Category: News

Bay County Updates on COVID-19

Posted on by admin

As our community struggles to get back to some semblance of normal after the disaster of Michael, healthcare professionals find ourselves again wrestling with the chaos addressing basic healthcare needs.  These are unprecedented times, and like our patients, many of us as physicians are trying to find a way to deliver even basic healthcare needs. We struggle with questions of priority, as we attempt to figure out how to keep our patients safe and healthy.  The silver lining is that by now, we as healthcare providers are well versed in dealing with challenging healthcare delivery. Relative to the challenges of Michael, we feel better prepared to face the adversity of COVID-19.

We have a strong Medical Association which does an amazing job of keeping both providers and patients abreast of the current Pandemic situation. We encourage everyone to visit our website and Facebook page for the latest updates and information. The rapid evolution of this process requires excellent communication and proactive thought processes.

With the recent ‘Stay at home’ (Executive Order 20-91) by Gov. Desantis, we want our patients to know that staying at home does not mean that you should disregard your healthcare needs and concerns. Take care of yourself! Your physician can address many healthcare needs (refills, questions, concerns) via remote telecommunication. We want you to continue taking regular medications and if you need refills, contact your physician.

If you feel sick and are concerned that you have symptoms of COVID-19, contact your primary care physician and initiate further instruction.  Do not go to the ER, or Urgent care clinic until you contact your primary care provider and are told to do so. If you don’t have a primary care provider, contact Michelle Flaat at michelle@flmedical.org or 850-819-8273 and she can help direct you to the appropriate provider.

If you have routine healthcare appointments pending, contact your provider or visit their website to seek guidance as to the best course of action.  Many providers will see you remotely, or perhaps reschedule your appointment depending on acuity. Do your best to stay healthy by washing your hands regularly, avoiding contact with others, and sanitizing objects that are frequently touched (i.e. cell phones, door handles). And of course, be vigilant about Social Distancing!

COVID-19 Patient Need-to-Know Summary:

Do:

  • Continue taking all prescribed medication.
  • Keep existing appointments (within the next 8 weeks), BUT, contact your physician or visit their websites/social media, prior to your scheduled appointment to see whether you can (or should) keep the appointment.
  • Remember that many healthcare needs can/may be addressed remotely via facetime or other similar apps.
  • If you need an appointment call your provider to schedule as necessary.
  • Wash your hands, and clean high traffic areas regularly.
  • Practice Social Distancing!

Do Not:

  • Neglect your healthcare needs due to quarantine.  We can help!
  • Go to the ER/Urgent Care if you are worried you may have COVID-19 without contacting your primary physician first (obviously if your healthcare situation is emergent take appropriate measures).
  • Underestimate the importance of your mental health!

Finally, remember not only to take care of your body but especially in times like these, take care of your mental health!  As our homes have now become our schools and offices, stress does not begin to explain the emotional obstacles we face during this challenging time.  Set aside designated exercise time, prayer/meditation time, and family communication time to ensure your well-being. There are many resources available and we are fortunate to have them set up and ready as mental health providers have been equipped to handle the Hurricane Michael mental health crisis already.  Focus on positive and uplifting thoughts, but don’t ever hesitate to ask for help if you feel like you could use support. Our community and strong, even stronger since overcoming the adversity and come out stronger. Together we will overcome this Pandemic, and again, be fortified as a country when all is said and done.

Emerald Coast Medical Association Joins Florida Patient Protection Coalition

Posted on by admin

Healthcare is best delivered by a team of professionals working together for the good of the patient. Each member is trained for a specific role, with specific training requirements commensurate with responsibility. Independent practice of Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners not only fractures the team with dissension, but it blurs the role of each team member, and results in substandard patient care.  

