2013 July/August Part 1

JULY / AUGUST 2013 | Volume 19 | Number 4

Sccma Incoming President Sameer Awsare, Md, FACP, Receives the Gavel From Past President Rives Chalmers, Md

PAGE 3 INSIDE:

Kelly O’Keefe, MD, Starts His New Term as Mcms President

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MCMS Incoming President Kelly O'Keefe, MD, Receives the Gavel From Past President John Clark, MD. JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 3

The Santa Clara County Medical Association Officers President Sameer Awsare, MD President-Elect James Crotty, MD Past President Rives C. Chalmers, MD VP-Community Health Cindy Russell, MD VP-External Affairs Kenneth Blumenfeld, MD VP-Member Services Peter Cassini, MD VP-Professional Conduct Seham El-Diwany, MD Secretary Eleanor Martinez, MD Treasurer Scott Benninghoven, MD

Chief Executive Officer

Councilors

William C. Parrish, Jr.

El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos: Arthur Basham, MD El Camino Hospital: Imtiaz Qureshi, MD Good Samaritan Hospital: Richard Newell, MD Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Jose: Seema Sidhu, MD Kaiser Permanente Hospital: Anh Nguyen, MD O’Connor Hospital: Michael Charney, MD Regional Med. Center of San Jose: Richard Kline, MD Saint Louise Regional Hospital: Diane Sanchez, MD Stanford Hospital & Clinics: Michael Champeau, MD Santa Clara Valley Medical Center: Richard Kramer, MD

AMA Trustee - SCCMA James G. Hinsdale, MD

CMA Trustees - SCCMA Thomas M. Dailey, MD (District VII) Martin L. Fishman, MD (District VII) Susan R. Hansen, MD (Solo/Small Group Physician) Randal Pham, MD (Ethnic Member Organization Societies) Tanya Spirtos, MD (District VII)

BULLETIN

THE MONTEREY COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY

Printed in U.S.A.

OFFICERS

Editor

President Kelly O'Keefe, MD President-Elect Jeffrey Keating, MD Past President John F. Clark, MD Secretary Patricia Ruckle, MD Treasurer Steven Vetter, MD

THE

Official magazine of the Santa Clara County Medical Association and the Monterey County Medical Society

Joseph S. Andresen, MD

Managing Editor Pam Jensen

Opinions expressed by authors are their own, and not necessarily those of The Bulletin, SCCMA, or MCMS. The Bulletin reserves the right to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submitted in whole or in part. Acceptance of advertising in The Bulletin in no way constitutes approval or endorsement by SCCMA/ MCMS of products or services advertised. The Bulletin and SCCMA/MCMS reserve the right to reject any advertising.

Address all editorial communication, reprint requests, and advertising to: Pam Jensen, Managing Editor 700 Empey Way San Jose, CA 95128 408/998-8850, ext. 3012 Fax: 408/289-1064 pjensen@sccma.org © Copyright 2013 by the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

4 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER William C. Parrish, Jr.

DIRECTORS Paul Anderson, MD

John Jameson, MD

E. Valerie Barnes, MD

Jeff Keating, MD

Ronald Fuerstner, MD

Eliot Light, MD

James Hlavacek, MD

R. Kurt Lofgren, MD

David Holley, MD

AMA Trustee - mcms David Holley, MD

BULLETIN THE

Official magazine of the Santa Clara County Medical Association and the Monterey County Medical Society

700 Empey Way • San Jose, CA 95128 • 408/998-8850 • www.sccma-mcms.org

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Feature Articles

Billing/Collections

8 Take the Driver's Seat and Manage Your Internet

CME Tracking

Presence

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14 MCMS’s Annual Awards Banquet and Installation

Financial Services

22 SCCMA Award Presentations and Installation

Health Information Technology

28 SCCMA Awards Banquet Photos

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Joseph S. Andresen, MD Editor, The Bulletin

Thank You Past Presidents

By Joseph Andresen, MD Editor, The Bulletin We are in the midst of summer. From the hot, dry inland valleys, to the temperate bay-side communities and fog-caressed coastline, our climate mirrors the diversity of our Northern California cultural heritage.

As a physician, it is a privilege and welcome challenge to treat and care for patients from all walks of life, cultures, and from so many parts of the world.

As June passes by, we want to acknowledge those elected representatives who have worked very hard on our behalf over this past year. Drs. Rives C. Chalmers and John F. Clark leave as past presidents for Santa Clara and Monterey County medical societies.

I looked back at Dr. Chalmer’s incoming speech given at the SCCMA Annual Awards Banquet and Installation Dinner held on June 5, 2012. He recognized the immense change and challenges to medicine that we faced at that time and continue to confront going forward. His words still ring true today: “We are in a strong position to influence the direction of change, both at a local and a state level, by supporting the voice of our physicians...Our slogan this year will be to “Think SCCMA.” We can help and we are listening.

SCCMA is a team sport, and needs the input of all the members…”

John Clark, MD 6 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

Joseph S. Andresen, MD, is the editor of The Bulletin. He is board certified in anesthesiology and is currently practicing in the Santa Clara Valley area.

“We need more diversity – including more of the East Side physicians, especially the Asian community. We always need more young physicians.

Governor Alfred Smith said, “The solution to problems of democracy is more democracy.” The base support of any democratic organization is active members, not dues-paying bystanders.”

Dr. John Clark shared his goals as the incoming president of the Monterey County Medical Society: “From the position of standing next to the exam table, it is easy to feel helpless. A practitioner could use some help in the face of such titanic forces; help advocating for their patients and themselves within the larger health care system. I believe that the job of the Monterey County Medical Society is to offer such assistance, partnering with physicians as they approach the edifice of organized medicine.”

We thank these two leaders for their service and contribution in making our medical societies stronger and more vibrant for all our members in the years to come.

Rives Chalmers, MD

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Take the Driver’s Seat and Manage Your Internet Presence

By Ari Tulla The Internet has fundamentally changed how people find information and interact with each other. E-mail, Google Search, and social networks have largely replaced letters, newspapers, and even phone calls. We have a cell phone in our pocket, but we are more likely to send a text message than make a phone call with it.

The Internet has had equally disruptive impact on business and retail.

Internet marketplaces have changed the way we buy products and services.

Amazon is the world’s largest retailer of books without physical stores. iTunes is the world’s largest record store without physical products. You can find Internet marketplace for groceries, taxis, travel, and, soon, even for health care.

Physicians can no longer hide from the Internet

Patients used to find a doctor via referrals, but now 75% of patients start their doctor search from the Internet. Google search leads patients to doctor search and reviews sites that offer patients simple tools to learn more information on local doctors. Physicians shouldn’t try to hide from the Internet, but actively manage their Internet presence. You can take a driver’s seat of your Internet presence by following these three simple steps.

1) Search yourself and your practice name on Google Patients are likely to Google your name before booking an appointment.

