What is the Washoe County Medical Society?

The Washoe County Medical Society is a non-profit entity incorporated in the state of Nevada. The Washoe County Medical Society is commonly referred to as “WCMS”.

The Washoe County Medical Society serves as a primary source of health related information, we seek to educate our members and the citizens of Northern Nevada. We strive to maintain the highest standard of ethics and medical care throughout our community.

As a professional organization, we shall nurture these goals by cooperating with the American Medical Association, the Nevada State Medical Association, and other County Medical Societies and Alliances in the state of Nevada.

Organizations

Group Health Insurance is Back at WCMS!

If you are in a group with 2-50 full-time employees, your clinic is eligible for an association health plan when all the physicians in your group are members of WCMS. To join individually, go here. If you wish a group invoice, contact Wendy Hernandez, wendy@wcmsnv.org or 775-825-0278, who will help you enroll and process multiple membership applications.

Washoe County Medical Society (WCMS) members now have access to health insurance benefits through Prominence Health Plan that includes several different medical plan options offered with a composite rating structure. Open enrollment begins June 1 with benefits effective July 1 and Aug. 1. New members to WCMS may enroll their groups as soon as their membership applications are approved and payment is received.

Programs available will include Go365, a wellness program that encourages a healthy lifestyle, as well as the Teladoc Program, 24/7 member care via telephone or video from physicians and behavior health specialists. Additionally, dental care, vision plans, and life insurance will be available through Kansas City Life.

For more information click here.

For more information about association plans, please contact your local insurance broker or reach out directly to Prominence Health Plan, send your quotes to: PHP-GroupQuotes@uhsinc.com or reach out the Prominence account manager at Lindsay.Dixon@uhsinc.com.

Member Spotlight:

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell Named "Extraordinary Neighbor Recipient" of 2020 Reno Public Television Spotlight Award

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, an individual who has made an impact on many throughout her medical journey continues to be recognized for her outstanding contributions to her profession and the community. She is the recipient of the 2020 Extraordinary Neighbor Spotlight Award presented by Reno Public Television.

She also had been recognized in 2019 as one of the 20 Under 40 recipients and as one of the 2019 Sierra Nevada Top 20 Powerful Women.

She is the Saint Mary's Urgent Care Medical Director and treating physician, as well as the medical director for Washoe County’s Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). She also volunteers as the Washoe County Child Abuse Resource and Education Services Assistant Medical Examiner and as community faculty for the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine providing urgent care preceptorship for medical students and family medicine residents. Dr. Curry-Winchell also serves on the WCMS board and co-chairs the membership/PR committee. For NSMA she co-chairs the long-term and membership planning commission.

Her healthcare journey began as a physician’s assistant. Dr. Curry-Winchell has a master’s in physician assistant studies. She practiced as a physician assistant for three years in occupational, family and urgent care specialties. Her PA position gave her a foundation to practicing medicine.

Dr. Curry-Winchell explained that she was eager to learn more and wanted to be able to provide as much care as she could to her patients as a physician. So, she made the switch to becoming a physician to increase her knowledge of medicine. Once deciding to make that switch from physician assistant to physician, she had to go back to medical school for four years. After completing her four years of medical school, she then started her three years of residency focusing on family medicine. This is a grand total of eleven years of education to be in her position.

When asking Dr. Curry-Winchell about what the 20 under 40 award means to her she simply explained that she was very grateful and thankful to have received this award. “ The best part was the opportunity to highlight the charity, the Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra,” Dr. Curry-Winchell said, adding that she volunteers with this organization.

The selection committee is made up of two board members from Young Professionals Network (YPN), two former 20 under 40 awards recipients, two area executives, and lastly one community member who has been involved significantly with the 20 under 40 award program. In order for a candidate to stand out, individual professional success and community leadership is among the top criteria for nominations.

The 2019 Sierra Nevada Top 20 Powerful Women is sponsored by Northern Nevada Business. This prestigious award is given to a woman who facilitates change and continues to help different organizations throughout the community. Another accolade she has been awarded is resident teaching honor roll at the UNR School of Medicine, as well as multiple outstanding patient care awards. Dr. Curry-Winchell also works at the CARES program as an assistant medical examiner.

These accolades surely will not be the only ones received by Dr. Curry-Winchell throughout her medical career. She has made such an impact on the community and will continue to do so. Jennifer Williamson, business development and marketing communications manager at Saint Mary’s, who works closely with Dr. Curry-Winchell could not say enough about her.

She explained, “Dr. Curry-Winchell is always willing to help when called upon and does it with a smile on her face. All of the people and patients that Dr. Curry-Winchell interacts with have nothing but pleasant things to say about her.” Those are just a few highlights as to why she was awarded the 20 under 40 award.