In mid-February, cybercriminals attacked a company called Change Healthcare (Change). Change is one of the largest intermediaries serving the healthcare industry. It has been asserted that Change impacts every person in the United States in some way. MMC uses their services in several ways: 1) insurance claims are sent from MMC’s computer system to certain insurance companies through Change; 2) electronic payments and the related remittance advices from some insurance companies flow back to MMC through Change; 3) some electronic prescriptions flow through Change; and 4) some insurance companies require providers to request a precertification for some procedures to be filed through Change. Following their attack, Change went offline which caused significant disruption throughout healthcare. It negatively affected groups like MMC all across the country as much of the electronic commerce in healthcare substantially came to a halt. Since that time, MMC has worked with our practice management vendor and electronic health vendor to address the disruptions caused by Change’s situation. Through that process, we have developed alternatives that essentially allows us to bypass Change and utilize other options to address the services/activities that Change used to provide.  We share all of this with you to make you aware of how this may impact you as we move forward. Most of the potential impacts (electronic prescriptions or precertification of a diagnostic test) have already been rectified and were probably not even noticeable. However, one item that will be noticeable to most people is on the billing side. With the inability to submit claims for a period of time, the processing and payment process will also be delayed. For example, it would normally take 1-2 days following your visit for a claim to be filed with your insurance company. It normally takes them 21-45 days for them to process and return a payment to us. This would result in a statement sent to you within a few days after that payment is posted. As a result of the claims disruption, those time frames will be disrupted. This could result in you receiving a statement later than what would normally be expected.

For more than 35 years, the Gastroenterology department of Murfreesboro Medical Clinic & SurgiCenter has provided quality specialty care to the middle Tennessee community. From preventative screening colonoscopies to diagnostic endoscopy procedures, the gastroenterologists at MMC have provided these services, locally, here in Murfreesboro. Having access to high-quality healthcare closer to home has been a goal of the physician-owned medial practice since its inception in 1949. This past October, MMC opened its 7 th location that will serve patients from all over middle Tennessee. MMC Westlawn is a new 75,000 square foot facility located on Shores Road near Veterans Parkway and Interstate 840. Along with MMC Gastroenterology, Infusion and Rheumatology services have relocated to the MMC Westlawn location. Other departments have expanded to offer services at multiple locations: Internal & Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Allergy, Comprehensive ENT Specialists & Audiology, Laboratory, and Radiology. Additionally, MMC’s surgical care has expanded to offer a dedicated endoscopy center for gastroenterology procedures that relocated from the outpatient surgery center on Garrison Drive. “We originally opened the SurgiCenter in 1990 with 2 operating rooms and 1 GI procedure room at our former location on Highland Avenue,” noted Joey Peay, MMC’s Chief Executive Officer. He continued, “When we moved the ASC to our Garrison Drive location in 2008, we expanded our capacity to 4 ORs and 3 GI procedure rooms. While those rooms enabled us to serve our patients for the past 15 years, it became clear that additional capacity was needed. By opening the new Endoscopy Center of Murfreesboro Medical Clinic with 6 procedure rooms, we are well positioned to meet the endoscopy needs of this community for years to come.” Since 2008, MMC Gastroenterologists have performed over 90,000 endoscopy procedures in the SurgiCenter on Garrison Drive. This expanded space gives the physicians the ability to serve more patients by providing a cost effective, closer to home alternative to a hospital setting. The recommended age to have a screening colonoscopy has changed from age 50 to 45 due to the increase in people diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a younger age. Patients with a known family history are also recommended to begin screening colonoscopies sooner than later or as recommended by their doctor. “Colorectal cancer is a common and lethal disease, it’s also a largely preventable disease. A colonoscopy is one of the few screening tests that can actually prevent cancer,” says Brian Smith, MD, MMC Gastroenterologist. “Often times there aren’t early symptoms to warn you of colon cancer. If you wait until you experience symptoms, it’s more likely a cancer has progressed. A colonoscopy gives a Gastroenterologist a chance to identify and remove any precancerous polyps before they progress. This is why a colonoscopy is recommended over any alternative method.”  To learn more about services offer at MMC Westlawn or to request an appointment, visit www.mmclinic.com/westlawn .

To further its commitment to meeting the needs of the growing Rutherford County community, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic & SurgiCenter (MMC) has added a new doctor to its team of physicians. MMC welcomes John Anderson, D.O., to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Jon Anderson, D.O. is a board-eligible physician skilled in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is now accepting new patients. He completed his undergraduate studies and the University of Tennessee before obtaining a master’s degree from Lincoln Memorial University. Dr. Anderson received his medical degree from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. While in medical school he discovered his passion for surgery and women's health, and he subsequently completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine-Nashville. Dr. Anderson is passionate about minimally invasive and robotic surgery techniques, endometriosis treatment, and high-quality obstetric care, he is excited to join Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and begin building patient relationships in the Murfreesboro area.  Dr. Anderson’s areas of expertise include general & high-risk obstetrics & gynecology, pelvic health and reconstruction surgery, contraception & preventative care, minimally invasive surgery, infertility, abnormal cervical cytology, in-office hysteroscopy & sterilization, menopause management & bioidentical hormone replaceable therapy, and robotic surgery. In his free time Dr. Anderson enjoys traveling, attending lots of concerts in middle TN and beyond, and attending University of TN and Titans football games. He currently lives in Nashville with his wife Elizabeth and will be moving to Murfreesboro soon. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Anderson, call 615-867-8030.