It’s important that your information is correct and appropriate. On the top of the Google search, you’ll likely find your practice website, and doctor search and review sites. You should click the links to get a better understanding of the information patients are likely to read before their visit.

2) Take action to update your contact information, photo, and bio Once you have understood what patients find when they search you on the Web, it’s time to take action. With little effort, you can visit the doctor search sites and claim your online profile to make sure the content is correct and apAbout the author: Ari Tulla.

After years of family medical struggles, Ari Tulla founded BetterDoctor to help his family find the right doctor. Now, two years later, BetterDoctor has helped Ari’s family and two million other patients find the right doctor.

Prior to BetterDoctor, Ari lead Nokia’s game and application businesses where he was responsible for the creation of thousands of mobile apps with over 100M downloads. Ari has over a decade of experience on creating new delightful Internet products and experiences.

8 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

propriate. Some of the doctor search services, such as BetterDoctor, let you claim your profile for free. This step ensures that patients will always find the right information when they search you on Google.

3) Build a plan to take control of your Internet presence Once you have made sure patients will find correct information on Google search, you’ll need to have a long-term plan to control your Internet presence.

The scope of the plan depends on the time and money you are willing to invest.

Here’s a list of common tactics and investment levels.

Consumer reviews ($0 - $5,000 a year) Reviews tend to gravitate to the extremes. Patients are likely to give ratings when they have a very good or negative experience. The negative reviews are unavoidable, and, unfortunately, sometimes result from booking mistakes or insurance billing issues. You shouldn’t get offended by these reviews, but proactively encourage your patients to go write reviews online. Consumer review sites have options to pay for premium visibility, but you won’t be able to edit the reviews.

Example: yelp.com Doctor search sites ($0 - $500 a year) Keeping your profile information up-to-date is critical and you need to make sure to update profiles every time you change your office location. Based on recent studies, patients are 70% more likely to book an appointment to a doctor whose online profile includes a photo and a detailed bio. Doctor search sites have options to pay for premium services including improved search engine optimization and premium visibility.

Example: doctor.betterdoctor.com Social media ($0) Most of your patients are on Facebook and so should your practice. It’s free to establish a practice page on Facebook, but posting interesting content every week requires work. Also, it’s important to notify existing patients to follow your practice’s Facebook page. Having a profile on Facebook and proactively posting content on social media helps broaden your online presence. You should look at the Mayo Clinic Facebook page for a good example on what to post on the practice pages.

Example: www.facebook.com/MayoClinic Your own website ($25,000 - $250,000) Many practices have a simple website with contact information, but this is no longer enough. If you don’t want to invest in your own website, you’ll be okay by just updating your information on the doctor search sites as recommended in step 2. If you want to make the investment and build a proper website, you’ll need to make sure the site is search engine optimized and offers interesting information to your patients. Similarly, as with social media, you’ll need to keep the website updated on a weekly basis.

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MESSAGE FROM THE SCCMA PRESIDENT

SAMEER V. AWSARE, MD, FACP President, Santa Clara County Medical Association

A Time of Great Change

By Sameer V. Awsare, MD, FACP President, Santa Clara County Medical Association The following speech was presented at SCCMA’s Annual Awards Banquet and Installation Dinner on June 11, 2013.

Good evening, fellow physician members of the Santa Clara County Medical Association, family members, distinguished guests, and sponsors. It is my honor and privilege to address you as the 78th president of the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA), which is the largest county medical association in California. I want to begin by thanking Dr. Rives Chalmers for the tremendous job he has done over the last year as president, and wish him and his family the very best.

It is the SCCMA’s mission to advance medical knowledge, elevate the standards of practice, educate the public regarding health, promote the provision of quality health care, provide services to the membership, and encourage open communication among the physicians of our county. The SCCMA has done just that under the leadership of Dr. Chalmers, the Executive Committee, the Council, Bill Parrish – our CEO, and our excellent SCCMA staff, who have made sure that the voice of the association’s members is heard not only in the county, but in the state, and nation.

Health care in America is in a time of tremendous change with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the likes of which have not been seen since the beginning of Medicare, almost 50 years ago. The speed of change is almost overwhelming and it is critical that physicians be involved in leading this change. The three major components of the ACA include coverage, financing, and delivery system reform. All of these will affect physicians in our county and across the nation.

Coverage reform includes standard benefits, individual mandates, and the setting up of insurance exchanges. California was the first to do so in the nation, with Covered California, which is the state board implementing the Affordable Care Act and running the health insurance exchanges. The CMA has been an active partner in the implementation process, providing feedback to the exchange board every step of the way. However, physicians remain concerned about some components of the exchange. There is one major concern regarding our state exchange that could leave physicians to foot the bill for services provided to patients who failed to pay their insurance premiums. The current law allows for a three-month grace period for nonpayment of premiums, but only requires insurers to pay the claims through the 10 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

first month of nonpayment. The CMA has lobbied for a provision that requires 15-days advance notice to physicians when a patient has entered the second month of the grace period, but this unfortunately leaves the burden of 60-days-worth of unpaid claims on the physician and patient.

Financing Reform includes tax code changes, subsidies for the poor, and, hopefully, the SGR fix. This year, the Congressional Budget Office lowered its estimate of the cost of a permanent SGR fix to $138 billion over 10 years. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee has made repealing and replacing the SGR formula a top priority for this year.

If Congress is unable to fix the SGR, then physicians paid under the current fee-for-service system face a 27% reduction in reimbursements in 2014. Last month, the CMA testified on your behalf in front of the Senate Finance Committee with potential solutions to the SGR fix.

The delivery system reform includes payments for electronic health records, comparative effectiveness research, the medical home, and the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Federal funding is available to physicians to implement electronic health records, as long as they achieve meaningful use. Again, the CMA has developed resources that help physicians select, adopt, and implement EHRs that qualify for federal funding. Physicians are being asked to join ACOs and it is critical that these organizations have a fair and efficient governance structure. Again, members of the SCCMA have access to medical-legal documents created by the CMA to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place when physicians join ACOs. In addition to health care reform, physicians face decreasing Medi-Cal reimbursements, an assault on MICRA, and scope of practice issues that are currently being debated by the California legislature.

California’s Medi-Cal program provides essential health care services to many of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our state, yet, reimbursement rates rank 47th among all the states. The Governor’s budget promises additional cuts though to these already low reimbursements which will make it increasingly difficult for enrollees to find a physician who would be willing to take care of them. Several of us in this room spent time in Sacramento, last April, talking to our legislators regarding this, and CMA has sponsored legislation to stop further cuts in reimbursement. MICRA, which caps noneconomic damages, but not malpractice damages, has been shown to improve access to Sameer V. Awsare, MD, FACP, is the 2013-2014 president of the Santa Clara County Medical Association. He is a board certified internist and is currently practicing with The Permanente Medical Group in Campbell.

health care for patients and to decrease health care costs. The trial lawyers have decided to try and repeat the assault on MICRA again and we need to strongly defend it. Several allied health professionals are lobbying the state legislature to expand their scope of practice, in spite of lacking adequate training. The CMA has undertaken a vigorous effort to educate the Legislature on the differences between the education and scope of practice of physicians, including their abilities to make medical diagnoses, and the education and scope of practice of other allied health care providers.

