April/May 2023 Memphis Medical News

Fake Nursing Licenses on the Rise

‘The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing’ If you employ nurses with nursing degrees from Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, or Sacred Heart International Institute, all located in Florida, it may be time to review their files for fraudulent activity.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently charged 25 individuals with wire fraud for selling fraudulent nursing degree diplomas to more than 7,600 individuals across the country. These individuals purchased the bogus diplomas to use as credentials to sit for their nursing board exams. Thousands of these individuals became licensed nurses, easily slipping under the human resources radar.

“The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing,” said David Schumacher, a former deputy chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, and co-chair of the Fraud & Abuse Practice at Hooper Lundy law firm.

Article on page 5

See more local news in Grand Rounds on page 7

Gamma Tile Therapy Comes to Memphis

By JAMES DOWD

For patients diagnosed with brain tumors, standard treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. And while those options can yield positive results for many, some patients with more difficult tumors must pursue other treatment avenues.

For Mid-Southerners, one such option –GammaTile therapy – is now available in Memphis. Until recently, patients had to travel hundreds of miles to access this innovative treatment.

“This fills a niche. We’re using GammaTile when a lot of other options have been exhausted, so instead of patients having to travel to MD Anderson in Houston for a second opinion, we have the best option available here,” said Dr. Matthew Ballo, radiation oncologist at West Cancer Center. “We occasionally see brain tumors that can’t be treated any other way, but GammaTile offers a great alternative for this patient population.”

There are two common forms of radiation therapy, Ballo explained. One is radiation from the outside, which involves large doses of external beam radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Treatments may last from only a few visits up to several months. The other is brachytherapy, or interior radiation. During this procedure, a sealed radiation source is placed in or near the treatment area.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)

Wearing Three Hats but Focused on the Patient

By TOM BAILEY

Years have passed, but Dr.

Arthur M.

Townsend IV still remembers the fear in her eyes.

Then an obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) hospitalist at The Women’s & Children’s Pavilion at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, Townsend entered the draped delivery room about 2 a.m. to find a distressed woman in labor as a medical team hustled to prepare for her Cesarean section.

Her anxiety in those hectic moments was understandable. The required surgical delivery could not wait for the arrival of her own doctor; the baby needed to be delivered immediately.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3)

Arthur M. Townsend IV

Wearing Three Hats, continued from page 1

“I saw her eyes, and the fear,” Townsend recalled.

That’s when he remembered what he had previously learned from staff employees in his own OB/GYN practice: Slow down, take a moment with the patient, make eye contact, and establish trust with this person who does not know you.

“I took her hand, and I said, ‘We’re going to do everything we can to make sure everything is okay for you and your baby,’” Townsend told the woman.

Almost immediately, her eyes relaxed. “Her face released that fear,” he said.

That approach to practicing medicine — listening to and learning from employees, colleagues and especially patients — now infuses Townsend’s leadership for three different organizations.

Three hats

The St. Louis native now wears three professional hats. He is:

— Director of the same OB/GYN hospitalist program, at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, where he had served as a hospitalist;

— Vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare. His primary role is promoting evidence-based medicine and creating hospital protocols and policies to minimize any inconsistencies in the quality of patient care;

— President and chief executive officer of HealthChoice, a venture equally owned by Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and MetroCare Physicians. HealthChoice is not a medical practice but provides three types of services. Its nurses and medical assistants do patient out-reaches to help them avoid early returns to emergency departments or a hospital room. The health team helps patients gain timely access to doctors, medicines and important healthcare information. HealthChoice also helps doctors solve any issues with insurance claims. And it provides access to more affordable health insurance for employees of physician offices. HealthChoice pools the staffs together to acquire more affordable insurance rates.

Townsend completed his residency program in 1994 and came to Memphis to join his father’s OB/GYN practice.

“I have come from a line of physicians going back to my greatgrandfather, Arthur Townsend Sr. There’s always been a kind of commitment to medicine and caring for people has always been something that has been valued in my family,” Townsend said.

He ran a successful private practice in OB/GYN medicine for 17 years, until 2015.

Team approach

During those years of leading a private practice, Townsend fostered a team

approach among his staff members — from receptionists to nurses to himself.

“Everybody had a stake in the health of patients; everyone had an equal voice,” he said.

For example, all his staff participated in strategic planning meetings. “I encourage a free flow of ideas, doesn’t matter what your role is in the office. Everybody sees things differently; it’s all important to fulfill our mission,” he said.

Townsend took to heart a staff suggestion during one of those meetings. He was advised to slow down and be more present with his patients.

“They told me, ‘Doc, you need to go in the room, don’t stand up, sit down.

And make eye-contact. And not only listen, but make sure the patient knows you’ve absorbed what she told you.’”

The amount and quality of time you will spend with the patient will mean a lot more to your relationship with her as a doctor and patient, Townsend said.

The approach requires active listening. “But also, at times it’s incredibly important to be quiet. Let her say whatever is on her mind, and a few moments of silence in the room is not a bad thing,” he said. “The silence helps ensure the patient had an opportunity to share everything she wanted to share.

“It’s not just about diagnosing or performing surgeries or prescribing medications or delivering babies. But it’s also about listening and making sure she knows that I see and hear her,” Townsend said.

Physician leaders

Dr. Townsend’s variety of professional experiences helps him bridge the gap between healthcare administration and the physicians, nurses and other providers working in the trenches of healthcare.

After all, he has worked as an OB/ GYN hospitalist, been in private practice for 21 years, including leading it for 17 years, helped establish one of Tennessee’s first OB/GYN hospitalist programs, led the HealthChoice medical management organization since September 2020, and has overseen the Methodist Le Bonheur systemwide quality-standards program.

“I had the fortune of being a practicing physician and then a leader within the medical staff, and then a leader on the corporate level,” he said. “As a practicing physician, it gave me the opportunity to develop relationships with physicians and nurses throughout the hospital system. And getting to know the leadership of the Methodist healthcare system was priceless,” he said.

