Dear Colleagues,
 
The North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians should be proud of its accomplishments in 2010 and 2011.  The State of North Carolina saw meaningful tort reform passed through the legislature in a unified effort from the House of Medicine.  Feel GREAT that your sweat, your dollars, and your message were heard by patients and acted upon by your representatives!  But, in the upcoming year medicine will face challenges to that legislation, continuing problems with the State’s budget, reimbursement issues with government and non government payers, and Access to Care issues. Recently US congressional lawmakers embedded a 2% Medicare fee cut if a deficit reduction plan is not in place by the end of the year.  This could have significant financial consequences.  Consider your contracts that are tied to the Medicare fee schedule and your payer mix.  As business owners, expenses continue to rise without income rising to meet the expense side. Your involvement in the Chapter is critical to emergency physician success on all fronts!  We touch patients and families every day with the care we provide, you are part of the message we deliver and you deliver that message every day. Please contact our executive director if you are interested in providing your valuable input on a committee.  Consider a donation to the NCCEP PAC.  Consider attending the Fall Conference and June Jam to receive CME and enjoy social time with your colleagues.  Share with each other what’s working and what’s not. Attend a board meeting with one of your colleagues. The year ahead will be full of challenges and I encourage each of you to participate!

Frank Smeeks, MD, FACEP

President, NCCEP