2005

HEALTHY SAN DIEGO” FOR A

“PHYSICIANS UNITED

SDCMS 2005 ANNUAL REPORT TO MEMBERS

2005 the San Diego County Medical and replace it with the Medical Economic Index, Society celebrated its 135th anniversary. which is used by other providers. Government In 2006 the California Medical must recognize our need to financially maintain Association celebrates its 150th anniversary. Our our practices, whatever form they take, in order to two organizations have, for a combined total of be able to keep access to care available for the comnearly 300 years, worked tirelessly to build a strong munity. Physicians have faced declining reimbursements for too long, and no business can continue to profession and to promote healthy communities.

The environment in which the member physi- survive without somehow recouping increased cians of the San Diego County Medical Society and costs of providing services.

Under the current payment environment — the California Medical Association practice medicine today — and in particular here in San Diego ruled both by government payers and by contracts County — continues to be challenging … when not written by Goliath plans, there is no way to meet outright daunting. Your SDCMS-CMA has been the increasing burdens of keeping up with technolinstrumental in protecting physicians from ogy, regulations, overhead (including salaries, attempts to reduce physician payments and from insurance, rent), and the need to support ourselves attacks on physician autonomy in patient care. and our families. Push is coming to shove, and the Immediate past successes include reversing the public still needs to be assured that there will be 4.4% Medicare and 5% Medi-Cal physician reim- doctors there to serve them. This is the message that bursement cuts and staving off the mandated the payers and rulemakers need to understand.

Other key issues warranting our advocacy increases in Medi-Cal managed care enrollment and the mandated managed care enrollment for include maintenance of MICRA protections, San Diego County’s dual-eligible beneficiaries (so- resolving the problems of balance billing and underpayment for noncalled “Medi-Medi’s”). contracted physicians in Settlements of the RICO There is no way to meet the increasing non-elective treatment lawsuits against several burdens of keeping up with technology, settings, blocking further health plans will bring us regulations, overhead, and the need to pending cuts in safety-net prospective relief from support ourselves and our families. provider reimbursements, their unfair business pracand bringing affordable tices, i.e., reduced bundling, better definitions of medical necessity, and workable technology solutions to physician which will give treating physicians weight, and offices that will in turn allow improved efficiencies and participation in upcoming mandated pay-fortransparency of rates and coding edits.

On the federal front, your SDCMS leadership performance programs. Each of these issues, along enlisted the entire San Diego congressional delega- with maintaining workers’ compensation provider tion to block an unsound plan, published by the access and others, could be a full-time task for our Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services organization.

SDCMS will work on these and other identified (CMS), to increase reimbursements to two counties by taking money from San Diego payments (along fronts in 2006 and beyond, with the primary goal of with other underpaid counties) and transferring it allowing San Diego County physicians to keep their to just two counties. SDCMS was able to clearly practices viable and growing, in order that we demonstrate that the solution to the problem was, might continue to expand access to care for all San and is, to address all of the underpaid counties Diegans. In the long term, this will also enable us to equally. We have been fighting this fight for nearly turn around the trends that find growing physician four years now and will continue to do so until an dissatisfaction with practice and that restrict our equitable solution is reached. As I write this, we abilities to attract new physicians to the area. As our have commitments from key members of Congress active physician population ages or chooses to leave to fund the roughly $120 million (‘budget dust,’ San Diego for other practice opportunities, as according to some in Congress) needed to correct reflected in recent surveys, access to care will decline unless new doctors can be recruited. This this flaw nationwide.

Our greatest challenge in 2006 will be to end will require wholesale changes in the current pracSGR, the (un)sustainable growth rate formula by tice environment.

SDCMS and its leaders are committed to prowhich physicians, and only physicians, continue to face payment cuts despite increasing practice costs moting these changes. As Tom Gehring, your — this, while other sectors of healthcare providers SDCMS executive director, frequently reminds us, receive increases that recognize inflationary costs. it is our task to “do good for those who do good.”