Michael O. Ugwueke, the president and chief executive of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, established a physician leadership program and named Townsend as its director. The program helps physicians learn the

business of medicine “to make them effective partners with Methodist hospital administration as well as effective leaders for other healthcare providers,” Townsend said.

Some doctors who have gone through the leadership program have assumed such roles as chief of staff and chief medical officer for their hospitals.

In leading other physicians, Townsend says he has learned that doctors want to participate in the quality of care that their patients receive.

Hospital administrators also attend the physician leadership academy, forming closer relationships with the doctors. “So, when there would be opportunities to make process improvements, there would be an existing relationship between administrators and the doctors so they could work together to solve problems,” Townsend said.

Complementary roles

Townsend sees his roles at Methodist Le Bonheur and HealthChoice as complementary. In both arenas — Methodist Le Bonheur’s in-patient operations and HealthChoice’s outpatient/primary care segment — he promotes best practices.

“One influences the other,” he said. “The healthier people are in the

out-patient, primary care segment, the less likely they’ll have to go to the hospital.”

HealthChoice has entered into value-based agreements with Medicare, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna Healthcare insurance companies. Medical practices in the HealthChoice network participate in the value-based agreements, taking the steps to help patients avoid returning to emergency rooms or a hospital room.

“We also would like to expand the services HealthChoice provides to improve the health of Shelby County residents and beyond,” he said.

Meanwhile, for Methodist Le Bonheur HealthCare, Townsend is working on an initiative with the system’s chief medical officer, Dr. Wayne Lipson, to improve patient flow. That means moving patients in a more efficient and timely way, whether through the Emergency Department or getting discharged from a hospital room.

One hat that Townsend has no time to wear is a golf cap.

With whatever free time he mustesr, Townsend enjoys movies, traveling and attending concerts with his wife, Deborah.

“I wish I had time to play golf,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe there’s time for that later. It’s a dream.”

Gamma Tile, continued from page 1

GammaTile, or Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (START), involves a surgeon placing radioactive seeds inside the brain tumor. These seeds, embedded in square pieces of gauze-like absorbable material, are trimmed to fit the size of the tumor and remain in place. As the radioactive metals decay, the radiation directly targets the cancer without affecting larger areas. After several weeks, the radiation is depleted.

“For patients with difficult to treat or recurring brain tumors, we stack these squares along the tumor bed just like you would place tiles on your bathroom wall,” Ballo said. “They fit perfectly along the tumor wall with enough space between the seeds and the tissue, but there’s that not much damage – patients receive the perfect dosage of radiation.”

Although external beam radiation therapy is still the gold standard, Ballo said. GammaTile offers hope to patients who may feel as if they’re at out of options. Patients typically receive this therapy after having had surgery or radiation and the brain tissue cannot withstand additional external radiation doses.

“This serves a need to deliver that

professor of neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, worked for years to bring this technology to Memphis. The therapy has been used in other medical facilities with great success and dramatically improves quality of life for patients suffering from rare brain tumors.

“The results have far exceeded our expectations,” Michael said. “Traditionally 20 percent of patients at this stage would make it one year without recurrence of the tumor, but now it’s 4 out of 5 instead of 1 out of 5. We’re on the winning side the majority of time.”

GammaTile therapy doesn’t require significantly more time than traditional brain tumor surgery, Michael said. And the team approach promotes efficiency, which contributes to outstanding outcomes.

“We take the patient back and administer anesthesia, then I go in and perform surgery to remove any tissue that needs to be taken out,” Michael said. “Then Dr. Ballo and a physicist come into room to determine the number of implants to be placed and then we arrange the tiles and it’s over. All told, the time added to the procedure is only a few minutes.”

Michael and Ballo are working along-

“One of the biggest things for us is that every time you add a treatment, you add a risk, but it’s rare for something to come along like this.” Michael said. “While this is not risk-free, the side effects of GammaTile are practically non-existent. That’s a fullspeed ahead for us.”

Local doctors collaborating with St. Francis Hospital to offer the surgery have

we work together,” Michael said. “We’re able to do this because we have a multidisciplinary approach with medical, radiation, and other experts in each field. Our drive is not only to work on the side of coming up with new treatments, but also to have every tool in our toolbelt so that people have the best chance possible.”

Dr. L. Madison Michael, II, (left), walks with Dr. Matthew Ballo.

Fake Nursing Licenses on the Rise ‘The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing’

By LYNNE JETER

If you employ nurses with nursing degrees from Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, or Sacred Heart International Institute, all located in Florida, it may be time to review their files for fraudulent activity.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently charged 25 individuals with wire fraud for selling fraudulent nursing degree diplomas to more than 7,600 individuals across the country. These individuals purchased the bogus diplomas to use as credentials to sit for their nursing board exams. Thousands of these individuals became licensed nurses, easily slipping under the human resources radar.

“The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing,” said David Schumacher, a former deputy chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, and co-chair of the Fraud & Abuse Practice at Hooper Lundy law firm. “The obvious victims are the patients who were treated by nurses who apparently didn’t have the training and qualifications that they had a right to expect. But hospitals and health systems and other organizations, who are desperate to find and replace qualified nurses, were also victimized by this scheme.”

David S. Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida and a partner on the compliance and white-collar defense team at Jones Walker LLP in Miami, said the trend emanated from the COVID outbreak.

“During COVID, as with many industries, both a shortage of potential employees and forced movement to online certifications proliferated the healthcare industry,” explained Weinstein. “As a result, unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the situation and created a scheme to profit from these events.”

Employers who hired these fraudulent nurses had little way to know about the bogus diplomas.

“As with all due diligence checks, you rely on the information that’s in the database,” said Weinstein. “If transcripts and diplomas are submitted as a requirement to sit for the licensing exams, unless the transcripts and diplomas are outright fraudulent in their appearances, it will not set off any red flags. Moreover, by the time a candidate applied for employment, they had already used the fraudulent transcripts and diplomas to sit for and pass their licensing exams.”

Schumacher also pointed out that all three nursing schools were accredited.