Jeremy Sunseri, MD
Board President
Emerald Coast Medical Association

Florida Patient Protection Coalition formed to combat misinformation regarding the level of education, training between physicians and mid-level practitioners

(Tallahassee, Fla.) – More than 50 County Medical and Specialty
Societies across the state today announced the formation of the Florida Patient Protection Coalition (FPPC) to educate the public on the
benefits of physician-led, team-based care and to combat the false and
vitriolic narrative spun by supporters of House Bill 607 related to health care practitioners.

“The Florida Patient Protection Coalition seeks to counter the propaganda being disseminated by the nursing and physician assistant groups pushing for independent practice legislation,” said FMA President Ronald F. Giffler, MD, JD, MBA. “The Florida Medical Association believes that independent practice and team-based care take healthcare delivery in two very different directions. Independent practice further compartmentalizes and fragments health care delivery, while team-based care fosters greater integration and coordination.”

There are vast differences in the education
and training of physicians compared to that of non-physician health care
practitioners. A Medical Doctor must complete four years of medical school
followed by three or more years of graduate medical education, which includes
at least 15,000 clinical training hours (see graphic below).

In contrast, advanced nursing degree programs
only recommend 500 post-baccalaureate hours (about 12 weeks) of clinical
training for Masters of Science in Nursing degrees and 1,000 post-baccalaureate
hours of clinical training for Doctorate of Nursing Practice degrees. Advanced
Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are not required to complete any training
beyond graduate school, whereas Medical Doctors complete three to seven years
of residency training in a select surgical or medical specialty under
experienced physician faculty supervision.

“As a member of the Florida Patient Protection
Coalition, it is critical we push back on special interest groups who seek to
compromise the quality of health care by allowing Advanced Practice Registered
Nurses and Physician Assistants to practice beyond the scope of their education
and training,” said Christie Alexander, MD, President, Florida Chapter of the
American Academy of Family Physicians.“This coalition believes
patients’ best interests are optimally served when they are treated in a
physician-led, team-based model of care.”

Fast Facts:

  • According to a 2013 study by the Mayo Clinic, inappropriate referrals to tertiary referral centers by APRNs and Physician Assistants (PAs) could offset any potential savings from the increased use of APRNs and PAs.
  • A JAMA Internal Medicine study found that APRNs and PAs were associated with more ordered diagnostic imaging than primary care physicians.
  • A brief report by the Infectious Diseases Society of America found that ambulatory visits involving APRNs and PAs more frequently resulted in an antibiotic prescription compared with physician visits.
  • Physician supervision is the norm, not the exception:
    • States that do not allow APRNs to practice independently make up roughly 70% of the population.
    • 9 of the 10 most populous states do not allow APRNs to practice independently.

Across the country, patients overwhelmingly
want a coordinated approach to health care, with a physician leading the health
care team. Key findings from AMA 2012 and 2018 surveys include:

  • Ninety-one percent (91%) of respondents said that a physician’s years of education and training are vital to optimal patient care, especially in the event of a complication or medical emergency.
  • Eighty-six percent (86%) of respondents said that patients with one or more chronic conditions benefit when a physician leads the primary health care team.
  • Eighty-four percent (84%) of respondents said that they prefer a physician to have primary responsibility for the diagnosis and management of their health care.

About the Florida Patient Protection Coalition (FPPC)

Joined by more than 50 state medical professional societies, the FMA has launched the Florida Patient Protection Coalition to educate the public about a dangerous legislative proposal, HB 607, which would allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) to practice independently without any supervision from licensed physicians. The coalition’s new website, www.floridapatient.com, also explains the importance of physician-led, team-based care while highlighting the vast difference in physicians’ education and training compared to that of nurse practitioners and PAs. This collaborative effort shows that Florida’s medical community is unified in protecting patients, and it also counters the propaganda from special interest groups that are urging state lawmakers to pass independent practice legislation.