Despite publicly acknowledging this systemic flaw, That is a challenge that SDCMS, your medical sociCongress, CMS, and the White House have failed to ety, takes to heart. correct the problem. We have received minimal, annual, “one-time” fixes, which themselves failed to keep pace with the cost of practice. Now we face 26% cuts over the next five years, while our costs Theodore M. Mazer, MD — 2006 President continue to rise.

We will continue to fight the fight to end SGR “Physicians United for a Healthy San Diego”

In

SDCMS-CMA ADVOCACY SDCMS-CMA have never been stronger! Though getting any attention paid to the major issues facing California’s physicians in 2005 proved to be extremely difficult — a result of the special election called by Governor Schwarzenegger — SDCMS-CMA are proud to report that of the 71 bills before the legislature that were opposed by SDCMS-CMA, not a single one passed! Below is a summary of our successes. … 71 BILLS BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA anesthetized; and legislarequired to be disclosed, it Medicare Reimbursement Cut Reversed: With LEGISLATURE OPPOSED … YOUR

BY SDCMS-CMA tion that would have would have severely aggressive lobbying and grassroots and media GROUP’S FINANCIAL WOULD HAVE allowed oral and maxilloimpacted the ability of campaigns that showed how the 4.4% Medicare I NFORMATION PASSED! facial surgeons to perform medical groups to physician reimbursement cut that took effect January 1, 2006, threatened access to care for seniors, SDCMS-CMA and medical societies across the nation were successful in stopping the … YOUR cut and convincing the MEDICARE Centers for Medicare and REIMBURSEMENT Medicaid Services (CMS) WOULD HAVE to retroactively adjust GONE DOWN 4.4%! claims to compensate physicians as soon as the one-year payment freeze was signed into law. With six years of cuts still scheduled to come as practice costs persist in rising, SDCMS-CMA will continue to fight for a fair physician payment formula.

Medi-Cal Reimbursement Cut Reversed: SDCMS-CMA fought hard to eliminate the devastating 5% Medi-Cal physician reim… YOUR bursement cut, which MEDI-CAL took effect January 1, REIMBURSEMENT WOULD HAVE 2006. SDCMS’ close ties GONE DOWN with Senator Ducheny 5%! and with other local and state legislators were critical in eliminating this egregious attack on access to care for California’s most vulnerable patients.

Unfair Payment Practices Removed: The governor signed CMA-sponsored legislation that extends Department of Managed Health Care protections (including fee schedule disclosure, payment rules disclosure, prompt … YOUR DEPARTMENT OF payment requirements, MANAGED HEALTH and prohibitions C ARE PROTECTIONS against unreasonable WOULD HAVE BEEN claims deadlines) for ELIMINATED! physician reimbursements to the Department of Insurance insurance products.

No Inappropriate Medical Group Disclosure of Confidential Financial Information: In another win for SDCMS-CMA, the Department of Managed Health Care’s financial solvency regulations were approved without requiring public disclosure of physician groups’ confidential financial information — a direct response to CMA concerns. Had this financial information been

negotiate with health plans.

WOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY DISCLOSED!

Prescription Drug Labeling: CMA opposed legislation, which was held in committee, that would have required all healthcare professionals who prescribe pharmaceuticals to ask their patients if they would like the “intended purpose” of that drug to be placed on the prescription label. This bill would also have made it unprofessional conduct if the prescribing physician failed to ask the patient if they would like a concise description of the intended purpose of the drug to be included on the prescription label.

WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT OF ORGANIZED MEDICINE …

Child Interpreters: CMA opposed legislation, which was held in committee, that would have prohibited any government or private entity from using a child as an interpreter, even with the patient’s consent. Because the bill was silent as to who was responsible for paying for a qualified interpreter, physicians would possibly have been held responsible for covering these costs.

