insurance industry a guarantee of being made whole, should this happen.

Beginning in 2013, the Net Investment Tax went into effect. This is a 3.8-percent tax on “investment income” on those couples with a combined

MAGI of $250,000 or greater, which can include gross income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, etc. Where this also may come into play is if part of your “retirement” is in the home you have lived in for many years. If it has increased in value (you have more than $500,000 “profit “ or equity), this also will fall under this tax. This will now make the upper tax bracket, for these given scenarios, 43.4 percent (39.6 percent + 3.8 percent), as this is taxed, essentially, as ordinary income.

There also is an additional Medicare Tax of 0.9 percent, again with the standard proviso that it varies based on marital status and combined income. This tax is collected/withheld by your employer, which can be problematic, in that if your spouse works, the right hand of collection doesn’t necessarily know what the left hand is collecting.

The Medical Device Excise Tax of 2.3 percent began in 2013 with the term “medical device” primarily applying to those items that have received FDA approval. What is unusual about this tax is that it is on the gross income of a company, not just the profit margin. To date, the consequence of this tax has been a number of companies either closing their doors or moving these manufacturing jobs overseas.

Historically, those families with high annual medical expenses, which most often involve the care of children,

This legislation involves one-sixth of our economy. It is important.


President’s Letter

have been able to take a tax deduction on those medical expenses greater than 7.5 percent of one’s adjusted gross income; this especially is pertinent to those families with children who have long-term chronic disabilities. With the ACA, those same deductions now begin after 10 percent, which negatively impacts those families with these often-large expenses. This will serve to increase the income tax of these individuals.

And, of course, we can’t forget one of the lesser of the taxes to help pay for health care, namely the Excise Tax on Indoor Tanning Services of 10 percent on all indoor UV tanning services.

Many have taken advantage of the use of pre-tax dollars to fund flexible spending accounts, which previously had no technical upper limit, although most employers usually placed a $5,000 maximum. As part of the new law, there is now a $2,500 annual limit.

Since the insurance industry has been directly impacted, I suppose that it is only fair that Big Pharma gets to “share,” as well. The larger Pharma companies are required to provide rebates to Medicaid, which are projected to be up to $20 billion over the next decade. This, plus excise taxes and the coverage of the Medicare “donut hole,” is projected to be in the tens of billions over the next decade.

As you can see, this legislation/tax impacts many different facets of our lives.

I’ve tried to give you an overview of some of the taxes we will be dealing with this year. If you are not depressed already, remember to stay out of those tanning booths, because if you don’t, you are paying both a 10-percent excise tax AND increasing your risk of melanoma.

N.B.: It should be noted that we are now up to some 30-plus changes which have occurred, by fiat to this constitutionally-enacted law. You also should know that it has been estimated there may be upwards of 1,500 “interpretations” yet to be rendered by the Secretary of the HHS. So, the Honorable Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi notwithstanding, even if you passed it and then read it, you still won’t know what’s in it. Bottom line: In some way, shape or form, we need healthcare coverage for our citizens; this is a start.

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Ban the TanNorth Carolina Dermatologists Need Help to Protect Kids from Tanning Beds, Cancer

N.C. Dermatology Association

M ay is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remind our patients and our friends to protect their skin and to be

screened regularly. In addition, this year doctors across North Carolina are

using May to focus support on legislation to keep teens out of tanning beds and protect them from the dangers of UV radiation.

According to research confirmed by the American Academy of Dermatology, teens and young adults who begin tanning before the age of 35 have a 59-percent higher risk of melanoma. And just one indoor tanning session increases the user’s risk of melanoma by 20 percent.

There are more than 1,400 tanning beds registered to operate in North Carolina — more than twice the number of McDonald’s restaurants.

More than a quarter of 17-year-olds have used an indoor tanning facility, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Nearly 70 percent of tanning salon patrons are Caucasian girls and women, primarily ages 16-29.

It should not be a surprise that melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25-29 and the second most common form of cancer for young people ages 15-29.

To address the epidemic of skin cancer in young people, a coalition of North Carolinians is sponsoring legislation to prohibit teens under 18 years of age from using tanning beds. This very simple legislation is supported by the

American Cancer Society, the N.C. Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control, the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force, the N.C. Dermatology Association, the state Medical Society, as well as the N.C. Oncology Association, N.C. Pediatric Society and AIM at Melanoma. Other states, including Texas, Vermont, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon and California, now prohibit minors from using tanning beds.

