St. Patrick's Day                      March 17th                
Easter                                    March 23, 2008
National Doctors' Day                March 30, 2008
Administrative Professionals Day  April 23, 2008
National Volunteer Week:           April 27-May 3, 2008

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD'S "BLUE COMPARE" CONSUMER TOOL COMING BACK WITH CHANGES

In the second quarter of 2008, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) plans to update the provider performance information that appears in BlueCompare, the consumer tool that runs in conjunction with Provider Finder® on their Web site.  BCBSTX evaluates its PPO network physicians for their performance on Evidence Based Measures (EBM) and for the relative cost (Affordability) of the care they manage, compared to their peers in the same specialty.

Some of the upcoming changes to BlueCompare include:
   New Affordability and EBM symbols based on the current evaluation will be displayed in Provider Finder
   New Affordability symbols "Not Enough Data" and "Specialty Not Measured" will be displayed for the appropriate physicians and professional providers
   Affordability symbols will be assigned and shown at the Practice Evaluation ID/working specialty/rating area level
   New Evidence Based Measures (EBM) symbols "Specialty Not Measured", "Not Enough Data", and "Voluntarily Declined" will be displayed for the appropriate physician(s)
   A BlueCompare column will be shown in Provider Finder

BCBSTX is preparing to mail communication materials to PPO physicians that contain their 2008 BlueCompare information and new EBM reports if applicable.

For more information about BlueCompare, please visit www.bcbstx.com/provider/bluecompare.htm.

TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS TO OPEN LOW-COST CLINIC

JPS Health Network has joined with a Texas school district to open a low-cost, school-based clinic to serve students. The clinic, staffed by a nurse practitioner, aims to reduce school absences. The Dallas Morning News (3/6)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-healthclinic_06wes.ART.West.Edition1.4645184.html

DFW AIRPORT GETTING WALK-IN MEDICAL CLINIC AND PHARMACY
Airport clinic will be first of its kind in Lone Star State

DALLAS- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport announced plans to open a medical clinic and pharmacy at Terminal A and International Terminal D for travelers and employees.

Final details about the clinic are still being worked out, but airport officials are holding an informational session on April 17 from 1-4 p.m. at the DFW Hyatt Regency for the local healthcare and medical community to discuss the project, bidding procedures and possible partnerships.

"Convenient and affordable healthcare for air travelers, as well as airport and airline workers, is the beginning of a new trend that recognizes the significance of the airport community. With the planned clinic and pharmacy, we feel we are on the front line of change in the healthcare and aviation industries," saysJeff Fegan, CEO of the airport.

The clinic will offer quick access to minor illness care, prescription filling and preventive well-care screenings, as well as vaccinations, X-rays and nutritional services. - Kathryn Mackenzie
From:  Texas Healthflash by HCPro, www.healthleadersmedia.com.

NEW ON WORKERS COMP

New! Designated Doctor Resources - Workers' Compensation Resources for Designated Doctors, including publications, training information and forms.

http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/hcprovider/dd.html#ddresources

REMEMBER THESE 5 ADVANTAGES WHEN ASSESSING THE VALUE OF E-PRESCRIBING 

Illegible penmanship may be the most recognized and discussed problem associated with handwritten prescriptions, but it's certainly not the only one.

Consider the following benefits if a transition from paper to e-prescriptions is under consideration at your facility:

     Problems stemming from illegible prescriptions-incorrect dosing and follow-up telephone calls for clarification-cease to exist
     Patient information is always current and available, with the added benefit of being potentially lifesaving in situations involving patients who arrive in an unconscious state
     Allergy and drug interaction alerts, medication history, and formulary data offer clinical decision support and enable physicians to select medications covered by patients' insurers
     Processing requests for prescription refills requires just a few mouse-clicks, eliminating the need to write detailed patient information and complex medication names
     E-prescribing systems are fairly simple to use and require little training, particularly for staff members who are computer literate

This tip comes from the March issue of Medical Records Briefing.
From:  EHR Connection, HCPro, Inc., www.hcmarketplace.com

AOA HEALTH POLICY NOTES

The National Institutes of Health today announced the creation of a new "Women's Health Resources" Web site to provide the public with the latest scientific information regarding women's health research, available online.

AOA LAUNCHES PRACTICE MANAGERS' TASK FORCE

The AOA is concerned about the financial strains placed on physicians' practices by mounting regulatory and administrative demands. To address these concerns, the AOA developing a Practice Managers' Task Force.

The Task Force is a collection of Practice Managers who have experience working with billing, coding, vendors and Medicare contractors. These Practice Managers will work to create quality data that demonstrates the impact of federal healthcare regulations on osteopathic physician practices. The data will then be used in communications with federal agencies to influence future regulatory policy and reduce the burdens on physicians.

If you would like to participate in the Practice Managers' Task Force, please email your name, practice address, email, phone and fax number to govt-issues@osteopathic.org . For questions about the Task Force, please call Carol Monaco at (202) 414-0140.

TAMPER-RESISTANT RX PADS BY APRIL 1 -- NO FOOLING 

Medicaid outpatient prescriptions must be written on tamper resistant pads by April 1 of this year. The pads must have at least one security feature by then, and three or more by October 1. Some security features sanctioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services include:

Serial/sequential numbering

VOID pantograph paper

Quantity check-off boxes

Safety paper with a uniform background color

For more information on tamper-resistant guidelines, check out these FAQs on the CMS Web site:  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DeficitReductionAct/Downloads/MIPTRPFAQs9122007.pdf

From:  Physicians Practice Pearls, Physicians Practice, www.PhysiciansPractice.com.

LAUGHTER IS A PART OF THE HUMAN SURVIVAL KIT                    (David Nathan)

Q: Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day?
A: Regular rocks are too heavy.

Q: What would you get if you crossed Christmas with St. Patrick's Day?
A:St. O'Claus!

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias was asked by a TV host what he meant when he used the word, "manana."  He said that the term means "maybe the job will be done to-morrow, maybe the next day, maybe the day after that. Perhaps next week, next month, next year. Who cares?" The host turned to Irishman Shay Brennan and asked him if there was an equivalent term in Irish. "No. In Ireland we don't have a word to describe that degree of urgency.", replied Brennan.

The American tourist in Dublin had been complaining a great deal about the food.
"Here," he said to the waitress holding out a piece of meat for inspection, "do you call that pig?"
"Which end of the fork, sir?" the waitress asked sweetly.

The origin of the bagpipes was being discussed and the representatives of different nations were eagerly disclaiming responsibility for the instrument.
Finally, and Irishman said, "Well, I'll tell you the truth about it. The Irish invented them and sold them to the Scots as a joke; and the Scots haven't seen the joke yet!"

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend Finney.
"Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"
"Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney. "Where are you callin' from?"

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ADVOCATE DO MEDICAL LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR DO's

TOMA members want and deserve the best service and rates for their Medical Liability Insurance, which is why TOMA has selected Advocate, DO to be their exclusive Medical Liability Insurance carrier.  Advocate, DO offers full coverage, aggressive claims management, pro-active risk management, 24/7 customer support and competitive rates.  Plus, you can mid-term your policy with Advocate, DO's Continuous Policy and make monthly payments with no interest charges or surplus fees.

With the Continuous Policy, you will automatically receive a 10% discount and are eligible for additional discounts and credits.  Prior acts coverage and part-time coverage are also available.  Please visit www.advocatedo.com for additional information.
Advocate, D.O.

Underwritten by Advocate, MD Insurance Company of the Southwest Inc.

800-686-2734 or 512.275.1830

www.advocatedo.com