Every Scope of Practice Bill Was Killed, Vetoed, or Put Off: With strong SDCMS-CMA opposition, all of the 2005 scope of practice bills were either killed, vetoed, or put off until 2006, including legislation that would have allowed acupuncturists to “diagnose” for the purpose of providing treatment or performing oriental massage, acupressure, or other defined techniques of acupuncture; legislation that would have added chiropractors to the list of providers who can perform medical examinations for drivers’ license issuance and renewal relative to school buses, public transit, and farm vehi… YOUR SCOPE cles; legislation that OF PRACTICE would have permitted WOULD HAVE BEEN chiropractic manipulaSIGNIFICANTLY ERODED! tions while patients were

facial cosmetic surgery procedures.

Adverse Event Reporting Defeated: SDCMS-CMA successfully opposed legislation that would have required physicians and health facilities to report serious adverse drug events to MedWatch … or face criminal charges for failure to report.

… YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NEW BURDENSOME REGULATIONS TO DEAL WITH!

Mandatory CME for Depression Defeated: SDCMS-CMA successfully opposed legislation that would have required physicians and surgeons who treat patients for depression and other related ailments to … YOU complete a mandatory W OULD HAVE HAD continuing education NEW MANDATORY course on that subject.

CME! Though acknowledging the seriousness of depression, SDCMS-CMA does not believe that mandatory CME is the proper way to address this issue.

SDCMS-CMA Lobbying Precludes Mandatory CME on Cultural Competence: … AND YOU SDCMS-CMA successfully WOULD HAVE HAD opposed legislation that EVEN MORE NEW would have required MANDATORY CME on the importance CME! of cultural competence in clinical programs.

Medical Board of California Reauthorization With Heavy CMA Input: SDCMS-CMA successfully negotiated legislation to reauthorize the Medical Board of California with many reforms, including eliminating cost recovery being used as a hammer in physician discipline settlement talks, increasing the biennial fee to $790 (reduced from a proposed $1,200), in-depth auditing of the financial status of the board by an … YOUR independent agency with LICENSE FEES the ability to require WOULD HAVE rebates if the reserve CLIMBED TO fund is over the two$1,200!

month minimum, integrating board investigators into attorney general staff, preserving the Diversion Program, and implementing other changes in board operations.

CMA’s RICO Lawsuit Continues to Bring Millions in Settlement Dollars and Prospective Relief to California’s Physicians: To date, six insurance giants (Aetna, Cigna, Health Net, Anthem/WellPoint, and Humana) have settled with CMA and other plaintiffs in the CMA… YOU WOULD led RICO class action lawHAVE GOTTEN suit, bringing millions in NO RICO cash payments to SETTLEMENT California physicians, DOLLARS! along with court-ordered reforms valued at over $1 billion. The RICO lawsuit case, which CMA started several years ago … YOU to challenge the rapaW OULD HAVE cious tactics of the forGOTTEN NO RICO profit managed care PROSPECTIVE industry, has allowed RELIEF! physicians to air profound grievances against an industry that has arrogantly and unfairly exploited them for more than a decade.

This is a huge victory for organized medicine and especially for the California Medical Association.

Geographic Payment Cost Index (GPCI) Twocounty Fix Rejected: Unprecedented for any county medical society, at least in California if not in the entire nation, SDCMS was able to get all five of San … YOU Diego’s congressional WOULD HAVE HAD A NEW, representatives to sign a LESS FAIR GPCI letter addressed to “FIX”!

Representative William Thomas, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, urging him to reject the two-county Medicare reimbursement fix put before him. The result? The two-county fix was rejected (thank you to our county representatives) and thank you to SDCMS’ physician leadership! In 2006 and beyond, SDCMS-CMA will continue to fight to make equitable the system that calculates Medicare physician reimbursements, which now underpays San Diego County physicians 7% per annum!

No on Proposition 73: SDCMSCMA (successfully) opposed … YOUR Proposition 73 — “Waiting INTERACTIONS Period and Parental WITH PATIENTS Notification” — because WOULD HAVE BEEN CMA policy speaks against FURTHER REGULATED! physician mandates that “criminalize” aspects of a physician-patient interaction.

