VC Notes - A weekly word from Dr. LouAnn Woodward
  VC Notes Archive Office of the Vice Chancellor
Friday, July 15, 2022

Support From the Top

Before I get to today’s topic, I’d like to remind everyone – and inform our new employees, students and residents who haven’t seen earlier announcements on this – that our mask policy is still in effect. In a March 2022 Campus Memo (found here), Dr. Jonathan Wilson, chief administrative officer and COVID-19 response incident manager, announced that masks are optional in non-clinical areas where patients and hospital visitors are not typically present. Masks should still be worn by everyone in places patients and their visitors are normally found, including common areas like hospital lobbies, waiting rooms, walkways and cafeterias. Patients and their visitors are to wear masks at all times while in our facilities.

I receive many VC Notes comments and emails about masks that run the full gamut, expressing frustration that we have to wear them at all to frustration that we aren’t more vigilant in policy enforcement.

Right now, Mississippi, like much of the country, is experiencing an uptick in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations of COVID-positive patients, so it’s a good time to be mindful that masks still work and are important for your safety and the well-being of our patients and visitors.

I ask that we all demonstrate proper professional judgment and interact with each other in a courteous manner.

Now, on to what I’d like to discuss with you today.

Earlier this month, the Mississippi State Medical Association published and distributed to the news media the below statement (also found online here). I wanted to make sure each of you are aware of this level of support of our Medical Center.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Kathleen Seeberg Director of Marketing & Communications Mississippi State Medical Association kseeberg@msmaonline.com 601-853-6733 ext 324 Mississippi State Medical Association Statement on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Removing the University of Mississippi Medical Center From Network JACKSON, MS (July 1, 2022) – The Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) has long fought for physicians and most importantly, the patients in our great state. However, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi’s corporate greed on multiple issues, including prior authorizations, access to care, reimbursement cuts, and telemedicine has made that fight increasingly difficult. As countless Mississippi families recover from the physical and financial toll of the pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi struck another blow to Mississippi patients recently by removing the state’s largest medical provider, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), from its network. Removing UMMC as an in-network provider means patients are forced to pay more for out-of-network care. For many, this is simply not an option. Moreover, patients in multiple medical specialties – including pediatrics at the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital and transplant services – are left without another alternative for these specialized healthcare services in the state. Because of these unnecessary barriers, continuity of care is compromised for all patients in the state who have been forced to seek other in-network providers or be referred to out-of-state healthcare entities for the specialized services that only UMMC provides. Ultimately, Blue Cross has no other concern than to increase its bottom line. And that bottom line is increasing at the cost of its insureds’ health, safety, and well-being. The Mississippi State Medical Association Board of Trustees is calling on Blue Cross Blue Shield to do the right thing for patients and physicians by prioritizing people over profits. Blue Cross Blue Shield should take all necessary steps to get UMMC back in its network and restore access to healthcare for thousands of Mississippians.

As I expressed yesterday in a tweet, it’s encouraging that the Mississippi State Medical Association and its member physicians, residents and medical students have stepped out in a public way to support our position with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. And as is captured in its statement, the behavior by BCBSMS that creates barriers to Mississippians being able to get the health care they need is nothing new. It’s felt by doctors and other providers across the state.

To truly reach our overall goal of A Healthier Mississippi, we will all – everyone involved in the delivery of health care in our state –need to work together, no matter what public or private institution employs us. I appreciate MSMA leadership’s decision to put out this statement, and I hope BCBSMS takes it to heart.

If you are eligible and are not already engaged with MSMA, I encourage you to consider getting involved. The MSMA-to-UMMC ties run deep, and not just because we are the largest health care institution and medicine workforce in the state. Dr. Claude Brunson has been MSMA’s executive director for the past few years following a long, storied career as a UMMC anesthesiologist, department chair and member of the executive leadership team. He has intimate, first-hand understanding of what it’s like to be an academic medical center, and he’s certainly a colleague I can reach out to at any time to chat. That’s great for us, MSMA and the entire medical community. 

Current MSMA president Dr. Geri Weiland, a UMMC medical school alum along with many of MSMA’s leadership and members, is doing amazing work in her role. All of Mississippi’s patients are benefiting from her leadership. And, perhaps the most vocal of MSMA’s leaders is board member Dr. Jennifer Bryan, also a UMMC graduate. Her advocacy for our state’s medical community is strong, and she’s always willing to speak up on issues she believes in, including our contract negotiations with BCBSMS. Just recently, she appeared on SuperTalk radio (video of this interview is here) to talk on this topic and in general how Mississippi physicians believe BCBSMS routinely puts up barriers to patients’ access to needed medical care.

Also on the MSMA board is Dr. Loretta Jackson-Williams, UMMC School of Medicine vice dean for medical education and one of my trusted advisors, and Dr. Avani Patel, the medical resident representative on the board who is with our Department of Psychiatry.

I appreciate what they, and everyone associated with MSMA, do daily for us and for physicians and patients across the state. It’s great to know they are publicly in our corner as we are all working toward A Healthier Mississippi.

Signed, Lou Ann Woodward, M.D.

Follow me on Twitter

Ask Dr. Woodward a question or make a comment and she may respond in her weekly column. Your name is not required, but you may include it if you wish.