CPMG Section

Friday, January 01, 2016 12:18 PM

CPMG Governing Council meets, shares goals for involvement in Colorado Medical Society

by CMS staff report

The CPMG Section Governing Council gathered for their first official meeting on Dec. 2. From left to right: Oscar Sanchez, MD; Cyrus Mirshab, MD; Alison Sandberg, MD; Kim Warner, MD; Ashley Wheeler, MD; Nora Resnikova, MD; and Chris Fellenz, MD.

A new representative member section comprising employed physicians from Colorado Permanente Medical Group (CPMG) was created last year and approved by the CMS Board of Directors and House of Delegates in September. As an organized section, CPMG will have a voice on the board and aims to expand the participation of employed physicians in the Colorado Medical Society.

The section’s recently appointed governing council held its first meeting on Dec. 2 to conduct a review of the section bylaws, give an overview of The New CMS reform plan, discuss the outcomes of the July 14 inaugural CPMG section meeting, and give thoughts on their focus and objectives.

Each physician leader on the council also went around the table and told why they look forward to the engagement opportunities through The New CMS and why they decided to volunteer their time to the CPMG Governing Council.

Oscar Sanchez, MD, who specializes in physical medicine and rehab, told the group about his passion for treating patients with pain and his desire to bring education to physicians on new thinking and evidence in treating pain patients. Chris Fellenz, MD, a family medicine physician, expressed his passion for serving the underserved and helping patients in safety net programs, and his desire to connect more specialists with this patient population.

Alison Sandberg, MD, who specializes in diagnostic radiology, sees a need to control radiologic costs – though thoughtfully – through stewardship and education around the cost of overused and unneeded imaging, ensuring the health care system continues to cover appropriate imaging. Cyrus Mirshab, MD, an anesthesiologist, expressed his passion for physician wellness and desire to bring what he and colleagues have learned at CPMG to CMS.

Nora Reznickova, MD, an internal medicine physician, expressed her aim to educate the community and physicians about geriatric care, dementia and elder abuse. And Ashley Wheeler, MD, a psychiatrist, is passionate about advocacy and education regarding mental health, access to mental health and physician burnout.

“CPMG and CMS share common visions for the State of Colorado,” said Kim Warner, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist and CMS board member for CPMG. “It was clearly time for the two organizations to align.  We have strengths and learnings that can complement each other around education, health, wellness and advocacy, which will make each organization stronger, and benefit the physicians and patients of Colorado.”