SDCMS Joining Forces With AMA: SDCMS actively participated at AMA’s National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC, in March 2005, lobbying our San Diego congressional delegation on medical liability reform, patient safety legislation, and a permanent repair to the fatally flawed SGR Medicare physician payment formula.

SDCMS Joining Forces With CMA: Four SDCMS physician leaders, twelve SDCMS medical students, and several members of the SDCMS staff represented San Diego County physicians at CMA’s Legislative Leadership Day … YOU WOULD in Sacramento in April HAVE HAD NO 2005, lobbying San SDCMS Diego’s assemblymemPOLITICAL INPUT IN SACRAMENTO! bers Wyland, Saldaña, and Plescia as well as State Senator Ducheny.

SDCMS Legislative Committee: SDCMS’ Legislative Committee played in 2005 and will continue to play in 2006 a crucial role in our local and state elections by interviewing those candidates running for the nearly 20 San Diego County state and national open seats. SDCMS continues to affect public policy, to influence candidate support, to build positive, long-term relationships with current and future legislators, and to enhance the excellent reputation of SDCMS as a physician organization committed to the health of San Diego County.

WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT OF ORGANIZED MEDICINE …

MICRA: SDCMS-CMA continue to defend the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975 (MICRA) and, with AMA, to push for the enactment of a national MICRA. Many organizations, spearheaded by the trial lawyers, want to … YOU weaken, if not overturn, WOULD BE PAYING ON AVERAGE MICRA. CMA legal advo$61,053 MORE cacy has prevailed in the IN PROFESSIONAL past and will continue to LIABILITY defend MICRA against any PREMIUMS! bill that threatens to raise the current $250,000 MICRA cap on non-economic damages. While a medical malpractice crisis is sweeping across America, MICRA has kept the doors of medicine open in California and has protected our healthcare safety net by keeping medical malpractice insurance available in California. On average, MICRA alone saves

California physicians $61,053 per year!

Blocked Attempts to Prevent Balance Billing: SDCMSCMA was successful in ensuring physicians who provide emergency services have the right to use balance billing to collect fees not paid for by a patient’s health plan or a contracting IPA.

… YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NO RIGHT TO BALANCE BILL!

No Mandatory Medi-Cal Managed Care: Resulting directly from SDCMSCMA advocacy (thank you South Bay physicians), the … YOUR governor’s attempt to MEDI-CAL PATIENTS WOULD expand managed care to HAVE BEEN cover more than FORCED INTO 500,000 aged, blind, and MANAGED disabled Medi-Cal CARE! enrollees was defeated.

SDCMS policy opposes mandatory enrollment in managed care for elderly, blind, and disabled Medi-Cal patients, a population for which continuity of care is vital.

Uncompensated Emergency Services / ER Funding: For the sixth year in a row, the administration recognized the crises facing California’s emergency system and allocated $24.8 million in Proposition 99 (cigarette and tobacco products surtax) funds for reimbursement of uncompensated emergency services. SDCMS-CMA continue to work hard to identify funding for California’s emergency services that will not stress other state programs.

A LOOK HEAD represents an opportunity to refocus legislative leaders and the governor, who have struck a much more conciliatory tone since 2005’s special election. Your San Diego County Medical Society and California Medical Association are poised and ready to help channel that into positive action on healthcare, focusing on expanding health coverage, reforming managed care, and protecting consumer-directed health plans and Medi-Cal provider rates.

2006

SDCMS FOUNDATION In 2005 your San Diego County Medical Society Foundation — whose vision and mission are to “build a healthier San Diego by addressing unmet health care needs for all patients and physicians through education, innovation, and service” — saw tremendous success in beginning to fulfill its five initiatives.

