Medical Society of New Jersey Joins The Physicians Foundation and Five States to Create Fund to Improve Health Information Exchange

This is the largest investment of private funds to assist physicians with sharing health information across medical practices

The Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ), in association with five other state medical societies and The Physicians Foundation, today announced the formation of the first of its kind $500,000 interoperability fund, known as The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund, which will assist medical practices in effectively sharing clinical information with other physicians and hospitals through health information exchanges (HIE). Funding is available for physicians in participating states with an electronic health record system (EHR) and will be allocated to practices on a first come basis

Larry Downs, CEO of MSNJ

“The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund comes at a time when many voices are calling for interoperability of EMR systems. This grant is the largest investment of private funds to assist physicians with health information exchange,” said Larry Downs, CEO of MSNJ. “The establishment of this fund demonstrates the commitment and support of the Foundation for practicing physicians.”

Sharing timely clinical patient information among physicians and hospitals with disparate EHRs relies upon a connection to a HIE. Through The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund, HIE participants can access patient data regardless of where the patient received care. Sharing of this timely information will improve clinical outcomes, reduce inefficiencies and improve patient safety when fully implemented.

“MSNJ is leading the effort to connect medical practices through OneHealth New Jersey. The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund is designed to offset costs for small medical practices to connect to the HIE,” according to the Kennedy Ganti, MD, Chair of the OneHealth New Jersey Advisory Board. “Many EMR vendors charge medical practices considerable fees to build EMR connections. These grant funds help remove the cost barrier.”

Other medical societies participating in the fund include Connecticut State Medical Society, Medical Association of Georgia, Louisiana State Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the South Carolina Medical Association.

“EHRs continue to be a major source of burden for physicians across the country. In conjunction with these state medical societies, The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund will provide resources for improving information exchange across participating states,” said Gary Price, M.D., president of The Physicians Foundation. “Our hope is that this initial Fund can be scaled nationwide to ensure physicians can effectively share timely and critical health information to ultimately improve health outcomes and care quality for their patients.”

Physicians in New Jersey seeking more information about The Physicians Foundation Interoperability Fund or about OneHealth New Jersey should contact MSNJ’s CEO Larry Downs at (609) 896-1766 or ldowns@msnj.org.

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About the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ)

MSNJ is the oldest professional medical society in the United States, with over 6,500 members. MSNJ is the leading advocate for physicians in the state of New Jersey, including physicians in every specialty and practice setting. Its mission is to promote the betterment of the public health and the science and art of medicine, to enlighten public opinion in regard to the problems of medicine, and to safeguard the rights of the practitioners of medicine. For more information, visit www.msnj.org.

About OneHealth New Jersey

OneHealth New Jersey is a physician-led statewide health information exchange (HIE) delivered in partnership with the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) and KAMMCO. OneHealth New Jersey offers a suite of health information technology tools that allows connected physicians to share patient information while employing powerful analytic reports designed to help improve clinical outcomes, reduce inefficiencies, and positively impact patient safety. For more information, visit www.onehealthnewjersey.com.

About the Physicians Foundation

The Physicians Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to advance the work of practicing physicians and helps them facilitate the delivery of health care to patients. It pursues its mission through a variety of activities including grant-making, research, white papers and policy studies. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded numerous multi-year grants totaling more than $50 million. In addition, the Foundation focuses on the following core areas: physician leadership, physician wellness, physician practice trends, drivers of health, and the impact of health care reform on physicians and patients. As the health care system in America continues to evolve, The Physicians Foundation is steadfast in its determination to strengthen the physician-patient relationship and assist physicians in sustaining their medical practices in today’s practice environment. For more information, visit www.PhysiciansFoundation.org.

Marc J. Levine, MD Installed as 227th President of the Medical Society of New Jersey

Marc J. Levine, MD was recently installed as the 227th President of the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) at the organization’s 2019 Annual Meeting & Convention on May 3 & 4 at Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City. Dr. Levine has served as a member of MSNJ’s Board of Trustees for more than ten years in various positions, and will assume the presidency from John W. Poole, MD.

“Dr. Levine intricately understands how our organization operates on behalf of patients and physicians throughout New Jersey,” said Larry Downs, CEO of MSNJ. “He possesses the knowledge and expertise needed to engage with members, advocate on issues of importance to the medical community and lead our organization into the future. On behalf of MSNJ and our physician members, we congratulate Dr. Levine and officially welcome him to his new role as our president.”

In his inaugural speech as President, Dr. Levine expressed his vision for the future of the MSNJ and outlined his goals for his upcoming term:

“I will continue to capitalize on MSNJ’s previous successes, while examining new avenues for growth and encouraging further engagement from our members,” he explained. “I firmly believe MSNJ’s work is crucial – we remain a voice for physicians and patients in New Jersey at a time when our healthcare landscape continues to evolve and is poised for further change. I welcome more collaborative initiatives between medical professionals, legislators, hospital administrators and insurance company executives that evaluate issues from all angles, and urge physicians across the state to actively participate in this process. The time is now to engage with the citizens of New Jersey directly and build bridges to those who continue to fight for quality care and better coverage options for our patients.”

Dr. Levine is a board-certified spinal surgeon with more than 20 years of experience and currently practices in Mercer County. As a part of Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Dr. Levine specializes in reconstructive spinal surgery, using both traditional open surgery as well as state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical techniques. In addition to his clinical practice of medicine, Dr. Levine serves as a clinical assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and is the director of the spine surgery program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. He is diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Dr. Levine currently serves as vice-president of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and continues to serve as scientific program chair for both regional and national meetings.  Additionally, he serves on the Advocacy Committee for Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, has served as president of the Mercer County Medical Society and was a member of the inaugural class of the New Jersey Healthcare Executives Leadership Academy.

Dr. Levine received his undergraduate degree from Lehigh University. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, now the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Levine completed his surgery internship at Pennsylvania Hospital, his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and fellowship in orthopaedic spinal surgery at the Emory Spine Center at Emory University.