Listing of Florida Patient Protection Coalition members

  • Alachua County Medical Society
  • Bones Society of Florida
  • Brevard County Medical Society
  • Broward County Medical Association
  • Capital Medical Society
  • Charlotte County Medical Society, Inc.
  • Clay County Medical Society
  • Collier County Medical Society
  • Dade County Medical Association
  • Duval County Medical Society
  • Emerald Coast Medical Association
  • Escambia/Santa Rosa County Medical Society
  • Female Indian Physicians of South Florida
  • Florida Academy of Family Physicians
  • Florida Academy of Pain Medicine
  • Florida Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics, Inc.
  • Florida Chapter American College of Physicians
  • Florida Chapter American College of Surgeon
  • Florida Chapter Division of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine
  • Florida Chapter, American College of Cardiology
  • Florida College of Emergency Physicians
  • Florida Medical Association
  • Florida Orthopedic Society
  • Florida Osteopathic Medical Association
  • Florida Psychiatric Society
  • Florida Pulmonary Society
  • Florida Radiological Society
  • Florida Society of Anesthesiologists
  • Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery
  • Florida Society of Nephrology
  • Florida Society of Neurology
  • Florida Society of Ophthalmology
  • Florida Society of Pathologists
  • Florida Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Florida Society of Rheumatology
  • Florida Society of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgeons
  • Florida Urological Society
  • Florida Vascular Society
  • Hillsborough County Medical Association, Inc.
  • Indian Physicians of South Florida
  • Lake-Sumter Medical Society
  • Lee County Medical Society
  • Manatee County Medical Society
  • Marion County Medical Society
  • Palm Beach Medical Society
  • Physician Society of Central Florida
  • Pinellas County Medical Association
  • Polk County Medical Society
  • Sarasota County Medical Society

Abortion Laws on Trial

Posted on by ecma

Recently, Alabama’s governor signed into law the country’s most restrictive anti-abortion bill, which could put doctors who perform abortions with life in prison. The Republican governor, Kay Ivey signed the bill following approval by the Alabama Senate. Physicians who perform abortions could face up to 99 years in prison. Even attempting an abortion will be seen as a Class C Felony, putting the physician at risk of a 10-year prison sentence.

Then another state chimed in with a new abortion law. Missouri Senate passed a bill that will prohibit abortions after eight weeks. The bill is being called the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act,” which bans abortions after the detection of a heartbeat. However, they aren’t as strict as Alabama is with this new law. The law will allow for the procedure to be done if the mother caring could be in harm.

Currently, the law has not taken effect yet in Alabama. So, as of right now, abortions are still very much legal, medical procedures. However, this Act will be brought to court by Planned Parenthood and ACLU.

“The ACLU of Alabama, along with the National ACLU and PPFA, will file a lawsuit to stop this unconstitutional ban and protect every woman’s right to make her own choice about her healthcare, her body, and her future.”

“PLEASE REMEMBER: This bill will not take effect anytime in the near future, and abortion will remain a safe, legal, medical procedure at all clinics in Alabama.” The ACLU took to Twitter to state these, and it seems like this Act could have some powerful foes to get through before it even falls into place.

Another state that also dipped its feet into the new strict abortion laws is Georgia. Governor Brian Kelly signed a law on May 7th that would ban abortions as soon as a heartbeat was detected. The law does allow for women to abort against incest or rape, but the victim would have to report it to the police, and the abortion can’t be done after 20 weeks.

With these states being so close to Florida, it could affect patients coming here to try and get abortions. However, with these acts going to trail in most cases with Planned Parenthood, we could see this as a huge mishap and waste of time.

A Look at Types of Universal Healthcare

Posted on by ecma

Americans all around the nation are giving their support for Medicare for all. On March 29 of this year, we wrote a blog called “Is Medicare For All the Solution?” In case you don’t know what Medicare For All is,

“Medicare For All is a universal health care plan that was developed by Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders. This would be built off what former President Barack Obama had with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Medicare For All is a solution that would help give health insurance at affordable rates, covering primary and specialty healthcare, vision, hearing, dental, mental health, addiction services, and many other essential health care solutions.”