ACCESS TO CARE

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DCMSF has been a primary participant in the newly formed San Diego County Diabetes Coalition. Major San Diego healthcare stakeholders (including all major hospital systems, community clinics, diabetes education and treatment organizations, the County of San Diego and the State of California) have joined together in a five-year plan to identify all diabetics in the county and get them into proper treatment. Through a $150,000 seed grant from the County of San Diego, the coalition has recently hired a full-time executive director.

We awarded four “mini-grants” to aid the UCSD Student Run Free Clinic in purchasing vitally needed supplies and equipment, supporting their efforts to treat patients with no other healthcare options.

We are working hard to recruit active and retired physicians to volunteer at the UCSD Student Run Free Clinic and for Reach Out (an organization that locates specialty medical care for those with no other access). SDCMSF continues its financial support of Reach Out and 211.

We negotiated for a pharmacy discount card — available to all San Diegans who have no medical insurance — that covers their prescription medications. In December 2005, 25,000 cards were delivered to 1,300 physician offices throughout San Diego and Imperial counties.

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CONSUMER HEALTH EDUCATION

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DCMSF has contracted to translate diabetes patient care information into all threshold languages in San Diego County. Many patients, especially those with language barriers, understand and remember little of the instructions their physicians provide. These educational materials will be available online to physicians, clinics, and hospitals for distribution to their patients. Diabetes is just the first patient healthcare education in multiple languages to be developed.

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RETIRED PHYSICIANS CLUB

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here are approximately 1,000 retired physicians in San Diego County. hysician's dP SDCMSF wishes to connect the retired physicians in the community to social service organizations that can use SD i at CM S Found them to meet the needs of the on

b Clu

Retir e

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Judy Forrester, 2005 SDCMSF interim executive director, and Dr. James Hay, SDCMSF president, with Rosey Grier, a Retired Physicians Club speaker.

SDCMSF medical director, Dr. Stephen Carson (third from left), and SDCMSF president, Dr. James Hay (third from right), with UCSD medical students at the 2005 Top Doctors gala.

Our Five Initiatives: • • • • •

Access to Care Consumer Health Education Retired Physicians Club Technology Medical Student Support

underserved in our region. The Retired Physicians Club held four luncheons in 2005 with nearly 220 physicians gathering to be introduced to organizations such as the American Red Cross, the San Diego Hospice, the Salvation Army Door of Hope, the San Diego County Office of Education, Reach Out, the UCSD Student Run Free Clinic, the Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, and others.

The Retired Physicians Club is also working diligently to document the “history of medicine” in San Diego County. The compilation of this work will, most likely, be housed in the San Diego Historical Society’s museum in Balboa Park.

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TECHNOLOGY DCMSF’s San Diego MINE (Medical Information Network Exchange) has received over $125,000 in support from a variety of sources.

Thanks to Blue Cross of California, Ivax Laboratories, Med Plus, Molina Healthcare, Sharp Healthcare, and Sun Microsystems.

SD MINE is a driving force in an effort to develop a countywide Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO). It includes all hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, pharmacies, etc., communicating on a common electronic platform that will allow a patient’s medical records, lab results, etc., to be readily and securely accessed via online technology. This will greatly increase the level of patient care as the attending physicians will immediately have access to information about allergies, current prescriptions being taken, general medical history, current diseases, and physical problems.

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MEDICAL STUDENT SUPPORT DCMSF provides student loans and grants to qualifying San Diego County resident medical students. This year, SDCMSF distributed three student loans and two scholarships to UCSD thirdand fourth-year medical students.

SDCMSF facilitates a public policy education

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Dr. Bob Hertzka (standing, left) and Senator Denise Ducheny (sitting, second from left) having dinner with UCSD medical students.

program for medical students interested in learning about the impact of legislation on healthcare delivery. In 2005, 12 students were taken to Sacramento where they had the opportunity to meet with legislators and speak to them directly about issues that affect students and physicians.

