Despite our best intentions, even mildly sleepy physicians and nurses make mistakes and our patients may be suffering more than we recognize. 

On Sunday, May 18, the Riverside County Medical Association hosted a fundraiser to benefit the re-election of Riverside County Board Supervisor Robert Buster, District I incumbent.

This very successful event was attended by physicians and others from throughout Riverside County. In his remarks, Supervisor Buster expressed appreciation for the support of the RCMA and the local healthcare community, expressing his willingness to work with the leadership of the RCMA in addressing healthcare needs and issues within the county through a quarterly healthcare advisory council.

On Tuesday, Apr. 15, more than 350 physicians from throughout California marched on the Capitol to protest 10-percent cuts to the state's Medi-Cal program.

Every year, the American Medical Association Foundation recognizes physicians showing altruism, compassion, leadership and dedication to patient care with their Excellence in Medicine Awards.

The number of respondents has increased each year since the survey's inception.

We appreciate receiving your suggestions for recipients for each of the awards listed. Nomination forms can also be downloaded from the RCMA website at www.rcmanet.org.

The rational basis for all insurance is to spread the cost of services as widely as possible. This is especially true in healthcare, where the service needed is often not one which the individual can delay or do without. Thus, as a social obligation, everyone needs to be part of the system and share in the cost.

On Wednesday, February 27, Attorney Gregory Abrams addressed over 30 medical staff leaders, physicians and administrators from hospitals in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

CMA has a long-standing benefit for physicians and their family members or colleagues who may be having problems related to alcoholism, chemical dependency, mental illness or behavior.

The 20th Annual Western States Regional Conference on Physicians' Well-Being will be held on Wednesday, May 21 from 8 am to 5 pm at the University of California Riverside Extension Center.

As this year begins, I am struck by the wit, wisdom, and courage of previous RCMA presidents as they faced the diverse problems of their time.

On Friday, January 25, 2008 the Riverside County Medical Association met to install its 114th President, Del Henninger, MD, the first RCMA president from Murietta. In turning the gavel over to Dr. Henninger, outgoing president S. Ava Mahapatra, MD presented him with proclamations from elected officials from the surrounding area congratulating him on his election as RCMA President.

Most jurisdictions employ the doctrine of vicarious liability to impose liability on a solo medical practice, medical group, hospital or clinic for the actions of a non-employee or independent contractor. This may include people you might not consider to be acting on your behalf. These people are called "ostensible agents."

Become a Certified Medical Coder, Learn More About Impaired Physicians

There was not a single day in 2007 when the RCMA didn't advocate on behalf of doctors. RCMA leaders met, on several occasions, with Rep. Mary Bono in Washington, D.C., and in Palm Springs. The RCMA Executive Committee also met with Rep. Ken Calvert during its visit to Washington, D.C., for the AMA Leadership Conference. In April, RCMA officers and Legislative Committee members attended the CMA Legislative Leadership Day in Sacramento.

In November, Project K.I.N.D. received a $10,000 grant from the Bank of America Foundation. The funds provide ongoing support for children who come from families that do not qualify for state or federally funded healthcare, but cannot afford private insurance.

Drs. Prabhu and Prabha Dhalla hosted a party welcoming UC Riverside Acting Chancellor Robert Grey in early November. The RCMA has been a strong supporter of expanding the current biomedical sciences program at UCR to a full-fledged medical school. The association donated $25,000 to support this effort.

OSHA Required Annual Staff Training, will be held Wednesday, January 30, 2008, and Become a Certified Medical Coder In Five Days, will be held March 5, 12 and 26, April 2 and 9, 2008.

Recently, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. in a Wall Street Journal editorial said that better self-policing by physicians of their "errant" colleagues would reduce malpractice litigation and help control medical costs.

A special training session on Jan. 20 is designed to assist physician members in meeting the OSHA mandate requiring annual training by October of each year for all office employees.

The Riverside County Medical Association Medical Student Scholarship Fund provides yearly scholarships to Riverside County residents who are enrolled in or have been accepted to an accredited medical school and show financial need.