Niran S. Al-Agba, MD, explains universal health care through the following four points:
1. Most universal health care systems are not highly centralized,
2. Most universal coverage systems offer narrow benefit packages and incorporate cost-sharing for patients.
3. Private health insurance plays a significant role in most developed countries with universal coverage.
4. Countries with universal coverage have strict immigration policies to control health care expenditures.

The Commonwealth Fund recently compared universal health care systems around the globe with the United States single-payer bills proposed in Congress. The country that most resembles the US proposal (where decision making is centralized) is France. In France, the government is responsible for 77 percent of total health expenditures. However, there is an out-of-pocket cost share for patients that is around 7 percent, annually. A few other countries that also use a highly centralized system are the Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan. However, these countries have populations that are more similar to that of only one state in the US.

Another type of Universal Healthcare is a “hybrid” system, where decision making and financing are shared at the federal, regional, and local government levels. This form of government is the most cost-effective system to deliver universal health care coverage to a larger population. In Australia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Norway, policy making and resource allocation decisions remain centralized. However, there is flexibility within a region to distribute funds in a more individualized way that is best for local needs.

There is also a “decentralized” universal health coverage system, where decision making and resource allocation is regulated at the regional or provincial level. Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland use this system. For example, in Canada, each province receives (per capita) block grants from the federal government. A block grant is a fixed amount of money the government allocates to a province in advance. Regions are usually held accountable through the establishment of broad national guidelines to ensure fairness and service uniformity.

Now that we’ve gone over a few different universal health care systems which do you think is the best? Using our comment section is a safe place to share your opinions and see what others think about the article or things we’ve talked about in the blog.

Weight-Related Cancers on the Rise

Posted on by ecma

Recently, J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, the interim Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the American Cancer Society posted some findings by the society,

“What if I told you that our children were being exposed to a known carcinogen…The carcinogen is excess weight.”

The American Cancer Society posted the report that shares the details of their findings on the medical journal Lancet Public Health. They also published another work in 2003, in the New England Journal of Medicine that shared evidence of cancer risks increase with excess body weight.

The piece published to Lancet used 12 cancers that are known to be linked with being overweight and obese, and 18 other common cancers that are provenly not related to being overweight. With 6 of the 12 those cancers showing an increase in younger people, whereas 2 of the 18 showed similar cases.

“What is even more disturbing about the new data is the observation that for the weight-related cancers, the risk is increasing among progressively younger people, mirroring an increase in overweight and obesity we’re seeing in the U.S.” The link between the two factors may be something more severe or something we should not worry about.  Do you think the connection between weight-related cancers and obesity are connected?

The authors of the report also pointed out that as of 2014 1 of 3 children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and 78.2 percent of Americans (from 22 to 74 years of age) are also in the same situation. These numbers should have us very worried about the nation’s health.

Then as we look back to work published in 2003,

“The fact is, these warnings have not exactly received a lot of traction. The irony, of course, is the association between body weight cancer gets a fraction of the attention of other, much smaller risks.” The older published work was not taken as seriously as it should have been and unfortunately, because of that, the situation hasn’t gotten better.

However, how do we make these numbers deplete?

“We can try to do something about this as individuals: We can try to eat more fruits and vegetables and less red and processed meat and other processed foods; we can try to be more active.” As a group, Americans can make better health choices, and try to avoid unhealthy alternatives. Americans need to get out more and make better life choices to make sure they can cap out on their experiences and life in a whole.

We (Emerald Coast Medical Association) have written some other papers on how to stay healthy, and we recommend that you read those too.  J. Leonard Lichtenfeld left his readers with this,

“We haven’t worked this hard to fail. We always work hard to succeed, to improve our lives. Now it is clearly the time to take on this challenge, to make a difference, and avoid what appears to be a looming catastrophe when it comes to a disease we all dread. And that disease is cancer.”

Emerald Coast Medical Association doesn’t just care for your health, but we also care for your opinion and wellbeing. Feel free to leave a comment and discuss how you feel about weight-related cancers and obesity. Also, we will always do our best to keep you informed, and you’ll always have a voice we want to hear.