INFRASTRUCTURE n January 2005, the California Endowment awarded SDCMSF $50,000 from their Local Opportunities Program to get our organization off to a good start. The fiscal year ended with grants and donations that exceeded our first year’s expenses — a truly remarkable accomplishment.

In October 2005, SDCMSF hired its first, fulltime executive director, Aron Fleck. Aron has his MBA from Pepperdine University and comes to us with 23 years of experience in the social services/non-profit field, including 15 years in San Diego.

In October 2005 SDCMSF partnered with the San Diego Foundation and their Endow San Diego Program to enable SDCMSF to tap into the San Diego Foundation’s expertise and resources in financial planning and to develop creative ways for individuals and organizations to give through their estate planning.

On November 18, 2005, SDCMSF held its firstannual gala and “friend-raiser” to honor and roast Dr. Bob Hertzka. Three hundred people enjoyed the evening’s antics and presentations from Padres Legend Jerry Coleman and a variety of live and prerecorded roasts by other celebrities from the medical and political communities. The evening was presented in large part by a generous donation from WebMD and its founders Martin and Pamela Wygod.

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Dr. Bob Hertzka responding to his many roasters at the first-annual SDCMSF gala and “friend-raiser.”

SDCMS MEMBERSHIP

AND

MEMBER BENEFITS

SDCMS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

In 2005, for the second year in a row, SDCMS not only maintained its membership numbers, it grew membership by 4.6%! At the close of 2005, SDCMS represents 2,230 practicing physicians in San Diego County, increasing membership 103 physicians from 2004.

DCMS continues to seek ways to make membership more beneficial to our physicians. In 2005 we at SDCMS completely retooled our member benefits process, focusing on providing choices on benefits that members have indicated are important — with vendors that have both been vetted by and have a track record with SDCMS members themselves, and with financial benefits … YOU accruing directly to memPOSITIONED SDCMS bers. One example of this is AS A CRITICAL PLAYER AMONG HEALTHCARE the exclusive endorsement STAKEHOLDERS granted to The Doctors IN THE COUNTY! Company (TDC) in 2005 for professional liability insurance (see below). This focus on member benefits, combined with aggressive recruitment efforts and the individual support of SDCMS’ member physicians, has resulted in a steady increase in our membership numbers, strengthening the position of SDCMS within our San Diego County community of healthcare stakeholders.

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5% Discount on Professional Liability Insurance! … YOU SDCMS partnered with RECEIVED A The Doctors Company 5% DISCOUNT (TDC) in 2005 to offer ON PROFESSIONAL significant professional LIABILITY liability insurance benefits INSURANCE! to our member physicians, including a 5% discount for almost all SDCMS members who use TDC for their professional liability insurance.

… YOU RECEIVED

Discounted Tamper-resistDISCOUNTS ON TAMPER-RESISTANT ant Prescription Forms: SDCMS contracted with PRESCRIPTION FORMS! American Security Rx in 2005 to offer tamper-resistant prescription forms at an extremely low price exclusively for SDCMS physicians!

SDCMS Seminars in 2005: SDCMS conducted its own and partnered with local, state, and national organizations to conduct a number of seminars to help its member physicians and their staffs navigate the regulatory complexities of running a physician’s office today and stay abreast of the latest information and trends affecting … YOUR the practice of medicine, OFFICE STAFF GOT TO ATTEND OUR including: “The HIPAA OFFICE MANAGER Security Rule and Your FORUMS FREE OF Practice”(January 2005); CHARGE!

One of the many Office Managers Forums held at SDCMS in 2005 — this one a “What’s New in Medicare” seminar.

“San Diego Regional STEMI Summit” (February 2005); “HIPAA Security Rule Workshop” (March 2005); “HIPAA Compliance: Understanding the Implications of the New HIPAA Security Rule” (April 2005); “Taking Charge: Preparing for Payor Contract Negotiations” (July 2005); “What’s New in Medicare & How It Will Affect Your Practice” (October 2005); “Total HIPAA Workshop” (Month 2005); “PPO Reimbursement Abuse: Practical Approaches to Identifying Inappropriate or Illegal Insurance Reimbursement Rate Abuses” (Month 2005).