HB18, the Youth Skin Cancer Prevention Act, passed the N.C. House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote of 94-22 last year. The goal for this year is to get the bill passed by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Pat McCrory.

You can help. Take a moment to contact Mecklenburg County’s state senators and ask them to support this legislation this year.

Mecklenburg County Senators:• Joel D. M. Ford (District 38) – [email protected]• Malcolm Graham (District 40) – [email protected]• Bob Rucho (District 39) – [email protected]• Jeff Tarte (District 41) – [email protected]

For details, visit www.preventskincancernc.org or e-mail the N.C. Dermatology Association’s government relations consultant, Rob Lamme, at [email protected].

Feature

Skin Screening at the Legislature: Thursday,May 22. Sign Up Today to be a Volunteer!

On Thursday, May 22, the N.C. Dermatology Association will be holding their third annual Skin Screening at the Legislature for legislators, their staff members and others visiting the Legislative Building that day. They will begin at 9 a.m. and plan to finish by 3 p.m.

The free screenings will consist of full- or partial-body examinations, sharing skin cancer handouts with information on how to find a dermatologist, and teaching skin self-examinations.

They need dermatologists (residents are welcome!) to volunteer even a few hours of their time to make this skin screening event a success. If you are able to volunteer, fill out the response form at www.ncderm.org and return by email to [email protected], fax to 919-833-2023 or mail to P.O. Box 27167, Raleigh, NC 27611.


Medic Receives the 2014 Five Star Excellence AwardMecklenburg EMS Agency Patient Satisfaction Scores Among the Top 10 Percent Nationally in 2013

Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Medic) has been announced as a Five Star Excellence Award winner by Professional Research Consultants (PRC), Inc. The award honors healthcare facilities and providers

that score in the top 10 percent of performance measures in their fields within the research consultant’s national database.

Medic’s distinction is based on the percentage of patients who rated the overall quality of care delivered by the emergency medical service provider as being “Excellent” in 2013. More than 96 percent of all patients surveyed rated their experience with Medic positively, with 71 percent rating the quality of care received as being excellent. This honor is another example of the longstanding commitment to excellence through performance-driven outcomes.

“We are honored to receive the 2014 Five Star Excellence Award,” says Josef H. Penner, Medic’s executive director. “As a patient-centered system, this agency is very focused on the quality of care provided to each patient. Whether it’s delivering advanced clinical care or a dose of compassion, this award clearly affirms that we have the right people doing the job here in Mecklenburg County. I am very proud of the work we do for this community, and I would put the commitment of Medic’s employees up against those of any EMS agency in the country.”

“We are proud to have Mecklenburg County recognized nationally in this capacity,” adds County Manager Dena Diorio. “This award reflects the importance we place on the quality of services we provide our citizens, as well as Medic’s dedication to delivering those EMS services efficiently and without losing focus on patient care.”

About MedicMedic has served as

Mecklenburg County’s EMS agency since 1978. Medic is a joint government agency with oversight provided by Mecklenburg County, Novant Health and Carolinas HealthCare System. Medic is the busiest EMS agency in the state of North Carolina, with almost 500 employees and a fleet of more than 80 ambulances and emergency response assets. Medic will respond to more than 120,000 calls into the organization’s 911 emergency response dispatch center in 2014 alone. Visit www.medic911.com and follow on Twitter at @MecklenburgEMS.

About PRCProfessional Research Consultants is a research-marketing firm

dedicated to the improvement of health care nationwide. Working out of their headquarters in Omaha, Neb., they provide accurate, reliable and relevant information about patients, physicians and medical employees. With this data, they enable organizations to make better decisions about their healthcare practices. PRC has a proven track record of success. They have been in business for 34 years, but their devotion to improved health care is just as people- and relationship-oriented as it was back in 1979 when they started. Their research has become even more effective as they have gained experience and results working with more than 2,000 organizations.

Save the date: Tuesday, October 7, 2014 n Foundation for the CarolinasFashion presentation by Nordstrom, silent auction and raffle to benefit the

Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence ShelterCo-hosted by the Mecklenburg County Medical Society Women Physicians Section and the Charlotte Women Attorneys.

Tickets will go on sale in August on the Safe Alliance website.

CWACHARLOTTE WOMEN ATTORNEYS

Wom

ens Physicians Section

Fourth Annual

Fighting for Women with Fashion

Formerly known as United Family Services

Feature


Charlotte Community Health Clinic HasMoved and Continues to GrowBy Jill Lipson and Joyce Brooks

On April 1, Charlotte Community Health Clinic (CCHC) reopened its doors to patients at its new location at 8401 Medical Plaza Drive, Suite 300. For the past three years, CCHC was on Farmingdale Drive off of Independence

Boulevard, and prior to that at its location on Eastway Drive. Each move has allowed CCHC to grow and expand healthcare services for the uninsured in Mecklenburg County.