Although we are the largest county medical association in the state, we need to continue to grow our membership. We need to continue to engage our medical students and residents, and to encourage them to join and participate in the SCCMA and CMA. As president of the SCCMA, I plan to do just that. I want to thank our CEO, Bill Parrish, for emphasizing the benefits of SCCMA and CMA membership to

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our physician colleagues at VMC, which has lead to an increase in their membership and participation in our association. I want to encourage our physician colleagues at Stanford to follow suit!

Our medical association is comprised of physicians from various practice settings – solo practice, small group, large group, and academia. It is critical that physicians from these diverse practice settings be members of the SCCMA, express their viewpoints, and then speak as one voice of the house of medicine. The work of the SCCMA benefits all physicians in our county, so it is imperative that all physicians support the association. Health care in America will undergo tremendous change over the next few years, which will bring challenges and opportunities. Physicians must choose to lead this change on behalf of our patients and profession. I look forward to working with all of you over the coming year.

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JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 11

MESSAGE FROM THE MCMS PRESIDENT

KELLY R. O'KEEFE, MD President, Monterey County Medical Society

Supporting the Society’s Vision for the Future

By Kelly R. O’Keefe, MD President, Monterey County Medical Society The following speech was presented at MCMS’s Annual Awards Banquet and Installation Dinner on June 20, 2013.

I would like to express my welcome to honorees and honored guests, to members of the society and their family members, to our sponsors, and to the staff of the Society.

I am, of course, enormously appreciative of my election by members of the medical society as your president for the coming year. Being selected to serve in this especially turbulent year of ACA implementation, the Covered California health exchange coming online, and enormous local health care organizational changes is truly a unique honor.

Assuming, of course, that all of you who are members aren’t just sitting out there thinking, “Better him than me.”

I knew I would have a number of responsibilities to the society when I assumed this post, so I followed my usual practice of doing some research before I began. I started by looking at the bylaws of our society, and refreshed my memory of our charter, which is, “The objectives of this Society shall be to promote and develop the science and art of medicine, to conserve and protect the public health, to promote the betterment of the medical profession, to cooperate with organizations of like purposes, and to unite with similar societies of other counties of the state to form the California Medical Association.”

Good. That is a vision I can do my piece for.

I also knew one of my first duties would be these introductory comments, so I also reviewed the published introductory comments of the past few medical society presidents, and I considered the speakers that I have heard recently along with many of you, and who most impressed me. Those included Jamie Orlikoff, who speaks with a great depth of knowledge about the governance of health care organizations and how that brings value to our communities and to our patients, and makes that difficult subject understandable and interesting with his style and wit, and Ian Morrison, the Scottish-Canadian-Californian Kelly R. O’Keefe, MD, is the 2013-2014 president of the Monterey County Medical Society. He is a board certified pathologist and is currently CEO of Adaptive Clinical Solutions, Inc. 12 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

health care economist and futurist who deftly explains the whys and wherefores of health care reform with unmatched humor. Nobody sleeps through one of Ian’s presentations. Having taken stock of the situation, I realized I could not offer you the same depth of knowledge, style, or wit. So I will offer you what I can, which is brevity.

I would like to talk – briefly – about what I see as two of the currently important forces that influence our practices; the unremitting pace of change in medicine, and how we make decisions for our practices in the face of that change.

I am a pathologist, and I think an anatomic pathologist is well positioned to observe the pace of change in medicine, and that not only because the nature of our practice is to observe and report. I have said for many years that for most of my practice, Rudolf Virchow could have walked out of his office in the Charité Hospital in Berlin in 1880, sat down in my chair, looked through my microscope, seen something very much like what he saw in his office, and diagnosed my cases. That has changed radically in the past two decades, with continuously accelerating change brought about by molecular and genetic laboratory methods.

These are technical changes that have faced pathology. We all see those in every area of medicine, and we respond to them in our own practices. Sometimes we adopt them slowly; we are all aware of the often quoted statement that it takes 17 years for a new idea or method to be adopted in medicine. When they are good ideas, we often adopt them quickly; the use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy increased in the U.S. from about 3% to about 75% of cases, between 1989 and 1992.

It appears to me that when physicians identify practice changes that bring substantial benefits to their patients, they have a bias toward rapid adoption. We may be challenged keeping up with the pace of technical change in medicine, but we seem to have developed relatively satisfactory methods for managing that change.

How about change in the non-technical areas that influence the practice of medicine? We see all around us rapid changes in payors, administrative requirements, and payments, in the regulatory and programmatic environment on the state and federal levels, and changes in local organizational structures and affiliations that affect, or threaten to affect, our practices and our patients. How are these different than technical factors? In part they are different, and worrisome to us, because we don’t have the same information about their likely effects on

our patients and on our practices. We didn’t see a randomized, controlled study of the benefits and risks of ACA for our patients before it was adopted, as we would have seen for a new antibiotic, so we are less certain what to expect, and we’re not sure a futurist like Ian Morrison can help us all that much. We don’t have the same ability to study and evaluate and adopt in our own practices – or not – new Medicare regulations based upon the benefits they will bring our patients, as we can with a new practice. But we have seen changes that have been effected in areas like wellness, and in preventive services and screening by various influences, rather than by what the literature suggests is appropriate.

I think the commonality in some of these forces shows us a key to managing non-technical as opposed to technical change. We are able to manage technical change relatively independently; we are likely to be much more effective in influencing and managing systemic change when we operate in concert. This is the capability that the medical society gives us.

We don’t need to look any further than our past few presidents to find examples of this. Dr. John Jameson has for years been a tireless advocate for the defense of MICRA, and this has been an important – and successful – and ongoing part of the county medical society’s activities, as carried out especially through the CMA. Dr. James Ramseur

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has been an articulate and passionate advocate for physician autonomy and the role of physicians in local and statewide health care decision making. Dr. John Clark has presided over not only the usual legislative activities of the society, but over significant efforts to connect with our county supervisors and elected state officials, and to seek out local physician input on local health care issues. And they have all worked with our outstanding CEO, Bill Parrish, his staff, and the rest of the board, to substantially increase the membership of the society, which, after all, is the vehicle through which we have greater influence than we can have individually. These are the individuals whom I observed directly during my tenure on the board; there is no doubt that I would find similar examples in officers further in the past, and for current members of the board.

My goal as president, then, is to continue the trajectory of these efforts in support of the Society’s vision, with which I began these observations. I intend to take my approach from William Osler, who admonished us: “Think not of the amount to be accomplished, the difficulties to be overcome, or the end to be attained, but set earnestly, at the little task at your elbow, letting that be sufficient for the day.”