WITH YOUR SUPPORT OF ORGANIZED MEDICINE …

30-35% off … YOU RECEIVED Epocrates: CMA’s partDISCOUNTS ON nership with Epocrates EPOCRATES in 2005 offered CMACLINICAL SDCMS members subREFERENCE stantial discounts on GUIDES! Epocrates’ clinical reference guides, providing physicians with point-of-care access to up-to-date infor… YOU WERE mation on drugs, diseases, ABLE TO NETWORK and diagnostics.

AND SOCIALIZE WITH

OTHER YOUNG PHYSICIANS IN THE COUNTY!

Young Physicians Socials: SDCMS brought together its young physicians for several social gatherings in 2005 where they enjoyed evenings of fun, hors d’oeuvres, and wine tasting. It was SDCMS’ effort to afford our young physicians the chance to meet and chat with other young physicians in San Diego.

SDCMS young physician members at one of the many social gatherings organized by SDCMS throughout 2005.

SDCMS was again involved in numerous disaster preparedness issues in 2005, including the Medical Reserve Corps and Katrina!

DCMS was heavily involved in disaster preparedness issues in 2005, with its main focus on the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). As the lead coordinator for the San Diego County MRC, John Hill, SDCMS director of disaster preparedness, developed recruitment materials, mobilization and deployment protocols, and an orientation training program for the MRC volunteers. … SDCMS HAS GROWN THE Three training sessions MEDICAL RESERVE have been held and more CORPS TO OVER are scheduled for 2006.

300 There are more than 300 VOLUNTEERS! medical professionals registered with the MRC! During the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina, the MRC was activated by HHSA to support the Red Cross by providing medical assessments and examinations for over 2,000 evacuees that came to San Diego. This was the first time that medical care was provided at a Red Cross location — made possible by the collaboration of SDCMS, the MRC, and the local chapter of the Red Cross.

On December 2005 and March 2006, SDCMS convened symposia around the lessons learned … SDCMS and experiences of San CONVENED TWO Diego County physicians POST-KATRINA SEMINARS TO who assisted in the areas EDUCATE affected by hurricanes P HYSICIANS! Katrina and Rita.

SDCMS has been deeply involved in the County’s regional planning for responding to medical emergencies. We have staff members that sit on the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Executive Steering Committee and HRSA workgroup, which have been assisting the County with developing response plans, making recommendations on disaster response equipment, and establishing procedures for integrating the healthcare system in an emergency. Now, during a large scale disaster, an SDCMS staff member will report to the County Medical Operations Center to help coordinate medical efforts and workforce needs, as well as communicate important information to the physicians in San Diego.

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One of two Katrina seminars on lessons learned, led by San Diego County physicians who were there and convened by SDCMS.

SDCMS

IN THE

NEWS

In 2005 SDCMS continued its public relations push to be known by local media as the go-to resource on healthcare matters in San Diego County. We continue to be consistently contacted first by local print and broadcast outlets to deliver both original editorial content and experts on a myriad of healthcare topics that affect physicians, their patients, and our communities as a whole.

The following op-ed articles were penned by SDCMS physicians and published in local print media: • The Union-Tribune (June 3, 2005): “How Medicare cuts hurt us all”

by Carol L. Young, MD, 2005 … SDCMS president, SDCMS PLACED SEVERAL • The Daily Transcript (June OP-ED ARTICLES 21, 2005): “Warning: Ads IN AREA from trial lawyers may have NEWSPAPERS! dangerous side effects” by David Priver, MD, past president, SDCMS • San Diego Magazine (October 2005): Editorial explaining SDCMS’ involvement with “Top Docs”