By the end of the session, the 2-percent tax was off the table, the attempts to expand scope of practice were defeated, and the Legislature passed a bill clarifying that insurance companies cannot cancel or modify contracts after a physician provides treatment--all due to the hard work and dedication of the fantastic California Medical Association government relations team.

Here is resource information for doctors who need to contact school districts about Individual Education Plan Assessments.

On Oct. 24, the Riverside County Medical Association Annual Fall Association Meeting celebrated the achievements of two doctors. The 2007 Outstanding Contribution to Organized Medicine Award was given to Cecilia A. Smith, MD, and the 2007 Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award was presented to David B. Kaminsky, MD.

To assist our members in the challenging area of language access, the RCMA is involved with the Medical Leadership Council on Cultural Proficiency. The association recently received two grants to develop additional resources for physicians in Riverside County.

From July 30-Aug. 6, 28 physicians and allied practitioners from as far away as New Jersey and Texas came together on a Princess Cruise to Alaska to participate in a continuing medical education program.

Effective immediately, the Riverside County Department of Public Health will no longer require tuberculosis skin testing of students for entry into K-12 schools.

Physicians are facing increased scrutiny from the federal government, state regulatory boards and third-party payers on issues of administrative fraud and abuse. Most professional liability policies provide some level of defense coverage.

As an orthopedic surgeon and more-than-casual baseball fan, a June article in the American Journal of Orthopedics by Frank Jobe, MD, and Marilyn Pink, PhD, PT, titled "The Process of Progress in Medicine, Sports Medicine and Baseball Medicine," attracted my attention. Aside from detailing the specifics of orthopedic procedures, the article highlighted the increase in overuse injuries in our younger population. This ought to be of interest to physicians in general, especially primary care doctors and pediatricians, who often see these injuries initially.

Purnima Sharma, MD, of Hemet, an internist and chief of the Department of Medicine at Menifee Valley Medical Center, died June 27 of injuries suffered the same day in a head-on crash outside Jaipur, a northern India city of about 2.7 million.

Watch the mail for your invitation to the Riverside County Medical Association Fall Association Meeting and Annual Awards Presentation. The guest speaker is Joe Dunn, CEO and executive vice president of the California Medical Association.

Healthcare providers are advised to suspend administration of fluoride supplements.

In the May issue of Southern California Physician, I discussed the hiring process. While pre-employment interviews are a source of management anxiety, employee terminations are always at the top of any manager's "hate-to-do" list. And for good reason. The chance of being sued increases greatly if a termination meeting is mishandled.

The Riverside County Foundation for Medical Care, in cooperation with the Riverside County Medical Association and the County of Riverside, is the administrator of the Maddy/Emergency Medical Services Fund (EMSF) program. This fund reimburses physicians for unpaid emergency room claims.

An anesthesiologist and pain management specialist from Riverside, Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, has been re-elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Patchin's re-election was confirmed at the June AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

The California Medical Association House of Delegates wants your resolutions! The deadline to submit them is Aug. 28, 2007. E-mail resolutions to jvale@rcmanet.org. A reply will be sent to you confirming receipt.

Women in medicine have been strongly supported by our local medical association. The Riverside County Medical Association is proud to have had five women as president. Their contribution to the organization is lasting and significant.

The Riverside County Medical Association coordinated a two-week visit to Australia and New Zealand in March. We were there to see the sights and to learn more about the unique healthcare systems serving each country.

More than 130 attendees from hospitals and programs in California, Washington and Arizona spent May 23 learning how to recognize and deal with impaired physicians. The instruction was part of the 19th Annual Western States Regional Conference on Physicians' Well-Being, held at the UC Riverside Extension Center.

It's sad what I hear in talking with physicians. They mostly express feelings of frustration and anger at the way insurance companies and health plans are second-guessing their recommendations and cutting their reimbursements. Further, their greatest unhappiness seems to stem from a feeling of loss about not being "the captain of the ship" with regard to patient care.

Announced in April, the National Provider Identifier contingency plan allows physicians who are covered entities to escape penalties for noncompliance if they demonstrate good faith effort in becoming ready to use NPIs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is quite clear that this does not absolve you from obtaining your NPI by May 23, 2007!