Human resources and compliance departments at health and hospital systems should review employment records from all nurses to determine if any of them listed diplomas from these three institutions, Schumacher said.

“If so, they should conduct an investigation to determine if the diplomas were legitimate or fraudulent, and if fraudulent, they should immediately terminate the nurses,” he said.

It’s critical that health and hospital systems take these steps to mitigate harm, Schumacher continued.

“It’s not inconceivable that health and hospital systems will have to answer inquiries from patients and families that were treated by nurses involved in this scheme,” he said, “and federal and commercial insurance payors

could demand recoupment of any services performed by the nurses as well.”

The scandal doesn’t implicate staffing services. “However, the defendants preyed on vulnerable health and hospital systems that are having difficulty filling open nursing positions,” said Schumacher.

If convicted, the 25 defendants each face up to 20 years imprisonment.

Some state nursing boards are already taking action. For instance, the Georgia Board of Nursing has sent letters to at least 22 nurses who had diplomas from one of these schools, asking them to voluntarily surrender their nursing licenses, and the Atlanta VA medical center has removed three such nurses, said Schumacher.

“Boards of Nursing in other states will surely follow suit,” he said.

Moreover, if there are thousands of nurses out there who obtained their licenses under false pretenses, there could be years of collateral litigation, including additional indictments, nursing board licensure actions, and potential lawsuits from their employers and families, said Schumacher.

“What a mess!”

David Schumacher

David S. Weinstein

Special Medicaid Funds Help Most States, but Prompt Oversight Concerns

By ANDY MILLER, KFF HEALTH NEWS

Emanuel Medical Center in rural Georgia racks up more than $350,000 a month in losses providing health care for low-income and uninsured patients. But a new state funding proposal could significantly reduce those deficits, not just for the 66-bed Swainsboro facility but for most rural hospitals in Georgia, according to state Medicaid officials.

It’s not Medicaid expansion, which Georgia Republican leaders have rejected. Instead, the state Department of Community Health is using an underthe-radar Medicaid funding opportunity that has been rapidly taken up by more than 35 states — including most of the states that have expanded the government insurance program.

The extra federal money comes through an obscure, complicated mechanism called “directed payments” — available only for states that hire health insurers to deliver services for Medicaid.

In 2020, these special funding streams, which are approved by federal health officials, sent more than $25 billion to states, according to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), which advises Congress.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, when asked for an updated total, referred KHN to individual states for their spending figures. “CMS has not publicly published total spending related to state directed payments,’’ said agency spokesperson Bruce Alexander.

But the Government Accountability Office, Congress’ watchdog agency, and MACPAC say federal health officials should do more to monitor directed payments and evaluate whether states meet the program’s goals, which include improved access and quality of care. More transparency is needed, these agencies said.

A MACPAC report last year found that fewer than 25% of directed payment plans running for at least a year had evaluations available for review.

Federal health officials “are getting a lot of questions” on directed payments from GAO and MACPAC, said Debra Lipson, a senior fellow at consulting firm Mathematica, which has studied the issue. “It’s a lot of money.”

CMS hasn’t yet released reports on quality metrics for the program, Lipson added.

Alexander, the CMS spokesperson, said the agency “takes our role in oversight and transparency seriously, and we are working collaboratively with our federal and state partners to improve our oversight and transparency” of directed payments.

Medicaid is the government health insurance program for low-income and disabled patients. It’s jointly financed by the states and the federal government.

CMS launched the directed payments program in 2016. Georgia officials estimated the state will net $1 billion in federal funds this fiscal year for hospitals and other medical providers through its directed payment programs.

California estimates it brought in more than $6 billion just last year in new federal funds through directed payments. Arizona received $4.3 billion between 2018 and 2022. Florida netted more than $1 billion over a 12-month period ending in September.

This special Medicaid funding may indirectly help patients by strengthening financial stability for hospitals, along with offering the potential for capital improvements from the added cash infusions.

But patient advocates and Democratic lawmakers in Georgia said providing insurance coverage for the medical needs of the uninsured by adopting Medicaid expansion is more urgent. Hospitals, like Emanuel Medical Center, would benefit from Medicaid reimbursements for patients who now often rack up unpaid bills for care.

The uninsured “are not going to get preventive care, and that drives up health care costs,” said state Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta-area Democrat. “The state should have expanded Medicaid.”

That expansion is not going to happen in Georgia in the short run, as Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is set to launch new limits on Medicaid enrollment for low-income adults, with work requirements attached.

Under directed payments, added funding for hospitals and other Medicaid medical providers flows through different avenues, including minimum fees for services, a general reimbursement increase, and pay hikes based on quality of care.

Payments are based on the volume of services delivered. If one hospital served more Medicaid patients than another, its reimbursements would be higher, Lipson said.

“CMS initially was surprised by the volume of states’ directed payment proposals,” said Lipson. Some states have 25 or more, she added. They must be

renewed annually.

Often states finance their portion through hospital assessments or money transferred from public funds, such as hospital authorities, county governments, and state agencies.

Georgia has five such directed payment plans. Their goals include boosting Medicaid pay for hospitals and doctors, strengthening the health care workforce, and improving health outcomes and equity, said Caylee Noggle, commissioner of the state Department of Community Health, which runs Medicaid in Georgia.

Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, a large safety-net provider, said it expects to gain $139 million across four of the Georgia programs.

“It’s a tremendous benefit for us,” said Ryan Loke, Grady’s chief health policy officer. “Without this money, Grady would be in a lot worse position.”

Grady is seeing more Medicaid and uninsured patients who formerly used nearby Atlanta Medical Center, which closed last year

State Sen. Ben Watson, a physician and Savannah-area Republican, pointed out that such safety-net hospitals, which serve a large portion of people who lack health coverage, are getting higher pay through Medicaid directed payments, thus helping them cover some losses.

Georgia plans to use these funding streams as a base for extending extra help to rural hospitals.

