Latest News
Advance Directives Resources-Free Download for You and Your PatientsISMS has produced a resource guide with practical information on end of life medical care. The advance directives booklet includes:
All members are able to download a free copy for their personal use or give to patients. Thanks to ISMS for preparing this timely and important product to help prepare patients and physicians for end-of-life medical care. Go to http://www.isms.org and download your free copy of the Advance Directives Resources "A Personal Decision". Questions about downloading? Call the KCMS office at 630-584-6129 for assistance.
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Illinois Docs Herald Lifesaving New Seat Belt Law Beginning January 1
Illinois' new seat belt law will save lives and reduce injuries due to auto accidents, the Illinois State Medical Society predicted. Beginning January 1, state law will require all passengers to buckle up-not just those in the front seat. Previously, only the driver, front seat passengers, and certain others under the age of 19 were mandated to wear seatbelts. "ISMS supported this law because it's another step forward in making our highways and streets safer. When it comes to motor safety, it shouldn't matter whether you're riding in the back or the front," said ISMS President Wayne Polek, MD. "Anyone who doubts the importance of this law should ask an emergency department doctor about patients rushed to the hospital with serious injuries because they weren't wearing a seat belt." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates an injury occurs in a traffic collision every 15 seconds and fatality occurs every 13 minutes. Yet, only 68 of Americans use seat belts. "If everyone in every vehicle wears his or her seat belt properly, we will see a significant drop in serious injuries and fatalities from traffic accidents," Dr. Polek said. "It will reduce the strain on emergency departments, the cost of healthcare, and most important, make sure we all arrive safely to the homes of our families and friends this holiday season." Illinois becomes the 12th state to require all vehicle occupants to buckle up or face fines. A few exceptions are allowed, most notably for backseat taxi passengers. ISMS urges them to buckle up too! |
HIPAA 5010 Compliance-January 1, 2012The compliance deadline for physicians to use HIPAA version 5010 electronic transaction standards is January 1, 2012. The Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not enforce compliance until March 31, 2012. Although compliance will not be enforced until then, CMS will investigate complaints regarding non-compliance with version 5010 standards beginning in January. Physicians who face a complaint must provide proof of their efforts to become fully compliant. Check out ISMS's Issue Brief, Is Your Practice Ready for HIPAA 5010? (member login required) for more information. |
2011 Annual Meeting, Dinner, and Vendor FairThe 2011 KCMS Annual Meeting, Dinner, and Vendor Fair was a huge success! Thank you to all the doctors, medical staff personnel, and guests who turned out for the festivities. A special thank you to Dr. Wayne Polek, ISMS President for speaking to the group about the state of the Illinois State Medical Society, and also to Congressman Randy Hultgren for his remarks about his first year in office. It was a wonderful evening and we look forward to the next event in November of 2012. Thank you to our Event Sponsors:
Thank you to our Participating Vendors: Algonquin Road Surgery Center Heritage Woods of Huntley Billing Services, Inc. Heritage Woods of South Elgin Boston Scientific Inland Bank and Trust BrightStar Healthcare Irwin A. Siegel & Associates Citibank OnPath Financial CCPA Purchasing Partners ProAssurance Doctors Direct Insurance Pronto Connections, Inc. Edward Jones Investments Rieger Legal, LLC 1st Assist Home Healthcare Sherman Health Gallagher Healthcare The Hauser Group Hanger Orthopedic Group Transworld Systems Kolb & Co. |
President's Message
While we are busy seeing patients each day at our offices, making rounds in the hospital, or carrying out our administrative duties, the Kane County and Illinois State Medical Societies are hard at work helping us become even better physicians. The “Seven Pillars Approach” CME event which was held in September and co-sponsored with the McHenry County Medical Society, is one example of how this is being carried out. If you didn’t attend, you missed out on a fantastic learning experience, where knowledge was gained and value was brought back to our practices. It was a pleasure to be with our sister medical society to the north learning about ways to make our practices better. Dr. Timothy McDonald spoke to us about how to communicate with our patients and their families in effective and honest ways should a patient safety incident occur, in order to virtually eliminate the possibility of litigation. This is why I enjoy being a part of the medical society. Never would I have thought about this type of approach if it had not been made known to me through this CME event. