...an abbreviated "online edition" of our medical society newsletter, "Lake County Medicine". A printed version is published periodically during the year for LCMS members. Views and opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent those of the Lake County Medical Society.
LCMS Goes To Springfield
Lake County was represented by eight delegates each day at the Illinois State Medical Society annual meeting, April 23-25, in Springfield. They were: Drs. Rebecca Bergman, Clair Callan, Deepak Dalia, Thomas Porter, Douglas Kaplan, Rashmikant Patel, Gerald Frank, Sean Callan and Himani Dalia. Dr. Scott Cooper is our District 1 Trustee. Our own Dr. James Milam was celebrated as the outgoing president of ISMS, concluding his one-year term.
The ISMS House of Delegates debated 61 member-submitted resolutions and voted on policies that will benefit Illinois patients and physicians. Steven M. Malkin, MD, (Buffalo Grove) was inducted as ISMS president for 2010-2011. Wayne V. Polek, MD, (St. Charles) was named president-elect; Craig A. Backs, MD (Springfield) was elected Board chair. Left to right: Lake County delegates, Drs. Rebecca Bergman, Deepak Dalia,
Himani Dalia, and douglas Kaplan at the Illinois State Medical Society's
President's Dinner in honor of James Milam, MD. The dinner was held on Friday,
April 23 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield. Eight Lake County Delegates
attended the meetings over the weekend. Although Dr. Milam's term ended on
April 25, he remains on the ISMS Board of Trustees for the coming year as a
Trustee at large.
Lake County delegates who traveled to Springfield for the annual meeting
of the Illinois State Medical Society House of Delegates celebrated with
Lake County member, Dr. James Milam at the end of his term as President
of ISMS. Next year, the meeting will be held in Oak Brook.
Annual Doctor/Lawyer Dinner Held March 4th
The Annual Doctor/Lawyer Dinner and program, a tradition in our community for over 50 years, was held on March 4, 2010. The event was organized this year by the Lake County Bar Association and featured William D. Bast, P.E., S.E., SECB, Principal, Thornton Tomasetti, as guest speaker.
Catastrophic Structural Failures — from Hyatt to Haiti Mr. Bast has more than 25 years of experience in the area of structural engineering and design, building failure investigations, litigation support, building facade elevation and repair of distressed buildings. He discussed building collapses in recent earthquakes as well as the structural integrity of the World Trade Center buildings and the collapse of the buildings following the September 11 terrorist attack.
First photo, left to right: Deepak Dalia, MD, Chief Judge James Booras and Dr. Thomas Mientus at the Annual Doctor Lawyer Dinner and program on March 4, 2010.
Second photo, Scott Gibson, President LCBA, pictured with Dr. Mark Neault, President LCMS, on his right at the March 4 event at Lovell's of Lake Forest.
Third photo, left to right: Dr. Edward Abderholden (center) and his two sons, Edward Abderholden, Attorney, (left) and Dr. Guy Abderholden (right).
Photos from December's Annual Meeting Top left photo, left to right: Dr. David Foosaner (Radiology/Advocate Condell Medical
Center/Libertyville) and his wife Amy, with Dr. Christopher and Ell Coury,
December 2009 at the LCMS Annual Dinner.
Top right photo, left to right: Drs. Mohammed Siddique, Piyush Vyas and Manoochehr Sharifi
enjoying themselves at the Annual Dinner and Program.
Pictured in the bottom left photo are Dr. Eric Gall and his wife Kathy at the December dinner meeting.
Bottom middle photo: Dr. Thomas Mientus (Pathology/Lake Forest), a new member of the
Executive Committee, with his wife Wendy. Dr. Mientus is the newly elected
Treasurer of LCMS.
Bottom right photo, left to right: Dr. Edwin Salter and Dr. Richard Furman, two past presidents
of LCMS, at the Annual Dinner and Program in December at The Knollwood
Club in Lake Forest.
LCMS Bylaws Under Review
The LCMS Bylaws are under review at this time, in their entirety. The complete set of Bylaws will be printed and mailed to members with the proposed changes indicated in color print. A cover page will be inserted on which you can vote and share your comments with the executive committee. Watch for your copy of the proposed changes soon.
Office Managers Are Key!
Doctors, please provide us with the name of your office manager, or a "key" person in your office who should be on our mailing lists. We offer breakfast and lunch time educational programs at least four times each year with speakers covering hot topics for medical practices. You may not have the time to focus on some of the issues we cover, but your essential staff can and should attend.
LCMS Mini-Internship: Connecting with the Community
The LCMS Mini-Internship program began in 1989 when LCMS became the first medical society in Illinois to couple physicians with members of the public to help increase the understanding of the ever-changing realities of practicing medicine. Healthcare decision makers, legislators, business leaders, reporters and others spend up to two days shadowing doctors to see exactly what happens during a typical day in area operating rooms, physician offices, ERs, clinics and labs. All leave with a better understanding of the intricacies of the world of medicine.
