Pertinent Information

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER!

HCMA Presidential Installation

Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 6:15pm

Westshore Grand Hotel

The social begins at 6:15pm with complimentary cocktails & hors d’oeuvres and entertainment provided by harpist, Taylor Mills. Dinner will begin at 7:30pm and includes the inauguration of HCMA's 121st president, Damian Caraballo, MD. Special guest: Jason Goldman, M.D., President, Florida Medical Association. The deadline to register is this week. Thank you, sponsors: The Bank of Tampa, Excelis Medical Associates, Florida Blue, MCMS Insurance Trust, and St. Joseph's Hospital.

Change of venue

We are excited to announce that beginning September 2024, HCMA membership dinners will be held at the Centre Club. The upgraded venue will offer a fresh new atmosphere and breathtaking city views. Plan to connect with your colleagues and enjoy the festivities. Please note the date changes below:

• The September Membership Dinner will be held on Tuesday, September 17th beginning at 6:30pm. 
• The HCMA Holiday Social will be held on Tuesday, December 3rd beginning at 6:30pm.

Visit the HCMA website or watch your in-box for details and invitations!

FMA Annual Meeting

The 2024 FMA Annual Meeting is being held August 2-4 in Orlando at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort.  The HCMA is allotted 35 delegates to represent our members.  If you are interested in serving as an HCMA delegate to the FMA, contact Elke Lubin for details.

Hurricane Season 2024: Looks like we are in for a rough one

As a physician in Florida, it's important to have an emergency plan in place to deal with natural disasters, particularly during hurricane season which runs from June 1 to November 30. Hurricanes can cause extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, making it crucial for medical professionals to have a plan to keep their offices and patients safe.

Here are some steps that you can take to prepare for natural disasters:

• Develop an emergency plan.
• Stock up on essential supplies.
• Secure your office.
• Communicate with patients.
• Stay informed.

By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your office and patients are prepared for natural disasters and that you can continue to provide critical medical care during and after a crisis.

2024 Foundation Grant deadline coming soon!

After each Charity Golf Classic, the HCMA Foundation Board members review grant applications and choose the recipients of the year's awards. The deadline to submit grant applications is May 15th. If you are familiar with a local nonprofit organization that supports the health and well-being of the members of our communities, please encourage them to apply. Grant applications can be found on the  HCMA website or by calling the HCMA office at 813.253.0471.

Membership Directory rates have been reduced

Now accepting ads for the Annual HCMA Membership Directory, Summer 2024 Edition. The HCMA Annual Membership Directory has proven to be an excellent referral source for physicians and businesses. 2024 advertising rates have been reduced for both members and businesses. Click here to view the rate sheet and to secure your advertisement. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Bauman, E&M sales associate, at 800-572-0011 or brian.b@eandmsales.com.

The future of medicine can begin with you.

Both pre-med and medical students have asked to shadow members in their offices to gain early clinical exposure. If you would like to serve as a mentor and allow a student to shadow you please register here. The HCMA is compiling a list of volunteers. Student and physician volunteers will make final mentoring arrangements. Thank you for your participation!

Judge gives the go-ahead to Medicaid class-action lawsuit against Florida

A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended. Read more. 

Florida's 6-week abortion ban begins May 1st.

Navigating reproductive health care can be confusing, especially as abortion policies change in Florida. Here are 7 things to know. Read more.

How the Change Healthcare cyberattack is affecting physicians

As recently published AMA survey data shows, physicians nationwide have experienced tremendous hardship due to the Change Healthcare cybersecurity breach in February. Using data taken from more than 1,400 respondents, the AMA found that 36% of physicians experienced suspension in claims payments. In addition, 32% have been unable to submit claims, and 22% have not been able to verify eligibility of benefits. In terms of service disruptions, 80% of respondents have lost revenue from unpaid claims and 85% have had to commit additional staff time/resources to complete revenue cycle tasks. Furthermore, 55% of respondents had to use their personal funds to cover practice costs.

Can older adults treat depression in peers?

That's the goal of Do More, Feel Better, a national research project involving USF. It trains seniors to stand in for professional therapists to motivate their peers. USF has so far enrolled more than 60 participants and about a dozen coaches. Read more.

USF will open a center to address Florida's mental health workforce shortage

USF receives $5 million to open a behavioral health workforce center to address the shortage of providers, part of the new “Live Healthy” legislation. Read more.

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital announces $50 million donation from the Pagidipati family.

The funds will be used to build a new freestanding children’s hospital. Read more.

Connect with us!

Follow and connect with the HCMA on social media. Tap the icons on the left and also connect with HCMA administration staff on LinkedIn:

Debbie Zorian, Executive Director and

Elke Lubin, Executive Assistant

From the Board of Medicine

CME available at BOM meetings

The Board meets bimonthly, generally on the first weekend of the month. The full Board meetings include disciplinary cases, licensure approvals, correspondence items, committee reports, policy discussion items and other necessary Board actions. All board and committee meetings start at 8:00 am. Dates and locations are subject to change.

Licensees interested in attending a regular meeting of the Board for continuing medical education (CME) credit, please click here to visit the Board’s website for meeting information. Licensees must remain in continuous attendance during the disciplinary portion of the meeting. You may report your attendance by completing the CME attendance form and returning the form to the board office using the email address provided in the form.

CE Broker

The HCMA has formed a partnership with CE Broker, the official continuing education tracking system. HCMA members receive a discount when subscribing to a CE Broker account. Subscriptions renew annually and offer a user-friendly system that helps you sort through complex CE requirements. Contact Elke Lubin at 813-253-0471 or click here to receive the promotion code. Go to CEBroker.com and subscribe or set up a 7-Day Free Trial Account. Use the HCMA promotion code to apply your discount.