With the extra payments, Grady and other hospitals will approach or reach their normal funding limit for hospitals that serve a “disproportionate share” of indigent patients. The state would take about $100 million of this excess money and send it to rural hospitals.

The Georgia Hospital Association said the directed payment money is helpful but won’t cover costs of charity care for the uninsured.

“They’re not looking at [hospitals’] bad debt,” said Anna Adams, an executive with the group. “An insured patient is a healthier patient. We’d love to see as many people covered as possible.”

Officials at rural hospitals in Georgia, meanwhile, are looking forward to the projected boost in Medicaid funds.

“It’s going to put cash in the coffers of rural hospitals that are struggling,” said Jimmy Lewis, CEO of HomeTown Health, an association of rural hospitals in the state.

Damien Scott, CEO of Emanuel Medical Center, said he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the coming allocation. On his wish list: attracting a pediatrician

to his county — it has none currently — and gaining the space to move the hospital’s lone MRI machine from a truck into the hospital building.

As it is, he said, “we struggle every month for our survival.”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF

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Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, a large safety-net provider, is seeing more Medicaid and uninsured patients who formerly used the nearby Atlanta Medical Center, which closed last year. (ANDY MILLER / KHN)

GrandRounds

Baptist Memorial Taps New Leaders for its Hospitals

Baptist Memorial Health Care has promoted or appointed new chief executive officers/administrators for eight of its hospitals.

• Paul Cade has been named vice president/CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, the health care organization’s flagship hospital. He most recently served as CEO/ administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.

• Rob Coleman will serve as CEO/ administrator of Baptist Golden Triangle. He is currently CEO/ administrator for Baptist Memorial Hospital-Attala and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Yazoo.

• Mac Flynt has been promoted to CEO/ administrator of Baptist Attala and Baptist Yazoo. He is currently the chief administrative officer for both hospitals.

• Brian Welton has been appointed CEO/administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. He is currently CEO/ administrator of Baptist Memorial HospitalCrittenden.

• Samuel Pieh has been promoted to CEO/administrator of Baptist Crittenden; he is currently chief operating officer of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis.

• Ann Bishop has been promoted to CEO/administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County and Baptist Memorial HospitalBooneville. She will also continue to serve as administrator of Baptist’s cancer service line.

“I am pleased to announce these CEO appointments for Baptist Memorial hospitals,” said Dr. Paul DePriest, executive vice president/

chief operating officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “It is rewarding to promote from within our organization because we have qualified leaders who excel at their jobs. I have the highest confidence in all of them and look forward to working with them to achieve better health for our communities.”

These changes will go into effect in April and May 2023 and were precipitated by the retirements of Randy King, VP of metro operations for Baptist, and Bill Henning, CEO/administrator of Baptist North Mississippi.

Baptist Memorial Announces Hospital Operations Leadership Changes

Baptist Memorial Health Care has announced leadership changes for its hospital operations following the retirement announcement of long-time Vice President of Metro Operations Randy King.

Chris Anderson, formerly VP of operations for Mississippi, will be promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s metro market; James Grantham, chief executive officer/ administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville, has been promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s Mississippi market; Brad Parsons, VP/CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, will be promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s West Tennessee and Arkansas markets; and Derick Ziegler, VP of affiliate integration and West Tennessee operations, will be promoted to VP/chief transformation officer, a newly created role for the organization.

“I am pleased to have Chris Anderson, James Grantham, Brad Parsons and Derick Ziegler help lead operations and sustainability for Baptist Memorial hospitals,” said Dr. Paul DePriest, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “Combined, they have 100-plus years of experience leading hospitals and health care systems, and they have successfully managed our hospitals during one of the most challenging times in health care history. I expect them to continue to rise to any challenge as they lead Baptist Memorial hospitals into the future.”

• Anderson has led operations for nine of Baptist Memorial hospitals in North and Central Mississippi since 2017 when he joined Baptist

Are You Letting Emotions Control Your Finances?

New Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.

Keep in mind that this update is for informational purposes only, so please consult with an accounting or tax professional before making any changes to your 2023 tax strategy. You can also contact your financial professional, who may be able to provide you with information about the pending changes.

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

Traditional IRA contribution limits are up $500 in 2023 to $6,500. Catch-up contributions for those over age 50 remain at $1,000, bringing the total limit to $7,500.

Remember, once you reach age 73, you must begin taking the required minimum distributions from a Traditional IRA in most circumstances. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty.

Roth IRAs

The income phase-out range for Roth IRA contributions increases to $138,000-$153,000 for single filers and heads of household, a $9,000 increase. For married couples filing jointly, phase-out will be $218,000 to $228,000, a $14,000 increase. Married individuals filing separately see their phase-out range remain at $0-10,000.

To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth 401(k) distributions must meet a five-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½ Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal can also be taken under certain other circumstances, such as the owner's death.

Workplace Retirement Accounts

Those with 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans, and similar accounts will see a $2,000 increase for 2023, the limit rising to $22,500. Those aged 50 and older will now have the ability to contribute an extra $7,500, bringing their total limit to $30,000.

Once you reach age 73 you must begin taking required minimum distributions from your 401(k) or other defined-contribution plans in most circumstances. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty

SIMPLE Accounts

A $1,500 increase in limits for 2023 gives individuals contributing to this incentive match plan a $15,500 stop light.

Much like a traditional IRA, once you reach age 73, you must begin taking your required minimum distributions from a SIMPLE account in most circumstances. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty.

As a reminder, this article is for informational purposes only. Consult with an accounting or tax professional before making any changes to your 2023 tax strategy.

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.

Copyright FMG Suite.

Chirag Chauhan, MBA, AIF®, CFP® is the managing partner of Bluff City Advisory Group in Memphis, Tennessee For more info, please visit bluffcityadvisory com.

Chirag Chauhan, AIF®, CFP®

Paul Cade

Rob Coleman

Mac Flynt

Brian Welton

Samuel Pieh

Ann Bishop

Chris Anderson

GrandRounds

following the signing of a shared mission agreement between Baptist and Mississippi Baptist Health Systems in 2017. Prior to that, Anderson served as president/CEO of Mississippi Baptist Health Systems from 2014 to 2017. In total, he has served as a health system CEO for 19 years and worked in health care for 35-plus years.

