CMS Board of Directors

Thursday, May 01, 2014 12:36 PM

Board acts on issues that impact all physicians

Kate Alfano, CMS contributing writer

The Colorado Medical Society Board of Directors met on Friday, March 14, to conduct business integral to the success of the society and its members.

Strategic plan refresh
The board reviewed and revised the recommendations that came out of the two-day strategic plan refresh retreat conducted in January and moderated by Joe Gagen, a paid facilitator. The recommendations are intended to enhance CMS’ progress in achieving our strategic goals.

In governance, the board has approved the formation of a task force chaired by Immediate Past President Jan Kief, MD, to conduct a comprehensive review of the governing structure of CMS including the composition and selection of the House of Delegates and the Board of Directors to maintain transparency, enhance efficiency and effective decision-making, and utilize additional avenues of input on policymaking. The task force will develop a proposal with a report for action at the July board meeting.

In advocacy, the board voted that the Committee on Professional Education and Accreditation explore the most effective role for CMS in increasing primary care residency programs in Colorado and report back to the board by the end of the year.

Also in advocacy, retreat members raised an idea regarding cost transparency. The board held an extensive discussion on health care costs, implications of recent developments in the context of a Department of Insurance study and anticipated legislation that would create a cost study commission, and the extent to which CMS should be involved. The board asked CMS staff to carefully follow these developments and keep the board appraised.

And in communications, the board directed the CEO to retain a qualified consultant to perform a communications audit to assess internal and external communications functions and to develop recommendations to upgrade these functions in a manner that increases the media exposure of CMS and enhances physician engagement with CMS.

Actions of the Committee on Employed Physicians
The board discussed the report of the Committee on Employed Physicians and approved their recommendations. CMS will continue a collaborative philosophy with the Colorado Hospital Association and individual hospitals during outreach to and recruitment of employed non-member physicians in 2014. The board believes that services to employed physicians to the extent possible should also be beneficial to the employer and under no circumstances be detrimental to the needs of physicians in traditional private practice.

Staff will contact a sample of hospital and ambulatory chief medical officers or CEOs to determine their interest in attending an event for the purpose of identifying additional services or activities CMS could provide that would be of value to employed physicians and their employer, and report back to the board.

The committee also reported on model medical staff bylaw amendments relating to allegations that an adverse action is a result of anticompetitive conduct. These model bylaws were developed and agreed to by CMS and the Colorado Hospital Association and will be forwarded to CHA-member hospitals with follow-up surveys at six and 12 months to assess whether the proposed practices and recommended procedures approved have been adopted.

Policy on telemedicine
The board voted to direct the Committee on Physician Practice Evolution to review and update CMS’ policy on telemedicine and electronic communications, taking into consideration current law and regulations regulating telemedicine, telemedicine marketplace solutions inhibited by state law and regulations, the physician-patient relationship, other state experiences, workforce, and the consumer and business perspective. The board also approved the convening of a workgroup comprising representatives from CMS, the Colorado Association of Health Plans and other stakeholders as appropriate to produce a report on telemedicine/telehealth issues before the 2015 legislature convenes.

Prescription drug abuse
Lastly, the board approved a report by the new CMS Committee on Prescription Drug Abuse – charged with implementing CMS’ prescription drug abuse platform – that recommended that CMS support legislation that requires all physicians with a DEA number to register with the PDMP (though not require them to use it) and that allows a physician to delegate to as many as three qualified designees authority to access the PDMP database.

CMS greatly appreciates the work of the board of directors.