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member news & happenings

Monterey County Medical Society’s Annual Awards Banquet And Installation Dinner The Monterey County Medical Society held its annual Awards Banquet and Installation Dinner on Thursday evening, June 20, 2013, at the Pasadera Country Club. Over 100 members and special guests attended, including Senator Bill Monning and County Supervisors Jane Parker, Simón Salinas, and Lou Calcagno.

Award honoree Jerry Parker, MD, received an award for “Physician of the Year” for his contributions and over 20 years of service to MCMS’s Medical Review Advisory Committee.

John Clark, MD, 2012-2013 MCMS president, was honored as the outgoing president, and Kelly O’Keefe, MD, was welcomed as MCMS’s incoming president for 2013-2014. Serving in the current fiscal year with Dr. O’Keefe are: Jeffrey Keating, MD, as president-elect; John Clark, MD, as past president; Patricia Ruckle, MD, as secretary; and Steven Vetter, MD, as treasurer. The MCMS board of directors are Paul Anderson, MD; Valerie Barnes, MD; Ronald Fuerstner, MD; James Hlavacek, MD; David Holley, MD; John Jameson, MD; Eliot Light, MD; and R. Kurt Lofgren, MD. The annual banquet was a great success and a lot of fun! MCMS members, their families, and special guests enjoyed a fantastic meal, camaraderie, and a great program to wrap-up the evening.

Award honoree Jerry Parker, MD, received an award for "Physician of the Year."

14 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

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MEDICAL TIMES FROM THE PAST

Benjamin Cory and Other Pioneer Physicians Part 1

By Gerald Trobough, MD SCCMA Leon P. Fox Medical History Committee Most historians agree that Dr. Benjamin Cory was the first American physician to settle in San Jose arriving on December 1, 1847. However, he may not have been the first American to treat San Jose residents. That distinction may belong to Dr. Isaac Isbell.

Isaac Chauncey Isbell (1800-1886) Dr. Isbell, a medical graduate of the Western Reserve College in Ohio, decided to abandon his Chicago medical practice and move west to help settle the wild frontier. He sought advice and direction from Jacob and George Donner. The Donners made arrangements for Isbell and his wife to join the Aram-Imus wagon train originating in Springfield, Illinois.

The Isbells purchased a wagon, team, and supplies, and left Illinois with 31 other wagons on April 14, 1846.

On the way west, the wagon train decided to take a safer approach than the Donner party, crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains. When they reached the Humboldt River, their guide deserted them. Chief Truckee, head of the Paiute Tribe in Western Nevada, agreed to guide them over the treacherous mountain terrain. It took their wagon 16 days to cross the range and settle on the other side. They were fortunate that none of the wagons, nor lives, were lost in the process.

The Aram-Imus party encountered members of Colonel John Fremont’s battalion on the trail near Bear Valley. The soldiers led the Isbells to Fort Sutter, where Isaac worked as a surgeon under Fremont’s command.

Fremont urged the party to go quickly to Mission Santa Clara to help fortify the mission. War with Mexico had just started. The Aram-Imus party had 57 men and 12 – 15 wagons. Upon arriving at the mission in October of 1846, they surrounded the grounds. Approximately 175 Americans had been barricaded inside the mission walls awaiting an attack. However, the Mexicans did not attack, but tried to keep them isolated and starving.

Because of the women and children, Ignacio Alviso, the mayor of San Jose, gave the Americans wheat, which kept them from starvation and death.

Fighting began in January of 1847 and was called the Battle of Santa Clara. It was reported that the Isbells watched the battle from a roof top at the mission and the American commander used Mrs. Isbell’s wedding handkerchief for a white flag of truce. The fighting, however, ended in a draw with neither side the winning force. Mexico eventually surrendered and peace came to the area.

During the siege, Dr. Isbell contracted typhoid pneumonia. Many of the soldiers also developed typhoid fever in their damp and crowded quarters. Despite the number of soldiers who were ill and the many deaths at the mission, Dr. Isbell improved and directed his wife in the treatment 16 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

of the soldiers who were sick. She distributed in excess of 100 doses of medication in a day. Upon Dr. Isbell’s recovery and the end of the war, he is said to have traveled to San Jose and administered medical services to those who came to the Pueblo. He had to swim his horse across the swollen Guadalupe River because of record rainfall that winter. However, there are some reports suggesting that he did not go to San Jose.

More famous, however, was Olive Mann Isbell, the doctor’s wife. Olive was the niece of Horace Mann, the renowned educator in America.

During the siege of the mission, Olive noted the tension and fear in the children and decided to start a school at the mission. A dilapidated stable, 15 feet square with a hole in the roof, was converted to a school room. This was the first school in Santa Clara County and perhaps all of California.

Having no text books, blackboard, chalk, pencils, or paper, Olive drew her lessons in the dirt with a stick. The students used charcoal to write their ABC’s on the palms of their hands. She had 25 students and the school term was two months long.

In March of 1847, the Isbells moved to Monterey. Dr. Isbell set up a medical practice and Olive was encouraged by the United States Council to establish the first school in Monterey. The school was located above the jail. Olive had access to supplies for her students, including some text books. She was guaranteed a salary of $200 for a three-month term. There were 24 students, only two who spoke English.

The Isbells relocated to a cattle farm eight miles north of Stockton.

When gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, Dr. Isbell organized the Stockton Mining Company and set out for the gold fields. He also formed a trading post at the Weaverville Diggings. He made a considerable fortune estimated to be two million dollars. When he retired from mining, Dr. and Mrs. Isbell bought a ranch in Santa Paula, located in Southern California. In 1926, a middle school was built in Santa Paula and named in Olive’s honor. Dr. Isbell died in 1886 at the age of 86.

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www.DementiaTherapeutics.com JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 17

Classifieds office space for rent/ lease MEDICAL SUITES • LOS GATOS – SARATOGA

Two suites, ranging from 1,000 to 1,645 sq. ft., at gross lease cost. Excellent parking. Located next door to Los Gatos Community Hospital.

Both units currently available. Call 408/3551519.

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE • SANTA CLARA

Medical space available in medical building.

Most rooms have water and waste. Reception, exam rooms, office, and lab. X-ray available in building. Billing available. 2,500–4,000 sq. ft.

Call Rick at 408/228-0454.

MEDICAL SUITES • GILROY

First class medical suites available next to Saint Louise Hospital in Gilroy, CA. Sizes available from 1,000 to 2,500+ sq. ft. Time-share also available. Call Betty at 408/848-2525.

DOWNTOWN MONTEREY OFFICE FOR SUBLEASE

Spacious, recently remodeled, excellent parking, flexible terms. Call Molly at 831/644-9800.

PRIME MEDICAL OFFICE FOR LEASE • SAN JOSE

Excellent location. Westgate area. 1,584 sq. ft.

West Valley Professional Center, 5150 Graves Ave. Suite 2/stand-alone unit. Private office, reception area, exam rooms with sinks. Available 2/1/11. Call owner at 408/867-1815 or 408/2217821.