• Grantham has served as dual CEO/administrator for Baptist Union County and Baptist Booneville since 2019, and administrator of clinical services since 2014. He began in the CEO/administrator role at Baptist Booneville in 2012 after serving as assistant administrator at Baptist Union County from 2011 to 2012 and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville from 2010 to 2011. Grantham joined Baptist as a Frank S. Groner administrative fellow in 2009, and worked as a medical technologist and laboratory informatics analyst from 1998 to 2009.

• Parsons, who has served in health care administration roles since 2003, will lead operations for Baptist’s three West Tennessee hospitals and two Arkansas hospitals. Parsons has experienced a progressive career in health care leadership, most recently being promoted to VP/ CEO of Baptist’s flagship hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women in 2022. He was promoted to CEO/administrator of Baptist Memphis in 2020 after serving as CEO/administrator of NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

from 2012 to 2020. He was CEO/ administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City from 2010 to 2012 and held other leadership roles at Baptist and Decatur Morgan Hospital between 2003 and 2010.

• In Ziegler’s new role, he will serve as the executive leader of Project CRYSTAL to help optimize operations and create sustainable results for the organization. He will also continue to lead transformation projects and merger and acquisition synergy efforts. As VP of affiliate integrations and West Tennessee operations, Ziegler was responsible for transitions, acquisitions and mergers and helped the organization realize more than $200 million in synergy savings. Prior to this role, Ziegler served as CEO/administrator of Baptist Memphis from 2010 to 2014 and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City from 2008 to 2010. Before joining Baptist, Ziegler served as a colonel in the U.S. Army for 23 years.

Baptist Memorial Health Care is one of the country’s largest not-forprofit health care systems and the largest provider of Medicaid in the region. Baptist offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South and consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation. The health care system comprises 22 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, North and Central Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 5,400 affiliated physicians; Baptist Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group with more than 900 providers; home, hospice and psychiatric care; minor medical centers and clinics; a network

of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by Baptist Health Sciences University (formerly Baptist College of Health Sciences). Baptist employs more than 19,000 people, and in fiscal year 2020 contributed more than $352 million in community benefit and uncompensated care to the communities it serves.

Baptist Announces New Leaders for its Heart Transplant Program

The Baptist Heart Institute at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis recently appointed Dr. Brian Bruckner and Dr. Sharon Larson as leaders of the heart transplant, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist device team.

Baptist is the only provider for adult heart transplants in the MidSouth and serves the region with the only adult ECMO program. Baptist also performs the most ventricular assist device procedures in the area.

“Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis is proud to have Drs. Bruckner and Larson join our team of talented cardiovascular experts,” said Paul Cade, vice president and CEO of Baptist Memphis. “Heart disease is a leading cause of death for Mid-Southerners and patients often require a higher level of care. With Drs. Bruckner and Larson expertise, Baptist Memphis can continue to grow our advanced heart services and offer a high level of cardiovascular care in our community.”

Dr. Bruckner will serve as director of thoracic transplant and mechanical circulatory support for Baptist.

He built the largest ventricular assist device and transplant program in the state of Texas during his time at Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Brucker earned his doctorate from the University of Florida College of Medicine and his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the University of Florida. Dr. Brucker completed his residency and research fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and his transplant residency at Texas Heart Institute, both in Houston.

As surgical director of cardiac transplant and mechanical circulatory support and ECMO, Dr. Larson will lead Baptist’s ECMO program as she did at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, where she was also the clinical assistant professor for the division of cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Larson obtained her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in biology and Spanish from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and her Master of Science in biomedical science from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, in Fort Worth.

The Baptist Heart Institute offers comprehensive heart services in one location, delivering advanced diagnostics and treatment to help patients achieve and maintain heart health. The Advanced Heart Failure Program, located within the Baptist Heart Institute, provides comprehensive cardiac care and services for patients diagnosed with advanced heart failure who no longer respond to medicines and require frequent hospitalization. In 2022, Baptist became the first hospital in the state of Tennessee to use barostim implants to treat heart failure, and in 2023, Baptist was the first in the state to implant a cardiac contractility modulation device.

James Grantham

Brad Parsons

Derick Ziegler

Brian Bruckner

Sharon Larson

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The Baptist Memphis campus includes the 706-bed hospital, which is the flagship of the Baptist Memorial Health Care system. Named as the Best Regional Hospital in Memphis by U.S. News & World Report in 2022, it serves as a major referral center for patients from across the MidSouth and offers the only adult heart transplant program in the region in addition to many diagnostic, surgical and rehabilitation services. The hospital has added hundreds of beds in the past few years, with the opening of a new patient tower and the Baptist Heart Institute. According to HealthGrades, an independent health care ratings organization, Baptist Memphis’ cardiac surgery, stroke, gastrointestinal, pulmonary and critical care programs were among the top 5 percent in the nation in 2009, resulting in the facility receiving Specialty Excellence awards.

Regional One Health’s

Prescription for Nursing

Shortage: Unique Nurse Residency Program

Regional One Health’s prescription for addressing the nursing shortage called for a new nurse residency program. The hospital system built the nurse residency program to attract and retain nurses as the nursing shortage across the country is anticipated to intensify due to a number of factors including aging Baby Boomers who will require additional health care and struggling nursing schools across the country as they work to expand student capacity to meet the rising educational demand for health care.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the registered nursing workforce is expected to grow by 6 percent over the next decade from 3.1 million in 2021 to 3.3 million in 2031, creating 200,000 positions. The Bureau also projects additional openings of over 203,000 positons for RNs each year through 2031 due to nurses retiring and others leaving the nursing profession. That means over half a million RN positions will need to be filled. Nurse leaders at Regional One Health kicked off a nurse residency program in 2021 to help address the current demand and prepare for the rising number of nurses that will be needed in the near future.