In operation since 2000, CCHC has served 6,299 people in Mecklenburg County. In 2013 alone, CCHC provided 20,700 encounters with healthcare professionals. Services at Charlotte Community Health Clinic are offered free, though patients are asked to invest in their health care and CCHC’s services by providing a $10 donation. No one, however, is turned away due to inability to pay.

The need for health care for the uninsured in Mecklenburg County is clear. Consider these facts from the 2013 Mecklenburg County Assessment:• There were 159,000 uninsured residents, 14,200 of whom are

children and youth (11 percent of North Carolina’s uninsured children and youth).

• More than 1 in 4 of the county’s adults ages 18-34 are uninsured.

• More than 1 in 3 of the county’s uninsured adults is working a full-time job. CCHC only serves individuals who are low-income and

uninsured. Because North Carolina did not expand Medicaid, people in the some of the lowest income brackets will not have access to insurance through the Affordable Care Act Insurance Marketplace. Charlotte Community Health Clinic can and does serve these individuals, helping close the gap between those insured and those lacking medical coverage, by providing health care based on a medical home model. This means that each patient has a primary care provider with whom to develop a meaningful, long- term relationship, unlike drop-in clinics which provide a bandaid approach to health care.

CCHC uses highly effective, evidence-based protocols to deliver its health services. In addition, CCHC takes pride in providing health care and other ancillary health services that are culturally appropriate and in the native languages of its patients. This is accomplished through the wide array of community partnerships, volunteers and donors who help Charlotte Community Health Clinic grow and continue to serve the uninsured in this community.

Feature


Harrisburg Medical Park Inow available for lease9550 Rocky River Road

• 14,000 SF Medical Office Building

• Adjacent to the CHS freestanding Emergency Department that is nearly complete

• Great signage on building and competitive lease terms

• Furnished Timeshare suite available for daily rental

For leasing inquiries or to schedule a tour, please contact:

Reed [email protected] 704.971.8908

2701 Coltsgate Road | Suite 300 | Charlotte, NC 28211

www.brackettflagship.com

NATIONAL HEALTH & WELLNESS OBSERVANCESMAY 2014

Asthma and Allergy Awareness MonthBetter Sleep Month

Correct Posture MonthEmployee Health & Fitness MonthHealthy Vision Month/UV Safety

Hepatitis Awareness MonthHuntington’s Disease Awareness Month

Lupus Awareness MonthNational Arthritis Month

National High Blood Pressure Education MonthNational Melanoma/Skin Cancer Awareness Month

National Mental Health MonthNational Osteoporosis Month

National Physical Fitness and Sports MonthNational Stroke Awareness Month

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention MonthNational Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month

Older Americans Month

May 1-7 National Physical Education and Sports WeekMay 3 Join Hands Day: Youth and Adults Volunteering TogetherMay 5-11 National Nurses WeekMay 7 Project ACES Day (All Children Exercise Simultaneously)May 8 World Red Cross/Red Crescent DayMay 9-15 National Nursing Home WeekMay 9-15 Women’s Health WeekMay 11-17 National Hospital and Health Care WeekMay 12 School Nurse DayMay 13-17 Bike to Work WeekMay 15 National Employee Health and Fitness DayMay 20 World Autoimmune Arthritis DayMay 19-25 Older Americans Mental Health WeekMay 28 National Senior Health and Fitness Day


Member News

Upcoming Meetings& EventsMeetings are at the MCMS office unless otherwise noted.Mayn Tuesday, May 6

Charlotte Dental Society Board meeting.

6 p.m.n Monday, May 12

MCMS Executive Committee meeting.

5:45 p.m.n Tuesday, May 13

MedLink meeting.Health Department.8:30 a.m.

n Thursday, May 15CAMGM.Myers Park Baptist Church

Cornwell Center.Noon.

n Friday, May 16Child Health Committee meeting.7:30 a.m.

n Sunday-Wednesday, May 18-21NCMGM Tri-State Healthcare

Management Conference.Savannah, Ga.

n Monday, May 19MCMS Board meeting.5:15 p.m. dinner.5:45 p.m. meeting.

n Tuesday, May 20WPS Fighting for Women with

Fashion planning meeting.Safe Alliance office.6 p.m.

n Wednesday, May 21MMAE Board meeting.10 a.m.

n Thursday, May 22July-August magazine deadline.

n Thursday, May 222014 Childhood Obesity Summit.UNC-Charlotte.9 a.m.-4 p.m.

n Monday, May 26Memorial Day – MCMS office

closed.n Thursday, May 29

River Jam Fiesta — MCMS Membership Event.

