DCMS in ACTION What has your county medical society done for you lately?

DCMS Bioterrorism Resource Center IPA S.O.S A Not-So Private Practice Saying "NO" to Managed Care Mergers 2007 State of the Society

Texas is experiencing a migration of physicians from across the U.S., partly because of the practice-friendly work environment, the strong tort reform recently passed, and the health of the economy. More than 3000 new physicians arrived in Texas in 2006 and Dallas picked up its share of these physicians. DCMS membership is growing and has exceeded 6000 members for the first time since the early 1990s. We continue to be the third-largest county medical society in the country.

ADVOCATE FOR THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE
DCMS has been active in an important initiative affecting the health of physicians’ practices. One of the fastest growing segments of patients is the uninsured. The viability of medical practices depends on our region’s response to this trend. DCMS represents all practicing physicians in a business-health care industry group called Dallas Medical Resource. DMR has led the charge to keep millions of current federal Medicaid matching funds in the region. In fact, our region stands to increase its federal funds Medicaid match by more than $100 million in 2007. DCMS is advocating for its members to receive their share of these funds, which are distributed to the hospital systems, in the form of higher or more broadly based emergency room call coverage fees and other innovative practices that lower the cost burden of treating uninsured patients.

PUBLISH PICTORIAL DIRECTORY
The DCMS Member Directory is our most visible member benefit, and the 2006-2007 pictorial edition increases the directory’s usefulness. Members count on this directory as their primary resource when making referrals and seeking consults from colleagues.

PROJECT ACCESS DALLAS
Since the program began, the PAD volunteer network has grown steadily. It now has more than 700 physicians volunteer, 15 area hospitals, eight charity medical clinics serving as enrollment sites, eight ancillary support organizations, one national laboratory service organization, 19 business organizations, and 40,00 nationwide pharmacies. PAD is also pleased to share the following accomplishments from 2005: donated more than $1.8 million of care, filled more than 10,700 prescriptions, paid more than $179,000 for prescriptions, average value per patient was $1621, and 1129 unduplicated patients received care.

REGIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION ORGANIZATION
DCMS is a lead partner in North Texas’ efforts to establish a RHIO that will benefit patients, physicians, employers, and hospitals. The concept is to create an organization that all these parties trust, so that clinical patient data can be shared confidentially and quickly. The most important factor in establishing a RHIO is strong physician adoption of electronic health records and provision of a safe and reliable method for physicians to share data. Because DCMS is playing a lead role in this effort, physicians can trust that the RHIO is attentive to their needs and those of their patients.

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