“What sets our program apart from other hospitals is that we developed our own curriculum to specifically focus on what our nurses are interested in discussing and learning,” said Rachel Kemp, VP of nursing and associate chief nursing officer for Regional One Health. “The focus can change from year to year, as our

nurses take ownership of the program and choose issues and challenges to address that are meaningful to them.”

Cyanne Dyson knows firsthand how beneficial the residency program at Regional One Health is. She was among the first group to graduate from the residency program. Being fresh out of nursing school, she found the residency program at Regional One Health to be invaluable.

“It really helped me find a sense of belonging and helped me connect

with other nurses who were facing similar struggles,” said Dyson.

Nursing is a high stress job, especially today with the nursing shortage and the world trying to find its way back to some sense of normalcy after COVID-19. With the nursing shortage, nurses are stretched thin and working nonstop until they clocked out, making mentoring a challenge.

“I really needed a support system and the residency program turned out to be the perfect program

to provide the support I needed as a new nurse. It created a group of nurses who were experiencing many of the same challenges,” said Dyson.

The group meets monthly and exchanges ideas. Dyson found exchanging ideas really helped. The nurses would discuss what worked with them in particular situations and come up with new and innovative ways of handling issues.

“It was a great support group,” Dyson said. “I’ve developed some

Wolfchase

DeSoto

Memphis (Formerly Opera Memphis)

great friendships that will be with me for my entire life.”

Dyson said that it was very important that nursing leadership listened to them, and they did. Dyson says they created more classes and training.

Kemp views the residency program as a huge success. She says the program has reduced turnover of first-year nurses by more than 50 percent.

“We’re committed to creating a culture that makes nurses want to stay,” said Kemp. “We provide additional support, education, and growth for nurses through their first year to help them acclimate and put them on a firm path for where they want their nursing career to take them.”

The nurse residency program is a 12-month program that is open to all nursing school graduates who are eligible to sit for the Registered Nurse exam and all new nurses who have held their Registered Nurse license for one year or less. The program is ideal for nurses who want to develop their patient care and leadership skills through real-world experience and targeted mentorship. It consists of

monthly meeting programs focused on peer-to-peer education, skill development, and performance review and improvement. Residents also have training, mentorship and shadowing opportunities and an individualized development plan to guide their nursing career into the future.

Another benefit that the nurse residency program at Regional One Health offers is the opportunity to work in one of the hospital’s unique Centers of Excellence such as trauma, burn, neonatal intensive care, and high-risk pregnancy.

Additionally, to help retain nurses, nursing leadership created the Focus Council that offers a direct link to senior management. Every nursing unit is represented with two nurses that rotate every six months. Kemp says establishing a direct link to senior leadership has proven beneficial to nurses who represent all shifts and stages in their career.

“In the Focus Council, we work to resolve issues and improve the working environment for our nurses,” said Kemp. “Nurses participate in creating action plans, so they are involved in the process of creating change.”

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Acquires Revolutionary Radiation Therapy to Treat Soft Tissue Cancers

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has acquired a groundbreaking radiation therapy treatment system, in use at only ten cancer treatments centers in the U.S. Called Elekta Unity, the technology monitors a patient’s movement while simultaneously delivering targeted radiation therapy to cancerous tumors and tumor beds.

Regional One Health is also committed to staff development. Courses are created to help nurses grow their careers so the hospital system can retain exceptional nurses rather than have nurses leave for a higher level position somewhere else.

To apply for the residency program, nurses can visit https://www. regionalonehealth.org/job-postings/ and search for “Registered Nurse Resident.”

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare First in Tennessee to Offer Cutting-edge Ablation Technique for Heart Patients

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is the first health system in Tennessee to offer an enhanced ablation tool for heart patients – especially for those suffering from atrial fibrillation or AFib.

Clinicians at Methodist University Hospital first unveiled the DiamondTemp ablation system in the fall of 2022. Since then, the health system has performed approximately 30 procedures using this advanced ablation technology.

Through a minimally-invasive procedure, doctors create a small incision in a patient’s groin and carefully maneuver a catheter to their heart. An ablation tool at the tip of the catheter uses heat energy to create tiny scars on the heart – that restores a regular heartbeat.

The DiamondTemp ablation system allows for an even safer and more efficient procedure. The temperature mechanism equips cardiac electrophysiologists with advanced capability to monitor how effective an ablation is. This technology increases the chance of patients experiencing a quicker recovery.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and in the Mid-South community. As a result, our clinical team performs a robust amount of atrial fibrillation ablations. Our expert team of dedicated cardiovascular surgeons and clinicians have built a trusted reputation that makes Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare a regional destination for heart care, with patients traveling as far as Kentucky, Alabama and Florida.

By offering the latest, cuttingedge technology, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare continues

“The single bed equipment pairs magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with radiation therapy, letting clinicians start and stop cancer treatment in real time, adjusting as the patient moves and breathes and as organs shift inside the body,” said Kathleen Forbes, MD, executive vice president of MLH’s Academic Group, which includes Methodist University Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. “Because of the exact precision, healthy tissues surrounding the tumor avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.”

The Methodist Cancer Institute at Methodist University Hospital in the Memphis medical district is only cancer center in the Mid-South to offer cancer treatment on the Elekta Unity system for soft tissue cancers like brain, breast, gynecologic, head and neck, prostate and gastrointestinal cancers including pancreatic and liver cancers.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide every patient with innovative, effective, high quality and safe care so they can return to live their best lives,” said Forbes. “Using the Elekta Unity on hard-to-treat cancers, we can minimize treatment-related side effects and reduce a patient’s overall treatment schedule.”

For more information on the Elekta Unity and other services available at the Methodist Cancer Institute, please visit MethodistHealth.org/cancer or call 901-478-2400.

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delivering on its mission to improve our community’s health and wellbeing through high-quality, innovative and compassionate care.