OFFICE FOR RENT • SAN JOSE

2395 Montpelier Dr #5, San Jose 95116. Rent $2,000 per month. Lease required. Owner pays triple net and monthly H/O dues. Two doctors set up. Three examination rooms. Approximately 1,100 sq. ft., furnished or unfurnished, adequate parking, walk to Regional Med Ctr. Close to X-Ray and lab. Previous tenant doctor retired. Call Marie at 408/268-2040.

FOR SALE

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE TO SHARE • SUNNYVALE

Convenient location. One large private office plus one exam room, shared waiting room and front office. Newly built, total 1,280 sq. ft. Available now. Please call 408/438-1593.

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE

Lease: Approximately 1,900 sq. ft. Free standing building zoned medical. Turn key. Marble entry. Street front. Six treatment rooms. Prestigious physician’s office with balcony. Highway 85 at DeAnza Blvd. Call 408/996-8717.

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE/ SALE • SAN JOSE

Luxury modern 1,300 sq. ft. turn-key office with minor surgery OR. Prime Good Samaritan/Bascom Avenue at Highway 85 location in multispecialty building. Interior amenities and terms negotiable. Email am.1960@yahoo.com.

OPHTHALMOLOGY PRACTICE FOR SALE OR PARTNERSHIP

Office is 11 years old. PPO, Medicare, and cash. Take over very low rate payment on office loan plus a small amount of cash. Call 408/8716800.

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE/ SALE • SAN JOSE

Luxury modern 1,300 sq. ft. turn-key office with minor surgery OR. Prime Good Samaritan/Bascom Avenue at Highway 85 location in multispecialty building. Interior amenities and terms negotiable. Email am.1960@yahoo.com.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE PHYSICIANS • PRIMARY CARE, ORTHOPEDICS, & PHYSIATRY

Our occupational medical facilities offer a challenging environment with minimal stress, without weekend, evening, or “on call” coverage.

We are currently looking for several knowledgeable and progressive primary care and specialty physicians (orthopedist and physiatrist) interested in joining our team of professionals in providing high quality occupational medical services to Silicon Valley firms and their injured employees. We can provide either an employment relationship including full benefits or an independent contractor relationship. Please contact Rick Flovin, CEO at 408/228-0454 or email riflovin@allianceoccmed.com for additional information.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Physician/Locum tenens for Family/Internal Medicine. Office based practice only. Coverage mostly needed during vacation. Part-time, must have excellent communication, interpersonal and clinical skills. Please fax CV to 408/3566676.

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18 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

Tracy Zweig Associates A

REGISTRY

&

PLACEMENT

FIRM

Physicians

Nurse Practitioners ~ Physician Assistants

Locum Tenens ~ Permanent Placement V oi c e : 8 0 0 - 9 1 9 - 9 1 4 1 o r 8 0 5 - 6 4 1 - 9 1 4 1 FA X : 8 0 5 - 6 4 1 - 9 1 4 3

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Help Create an AIDS-Free Generation Include routine HIV testing for all patients, regardless of their risk status, starting at age 13.

HIV screening is recommended for all patients in all healthcare settings. Persons at high risk for HIV infection should be tested at least annually.

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JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 19

2,423-5,913 SF AVAILABLE 300-4,528 SF AVAILABLE

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High visibility w/ ez access to Fwy

881 Fremont Ave, Los Altos 2-story, elevator served building located in close proximity to the Loyola Corners District of Los Altos. Office &/or Medical office.

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Newer medical/retail center near Santana Row & freeways. New building, must see!

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Kifer Commerce Park is an upscale office condo development. Unit 511 is 100% office. The unit has an open ofc floorplan w/ 2restrooms

2930 Aborn Square Road, San Jose

613-1,742 SF AVAILABLE

825 Pollard Road, Los Gatos Great medical building, steps away from El Camino Hospital.

Ground floor unit, TI dollars available.

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455 O’Connor Drive, San Jose Premier medical building with modern offices, updated finishes.

Onsite Pharmacy. Directly adjacent to O’Connor Hospital.

877 W. Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale Foothill Medical-Dental Center is a 6 plus acre medical project in the heart of Sunnyvale. Various medical and plumbed (dental) suites available.

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5150 Graves Ave, W. San Jose Medical Office Suites Available NOW. TI $ available.

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2516 Samaritan Drive, San Jose Currently built-out as a plastic surgeon’s office w/ large waiting/ reception area, lab area, staff breakroom, 4 exams, 1 procedure room, & 1 ADA restroom.

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123 DiSalvo Ave, San Jose Classic Mission architectural style building located in steps away from O’Connor Hospital.

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14911 National Ave, Los Gatos Medical Suite Available. Great location with easy Fwy access and close to Good Samaritan Hospital.

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606 Saratoga Ave, W. San Jose High traffic corner of Saratoga and Moorpark. Great location & signage. Office/Retail or Medical uses allowed. Immediate access to Highway 280. TIs available.

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MEMBER NEWS AND HAPPENINGS

Santa Clara County Medical Association Award Presentations and Installation The Fairmont Hotel’s Club Regent, in San Jose, provided the setting this year for Santa Clara County Medical Association’s Annual Awards Banquet, with over 225 in attendance.

Rives Chalmers, MD, 2012-2013 SCCMA President, following his outgoing president’s speech, presented Sameer Awsare, MD, with the presidential gavel for 2013-2014. Serving in the current fiscal year with Dr. Awsare are: James Crotty, MD, as President-Elect; Cindy Russell, MD, as Vice President of Community Health; Kenneth Blumenfeld, MD, as Vice President of External Affairs; Peter Cassini, MD, as Vice President of Member Services; Seham El-Diwany, MD, as Vice President of Professional Conduct; Rives Chalmers, MD, as Past President; Scott Benninghoven, MD, as Treasurer; and Eleanor Martinez, MD, as Secretary. The SCCMA Councilors are: Arthur Basham, MD (El Camino Hospital Los Gatos); Imtiaz Qureshi, MD (El Camino Hospital); Richard Newell, MD (Good Samaritan Hospital); Seema Sidhu, MD (Kaiser Foundation Hospital – San Jose); Anh Nguyen, MD (Kaiser Permanente Hospital); Michael Charney, MD (O’Connor Hospital); Richard Kline, MD (Regional Medical Center); Diane Sanchez, MD (Saint Louise Regional Hospital); Michael Champeau, MD (Stanford Hospital & Clinics); and Richard Kramer, MD (Santa Clara Valley Medical Center).

The evening’s festivities culminated with the recognition of those who have dedicated their lives to furthering the high quality of medical care.

Dr. Awsare made the following presentations:

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo Citizen’s Award With the Citizen’s Award, the Medical Association recognizes a nonmember who has achieved public recognition for a significant contribution in the health field. Tonight, we recognize Congresswoman Anna Eshoo for this award.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo has been a long-time friend of SCCMA 22 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

and CMA and an energetic advocate for both physicians and patients. She currently sits on the powerful Energy Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare, Medicaid, and Health Care Reform issues.