This summer, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter (MMC), in conjunction with the MMC Foundation, named Robel Tesfay as recipient of the prestigious ‘Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship’. The MMC Foundation and MMC’s Diversity Committee developed a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school. Named for Drs. David and Yolando Chatman, this scholarship will hopefully enhance the diversity of the Rutherford County medical community through the development of physicians from ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine. About the Recipient: Robel Tesfay is an upcoming 4 th year medical student at Meharry Medical College in Nashville TN who comes highly recommended from physicians and professors at Meharry, the University of Maryland, and the University of Melbourne, Australia. An immigrant from Ethiopia, Robel has first-hand experience of the impact inequities in health care access have on a community. He observed his Grandfather, a rural physician, caring for individuals within a fragile health infrastructure, ill-equipped to serve the growing population. Upon moving to the United States, Robel noted the differences in health care and care access. His desire to become a physician and focus on caring for the underserved was born. Robel has demonstrated a commitment to improving health care access with his participation in the Public Health Without Borders program at the University of Maryland as well as his participation in programs at Meharry and Vanderbilt that focus on educating and empowering African American met to utilize lifestyle changes to manage chronic medical conditions. “This recognition keeps me inspired to continue to provide care for underserved communities here in Tennessee and advocate for health equity at the local, state and national levels,” says Robel. “It also alleviates so much of the financial burden associated with being a medical student. I would like to thank the donors for their generosity and the scholarship committee for their tireless work in the selection process.” What inspired the scholarship? In 2020, the physicians at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter established The MMC Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation) to advance its mission to foster continuous improvement in the community’s health. The MMC Foundation partnered with MMC’s Diversity Committee to develop a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school and who are also members of ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the medical profession. Murfreesboro Medical Clinic is a multi-specialty, physician-owned medical practice, committed to offering patients the best of both primary and specialty care within their community. Visit mmclinic.com for more information.

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic & SurgiCenter has expanded to provide patients with more convenient access to high quality, affordable healthcare by opening a new 75,000 square foot facility on Shores Road near Veterans Parkway and Interstate 840. From its inception in 1949, the physicians and staff of Murfreesboro Medical Clinic have created a true healthcare community in Rutherford County, providing all patients with a multidisciplinary approach to everyday wellness. MMC Gastroenterology, Infusion and Rheumatology services will relocate to the MMC Westlawn location. This will include a new dedicated endoscopy center for gastroenterology procedures that will relocate from the existing outpatient surgery center on Garrison Drive. A few departments will expand to Westlawn and offer services at multiple locations: Internal & Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Allergy, Comprehensive ENT Specialists & Audiology, Laboratory, and Radiology. As Rutherford County has grown and traffic has worsened, MMC has expanded into satellite offices to provide patients more convenient access to healthcare closer to where they live. In 2019, MMC opened its South Church location on Shelbyville Pike in the Barfield area. “We are dedicated to growing and adding more physicians and healthcare services to our community,” says Joey Peay, MMC’s Chief Executive Officer. “As members of the community ourselves, these physicians don’t just take care of our growing population, but they also take care of our family, neighbors, and friends. I am proud of what our team, along with the Dow Smith Construction team, has accomplished with this new building. This building will allow for more growth and access to quality, affordable healthcare right here in Rutherford county.” MMC broke ground on the Westlawn location in April 2022 and will be open to begin seeing patients on Monday, October 30th in all departments with the exception of its Endoscopy Center. All endoscopy procedures will continue to be performed at the Garrison Drive location for the next few weeks. MMC has plans for an additional location off Lascassas Pike and plans to break ground on that project in the near future. “This growth for MMC has been a vision of the physician leadership at MMC for many, many years,” says Brannon Mangus, M.D., current MMC Board President and Otolaryngologist. “Our physician-led board and leadership team remains committed to the growth of MMC in order to serve our community well.”  Murfreesboro Medical Clinic & SurgiCenter is a physician owned, multi-specialty clinic and an Accredited Surgery Center with eight locations and over 90 physicians serving southern middle Tennessee. To learn more about MMC and their new Westlawn location visit mmclinic.com MMC Westlawn Services - Allergy - Comprehensive ENT & Audiology - Gastroenterology & Endoscopy Center - Infusion Center - Internal & Family Medicine - Laboratory - Pediatrics - Radiology - Rheumatology

A breast self exam leads to a breast cancer diagnosis for 26 year old Mary Haas. She just celebrated her 5 year cancer free anniversary with her husband, Oren and their six month old son, Nicholas.

Dr. Dixon joins MMC Internal & Family Medicine

Dr. Vogel joins MMC Pediatrics

Dr. Taylor Parker joins MMC Pediatrics