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Congratulations to all our medical students who matched this week. We hope you find joy in your next phase in your medical career and to love the program that loves you! Happy Match Day!
And thank you to our Delaware hospital residency programs that will be training this next generation of future physicians! Don't forget the resources that MSD can provide to help you. Our Academic Channel can help those who are interested in publishing research and poster projects.
For those of you who didn't match this year, here's how to make the most of the coming year and improve your odds of matching in the next cycle. 4 tips from a physician who helped unmatched applicants find success.
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International Long COVID Awareness Day |
March 15 is International Long COVID Awareness Day. This year's theme is "Confront Long COVID." It is important to recognize and raise awareness of Long COVID as a real and serious infection-associated chronic condition that has affected millions of people across the United States. CDC and other federal partners and stakeholders are actively working to address gaps in the understanding of Long COVID and the needs of people with Long COVID. Join in supporting people with this condition. Together, we can confront Long COVID. Learn more.
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Happy Saint Patrick's Day! |
| | Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 CE to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him—for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts. It was emigrants, particularly to the United States, who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of things Irish. Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737, followed by New York City in 1762. Since 1962 Chicago has colored its river green to mark the holiday. Although blue was the color traditionally associated with St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected with the day. Here's to the "wearing of the green" and enjoying corned beef and cabbage and green beer to celebrate the day! Today Governor Carney joined members of the General Assembly and members of the community to sign a proclamation for Irish American Heritage Month.
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MSD Campaign for Kids..."It's OBVIOUS" - Next Lecture | A Deeply Personal Look Inside the Culture of Hazing |
MSD’s Campaign for Kids Promotes the Health and Well-Being of Delaware Youth… It’s OBVIOUS! Free Lecture Series.
Join MSD when we address the important topic of “Hazing”, from award-winning filmmaker Byron Hurt, offering a deeply personal look inside the culture, tradition, and secrecy surrounding hazing rituals in fraternities and sororities, sports teams, marching bands, the military and beyond. Snacks will be served. This lecture is scheduled on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 6:30pm at the ChristianaCare John H. Ammon Medical Education Center, Newark Campus. Download the flyer and register at https://reg.planetreg.com/OBVIOUS%20Lecture%20Series.
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Presence of High Levels of Lead in Certain Cinnamon Products |
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) issued a health alert to advise clinicians that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified high lead levels in several ground cinnamon products. Several stores, including Dollar Tree, Save A Lot, and Family Dollar, sold cinnamon products that contain lead levels that could be potentially harmful to consumer, particularly children. Signs and symptoms may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in activity level, and anemia. No illnesses or other health effects have been reported to the FDA and DPH in connection with the new ground cinnamon alert.
Following the October 2023 recall of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products due to high lead levels, the FDA initiated a targeted survey and analysis of ground cinnamon products from discount retail stores. Based on results from their investigation, the FDA is recommending recalls of ground cinnamon from six distributors whose products had high leads including the following products:
• Marcum Ground Cinnamon from Save A Lot
• MK from SF Supermarket
• Swad Cinnamon Powder from Patel Brothers (Raja Foods, LLC of Skokie)
• Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon from Dollar Tree & Family Dollar
• Eli Chilar, from La Joya Morelense
• La Fiesta from La Superior SuperMercados
Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores since voluntarily pulled these products from their shelves and consumers can return these products for a refund. DPH is recommending that the ground cinnamon products be disposed of by emptying the contents into the trash before discarding the packaging to prevent others from salvaging the product.
Clinicians are encouraged to offer blood lead level (BLL) testing to those who have consumed these specific products and/or who have symptoms compatible with lead toxicity. No level of lead in children’s blood has been identified as being safe. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses a blood lead reference value (BLRV) of 3.5 µg/dL to identify children with BLLs that are higher than most children's levels. The BLL can be obtained using a capillary or venous blood draw. Capillary lead levels ≥3.5 µg/dL require confirmatory testing with a venous blood lead level. Read more on recommendations for clinicians.
According to the FDA, as of March 8, the CDC has received reports of 126 confirmed cases, 336 probably cases, and 37 suspected cases for a total of 499 cases from 44 different states through their reporting structure. The FDA indicates that, as of March 13 they have reviewed 90 confirmed complaints/reports of adverse events potentially linked to recalled product. Confirmed complainants are between ) and 53 years of age and the median age is one year old.