Is Medicare For All the Solution?

Posted on by ecma

Medicare For All is a universal health care plan that was developed by Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders. This would be built off what former President Barack Obama had with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Medicare For All is a solution that would help give health insurance at affordable rates, covering primary and specialty healthcare, vision, hearing, dental, mental health,addiction services, and many other essential health care solutions.

Not much is known on where funding would come from for this new health care solution. However, it is sure to be discussed soon with the 2020 elections coming up.

The first thing that needs to be viewed is how this will pass through Congress. The current House of Representatives may be inclined to pass this Medicare For All plan, whereas, the Senate would be completely opposed. This could change come 2020, but there will still be many opposers, including Republicans and moderates, the insurance lobby, and other special interests. This new plan would require a total reboot of our current healthcare, which would cause a reworking of the tax code, rearranging of national priorities, and either cause reconstruction or abolishment of the health insurance industry.

With our current healthcare system, some like it, and some hate it. However, more people are without health care than individuals who have health care. Most people will agree that, as a nation, we need to improve health insurance coverage and make it more affordable. President Obama attempted to do so, but unfortunately, due to some flaws in the ACA, it wasn’t all that people hoped for. However, people are becoming hopeful for this Medicare For All plan because they want an expansion of Medicare. Some also support a single payer system, backed by the government, but it doesn’t have to be Medicare.

With the Medicare For All plan possibly destroying the health insurance industry we have now, some citizens are becoming irate. This would mean the abolishment of health insurance plans through employers and private health insurances that users currently have in place.

There is also the giant question in the air of, “who pays for it?” Medicare is not free, and it isn’t all that cheap depending on the individual’s circumstances, needs, and preferences. There are also still costs that Medicare doesn’t cover for some patients, creating even more issues for Medicare For All. Big-ticket items that aren’t covered by Medicare could begin to overwhelm the patient. There is also the government’s single-payer plan, which would cost somewhere in the 30 trillion dollar range over a decade, which would make US citizens pay more in taxes.

This new Medicare For All plan could be very overwhelming and could cause many issues. It could also bring in a new affordable health insurance policy that is easier to acquire.

One thing that isn’t overwhelming is how Emerald Coast Medical Association takes care of its physicians at all government levels. Our Board of Governors routinely take their time to advocate for patients and physicians at the local, state, and federal level. What’s your stance on this issue? Voice your opinion in the comments section below.

Ready to become a member? Click below to join.

Become A Member

A Closer Look at “Surprise Billing”

Posted on by ecma

As the dilemma of “surprise billing” at hospitals around the nation gains scrutiny from the White House and Congress, many major hospital groups indicated they want a hand in shaping the conversation. In a letter sent to the Congressional leaders, from the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals, laid out principles they want legislators to consider as they seek to address the problem. Their solutions aimed at policies for health payers and asked for protection for the patients. Notably, however, they also opposed the controversial practice of balance billing by providers.

These “surprise bills” or “balance bills” can devastate patients. Every little thing can be charged because a patient needed emergency help, but they were at an out of network hospital or received surgery from an out of network doctor. The bill can skyrocket and leave the patient in a financial crisis. This issue has created a “back and forth” in the industry over who is to blame for the surprise medical bills or the practice of charging patients for care that is more costly than the actual amount or not covered by their insurance. A group of insurance, business, and consumer groups announced in December that they would band together to push for stronger patient protections and released their principles for the conversation.

The letter from the hospital groups stated, “We are fully committed to protecting patients from “surprise bills” that result from unexpected gaps in coverage or medical emergencies.” This also included America’s Essential Hospitals, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Catholic Health Association of the United States and the Children’s Hospital Association. They added, “We appreciate your leadership on this issue and look forward to continuing to work with you on a federal legislative solution.”