by Carol L. Young, MD, 2005 president, SDCMS The following articles were published in local print media with SDCMS physicians used as primary resources: • The Daily Transcript (February 10, 2005): “Assemblymen introduce bills targeting health crisis” • The Daily Transcript … SDCMS (March 15, 2005): “Judge PHYSICIANS WERE REGULARLY USED orders hospitals to meet AS EXPERT nurse-to-patient ration” R ESOURCES FOR • The Daily Transcript LOCAL STORIES! (March 23, 2005): “Secondhand smoke blamed for increase in childhood asthma in Chula Vista” • The Daily Transcript (April 7, 2005): “Senate

committee approves universal health care plan” • The Business Journal (September 5, 2005): “Molina Enters S.D. Health Care Market” • The Business Journal (September 26, 2005): “Doctors Could Leave S.D. Due to Low Pay” • The Daily Transcript (September 30, 2005): “Conference devoted to ‘positive disruptions’ in health care” • San Diego Magazine (October 2005): “The Doctor Will See You Now” • The Union-Tribune (October 2, 2005): “Stick out your tongue and say e-mail” • The Business Journal (October 3, 2005): “Mexican Plan Lowers Costs for S.D. Employees” • The Union-Tribune (October 23, 2005): “Med data exchange system urged” • The Union-Tribune (October 27, 2005): “Drug industry ties to backers of initiatives questioned” • The Business Journal (November 7, 2005): “Officials Eye Sun to Clear Health Records Cloud” • The Union-Tribune (November 18, 2005): “County’s income caps on free health care unfair, judge says”

WITH YOUR SUPPORT OF ORGANIZED MEDICINE …

SDCMS GERM COMMISSION he SDCMS GERM Commission (Group for the Eradication of Resistant Micro-organisms) continued to strive to protect patients from infectious diseases. They produced and distributed two Ghastly GERM Gazette newsletters (Otitis Media and E-Coli resistance) detailing ID issues in San Diego and providing physicians with recommended actions. The Commission has been performing analysis of various anti-biograms from hospitals throughout the county and will continue to promote proper antibiotic usage. During 2005 GERM was involved in an effort to reduce TB transmission and again supported educational messages to reduce the spread of influenza. GERM Chair, Gonzalo Ballon-Landa, MD represented the infectious disease community at the San Diego County HHSA Flu Immunization campaign kickoff and recorded public service announcements for the County as well.

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SDCMS’ NEW VISION

“Physicians United for a Healthy San Diego”

• The Union-Tribune (November 19, 2005): Coverage of Dr. Robert Hertzka’s November 18, 2005, SDCMS Foundation roast • The Union-Tribune (November 26, 2005): “Distribution of flu vaccine is uneven, doctors complain” San Diego County Radio and Television: SDCMS served as a primary resource for news stories by many local radio and television stations, including KPBS, KGTV, KUSI, XETV, KFMB, and KNSD on topics covering access to care, quality of care, healthcare financing, and San Diego County’s physician workforce. Specific topics included: “Top Docs,” the “Save 100,000 Lives” campaign, local hospital rankings, medical directives, sports drink additives, patient privacy, the new food pyramid, diagnostic tools, and workers’ compensation.

… SDCMS PHYSICIANS WERE INTERVIEWED REGULARLY ON RADIO AND TELEVISION!

SDCMS FINANCIALS iscal year 2004/2005 marked a series of exciting challenges, sweeping changes, and glittering successes for SDCMS, including: • Vastly improved our capabilities to meet member physician’s needs through comprehensive internal restructuring of staff and facilities.

• Bowed out of the landlord business by selling the SDCMS building and moved to new offices, allowing us to transfer that focus exclusively toward serving members.

• Invested the over $5 million proceeds from the building sale and revised the Bylaws to safeguard its expenditure.

• Ended our 4th year in a row fiscally in the black with confidence that the coming year will be even more successful.

Financially, SDCMS is on solid ground.

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SDCMS said goodbye to its home since 1971 — which was torn down to make way for change.

San Diego County Medical Society