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our very own, Dr. Wayne Polek, member of both the Kane and McHenry County Medical Society and this year’s President of the Illinois State Medical Society. He has been a wonderful advocate for the society. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at the Delnor Medical Staff Meeting in October. He wants to rally the troops. We have so much that will be affecting our industry in the next few months and years. We need to believe in our medical society and become better organized with ONE voice. Dr. Polek has been a true follower of those words for years. Thank you for being our advocate. Speaking of advocacy, have you read the article in this newsletter titled “What has ISMS Done for Me Lately”? There is so much ISMS has done to make our lives better but what about making our patients lives better? ISMS was behind the creation of a new law in which children with undiagnosed life threatening allergies will now have access to emergency epinephrine should the need arise. ISMS was instrumental in negotiating this law, which also protects physicians from incurring liability if they provide standing protocols or prescribe supplies of emergency epinephrine to schools. This law will save the lives of many Illinois students. This is something in which to be proud. It is exciting to once again have the privilege of welcoming our U.S. Congressman, Rep. Randy Hultgren as our keynote speaker at the Annual Meeting on November 10th. When do you get the chance to speak with a U.S. Congressman on a personal level, ask him questions, and voice your opinions? You have that opportunity, thanks to the Kane County Medical Society. Come and support the society and hear what’s going on. Invite non-members to attend. It is important for our Congressman to see and hear from us as an organized group, passionate and concerned about our future. We hope to see you all there! Larry Johnson, MD, President Kane County Medical Society
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News From the ISMS House of Delegates Meeting
As much as we all would like for things to stay the same, they always change. Healthcare, organized medicine, and how we treat our patients are all changing and the Illinois State Medical Society is facing serious challenges. For the past year, the Illinois State Medical Society has been working on a strategic planning and restructuring initiative. Three separate task forces have been working on recommendations for how we should organize our Society to best address the needs and challenges of the future. Healthcare reform, the changing face of our healthcare delivery system, and the changing needs and interests of our member physicians have been taken into consideration. The way our medical society looks now and where we need it to be is being discussed in depth. Throughout the weekend of October 28th, at our regular Board of Directors meeting, your ISMS leadership will hear the recommendations of the task forces for this strategic plan and restructuring initiative. We will then begin the process of creating a proposal for presentation, discussion, and ratification by the House of Delegates. Our hope is that we will have a new and revitalized society as a result, and we will be able to serve our physicians better in the future. There will be controversies, as we all believe that change is necessary, and there will be many viewpoints on how this should happen. But we will be certain to assure that all interested stakeholders have a chance to be heard. As of the printing of this newsletter, we do not know the outcome of all these months of research and exploration. I wish I knew what the best solutions will prove to be, but I have great confidence in the people that you have selected to lead your Society. Be assured that I will keep you up to date as this process evolves, and that I will be here to answer any questions you may have, or give you feedback on how some of these decisions have been made. ISMS realizes change can be difficult. Change is inevitable if we want our societies to stay relevant and strong for our physicians. I look forward to a newly revitalized, healthy, and relevant Illinois State Medical Society! Here is my email: (pdehaan@mhsjvl.org). Please feel free to drop me a note. Paul H. DeHaan, MD District 13 Trustee, Illinois State Medical Society |
Have you Checked in with ISMS Lately? Stay Informed!As a member of the Kane County Medical Society you have access to all of the information distributed by the Illinois State Medical Society. You are encouraged to check the website regularly to stay informed of the latest information pertaining to your patients and practice. Go to www.isms.org |
CMS Finalizes Changes to 2011 eRx Incentive ProgramQuick Reference GuideFinal Rule: Medicare Program; Changes to the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive ProgramClick the Following Link for the CMS Quick Refence Guide |
ISMS Legislative Action HubThe ISMS Legislative Action Hub tracks issues, ISMS actions, and recent votes in the Illinois General Assembly of importance to Illinois physicians. Find out the latest on Workers' Compensation, Out-of-Network Payment, Medical Practice Act Extension, and many others! |