(Photo) Mini-Intern Kelli Politte, with the Office of the Lake County Public Defender, with Mini-Internship co-chairman James Milam, MD. During this Mini-Internship program, co-chairman Raghu Thunga, MD spent most of two days with our visiting Mini-Interns at Condell and at Vista hospitals. We also sent Mini-Interns to Lake Forest Hospital to observe in surgery and more.
(Photo below) A surgeon at Condell Medical Center with two Mini-Interns observing. The Mini-Interns exclaimed over and over again what good teachers the doctors were and how accommodating they were with the Mini-Interns, and they clearly appreciated the hospitality of the hospitals and helpful staff they encountered from beginning to end of the two-day event.
"As an elected official, the Mini-Internship provided additional justification for promoting and
pursuing those public policies that enhance the delivery of medical services to Lake County residents.
I trust that the goodwill generated by the Mini-Internship program will grow and benefits therefrom
will flow into the future." (Michael Talbett, Vice Chairman Lake County Board)
Here's a scenario that might surprise you. Can a physician send a thank you note to a patient for referring a friend to his practice? The answer: sending the note would be a HIPAA violation. By thanking the patient for referring a friend, the note violates the new patient's privacy. Patients have the right to decide who knows what physician(s) they are seeing.
Group Insurance Enrollees Reminder
Our BCBS of Illinois benefit booklets are posted online here on our web site. Simply click on the Insurance tab for insurance information and forms. The complete booklet for each plan option is posted and you can scroll through the books any time. For additional information about our health and dental plans, including eligibility and enrollment options, call us or email lakedocs@aol.com.
HIPAA Q&A
Q: May a health care provider disclose protected health information to a health plan for the plan's Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS)?
A: Yes, the HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a provider to disclose protected health information to a health plan for the quality-related health care operations of the health plan, provided that the health plan has or had a relationship with the individual who is the subject of the information, and the protected health information requested pertains to the relationship. The period for which information is needed must overlaps with the period for which the individual is or was enrolled in the health plan.
Q: My State law provides greater privacy protections on patients' HIV information than the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Is this more protective State law preempted by the Privacy Rule?
Answer: No. The Privacy Rule establishes a floor of Federal privacy protections and rights for individuals. If a provision of State law provides greater privacy protection than a provision of the Privacy Rule, and it is possible to comply with both the State law and the Privacy Rule (e.g., where a State law prohibits the disclosure of HIV status while the Privacy Rule permits such disclosure), there is no conflict between the State law and the Privacy Rule, and no preemption.
Further, even in the unusual case where a "more stringent" provision of a State law is "contrary" to a provision of the Privacy Rule - that is, it is impossible to comply with both the Privacy Rule and the State law, or the State law is an obstacle to accomplishing the full purposes and objectives of HIPAA's Administrative Simplification provisions - the Administrative Simplification Rules specifically provide an exception to preemption of State law. Thus, if a more stringent provision of State law protects HIV patient information and is contrary to the Privacy Rule, the "more stringent" State law would prevail. Because HIPAA's Administrative Simplification Rules themselves accept more stringent, contrary State law from preemption, it is neither necessary nor appropriate to request a preemption exception determination from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Illinois County Medical Society executives from throughout the state gather to discuss common concerns and issues unique to county medical societies. They share solutions and new ideas during the annual meeting of the ISMS House of Delegates.
Group Insurance Reminder
Members who offer our Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois group health and/or dental insurance plan to eligible employees should keep in mind that eligibility does not begin until the member has been employed at least 30 days, or according to the terms of your office policies, which may state eligibility begins 60 or 90 days after employment. No one is eligible to enroll the first day of employment or membership. If you need a copy of our current Administrative Policy for the insurance plan, which explains eligibility and provides information about continuation coverage and more, please contact the Lake County Medical Society office. The policy is updated at least annually. The most recent version is dated 2009. Any older versions should be destroyed. We will be happy to send current Benefit Highlight sheets as well.
New Member Benefit -
HIPAA Training and Compliance Materials
Comprehensive materials to help make physician offices HIPAA compliant are now available at a discount to Lake County Medical Society members. PrivaPlan's™ MultiMedia HIPAA Training is a comprehensive, 55-minute course with an instructional CD and online quizzes to help train office staff. The HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Resource Kit includes ready-to-use forms, policies and procedures. The training kit normally sells for $169, but is available to LCMS members for $129. The compliance tool sells for $369, but is available at $350. All information is customized to Illinois, incorporating both state and federal HIPAA requirements. ISMS and ISMIE Mutual have endorsed PrivaPlan™, as have other state medical societies and insurance companies around the country.