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Spending Bill Signed by President | Lessens Physician Medicare Reimbursement Cut | As reported in Fierce Healthcare, after the House approved a bipartisan spending bill last week, the Senate followed last Friday, keeping a portion of the federal government funded until September and preventing a partial government shutdown. The measure was signed by President Biden last Saturday. The bill reduces the physician Medicare pay cut from the 3.37% across-the-board cut that took effect on January 1 to a 1.69% cut, as well as pushing back scheduled disproportionate share hospital payment cuts, and increasing annual funding for community health centers. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, President of the American Medical Association, said in a statement issued, "The need to stop the annual cycle of pay cuts and patches and enact permanent Medicare payment reforms could not be more clear." Physicians and patients can visit the AMA’s Fix Medicare Now website to write their congressional representatives to support physician payment reform. | |
Change Healthcare Cyber-Attack Disruption |
On Monday, March 11th, MSD sent a third Special Edition of the MSD eNews & Views with information surrounding the cyber-attack affecting Change Healthcare operations and CMS's response for Medicare Part B participants. MSD will continue to keep you updated through our digital communications and also our website. The AMA also has a website on the Change Healthcare cyber-security issue that outlines the latest developments, information for physician practices, and related AMA advocacy.
On Wednesday this week, Change Healthcare indicated that all of its major pharmacy and payment systems were back online and expects to start reestablishing connections to its claims network and software on March 18th.
Letter to HHS Circulating in House
A bipartisan letter written by Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) is currently circulating throughout the House of Representatives for additional Members of Congress to cosign. The letter, which highlights the need for the Biden Administration and United Health Group to continue to provide physician practices and patients with the resources they need to weather this cyber-attack, is tentatively scheduled to close for additional cosigners on Monday, March 18. The AMA supports this letter and urges all national medical societies, state and county medical associations, and individual physicians to contact their Members of Congress and encourage them to cosign this important letter. A current list of cosigners as of mid-day on March 14 is provided for your review. At this time, there is no companion letter in the Senate. Please note this is only a letter for Members of Congress to cosign.
CMS MIPS Announcement Due to Change Healthcare Incident
MIPS 2023 Data Submission Now Open Until April 15
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the data submission period for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who participated in the 2023 performance year of the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Data can now be submitted and updated until 8 p.m. ET on April 15, 2024 (it was originally scheduled to close on April 1st).
The American Medical Association (AMA) welcomes this extension until April 15, but is concerned the timeline is insufficient. Therefore, they will continue to push CMS to automatically apply the Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) hardship exception to all MIPS eligible clinicians for the 2023 performance period. Alternatively, they will encourage CMS to reopen the hardship exception application for the 2023 performance period and allow eligible clinicians to claim an exception due to the Change Healthcare cyber-attack.
CMS has also published FAQs that go into details about what services qualify for accelerated and advance payments, application criteria, terms of repayment, financial concerns, and other topics.
How to Submit and Review Your 2023 MIPS Data
Follow the steps outlined below to submit data:
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Go to the Quality Payment Program sign in page.
- Sign in using your QPP access credentials.
- Submit your MIPS data for the 2023 performance year or review the data reported on your behalf by a third party. (You can’t correct errors with your data after the submission period, so it’s important to make sure the data submitted on your behalf is accurate.)
Submission Resources Available
The following submission resources are available on the QPP Resource Library:
1. 2023 Traditional MIPS Data Submission User Guide
2. 2023 MVPs Data Submission User Guide
3. 2023 APP Data Submission User Guide
4. 2023 QPP JSON Templates and Instructions (ZIP, 594KB)
5. Quality Payment Program Access User Guide (ZIP, 3MB)
6. 2023 CMS Web Interface FAQs
7. 2023 CMS Web Interface User Guide
HHS Office for Civil Rights Issues Letter and Opens Investigation of Cyber-attack
On Wednesday, the US Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a "Dear Colleague" letter addressing the cyber-security incident impacting Change Healthcare. OCR enforces the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, which sets forth the requirements that HIPAA covered entities (most health care professionals, health plans, and health care clearinghouses) and their business associates must follow to protect the privacy and security of protected health information and the required notifications to HHS and affected individuals following a breach. Ransomware and hacking are the primary cyber-threats in health care. A key focus of the investigation is to find out if UnitedHealth complied with HIPAA rules and to identify the extent of the breach. Read the Letter - PDF
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On Wednesday, March 13th, the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) sent a communication advising that some Community Health Record (CHR) users are reporting incomplete or missing lab result values for both current and historical results from Christiana Care and Atlantic General Hospital. This is likely due to how the fields are populated by the sending facilities, and DHIN's technical teams are working with the impacted data senders on a resolution. The DHIN Service Desk is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. via phone at (302) 480-1770 and email at servicedesk@dhin.org.