The group wants a definition of “surprise bills” agreed upon, and under this definition, call for more financial help to the patient. They also want protection for patients who are denied payment by a payer if, for example, the health plan determines the instance was not an emergency. Another massive principle pushed for is ensuring patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information through their health plans. The “surprise bill” is something that happens one out of every five medical emergencies that take place. For the sake of the patient, it should be a priority to solve these issues and form a resolution.

Another Falsified EHR Vendor Identified

Posted on by ecma

Greenway Health, A Tampa-based electronic health record (EHR) company has falsely obtained EHR certification and incentivized clients in exchange for promoting or recommending its products to prospective new customers, and because of this act, the company will be dishing out $57.25 million.

In a statement provided by the company, Richard Atkin, Greenway Health CEO, said the Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement is an admission of wrongdoing and insured that all Greenway products remain ONC-certified.

Atkin also stated, “This agreement allows us to focus on innovation while collaborating with our customers to improve the delivery of healthcare and the health of our communities.” So, to Greenway Health this deficit will help them better their future.

This settlement by the DOJ is the second time federal prosecutors have taken legal action against an EHR vendor for falsifying Meaningful Use certification. Not even two years prior, in May of 2017, a Massachusetts-based company, eClinicalWorks agreed to pay $155 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by falsely claiming their software met Meaningful Use requirements. The Meaningful Use Program was put into play to encourage healthcare providers to show “meaningful use” of certified EHR. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made incentive payments available to eligible healthcare providers that adopted certified EHR technology and met the requirements relating to their use of the technology.

“Many people saw the eClinicalWorks settlement as a wake-up call,” said Matt Fisher, a partner with Boston-based law firm Mirick O’Connell and chair of the firm’s health law group, also stating that this second DOJ settlement could lead to more findings of false claims.

Just like the complaint toward eClinicalWorks, the complaint filed against Greenway Health by the DOJ under the False Claims Act alleges that the company made its users submit false claims to the government by misrepresenting the capabilities of their EHR product, Prime Suit. This resulted in overpaying or improper payments to healthcare providers under the Meaningful Use Program. Greenway Health also violated the Anti-Kickback Statute by paying its clients or providing other incentives for them to recommend their product.

With these two settlements taking place, Christina E. Nolan, an United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, said that EHR companies should consider themselves “on notice.” EHR companies are now on watch by the US government and should make sure that what they are doing is legitimate.

Nolan also stated, “In the last two years, my office has resolved two matters against leading EHR developers where we alleged significant fraudulent conduct. These are the two largest recoveries in the history of this District and represent the return of over $212 million of fraudulently-obtained taxpayer monies. These cases are important, not only to prevent theft of taxpayer dollars but to ensure that the promise of health technology is realized in the form of improved patient safety and efficient healthcare information flow.”

The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Northern Districts of Georgia and the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Vermont conducted this investigation.

Join Emerald Coast Medical Association today to stay on top of the latest news and claim numerous benefits available for members, including a discounted group health plan. Click below to join!

Join Today

Big Hospitals Sue HHS

Posted on by ecma

Hospitals are beginning to follow in the footsteps of the American Hospital Association and are suing the Trump Administration for its decision to institute site-neutral payments.

The change, which is part of the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System rule-making for 2019, would lower reimbursements for hospital outpatient department services to match rates set by the physician fee schedule for clinic visits. This would mean lower costs for a patient’s insurance. However, hospitals would lose about $380 million in 2019 alone and possibly up to $760 million in 2020.  The colossal loss of money is causing an uproar with (as of right now) 38 hospitals signing the lawsuit.

This isn’t even helping the patient from what CMS Administrator Seema Verma says, “It doesn’t make sense for taxpayers, and it certainly doesn’t make sense for patients because they end up having to pay more depending on the site of service.”

However, this can be looked at as taking down the money hungry hospitals. University of Michigan health law professor Nicholas Bagley was among the observers who praised the Trump administration for the proposal, saying CMS is “picking a fight with powerful hospitals because it’s the right thing to do.” The site-neutral payments would mean, hospitals would have to offer the same care at lower prices.

