| Welcome
to PIAM's Women in Medicine Bulletin. Balancing the demands
of caring for a growing number of patients while also taking care of family
members creates unprecedented challenges for women physicians.This quarterly
bulletin will be looking at a wide range of issues that may impact your life.
We hope you find this information helpful and we look forward to your comments.
 Knowledge
and Self Respect the Keys to Equal Pay
–
Najmosama Nikrui, M.D.
When you are aware of your value, and you have evidence-based statistics to back you up, you are armed with the knowledge and confidence to negotiate — and ultimately command — your monetary worth in the workplace. Knowing the facts can mean the difference between getting paid what you deserve and falling severely behind the salary curve.
For years
I asked myself if I was being paid the same amount as my male colleagues.
I never knew for sure, of course, since salaries are confidential. But I
knew that women were paid less than men in the United States, and I didn't think the great salary divide applied to medicine. The other women physicians I worked with didn't seem to think it did, either.
Read
More
 Divorcing
the Uncertainties of Alimony
Alimony Reform Bill of 2012
–
Nancy G. O'Donnell, Esq., David W. Eppley, Esq., David M. Friedman,
Esq.
Alimony in Massachusetts is an enigma. How much do I pay? For how long? These simple questions up to this point have had anything but simple answers. For the past 4 decades, the amount of an alimony order often came down to the personal practices of the judge assigned to your case. Further, unless contracted otherwise, the obligation to pay alimony continued until your ex-spouse's remarriage or your death. For many, alimony was a life sentence. Until now.
In September,
Governor Patrick signed the Alimony Reform Bill of 2012. This legislation
represents the most significant change in the practice of Massachusetts
Family Law in decades.
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More
Alternative
Treatments for Our Patients:
2011 Research
*Published
in Journal
Watch Psychiatry December 30, 2011*
More than 50% of the U.S. population have used alternative therapies, whether biologically based (e.g., special diets or supplements), mind-body–based (e.g., meditation), or body-based (e.g., massage). Unlike psychotropic medications and psychotherapies, these treatments have been inconsistently studied by careful scientific methods (i.e., randomized, controlled trials [RCTs] or even careful observational analyses) for psychiatric effectiveness. This past year, several studies have clarified the effects and limitations of these alternative approaches. Here, we review studies of supplements and diet; mindfulness and other "attitude adjustment" techniques; and exercise, perhaps the most useful "body-based therapy."
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More
MMS
Membership Provides Value for Women Physicians
–
Erin Tally
When gathering
physician opinions on health reform, cost control, and payment reform, the
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the state's most sought-after physician
association. Our voice is heard when important decisions about the future
of our profession are made. MMS members are the reliable sources who inform
gubernatorial and legislative commissions, state-wide work groups, and national
committees. We also advocate for the physician regarding payor issues and
provide healthcare decision-makers results from MMS-facilitated focus groups
and surveys.
We recognize the importance of representing all of our colleagues across all specialties. With health reform underway, it is the ideal time for women to join the Society.
More
Information
Meaningful
Use Updates
MMS
Free Videos on Achieving Meaningful Use:
Watch these videos produced in conjunction with the MA eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC).
Implementing
An EHR
Details of Meaningful Use
Meaningful Use in the Practice
Legal Aspects of HIT Adoption
Subscribe
to the MMS ARRA Advisor
Women
Physician Lecture Series
7th Annual
Women's Cardiac Health Conference: Medical Management of Heart Disease
MMS Headquarters at Waltham Woods
February 3, 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
CME Credit: 4.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
More Information
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