OrthoSouth Expands to Arlington

OrthoSouth – the Mid-South region’s premier orthopedic clinic for an exceptional patient experience –

service, and we believe that this community deserves nothing less. We are excited to bring something exceptional to Arlington, and we look forward to serving its residents.”

Campbell Clinic’s Provider Count Tops 85 with Addition of Two Orthopaedic Surgeons

Campbell Clinic recently added two physicians, Dr. Joseph Lamplot and Dr. Keith Orland, bringing the practice’s provider count to 87 across Tennessee and Mississippi.

is thrilled to announce the opening of our newest clinic location at 5150 Airline Road, Suite 400, in Arlington.

OrthoSouth providers Drs. Marcus Biggers, Jeff Cole, Tom Giel, and Peter Henning welcome new and current patients to the new location. The clinic will operate Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with walkin patients welcome until 4 p.m. each day. Similar to all other OrthoSouth locations, the new office will offer comprehensive orthopedic services including on-site physical therapy for the convenience of our Arlington-based patients.

“I am excited to be back in the Arlington community on a daily basis,” stated Dr. Biggers, who had worked as a sports medicine physician in Arlington prior to joining OrthoSouth in 2021. “We are grateful to be a part of the growth and expansion of medical services to the area that includes the Baptist ER, BMG Urgent Care, and now our OrthoSouth clinic. We look forward to serving the orthopedic and sports medicine needs of the community.”

OrthoSouth CEO Kim Jenkins stated, “We have witnessed the tremendous growth and development of the Arlington community and are thrilled to deepen our commitment to those who live and work here. At OrthoSouth, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer

Dr. Joseph Lamplot is relocating to Memphis from Atlanta where he served as an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon at the renowned Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center. His areas of specialty include shoulder, knee and elbow surgery. In addition, he has served as an assistant professor at Emory University and as Associate Team Physician for the Atlanta Falcons. Dr. Lamplot earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois College of Engineering and was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Washington University where he assisted the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Rams. He went on to complete his fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York where he served as a team physician for the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls. An award-winning sports medicine practitioner, Dr. Lamplot is the recipient of such recognition as the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Fellow Research Award in Basic Science; the American Journal of Sports Medicine Systematic Review Award; and the Hospital for Special Surgery Russell F. Warren Research Award. He was recently named an Atlanta Magazine Top Doctor for 2023. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and authored several book chapters, in addition to being a regular presenter at medical conferences across the nation and globe. He is the recipient of several research grants and serves as a member of the Research Committee for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Dr. Keith Orland joins Campbell Clinic as a double fellowship-trained pediatric orthopaedic surgeon with particular expertise in pediatric spine

surgery. In addition to the broad scope of pediatric orthopaedics, his main passions are in caring for children with various spine-related conditions and in treating fractures in children. Dr. Keith Orland attended medical school at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and completed his orthopaedic residency at Emory University School of Medicine. He further pursued his interests in pediatric orthopaedics by completing a pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. In order to further advance his spine surgery skillset, he traveled to Auckland, New Zealand to train at the Starship Children’s Hospital for a second pediatric fellowship focusing on the spine.

“We are excited to welcome these two superb physicians to the Campbell Clinic family,” says Campbell Clinic Chief of Staff, Dr. Frederick Azar. “We expect them to contribute greatly to our patients and to our community.”

Both Dr. Lamplot and Dr. Orland will be based out of Campbell Clinic’s Germantown campus.

Campbell Clinic Named Official Sports Medicine Provider for Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers

Campbell Clinic, a global leader in orthopaedic medicine, surgery, teaching and research, has been named the official sports medicine provider for two United States Football League (USFL) teams, The Memphis Showboats and the Houston Gamblers. In this role, Campbell Clinic will provide physicians, athletic trainer support, and on-site medical needs for both USFL teams.

“Being named official sports medicine provider for these two premier teams is both an honor and a responsibility that we take very seriously,” says Dr. Frederick Azar, Chief of Staff for Campbell Clinic. “Our team is uniquely equipped to support these elite athletes and their medical and training needs as we launch the 2023 USFL season.”

Campbell Clinic provides sports medicine coverage for multiple professional, collegiate and prep athletic clubs in the region. Those partners include the Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Redbirds, University of Memphis athletics, Rhodes College athletics, Christian Brothers University,

LeMoyne-Owen College, St. Jude Ironman 70.3 Memphis, the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Memphis 901 FC, Ballet Memphis and more than a dozen area high schools.

“We know what it takes to get athletes off the training table and back into the game as quickly as possible,” says Azar. “We look forward to helping our USFL athletes have a healthy and productive season.”

Founded by the late Willis C. Campbell, M.D. in 1909, Campbell Clinic is a full-service orthopaedic clinic that operates 9 outpatient clinics and two ambulatory surgery centers in the southeast region fueled by a team of 90 providers and more than 800 employees. Campbell Clinic is recognized as a national and international leader in the field of orthopaedics. Campbell Clinic physicians care for patients by integrating the latest orthopaedic treatment interventions and medical advancements in musculosketal care. Campbell Clinic specialists are experts in their fields, leaders in clinical research, and innovators of advanced modalities, treating all adult and pediatric musculoskeletal conditions. Campbell Clinic is proud to offer a full spectrum of care for all types of orthopaedic conditions including sports medicine, hip, knee, spine, shoulder and elbow, foot and ankle, hand and wrist, orthopaedic oncology, orthopaedic trauma, pediatric orthopaedics, general orthopaedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and urgent ortho care. For more information, visit http://www.campbellclinic.com

Methodist University Hospital President Elected to American College of Healthcare Executives Council of Regents

Methodist University Hospital president, Tim A. Slocum, FACHE, has been appointed to the Council of Regents for Tennessee, the legislative body of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). ACHE is an international professional society of more than 48,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations.

Slocum took office in March and will serve a three-year term. As part of his duties, Slocum will have the important responsibility of electing the ACHE Board of Governors and its Chair – as well as providing advice and counsel to the Board of Governors.