From her position on this committee, she has been instrumental in passing a broad spectrum of legislation to improve health care.

Congresswoman Eshoo was extremely involved in writing the historic health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act. However, her House version of the health care reform legislation was far superior to the Senate version that ultimately became the law. Because of her work on the Energy Commerce Committee, the House version of health care reform not only provided insurance coverage to the millions of uninsured Californians, it provided real access to doctors. Her work produced a health

reform bill that repealed the flawed Medicare SGR payment formula and established a new payment system. Her work also produced a Medicare payment locality update that helped our physician colleagues in neighboring Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Her advocacy reversed the abysmally low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates by increasing them to Medicare levels, so that Medi-Cal patients could actually find a doctor. In the ACA, she also worked to eliminate lifetime and annual caps on health care benefits. We will never forget her incredible efforts to improve access to care in California.

In addition to the aforementioned triumphs, Ms. Eshoo has many other incredible health care accomplishments in Congress including: Passage of the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act — Inspired by her friend Ambassador Dick Sklar, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Ms. Eshoo introduced the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act (now known as the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act). The legislation was signed into law late last year and requires the National Cancer Institute to develop a long-term strategic plan to address recalcitrant cancers, such as pancreatic and lung.

Passage of the Pathway for Biosimilars Act — Ms. Eshoo’s legislation to provide an FDA pathway for biosimilars was included in the final health care reform bill that was signed into law by the President. (For the first time, generic versions of some of the most expensive drugs will be approved by the FDA.) Her bill navigates the important balance between patient safety, access to curative therapies through lower costs, and protection for innovators to continue development of life-saving biologics. This will encourage the American biotech industry to thrive, stimulating research and development and new jobs here in California.

Passage of the PAHPA (Pandemic All Hazards Preparedness Act) — This legislation helps our nation prepare for nuclear, chemical, and biological attacks or public health pandemics. First introduced by Representative Eshoo in 2006, it was included in the reauthorization bill signed into law in March 2013.

Anna Eshoo is an original cosponsor of the GAIN Act and helped to pass the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Act (GAIN) as well.

The lack of antibiotics on the market is a serious public health threat today: companies are not developing new antibiotics, even though bacteria continue to evolve and people become resistant to the current antibiotics available. The GAIN Act gives antibiotics developers an additional five years of data exclusivity on their new drugs to encourage innovation.

Food Safety — In 2010, Ms. Eshoo helped to pass comprehensive food safety legislation, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, to expand and improve our country’s ability to protect consumers.

HIT Legislation — In 2007, Ms. Eshoo introduced HIT legislation to promote the development and dissemination of Health Information Technology and the adoption of electronic medical records. The legislation was

inserted into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and included $19 billion to encourage the adoption of HIT. Without Ms. Eshoo’s help, physicians would have been mandated to adopt HIT without any funding assistance from Medicare and Medicaid.

And, finally, rounding-out her contributions to medicine, Ms. Eshoo is involved in the following caucuses: She is the chair of the Medical Technology Caucus, the Arthritis Caucus, and the Mitochondrial Disease Caucus. These caucuses work to bring awareness and understanding of these issues to members and their staff.

Sharon L. Levine, MD Robert D. Burnett, MD Legacy Award This award is given to a physician member of the Association who has demonstrated extraordinary visionary leadership, tireless effort, selfless long-term commitment, and success in challenging and advancing the health care community, the wellbeing of patients, and the most exalted goals of the medical profession.

D r .

Sharon Levine is a nationally-respected expert and frequent speaker on issues of health policy, drug use management, and the design and delivery of health care services. She is a director and senior advisor for Public Policy, Pharmacy, and Professional Development for The Permanente Medical Group of Northern California, and has held multiple leadership roles within the medical group and within Kaiser Permanente nationally. She currently has responsibility for clinical education, management training, and leadership development for the group’s physicians; government and community relations, health policy and external affairs; and pharmacy policy and drug use management.

A board certified pediatrician, Dr. Levine has held multiple leadership roles within the profession, including academic appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine and Georgetown University School of Medicine, and also spent two years as a clinical associate at the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Continued on page 24 JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 23

SCCMA Award Presentations and Installation, from page 23 Dr. Levine serves on the boards of directors of the Public Health Institute of California, the California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), the Medical Board of California (current president), Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP), and is a member of the Committee on Evidence-Based Benefit Design of the National Business Group on Health.

She is a member of the Board of Advisors of the journal, Health Affairs, and was appointed to a six-year term as a Governor on the Board of Governors of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) in September 2010.

As a member of CMA since 1996, Dr. Levine has served on CMA’s Health Reform TAC for two years, and since 2007, has been a member of the CMA’s Council on Legislation. She has been a delegate to the House of Delegates since 2001, representing the Very Large Group Practice Forum.

In 2012, Dr. Levine received the California Medical Association’s Gary F. Krieger Speaker’s Recognition Award, given annually to notable members of the House (current or past) who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to patients, to the profession, to CMA, and to the House of Delegates, the association’s policy-setting body.

Dr. Sharon Levine is the recipient of this year’s Robert D. Burnett, MD Legacy Award because she has demonstrated visionary leadership, tireless effort, selfless long-term commitment on behalf of patients, physicians, and the health care community.

James G. Hinsdale, MD Benjamin J. Cory, MD Award This award is given to a physician member of the Association who has displayed forward-looking, pioneering ideas, enterprise, enthusiasm, and prolonged professional stature and ability.

Dr. James Hinsdale embod ies all the attributes represented by the Cory Award… for ward looking, pioneering, enterprising, enthusiastic, professional stature, and ability. Jim’s a great surgeon, a great leader, 24 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

a great campaigner, a great friend, and a bad enemy. He’s a doer, a fighter, a winner…someone who not only talks the talk, but “walks the walk.”

Someone who has done it all…with a flair all his own…and still in the prime of his career!

Upon receiving his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1974, Jim came to California, and completed his surgical internship and residency at Stanford University in 1980. He joined the faculty there and is currently assistant clinical professor of Surgery. He is the founder and president of the Northern California Trauma Medical Group, serves as the director of Trauma at Marin General Hospital, is the executive director of Trauma at Regional Medical Center, and has served as the medical director of California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue for the past 25plus years as well. Inspiring!

Jim joined the Santa Clara County Medical Association in 1987, and has been an active and passionate advocate for physicians and health care in our county, the state, and the nation. He’s touched the lives of many of us in SCCMA. Jim has made, and continues to make, multiple contributions to organized medicine, having served in most leadership roles. His rise from SCCMA president to both CMA and AMA trustee to CMA Executive Committee vicechair, chairman of the Board of Trustees, CMA president, and now as a national representative on AMA’s prestigious Committee on Medical Services (CMS) is testimony to his leadership, tenacity, perseverance, and the trust he inspires with his drive, intelligence, and “down home,” straight-shooting communication skills.