U.S. National Whitewater Center.7 p.m.

The Smith Arthritis Fund Committee Is Now Accepting Grant ApplicationsThe Smith Arthritis Fund was established

in 1979 when Carolyn Kirkpatrick Smith donated $41,500 for arthritis research. This fund is administered through the Mecklenburg County Medical Society and is designed to support research projects as they relate to the needs of patients suffering from rheumatological diseases. Each year

the Committee awards about $1,000-$2,000 per grant. There are no rigid restrictions. The Smith Arthritis Fund Committee of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society is now accepting grant applications from interested physicians through the end of May. Please contact the Medical Society office for more information.

Member BenefitMember benefits add value to your Medical Society membership in the form

of discounted disability income insurance, life insurance, and advisory services provided by our affinity partner Tucker Boynton Financial Group and Mark Boynton.

We are pleased to add another option for your benefit! We have added a web link to a term life insurance search engine that is hosted by Mark Boynton. The site will provide you with term insurance information from many of the most highly rated life insurance carriers, as well as other valuable information. You will find the link on the benefits page of the www.meckmed.org website or go directly to www.MyQuote4Life.com. We hope you will find this additional benefit to be useful.

New Members Cynthia Y. Chi, MD*PediatricsCHS Levine Children’s Hospital1000 Blythe Blvd.Charlotte, NC 28203704-381-2000University of Texas Medical School, 2002

Kara E. Cochran, PA-C Obstetrics/GynecologyNovant Health Gynecologic Oncology 200 Hawthorne LaneCharlotte, NC 28204704-384-8200Medical University of South Carolina, 2011

Adrian C. Dusa, MD *Cardiovascular Disease; *ElectrophysiologyNovant Health Heart & Vascular Institute1718 E. 4th Street, #501Charlotte, NC 28204704-343-9800University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures, Romania, 1993

Sidney M. Fletcher, MD*Emergency MedicineMid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates1900 Randolph Road, #900 Charlotte, NC 28207704-377-2424University of Texas-Southwestern, 1994

Babak Mokari, DO*Family MedicineCenter for the Healing Arts 335 N. Caswell RoadCharlotte, NC 28204Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2000

Samantha G. Suffren, MD*PsychiatryNovant Health Women’s Transitional Healthcare10400 Mallard Creek RoadCharlotte, NC 28262East Carolina University, 2002


Feature

Carolinas HealthCare System Names New Chief Academic Officer

Carolinas HealthCare System has named Mary Nolan Hall, MD, FAAFP, as the System’s new Chief Academic Officer. Dr. Hall has served as Interim Chief Academic Officer for more than four months and as

Deputy Chief Academic Officer since 2011.As Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Hall is responsible for

the System’s academic programs, including undergraduate and graduate medical education, nursing and allied health programs, continuing medical education and advanced clinical practitioner fellowships.

“As the entire healthcare industry, including Carolinas HealthCare System, continues to

change at an accelerated rate, it is imperative that education and research continue to transform and keep pace with these changes,” says Hall. “Our learners and providers must be prepared to work successfully in this new landscape. I look forward to helping the organization achieve and integrate its academic and strategic missions.”

In her new role, Hall will begin addressing necessary transformations by:• Identifying the proper workforce and training methods

to meet the needs of Carolinas HealthCare System and its surrounding populations. This will aim to support learners and preceptors across the spectrum of healthcare professions and to enhance opportunities for training in inter-professional teams.

• Growing and evolving the Charlotte Campus of the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine to produce highly competent and compassionate physicians who are patient-centered, team-based, service-minded and systems-savvy.

• Working to align experiential simulation-based learning programs that optimize the skills of our healthcare providers and the teams within which they work.Prior to joining the Medical Education department,

Hall was Chair of Family Medicine for the System for eight years. In her more than two decades with the Department of Family Medicine, she held a number of other positions, including director of medical student education, medical director of the Family Medicine Center and program director of the Family Medicine residency program.