Additional information and online purchasing is available at the links below or by calling PrivaPlan™ at 1-877-218-7707.
Volunteer for the
Lake County Medical Reserve Corps.
In response to the outpouring of volunteer support in the days following September 11, 2001, the Citizen Corps. was created by the President. Citizen Corps volunteers work to make sure their families, homes, and communities are prepared in the event of terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds. One specialized component of this effort is the Medical Reserve Corps.
[Get complete details!]
Helping HealthReach Clinic
HealthReach clinic has been serving the medically indigent (0r the uninsured) of Lake County since 1992, primarily with the help of some generous volunteer physicians, nurses and others. The clinic is located at 1800 Grand Avenue in Waukegan. You can contribute to the mission and success of the clinic either directly (by volunteering just a few hours once a month or so) or by donating much needed supplies including medical and office equipment or non-narcotic prescription drug samples for their patients.
Get On Our Group Email List!
If you have an email address, or two, please let us know. More and more of our communications are being sent electronically. You can get the newsletters faster and without adding to the paper clutter on your desk, and you can benefit from the brief electronic messages and reminders that we send to members several times each month.
You're safe with us. We do not share, sell or distribute email address to anyone. We also send periodic news by email to office managers of our members.
Go to our contact email form and send us your information to join our group email list. Include your full name, please, along with your email address(es), address, phone number, office manager, and manager's email.
Report Address Changes
Remember to notify our office when you change your address or phone number.
Dr. Michael Scheer, general surgeon, with Mini-Intern Erin O'Brien, Director, State Government Affairs, Illinois State Medical Society. (2005)
Dr. Syd Foreman (neonatologist) holding a baby boy delivered during a Mini-Internship program.
(2005)
L to R: Drs. Rebecca Bergman, Rashmikant Patel, Erik Nelson and Clair Callan, four of eight Delegates representing Lake County at the Illinois State Medical Society House of Delegates meeting held in Oak Brook, April 20-22, 2007.
The Downstate Caucus, including Delegates from all counties outside of Cook, meets twice during the ISMS Annual House of Delegates Meeting. They nominate members for leadership positions and to discuss Resolutions submitted from around the state.
Preserving access to care: (Left to right) Drs. Piyush, Gerald Frank, Albino Bismonte, Jr., and Steven Reinglass — all from Lake County Medical Society at the Rally on Daley Plaza in Chicago in May, 2003. (Photo: Jane Stein)
Will your doctor be there? Dr. Charles Frank (left), an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Lincolnshire and Dr. Burton Miller and Dr. Scott Miller, both general surgeons practicing in Libertyville, are pictured at the Medical Liability Reform Rally in Chicago in May, 2003.
Annual Awards Dinner — Old friends and new ones joined us for the Annual Awards Dinner and Celebration of Summer at the Chicago Botanic Garden in June, 2003.
Celebration of summer — Dr. Peter Chhabria and Family are pictured at the Awards Dinner celebration, June 2003.
Awards Dinner — Dr. Anthony Terrasse and wife Mary Anne were in attendance at the June 2003 Annual Awards Dinner and Celebration of Summer.
June, 2003 — Dr. Erik Nelson and his wife, Deborah Reed, MD, Dr. Rashmikant Patel, and Dr. Raghu Thunga and his wife Karen.
The Annual Doctor/Lawyer Dinner and program, a tradition in our community for over 50 years, was held on March 4, 2010. The event was organized this year by the Lake County Bar Association and featured William D. Bast, P.E., S.E., SECB, Principal, Thornton Tomasetti, as guest speaker.
The LCMS Mini-Internship program began in 1989 when LCMS became the first medical society in Illinois to couple physicians with members of the public to help increase the understanding of the ever-changing realities of practicing medicine. Healthcare decision makers, legislators, business leaders, reporters and others spend up to two days shadowing doctors to see exactly what happens during a typical day in area operating rooms, physician offices, ERs, clinics and labs. All leave with a better understanding of the intricacies of the world of medicine.
County Medical Society members. PrivaPlan's™ MultiMedia HIPAA Training is a comprehensive, 55-minute course with an instructional CD and online quizzes to help train office staff. The HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Resource Kit includes ready-to-use forms, policies and procedures. The training kit normally sells for $169, but is available to LCMS members for $129. The compliance tool sells for $369, but is available at $350. All information is customized to Illinois, incorporating both state and federal HIPAA requirements. ISMS and ISMIE Mutual have endorsed PrivaPlan™, as have other state medical societies and insurance companies around the country.
Preserving access to care: (Left to right) Drs. Piyush, Gerald Frank, Albino Bismonte, Jr., and Steven Reinglass — all from Lake County Medical Society at the Rally on Daley Plaza in Chicago in May, 2003. (Photo: Jane Stein)