It is a pleasure and a privilege for us all to have Jim in our county… and a distinct honor for me personally to present this distinguished award to Dr. James Hinsdale — our 2013 Benjamin J. Cory, MD Award recipient.

Diane E. Craig, MD Outstanding Achievement in Medicine Award The Outstanding Achievement in Medicine Award is given to a physician who, during his/her medical career, has made unique contributions to the betterment of patient care, for which he/she has achieved widespread recognition. It is, in a sense, bestowed upon a physician’s physician.

Diane Craig, MD, is a hospital-based specialist and assistant physician-in-chief at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Santa Clara. She has been an innovator and advocate of improving the care delivery system to benefit not just for individuals, but for a population of patients.

In 1994, Dr. Craig became interested in the concept of the hospitalbased specialist team. She saw the concept of hospital-based specialists (HBS) as an opportunity to innovate in quality and patient safety in the

inpatient setting, while possibly decreasing utilization as well. Through collaborations with her colleagues and by following her professional passion, Dr. Craig was one of the driving forces to implement the concept of hospital-based specialists within the Kaiser Permanente system. Due to her innovations and efforts in the field of hospital-based medicine, she was invited to join the board of directors of the National Association of lnpatient Physicians (now the Society of Hospital Medicine [SHM]) as a founding board member. Dr. Craig has remained extensively involved with activities of the SHM, particularly in designing a leadership education series for hospitalists nationally.

In early 2002, Dr. Craig became interested in patient safety after the landmark publication by the Institute of Medicine, To Err Is Human. She was struck by the magnitude of the challenge inherent to changing our culture so that people would be willing to report errors and near misses and to provide the infrastructure needed to respond to such patient safety reporting. Her first goal was to look at the inpatient medication administration system, which lead to the Adverse Drug Reporting Program and the Medication Error Improvement Committee, that then designed an integrated reporting database for medication errors in the Kaiser Permanente Program. As a result of the participation in patient safety efforts, Dr. Craig was invited to participate in the statewide Adverse Drug Event Prevention Program Committee.

More recently, Dr. Craig took on sepsis mortality. In 2008, at the Santa Clara Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, the sepsis mortality rate was over 30%. Through a series of concerted efforts at education and systems improvements, the team she led was able to bring the mortality rate down by 10% and maintain it there since 2010. Coordinating the care that patients receive in the clinics, emergency department, on the Hospitalist and Surgical Services, and in the ICU, patients’ lives are being saved and complications are being prevented. The work that was done at Santa Clara helped form the foundation for a sepsis program across the Kaiser Permanente region in Northern California.

Dr. Craig’s leadership, commitment, and innovations have done much to improve the quality of care of patients. Her innovations and systems thinking have fostered those improvements in a way that also best utilizes resources, hence, she is this year’s winner of the SCCMA’s Outstanding Achievement in Medicine Award.

Rosaline Vasquez, MD Outstanding Contribution in Medical Education This award is given to a physician member of the Association who has exhibited sustained interest and participation in one or more medical education activities over and above that expected of the membership at-large.

Dr. Vasquez has practiced internal medicine in a variety of practice settings, including solo practice and a multispecialty group. She instructs and practices internal medicine as adjunct clinical professor of medicine at the Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Dr. Vasquez has been incredibly active in teaching her entire career. When first in practice, she had residents work with her in her office and in the hospital to learn historytaking skills and physical diagnosis. For almost 25 years, she has donated an afternoon per week teaching residents and students in the General Internal Medicine Clinic at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. In addition, during that time she has taught as an inpatient attending covering an inpatient team with students, interns, and residents for two to four weeks per year. She has mentored high school students, medical students, and residents, and has filled them with enthusiasm for clinical medicine. She is passionate about teaching and developing skills of physical examination and the great value of high quality clinical care. She is a great role model for young medical professionals to learn about the importance of professionalism and skills in interacting with a diverse patient population. Not only is she dedicated to teaching on her own, she is also very involved in encouraging the teaching activities of others. She was instrumental in forming the Association of Adjunct Clinical Faculty at the School of Medicine at Stanford and now is vice chair of the association. For these reasons, the SCCMA is pleased to honor her with this year’s Outstanding Contribution in Medical Education Award.

Stephen C. Henry, MD Outstanding Contribution to the Medical Association This award is given to a physician member of the association who has exhibited sustained interest and participation in one or more activities of the association over and beyond that expected of the membership at-large.

Stephen Henry, MD, has been an SCCMA and CMA member since 1988. His support for SCCMA and CMA has been exemplary. He has served on SCCMA’s Nominating, Membership, Bioethics, Awards, and

Continued on page 26 JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 25

SCCMA Award Presentations and Installation, from page 25 Executive Committees. His SCCMA positions have included councilor, treasurer, president-elect, and president in 2000-2001. He has been a CMA delegate from 1996 to 2002 and served on the CMA’s Bioet hics Committee.

Dr. Henry’s c o nt r i butions h a v e been invaluable to our association and the CMA. We want to appreciate his time, input, and service by awarding him the Outstanding Contribution to the Medical Association Award.

Jeffrey D. Urman, MD Outstanding Contribution in Community Service This award is given to a physician member of the association who has exhibited sustained interest and participation in one or more activities of the community over and above that expected of the membership at-large.

Dr. Urman is the co-medical director of the RotaCare Free Clinic in Mountain View.

RotaCare Bay Area, Inc., is a nonprofit network of 12 free medical clinics whose mission is to bring free medical care to those who have the most need and the least access to it. In addition to being the medical director, Dr. Urman has worked countless hours caring for uninsured patients in clinic and used his contacts in the health care industry to bring in donations to support the Mountain View RotaCare Clinic. While serving on the clinic’s Advisory Council, Dr. Urman provided key advisement, which led to 26 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

the clinic’s Pharmacy Assistance Program, which to date has saved the clinic over $800,000 in potential medication costs. He is single-handedly responsible for the recruitment of 12 doctors to the Mountain View RotaCare volunteer team, all who came because of his dedication and involvement, and stayed because of the caring environment that he helped build. Patients and staff at the RotaCare Clinic have described Dr. Urman as a “true health care hero,” hence, he is this year’s recipient of the SCCMA Outstanding Contribution in Community Service Award.

Marita Trobough Dedicated County Alliance Member of the Year This award is given to a dedicated Alliance member who has been consistently supportive of the Alliance, as well as has provided a significant contribution to the health and well being of citizens of this county.

Marita Trobough and her husband, Gerry, moved to Santa Clara Valley in 1965. Gerry completed his internship and Ob/Gyn residency at Santa Clara County Hospital in 1969. Both are natives of Montana who fell in love with the beauty of the valley and the comfortable climate.