Keith Orland

Tim Slocum

Joseph Lamplot

Tom Giel

Mark Biggers

Jeff Cole

Peter Henning

GrandRounds

Slocum joined Methodist University Hospital in 2019 as chief operating officer and has served as president of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare’s 583-bed flagship hospital since August 2021. Methodist University Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital comprise the academic hospitals within the MLH six-hospital system.

Methodist University Hospital is home to the health system’s transplant, cancer and neurosciences institutes. The hospital is a DNVcertified comprehensive stroke center. It is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology in Electrophysiology and as a Chest Pain Center. Methodist University Hospital received the 2022 Platinum Performance Achievement Award for Chest Pain – MI Registry.

Prior to MLH, Slocum spent 16 years with Navicent Health in Macon, Georgia, a four-hospital organization formerly known as Central Georgia Health System.

Slocum holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mercer University and received both an MBA and a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also earned Lean & Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Tennessee Physicians

Celebrate National Doctors’ Day

NASHVILLE – March 30 was National Doctors’ Day, and the Tennessee Medical Association, along with the state’s largest medical societies, acknowledges the service of more than 9,500 members who uphold rigid professional standards of dedication, ethics, sacrifice and a genuine commitment to patients’ well-being.

Local component medical societies throughout the state have planned activities to recognize their physicians. The Chattanooga and Hamilton County Medical Society recognized 10 local physicians nominated by their patients for doing great work in medicine.

TMA also took part in a 2023 National Doctors’ Day observance on Capitol Hill today in Washington, D.C. as a co-organizer with the Iowa Medical Society, Medical Association of Georgia, North Carolina Medical Society and Ohio State Medical Association. The free event featured multiple congressional speakers including several physicians elected to office.

“As we look forward to the official end of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us all reflect on the cost to physicians and other health workers over the last three years,” said TMA President Edward Capparelli, MD. “Hospital beds have been filled to overflowing. Physicians have worked tirelessly to care for sick and dying patients. Some have even paid the ultimate price losing their lives to Covid-19. This year, more than ever, we owe a debt of gratitude to all physicians for their outstanding work on behalf of patients and the profession.”

The first Doctors’ Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Ga., on the anniversary of the first use of general anesthetic in surgery. On March 30, 1842, Crawford Long, MD of Barrow County, Ga. used ether to remove a tumor from a patient’s neck. The Barrow County Medical Society Auxiliary proclaimed the day “Doctors’ Day” and celebrated by mailing cards to physicians and their wives and by placing flowers on the graves of deceased doctors, including Dr. Long.

The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating Doctors’ Day on March 30, 1958. President George H. W. Bush signed Senate Joint Resolution 366 designating the first official National Doctor’s Day in 1991 (Public Law 101-473). Much has changed in the ensuing years for physicians keeping up with sweeping changes in the U.S. healthcare system, but one particular excerpt from the resolution still very much applies and is worth revisiting on this day:

“Common to the experience of each of them, from the specialist in research to the general practitioner, are hard work, stress, and sacrifice. All those Americans who serve as licensed physicians have engaged in years of study and training, often at great financial cost. Most endure long and unpredictable hours, and many must cope with the conflicting demands of work and family life.”

TMA commends all Tennessee physicians for their service, and acknowledges the many personal sacrifices they make to meet the demands of their chosen profession.

Tennessee’s physicians not only administer patient care but also fulfill a vital role in the state’s economy, supporting nearly 176,000 jobs and generating $29.1 billion in economic activity, according to a 2018 report released by TMA and the American Medical Association.

The Tennessee Medical Association is the state’s largest medical organization for physicians.

Day on the Hill 2023, A Success!

The Memphis Medical Society organized and took their largest group ever to Nashville (March 30, 2023) and reports having a very successful and full day of meetings with legislators.

It features more than 9,500 members across multiple specialty organizations and geographic locations. Visit tnmed.org for more information.

Dr. Landon Combs Voted Tennessee Medical Association President-Elect

NASHVILLE – Ballad Health pediatrician Landon Combs, MD, of Gray, Tenn., has been named PresidentElect of the Tennessee Medical Association, the state’s largest and most influential advocacy organization for doctors, following a February election among its members.

The month-long election featured more than 600 total votes cast among TMA members.

“I am grateful to the members of the Tennessee Medical Association for the confidence they have placed in me,” said Dr. Combs. “It will be a privilege and honor to serve the physicians of our great state.”

Dr. Combs will serve one year as President-Elect, one year as President and one year as Immediate Past President. His primary role is to serve as the face of the organization and spokesperson for TMA with its membership, the media, government officials and the citizens of Tennessee. His formal installation will take place at April’s House of Delegates meeting in Franklin, Tenn.

TMA will install Memphis cardiologist Andrew Watson, MD, as its President during the meeting with current President Edward Capparelli, MD, continuing his leadership service as Immediate Past President.

Dr. Combs identified several areas of focus as he prepares to enter his leadership term.

“There are several ongoing challenges before us that need to be addressed including decreasing physician fatigue, increasing physician engagement in TMA, working with insurers to lessen ‘paperwork burden,’ and improving clinical informatics capabilities for the benefit of physicians and patients,” Combs said.

Combs has served his local medical society, the Sullivan County Medical Society, in multiple officer capacities including president. He has also participated as Region 8 representative on the TMA Board of Trustees and TMA SecretaryTreasurer. He has participated as an alternate delegate with the American Medical Association.

He previously held a role with TMA’s Board of Trustees as its Young Physicians section representative. He is a member of TMA’s Physician Services and Professional Relations committees. Dr. Combs also serves as a clinical informaticist with Ballad Health.

“Dr. Combs has participated in our leadership ranks for years,” said Russ Miller, TMA CEO. “I have worked closely with him since he led our organization’s Young Physicians section. His knowledge of TMA’s inner workings is a great asset toward leading the organization successfully.

“He is practicing where he grew up, educated and trained, and I know he will be as dedicated to TMA as he is to his hometown patients.”

The Tennessee Medical Association is the state’s largest medical organization for physicians. It features more than 9,500 members across multiple specialty organizations and geographic locations.