The previous system had Medicare paying higher rates for services provided at the hospitals outpatient facilities. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects the policy change will save the beneficiaries $150 million in co-payments annually; dropping the average copay from $23 to $9.

“The different payment rates also pushed hospitals to purchase independent practices to increase their reach and take advantage of the higher reimbursement rates,” Verma said. “Neutralizing payments would increase provider competition.” Competition could potentially turn into one hospital bettering the others, just because they have more resources and more funding.

However, Farzad Mostashari, MD, co-founder, and CEO of Aledade, said in a series of tweets that hospitals will fight the OPPS rule “bitterly” but that there could be a long-term benefit for them in it.

“The truth is that this proposal could help hospitals be more competitive in value-based contracts/ alternative payment models, and they should embrace the changes,” Mostashari wrote. “If rural hospitals or AMCs need subsidies, then we should do it directly, not through distorting payment policies.”

Here at Emerald Coast Medical Association, we care about your health too. Since 1981, over 50 local physicians banded together to create a Physician’s Security and Benefit plan.

The primary goals are:

  • Provide affordable health insurance to employees, physicians, and their families
  • Upon the death of a physician, provide insurance for the spouse and children of the physician
  • Use each others’ premium dollars to pay claims for those physicians and their family members who had serious medical conditions
  • To provide a premium-rating schedule that did not discriminate against those physicians and their employees who had incurred large medical claims
  • Avoid implementing “gatekeeper” type “managed care” features
  • Promote access to virtually all providers in and out of the state
  • Establish a stable alternative to those carriers who often abandon the insurance marketplace

You can get all this and more for being an Emerald Coast Medical Association Member.

No reason to wait, sign up today. We want to help you and your practice stay healthy and up to date on relevant information.

Join Today

Walgreens Becoming the New Leader in the Consumer Health Market

Posted on by ecma

Walgreens and Microsoft are teaming up to become the most efficient consumer health market available. The two powerhouse companies are going to bring new technology and retail innovations to alter the healthcare delivery space. This multi-year agreement is being aimed to lower the costs of medical supplies and improve patients’ wellbeing. Walgreens has been making impressive partnerships with companies over the last few months to bring their customers the best experience possible. Walgreens has also made agreements with Silicon Valley, Verily, Alphabet Inc. and LabCorp to bring both new technology and more effective healthcare resources to consumers.

“Our strategic partnership with Microsoft demonstrates our strong commitment to creating integrated, next-generation, digitally enabled healthcare delivery solutions for our customers, transforming our stores into modern neighborhood health destinations and expanding customer offerings,” Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of Walgreens had this to say about Microsoft partnering with Walgreens.

This partnership could mean quicker, better, and more stress-free care for their consumers, which will also solidify that customers are getting the necessary supplies to keep their health. If the medicine they get is not working, they can notify their local Walgreens to get the required supplies. One of the first issues Walgreens wishes to fix is their ability to connect with consumers through their digital devices. The goal is to make the customer feel more like an individual who truly matters to the company.

Another goal is building more information based on data science and artificial intelligence to help their customers feel even more personalized. The agreement offers more things to Walgreens than better health for their customers. Microsoft will also become the cloud provider for Walgreens, and the pharmacy chain will transfer the majority of its company’s IT infrastructure onto Microsoft Azure. Microsoft is gifting Microsoft 365 to more than 380,000 employees in the process.

Emerald Coast Medical Association wants you to stay healthy and up to date on medical news. If you become a member of ECMA one of the most significant benefits we offer you is medical malpractice insurance. This means you get to spend less on medical malpractice insurance, get a discount for being a member, and receive protection from a claims team that wins 90% of its trails. However, that’s not all; you get to make your choices with settlements, free trial coverage and promised solid financial strength. This one benefit provides you with many resources to keep your practice going.

There are many more benefits that come with your ECMA Membership. Join today and make your future better.

Learn More