Hall is the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s designated institutional official, the director of Charlotte Area Health Education Center and a professor of Family Medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill. She also is past president of the American Balint Society and current chair of the national Academic Family Medicine Advocacy Council. She sits on the Board of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, a group for which she recently was nominated to serve as president elect. At Carolinas HealthCare System, Hall is an inaugural member of the Physician Executive Leadership Council and of the Medical Group’s Executive Council. She also enjoys her roles in the System’s Women Executive Leadership Group and the Mentoring Program for Women on the Road to Success.

She received her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York in Binghamton and medical degree from Cornell University Medical Center. She completed her residency in family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, and fellowships in faculty development at MUSC and UNC-Chapel Hill.

THE 9TH ANNUAL

MELANOMA AWARENESS GOLF CLASSICMONDAY, JUNE 2 n CARMEL COUNTRY CLUB n SOUTH COURSE

SAVETHE

DATE!

11 a.m. Registration & Lunch1 p.m. Shotgun Start6 p.m. Reception

For more information, contact Rebecca Sheaff [email protected] or 704-755-4048.

Reminder:

Don’t forget to pay your

dues for 2014. If you have

already, we thank you!

Mary Hall, MD, FAAFP


CongratulationsThese practices paid 2014 annual dues for all their physicians to the Mecklenburg County Medical Society.

Barron & Homesley Orthopaedic Surgery

Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

Carolina Surgical Clinic of Charlotte

Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Charlotte Radiology

Greenman Eye Associates

Novant Health Dilworth Pediatrics

Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute

Presbyterian Pathology Group

Southeast Radiation Oncology Group

Urology Specialists of the Carolinas


At the Hospitals

n Novant Health Offers New Online Treatment for InsomniaNovant Health Sleep is offering a new

online treatment program for patients with insomnia. SHUTi ™, or Sleep Healthy Using the Internet ™, is a six-week interactive online program that provides short-term improvements and long-term relief for insomnia through learning modules and guides tailored to individual sleep goals.

SHUTi™ is an easy-to-use program that improves quality of sleep from the comfort of the patient’s home. This can be a great alternative to sleeping medication, as it helps patients learn better sleep habits and overcome the underlying cause of their sleep problems.

Users are asked to keep online sleep journals to track their individual sleep patterns and issues. Their entries in these sleep journals are then analyzed and used to give personalized advice and even specific bedtimes. Using a technique called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, SHUTi™ helps people with insomnia identify and change thoughts or behaviors that influence sleep patterns. Research has shown that 73 percent of participants no longer had clinical levels of insomnia after using SHUTi™, results similar to face-to-face treatment with a sleep therapist.

SHUTi™ is available for purchase on the Novant Health website. For more information on SHUTi™ and insomnia, visit NovantHealth.org/shuti.

n Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Named Bariatric Center of ExcellenceNovant Health Presbyterian Medical

Center has been granted a renewed accreditation from the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a “Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence” (BSCOE) facility. This renewed accreditation acknowledges Novant Health’s commitment to providing high-quality and safe care for bariatric

surgery patients that exceeds clinical benchmarks and guidelines. Presbyterian Medical Center originally achieved this designation in 2007 as the first BSCOE in Charlotte and has been successfully recertified in 2010 and 2014.

n Novant Health Announces $10 Million Gift from John M. Belk Family to Kick Off Capital CampaignNovant Health Foundation Presbyterian

Medical Center has announced a $10 million gift from the John M. Belk family to kick off a $60 million capital campaign to take on the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 killers: cancer and heart disease.

The campaign, named GroundBreaking, will support the construction of an outpatient heart and vascular and cancer facility, located across from Presbyterian Medical Center at the corner of Fifth Street and Hawthorne Lane. This facility, the only one of its kind in the region, will enhance patient-centered care coordination, improve accessibility, increase affordability and provide leading-edge treatments for patients facing these challenging diagnoses that often require numerous appointments over the course of many months. Charlotte currently is the largest city of its size with only one outpatient cancer facility and no multidisciplinary heart center.

More than a medical office building, this comprehensive facility will function as a hub for virtually all outpatient needs a heart or cancer patient may have, including:• Multiple cancer clinics for radiation

oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology and gynecologic oncology.

• Multiple heart and vascular clinics for cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease and valve disorders.

• Infusion center with more than 40 bays.• Multidisciplinary cancer clinics, where

newly diagnosed patients can have their case reviewed by a team of experts.

• Cardiac prevention and screening services.

• Cardio-oncology, an emerging field of medicine dedicated to minimizing

the cardiovascular impact of cancer treatment.

• Dedicated cardiac and cancer nurse navigators.