Marita involved herself with raising their five children and volunteering in her new community. The medical wives’ group at the county hospital encouraged her to become involved, and soon volunteering became a way of life. When Gerry joined a local group of physicians, Marita joined the Santa Clara County Medical Society Auxiliary. Her volunteer exposure expanded as she worked with the group of talented women who were the driving force behind the Auxiliary, that later became the Alliance.

After 35 years of giving her time to various boards and commissions, it was time for Marita to look for a new venture. She and Gerry had provided a home for their parents, who were going through medical issues in the ´80s. Three of the parents had been diagnosed with cancer. It was during this time that Marita and Gerry were disappointed with the lack of products available for cancer patients. They deserved much more than what was available to make them feel positive and good about themselves.

It was those experiences that were the catalyst for Marita’s venture into the world of durable medical equipment.

Her husband, Gerry, and one of his colleagues at Los Olivos Medical Group were enthusiastic about researching a

boutique to be dedicated to the needs of cancer patients. The Next Step – A Woman’s Boutique opened its doors in the medical community of Los Gatos in 1997.

Patients from all parts of the world have graced the threshold of The Next Step. Even though there are six employees at the boutique to assist the women with special needs, Marita continues to volunteer her time six days a week. Her mission – to provide the newest products for her clients while providing a heavy dose of caring customer service – has made her venture successful.

Clients come by just to get a hug or let her know how their treatment is progressing. Her passion is evident in the number of referrals seen at The Next Step.

In addition to running The Next Step, Marita continues to provide volunteer outreach in the Bay Area. She donates prostheses, brassieres, wigs, hats, and turbans to local organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Latinas Contra Cancer, Breast Cancer Connection, and also Little Mamas in Mexico. She provides trainings at workshops to help other volunteers provide service for their clients.

In donating products from The Next Step to the American Cancer Society, Marita has been a part of the Alliance’s ongoing work in the Wig Bank Program, a program that helps women diagnosed with cancer face a difficult journey.

Impacting the lives of women in-need is the mission of Marita and the Alliance members. With their guiding belief, “Be passionate about something that will change the world,” members like Marita have responded and touched the lives of countless women in the Bay Area.

California Medical Association Political Action Committee CALPAC needs your help to support candidates and legislators who understand and embrace medicine’s agenda.

Fighting for you!

Our top priorities are: 1. Protect MICRA 2. Preserve the ban on the corporate practice of medicine 3. Provide solutions to our physician shortage crisis!

Please visit www.calpac.org for more information JULY / AUGUST 2013 | THE BULLETIN | 27

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Some of the Award Honorees from TPMG pose with some of their colleagues from TPMG.

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Award Honoree Rosaline Vasquez, MD, celebrates her honor with her husband, Christopher Vasil, MD, and friends.

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T H A N K

Y O U !

Our special thanks to the following sponsors for contributing to the success of this event:

GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS The Permanente Medical Group, South Bay and Kaiser Permanente

SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS

Pace Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors

BRONZE LEVEL SPONSORS

Law Offices of Hinshaw, Marsh, Still & Hinshaw

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Alliance Award Honoree Marita Trobough enjoys the special evening with her husband, Gerald Trobough, MD, and the rest of her family.

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SCCMA President Sameer Awsare, MD, celebrates his installation and special evening with his family.

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Award Honoree and Past President James Hinsdale, MD, enjoys the camaraderie with friends Pam Dudley, NP, and Scott Weyland, NP.

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Award Honoree James Hinsdale, MD, poses with his beautiful family.

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Award Honoree Sharon Levine, MD, enjoys the evening with fellow colleagues/friends.

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Award Honoree Jeffrey Urman, MD, celebrates his special honor with fellow colleagues/friends.

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Award Honoree Stephen Henry, MD, and his wife, Linda.

Alex Quick, MD, and Roy Lyons from Marsh (Silver sponsor).

Award Honoree Diane Craig, MD, celebrates her special evening with her friends.

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William Parrish (SCCMA CEO) and outgoing president Rives Chalmers, MD. 30 | THE BULLETIN | JULY / AUGUST 2013

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SCCMA President Sameer Awsare, MD, and Brian Missett, MD.

Julian and Linda Goduci from EnviroMerica (Bronze level sponsor).

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Rosemary Kamei and Past President Thomas Dailey, MD.

David Adamson, MD, and wife, Rosemary, Gary Cassetta, Suzanne Jackson (Alliance CEO), and Past President Steve Jackson, MD.

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William Parrish (SCCMA CEO) holds up the sign for all to see during Rives Chalmers, MD’s, outgoing President’s speech.

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William Parrish (CEO) presents a thank you gift to outgoing president Rives Chalmers, MD.

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L to R: Tony Nespole, MD (Past President), Kathy Vita, Joseph Mason, MD (Past President), Eleanor Martinez, MD, John Longwell, MD (Past President), Helen Wang, RN, guest, and Tanya Spirtos, MD (Past President).

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(Head table) L to R: Ann Chalmers and husband Rives Chalmers, MD (President 2012-2013), William Parrish (CEO), Ben Thornton, Martin Fishman, MD (Past President) and wife, Barbara, Linda Henry and husband Stephen Henry, MD (Award Honoree), Sandhya Yadav, MD, and husband William Lewis, MD (Past President).

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(President’s table) Sameer Awsare, MD, shares his special evening and installation as president with his family and friends.

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Award Honoree Jeffrey Urman, MD, celebrates his special evening with close friends.

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SCCMA physician members, guests, and sponsors enjoying good food, wine, and good company.

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Award Honoree Diane Craig, MD,’s table, with her friends.

Award Honoree Rosaline Vasquez, MD, celebrates her special honor with her husband Christopher Vasquez, MD, and her friends/ colleagues.

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Gail Lippe and husband, Philipp Lippe, MD (Past President).

Incoming President Sameer Awsare, MD, delivers his president’s speech.

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William Parrish (CEO) congratulates Award Honoree Rosaline Vasquez, MD.

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William Parrish (CEO) presents an iPad gift to the winner of the door prize drawing, Doug Harper, MD.

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(SCCMA Staff) L to R: Pam Jensen, Sameer Awsare, MD (President), Paul Moore, Sandie Becker, Maureen Yrigoyen, William Parrish (CEO), Jean Cassetta, Mark Christiansen, Shannon Landers, and Danielle Painter.

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SCCMA Past Presidents and President pose for a memorable photo at the 2013 Awards Banquet.

Left to Right: Anthony Nespole, MD; William Lewis, MD; Sameer Awsare, MD (current President); John Longwell, MD; Stephen Henry, MD; Rives Chalmers, MD; Martin Fishman, MD; Tanya Spirtos, MD; Thomas Dailey, MD; James Hinsdale, MD; Stephen Jackson, MD; and Joseph Mason, MD.

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Congratulations to all Award Honorees this year!

Left to Right: Stephen Henry, MD; Sharon Levine, MD; Diane Craig, MD; Jeffrey Urman, MD; Sameer Awsare, MD (current President); James Hinsdale, MD; Rosaline Vasquez, MD; and Marita Trobough.

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