The Riverside County Medical Association will honor several individuals with awards at its October Annual Association Meeting and Awards Presentation. These awards are significant honors that reflect the respect, recognition and appreciation of our membership.

While hiring new employees usually indicates your practice is growing, the process often brings with it a certain anxiety. And for good reason. In today's litigious society, office managers and physicians alike are understandably nervous about saying the wrong thing in interviews.

On March 7, Riverside County Medical Association President S. Ava Mahapatra, MD, had the privilege of speaking at the Palm Springs Adult School Medical Assistant Back Office Graduation.

ATHENA of the Inland Valleys has named Judy Carpenter the ATHENA Award recipient for 2007. According to the organization, Carpenter received the award for her demonstrated excellence in her profession, community service and mentoring.

Members of the Riverside County Medical Association executive committee joined more than 600 physicians at February's American Medical Association National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C.

In a famous play by Goethe, a doctor is accused of practicing quackery. At his trial, he defends himself by stating that the practice of medicine is as much an art as it is a science.

Physicians can now order flu vaccine for the 2007-08 flu season. You are encouraged to place your orders early to guarantee that you will receive your supply in time to vaccinate your high-risk patients in the fall. Place your orders directly with manufacturers or through your regular pharmaceutical distributor.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved the Riverside County Medical Association's request to implement SB 1773 in Riverside County effective Jan. 1, 2007. SB 1773 allows a county to levy additional penalties under the Emergency Medical Services Fund, also known as the Maddy Fund.

The Riverside County Medical Association held its 114th Annual Installation of Officers Event on Jan. 19, 2007, at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert. S. Ava Mahapatra, MD, was installed as president for 2007.

After five years of planning, the Riverside Medical Clinic's new 130,000-square-foot building opened on Jan. 18, 2007. American Medical Association President William Plested III, MD, was on hand to help with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

It is time to stand together to fight for fair reimbursement for every doctor and basic healthcare for every patient.

On Dec. 5, 2006, Project K.I.N.D. invited its founders, volunteer providers and school nurses to a holiday luncheon, in part to honor several people for outstanding contributions to the organization's charitable mission.

There's still time to enjoy an Alaskan adventure and earn CME.

The Inland Empire Palliative Care Coalition will present its second annual educational conference, "Concepts and Cases in Palliative Care," on Sunday, April 29. The event will be held at the Mission Inn in Riverside, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The current controversy regarding the right to bill for noncontracted services rendered, also known as balance billing, pits two segments of the medical profession against one another. In one corner are large organized groups with capitation contracts whose compensation is adversely affected by out-of-plan patient care. In the other corner are physicians who render care on an urgent or emergent basis and who are not in the patient's network.

I was invited to be a guest at the 2006 FREDDIE Awards in New York. This was the 32nd Annual FREDDIE Awards, a celebration of the best in health and medical media production. The host was Susan Lucci, Emmy Award-winning actress, Broadway star and philanthropist.

Organized medicine devotee Rebecca Patchin, MD, was lauded at the recent California Medical Association House of Delegates. She received the Gary Krieger Speakers' Recognition Award, which honors the outstanding contributions of a present or former member of the House of Delegates.

three days in October, the Riverside County Medical Association Board of Councilors held its planning retreat to craft a strategic plan for 2007.

At the Oct. 26 meeting of the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce, the Riverside County Medical Association presented a $25,000 check to the Inland Empire Coalition UCR Medical School Fund to support efforts to bring a four-year medical school to UC Riverside.

The Riverside County Medical Association is pleased to inform you that the EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Allocation) funds that were being held by the state for the fiscal years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 have now been successfully recovered. The allocation for this three-year time period is approximately $1.9 million, or about $650,000 a year.

RCMA's Finest Receive Honors For Outstanding Contributions
On Oct. 25, 2006, the Riverside County Medical Association recognized three of its members and one longtime staffer for their contributions and achievements. More information about each honoree is below. Congratulations!