• Research and clinical trials.• Cardiac and cancer rehabilitation

and wellness, offering exercise, yoga, massage, nutrition and PT/OT/speech services.

• Imaging services. • Retail pharmacy.• Cancer urgent care.• Adjacent pediatric subspecialty

complex to house cancer and heart services.Construction on the 150,000-square-

foot building will be complete in December 2017.

For more information about the GroundBreaking campaign, including ways to get involved, visit NovantHealth.org/groundbreaking.

n State-of-the-Art Interventional Neuroradiology Services for Cerebral Vascular DiseasesAt Novant Health, our interventional

neuroradiologists use minimally invasive techniques and leading-edge imaging equipment to diagnose and treat the most complex cerebral vascular diseases affecting the head, neck, spine and brain. State-of-the-art imaging technology allows our specialized physicians to perform a number of sophisticated percutaneous procedures, often with significantly shorter recovery times and fewer side effects than traditional surgical techniques.

Commonly performed procedures include cement injection for the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures of the vertebral column or sacrum, angioplasty/stenting for carotid stenosis and intracranial atherosclerosis and embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

An interdisciplinary team of emergency medicine physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons and vascular surgeons work together to provide the best patient care.

To arrange an outpatient evaluation for your patient or for more information, call 704-384-9654.


At the Hospitals

n CHS Performs Carolinas’ First Total Artificial Heart Transplant

Carolinas HealthCare System added to its legacy of medical innovation when Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute cardiac surgeons implanted a total artificial heart in a patient, the first total artificial heart (TAH) implantation done in North or South Carolina.

The surgery was performed at Carolinas Medical Center and was led by Eric Skipper, MD, FACS, medical director of adult cardiac surgery at Sanger.

“This is a critical development for heart failure patients in our region,” says Sanjeev Gulati, MD, medical director of Sanger’s advanced heart failure and mechanical circulatory support program. “Until recently, these patients had few options available, unless they had the ability to travel outside of the region for care — a process that can be very difficult due to the severity of, and complications associated with, heart failure.”

The patient is a 49-year-old man, and the surgery took eight hours. The TAH currently is the only total artificial heart approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada and CE (Europe). Carolinas HealthCare System is currently the only provider of the total artificial heart in North or South Carolina.

n System Exceeds National Benchmarks in Patient Harm PreventionFor the third consecutive year,

Carolinas HealthCare System is participating in the national Partnership for Patients’ Hospital Engagement Network (HEN). Selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Carolinas HealthCare System is one of five health systems and 26 healthcare organizations in the country invited to join.

Since the program’s inception in 2011, the organization has enhanced the way it delivers safe, value-based care in 10 focus areas, with an emphasis on reducing preventable patient harm by 40 percent and 30-day hospital readmissions by 20 percent by the end of 2014. In several of these key areas, CHS already has surpassed the 40 percent goal and is exceeding national benchmarks.

For early elective deliveries, CHS’ HEN performance from January 2012 to November 2013 reflects a 72 percent reduction relative to its 2011 baseline, and its current performance exceeds the CMS national benchmark. For surgical site infections, performance during the same time period saw a 61 percent reduction relative to a 2010 baseline.

n Carolinas Medical Center and Levine Children’s Hospital Receive Level I and II Trauma DesignationsThe F. H. “Sammy” Ross Trauma

Center at Carolinas Medical Center recently earned a three-year, re-verification as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the North Carolina Office of EMS. Carolinas Medical Center is the region’s only Level I trauma center — the highest designation given by the ACS.

The Hemby Pediatric Trauma Institute at Levine Children’s Hospital also recently earned Level II Pediatric Trauma verification by the ACS. This is a first for pediatric trauma in the region, providing the only Trauma Center access for children.

To maintain this designation, Carolinas Medical Center and Levine Children’s Hospital maintain a rigorous performance improvement program, and provide multiple trauma education opportunities for trauma care providers of all levels throughout the region. Carolinas HealthCare System’s MedCenter Air provides ground, helicopter and fixed wing transport to ensure that patients in critical condition are able to be safely and efficiently transferred to the hospital for care.

n Paper Offers Self-Assessment Tool for Hospital Medicine GroupsScott Rissmiller, MD, senior medical

director of Carolinas HealthCare System’s adult acute care division and president of Carolinas Hospitalist Group, co-authored a manuscript that was published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. The article, titled

“The Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group: An Assessment Guide for Hospitals and Hospitalists,” provides a self-assessment tool for gauging the performance of hospital medicine groups (HMGs). Despite the growth of hospital medicine, few guidelines exist to guide the effective management of HMGs.

