January 2018
In this issue . . .
Looking Forward to 2018
Physician Wellness Program
Emerging Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
(CRE) in Travis County
HPV Vaccine Survey
Clearing Out Your Year-Files? TCMS Can Save You Money!
Texas in Crisis: Maternal Mortality
Spanish Meducation®
Member Applicants
Looking forward to 2018
TCMS has a variety of opportunities planned to benefit you
and your practice in 2018. Free ethics CME, physician wellness programs, and
social events are just a few. Check out our 90 second video and see who took
advantage of 2017 events.
Physician Wellness Program
Small Groups
January 17, 6:00pm
Join a
group of colleagues after work and enjoy dinner, refreshments, and informal
conversation about the joys and challenges of medicine. The January 17 meeting
will feature Patty Speier, D.Min, Director of Seton Cove, a non-denominational
spirituality center. Dr. Speier is a spiritual director, teacher, and retreat
facilitator who specializes in the use of literature and writing for spiritual
growth and ethical development. Seating is limited, please RSVP to pwp@tcms.com for 6:00pm, 4300 N Lamar Blvd, 2nd
floor.
Docs Noteworthy Review (DNR). Do you sing/hum in the shower, surgical suite, or hospital staircase? Are piano and/or guitar your favorite stress relievers? The first meeting of this musical group will be Saturday, January 6, 12:00-1:30pm at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive, 78731. If you (or your family members) are interested in this new small group or need directions, call or text Dr. Lee Frierson-Stroud, (512) 632-7064.
Emerging Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
(CRE) in Travis County
In 2013 the CDC listed Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) as an
urgent public health
threat. CRE has been
reportable in the state of Texas since 2014. In 2015, 875 CRE were reported in Texas. The number of reported
cases in Travis County has increased from four in 2014 to 19 in 2017 (as of
December 1, 2017). The purpose of this report is to inform
area physicians of the increased presence of CRE in our community and to
increase awareness of the CDC guidelines for CRE control.
Read more
HPV Vaccine Survey
The Dell Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics, in
collaboration with the Department of Women’s Health, is conducting a survey
about HPV vaccine administration in the Austin area. The purpose of this study
is to better understand the HPV vaccine recommendation practices of Austin area
providers as well as potential barriers to administering the vaccine.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary and involves answering a brief, anonymous
survey. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey
can be completed by any clinical staff member who has knowledge of your
clinic’s HPV vaccine practices. This includes physicians, nurses, nurse
managers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwifes, physicians, and
practice managers among others.
If you are interested in participating, you can find the survey here or you can copy and paste this
link into your browser http://bit.ly/2AFRRca
If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Nutt at stephanie.nutt@austin.utexas.edu.
Clearing Out Your Year-End Files? TCMS Can Save You Money!
It’s that time of year when practices are clearing out old
files and documents. Let our Document and Data Services team assist you with proper
destruction and disposal to ensure patient privacy. TCMS members receive a
discount on these services.
For over 20 years TCMS has been providing secure document storage and disposal to
physicians throughout Central Texas. With our discounted rates, members can
save up to 50% off the cost of commercial disposal. No monthly contract is
required, with a simple phone call or email our professional team will arrive
at your office, pick up all documents to be disposed, and furnish you with a
certificate of destruction.
Take advantage of this tremendous member benefit and start saving money today.
For more information, call 512-554-1818 or email Kyle at kmoreland@tcms.com.
Texas in Crisis: Maternal Mortality: TMLT introduces new CME Course
Texas has the highest US maternal death rate, with a reported 35.8 deaths per 100,000 births
in 2014. To combat these numbers and provide physicians who care for pregnant
women with real-world risk management advice, TMLT has developed a new CME
course — Case
Closed: Maternal Mortality.
This course features seven case studies involving
maternal death, followed by recommendations to help physicians continue to
practice safe medicine and prevent poor patient outcomes.
Available online at Case
Closed: Maternal Mortality
There is no cost to access the course material, but registration is
required. A fee will be charged for those physicians seeking CME credit (2 hours)
for the course.
Spanish Meducation®
2018 classes begin this month, so register now!
Spanish Meducation is
the practical medical Spanish program offered through the Travis County Medical
Society. The eight-week program (meeting once a week) is designed for all
health care professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses,
therapists, social workers, technicians, emergency personnel, and their support
staff. The classes develop beginning, intermediate, and advanced conversational
skills in general Spanish with a concentration on health care situations while
grammar takes a back seat. All handouts are included in the tuition cost; no
textbook is required.
Additional information and registration.
Spanish Immersion trip to Mexico is scheduled for June 9-17.
Member Applicants
View information and photos of new TCMS member applicants.