Rissmiller co-authored the manuscript with seven other physicians and researchers from a number of healthcare institutions, including the Medical University of South Carolina and Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. The manuscript also has been featured on the American Hospital Association, The Hospitalist Magazine and the American College of Physicians websites.

n Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons Honors Michael Bosse, MDMichael Bosse, MD, orthopaedic surgeon

and director of Orthopaedic Clinical Research at Carolinas Medical Center, has been awarded the Allgood Award, the highest individual recognition granted by the Society of

Military Orthopaedic Surgeons.The award is named after Col. Brian

Allgood, an orthopaedic surgeon and a champion for the wounded warrior, who was killed in combat in 2007 while serving in Iraq.

Long recognized as a skilled specialist in orthopaedic trauma and an international leader in research, Bosse is currently co-principal investigator and clinical chair of the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC). METRC is dedicated to assessing clinical conditions that are frequently experienced by military personnel returning from combat.

Michael Bosse, MD

Scott Rissmiller, MD


Independent Physicians of the Carolinas is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) membership organization whose mission is to create public awareness of medical doctors not employed by a network or hospital conglomerate and to provide educational programs and resources to physician members and their administration.

n On June 2, Independent Physicians of the Carolinas will host an Independent Practice Administrators and Managers Workshop Luncheon, 12:30-2 p.m. at 1410 E. 7th St., titled “Electronically Communicating with Patients and Practices within HIPAA Guidelines” presented by IT HIPAA specialist, David Sims, with Carolina Computer Concepts. Cost is $25 for members and $40 for non-members. RSVP to [email protected].

n Allergy Asthma & Immunology Relief (AAIR) of Charlotte welcomes Leandra

Tonweber, PA-C, to the practice. Tonweber recently passed her re-certification boards with the National Commission on Certification of

Physicians Assistants.

n At Amara Pain & Spine in South Charlotte, medical director Ashvin Amara, MD, installed a C-arm to perform precision-guided procedures. This x-ray technology is used to reach targeted pain generators under operator

guided fluoroscopy. Benefits to patients are less complications, less medication needed, a higher success rate, patient comfort and less time spent on the procedure. n Dermatology Specialists of Charlotte and Deborah Nixon, MD, welcome Shawne

Caputo, PA-C, to the practice. Caputo received her Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University and her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies at Wayne State University. Her area of practice

includes medical dermatology, specializing in

cosmetic dermatology. She is certified with the NCCPA and is a member of the AAPA.

n V Pain Clinic medical director Ratko Vujicic, MD, started treating headaches using a sphenopalatine catheter, achieving excellent results. Procedures are done at the V Pain Clinic at 12610 N. Community House Road, Suite 200, in Ballantyne. No referral is necessary.

n Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center (CAAC) recently was a “Pit Boss” sponsor of the Charlotte Pediatric Society’s “Casino Night” fundraiser in March benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. CAAC also sponsored Care Ring’s “Under the Big Top” fundraiser in April benefitting Physicians Reach Out. Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center is proud to support these important nonprofit organizations in our community.

Ashvin Amara, MD

Ratko Vujicic, MD

Shawne Caputo, PA-C

Leandra Tonweber, PA-C

Independent Physicians of the Carolinas

Welcome New Members: Ashvin Amara, MD/Amara Pain & Spine; Jean-Ronel Corbier, MD/Neurology Wellness; Paul Steadman, MD/Steadman Vein Center.

... and thank you for your continued patronage! 2014 Renewed Members: Steven McEldowney, MD/Allergy & Asthma Care of Blakeney; Jennifer Caicedo, MD, Maeve O’Connor, MD/ Allergy Asthma & Immunology Relief of Charlotte; M. Reza Bolouri, MD/Alzheimer’s Memory Center; Steven Bauer, DO, Carlos Jorge, MD/Ballantyne Medical Associates; Jane Box, MD, Patrick Box, MD/Box Arthritis & Rheumatology; Susan Hungness, MD/Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center; Neal Goldberger, MD/Carolina Bone & Joint; Ronnie Cyzner, MD, Michael Gaspari, MD/Carolina Digestive Health Associates; Jonathan Kulbersh, MD/Carolina Facial Plastics; Dino Kanelos, MD/Carolina

Family Healthcare; Maher Agha, MD, Susan Echterling, MD, Avinash Shah, MD/Carolina Medical Associates; Omar Idlibi, MD/Carolina Medical Lab; Elizabeth Rostan, MD/Charlotte Skin & Laser; Nicholas Lukacs, DO, Daron Smith, MD/CornerStone Ear Nose & Throat; Marc Darst, MD/Darst Dermatology; Deborah Nixon, MD/Dermatology Specialists of Charlotte; Thomas Marlowe, MD/Dr. Marlowe’s Weight Loss Institute; Sanjay Khiani, MD/Family Allergy Asthma & Sinus Care; Linda Winegardner, MD/Family Healthcare of Lake Norman; Jeannine Gingras, MD/Gingras Sleep Medicine; Charles Lapp, MD/Hunter-Hopkins Center; Sharon Kanelos, MD, Sheila Natarajan, MD/ Integra Rehabilitation Physicians; Revonda Jessup, DPM/Jessup Foot & Ankle Specialists; John Brendese, MD/ Joint & Muscle Medical Care; Wissam Nadra, MD/Lakeshore Pediatric Center; Lindsey Mashburn, MD/Lakeshore Women’s Specialists;

Larry Berman, MD/Larry F. Berman, MD, PA; Eliza Sangmuah, MD, Eugene Sangmuah, MD/Matthews Internal Medicine; Wendell Goins, MD/Mid-Carolina Surgery Specialists; Neal Taub, MD/Neal S. Taub, MD, PA; Bill Larsen, MD, Catherine Norton, MD/Northwest Family Physicians; Nelsa Ciapponi, MD/Optimal Health Medicine Center; Gisele Girault, MD/Pain Medicine Specialists of Fort Mill; Satya Jammalamadaka, MD/Pineville Pediatrics; E. Michael Eziri, MD/Pulmonary Clinic of the Carolinas; Ben Ogunwale, MD/Queen City Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Johnny Camargo, MD/Rockingham Medical Clinic; Deborah Matthew, MD/Signature Wellness; James Liu, MD/South Charlotte Cardiology; James Antezana, MD/South Charlotte General & Vascular Surgery; Ratko Vujicic, MD/V Pain Clinic; David Draughn, MD/Vein Specialists of the Carolinas.

Physician Assistant, Eric Kirsch, presented to physicians at the March Meeting on “Revenue Streams,” discussing physician dispensing and clinical research trials.




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Advertising Acknowledgement

The following patrons made Mecklenburg Medicine possible.

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Charlotte AHEC Course OfferingsCharlotte AHEC is part of the N.C. Area Health Education Centers

(AHEC) Program and Carolinas HealthCare System.

MAY 2014Nursing Education 5/5 Mother’s Special Gift Conference 2014: Guiding Successful Breastfeeding Allied Health and Public Health Education 5/22 2014 Childhood Obesity Summit

For more information or to register for these courses,call 704-512-6523 or visit www.charlotteahec.org.

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PATIENT SERVICE CENTERS… for all of your laboratory testing needs

Ballantyne 15830 John Delaney Drive Charlotte, NC 704-540-0251Billingsley** 300 Billingsley Road, Suite 200A Charlotte, NC 704-332-6904Carmel** 5633 Blakeney Park Drive, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 704-542-7061Cabarrus 478 Copperfield Blvd. Concord, NC 704-795-2710Charlotte** 1718 E. 4th Street Charlotte, NC 704-372-6609Gastonia Stat Lab 660 Summitt Crossing, Suite 206 Gastonia, NC 704-854-9497Huntersville 14330 Oakhill Park Lane Huntersville, NC 704-948-8101Huntersville** 10030 Gilead Road, Suite B100 Huntersville, NC 704-875-9130Lake Norman 134 Medical Park Drive, Suite 102 Mooresville, NC 704-799-6230Matthews** 211 W. Matthews Street, Suite 103 Matthews, NC 704-846-9186Matthews 1500 Matthews Township Parkway, Suite 1147 Matthews, NC 704-849-0154Northridge* 5031-G West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 704-598-6266Pineville 10410 Park Road, Suite 450 Pineville, NC 704-341-1145Randolph** 1928 Randolph Road, Suite 109 Charlotte, NC 704-334-2629Rock Hill 2460 India Hook Road, Suite 101 Rock Hill, SC 803-328-1724Salisbury** 611 Mocksville Avenue Salisbury, NC 704-637-1676Shelby 809 N. Lafayette Street Shelby, NC 704-480-7004Statesville** 1710-A Davie Avenue Statesville, NC 704-878-0948University** 10320 Mallard Creek Road Charlotte, NC 704-549-8647

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