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MSD Pubs & Politics Series | MSD continued its tradition of hosting physician members, as well as state legislators, at its Pubs & Politics event on Tuesday evening, March 12th in Dover. Following an active and lively session at Legislative Hall, several state legislators spent time with MSD members at 9E Taphouse for complementary food, drink, and friendly banter. | |
Left to right: Jason Hann-Deschaine, MD; Richard Henderson, MD; Mark Thompson; Lincoln Willis (Byrd/Gomes Group); Rep. Jeff Spiegelman | |
Left to Right: Laura Moylan, MD (back to photo); Sharon Ruth (MSDIS/USI); Rep. Lyndon Yearick; Joseph Rubacky, DO; Joseph Parise, DO. | |
Left to Right: Rebecca Byrd (Byrd/Gomes Group); Sen. Kyle Evans Gay; Bob Byrd (Byrd/Gomes Group); Brian Galinat, MD; Michael Bradley, DO. | |
Registration is Open for MSD's Interim Council Meeting! | Indulge in Fine Food Prepared by Renowned Local Chef |
Registration is now open for the MSD 2024 Interim Council Meeting to be held on Thursday, April 18th at the Smyrna Opera House, located at 7 W. South St., Smyrna, DE. The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with sign-in and a half-hour cocktail social, followed by the Interim Council business meeting beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. As a member of MSD, this event affords you the opportunity to connect with your peers and meet new colleagues, all the while enjoying fine food and beverage at a historic Delaware location!
We have secured a wonderful catering group, led by Robbie Jester, to complement the evening’s experience. Robbie took home top honors as the winner of Netflix’s “Pressure Cooker,” squared off with and beat celebrity chef Bobby Flay, and was featured on the Food Network show “Guy’s Grocery Games.” He has also catered events for then Vice President Biden and the King and Queen of Sweden. Come enjoy great food and network with your peers! Plan to attend this year!
Reports being submitted must be received no later than Monday, March 25th.
Consider submitting a resolution. Resolutions are a vehicle to submit to Council your issues for change. Learn more about writing a resolution from the MSD Resolution Writing Guide or the brief training video developed. Resolution submission deadline is Friday, April 5th. Resolutions must be in final format by this date, with no further modifications accepted (i.e., reviewed, proper format, correct citations, etc.). Please email resolutions to Mary.LaJudice@medsocdel.org.
To register go to: https://reg.planetreg.com/INTERIM2024. Absolute registration deadline is Thursday, April 11 by end of business day.
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US Will Transition to Trivalent Flu Vaccines for 2024-2025 | B/Yamagata Viruses Have Not Been Detected to be Actively Circulating | The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) recommended that all 2024-2025 U.S. flu vaccines be three-component (trivalent) vaccines and include an influenza A(H1N1), an A(H3N2) and a B/Victoria-lineage vaccine virus. Because influenza B/Yamagata viruses, which are included in current four-component (quadrivalent) flu vaccines, are no longer actively circulating, their inclusion in flu vaccines is no longer warranted. | |
Delaware Compassionate Champion Awards |
Governor John Carney on Wednesday announced that the nomination process is now open for the 2024 Compassionate Champion Awards. The Compassionate Champion Awards recognize individuals, organizations, and educational institutions across the State of Delaware that provide trauma-informed services in a manner consistent with the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care.
The Compassionate Champion Award highlights individuals or teams in government, non-profit and private organizations, first responder professions, educational institutions, health care professionals, and other agencies that have taken steps toward providing services in a manner consistent with trauma-informed care. In the health care category, it includes agencies, health care professionals, hospitals, or individuals providing trauma-informed care to service recipients.
Nominations can be submitted on the Governor’s website through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2024. Award winners and details for the recognition ceremony will be announced at a later date.
View the nomination form in English.
View the nomination form in Spanish.
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Infant Formula Distribution Program | Lt. Governor Issues a Call to Action on Formula Availability | Last year, Lt. Governor Hall-Long, in conjunction with state and community partners, launched the Infant Formula Distribution Program, responding to a national infant formula shortage. They secured 44,000 canisters of Care A2+ infant formula to be provided to parents of children under the age of one throughout the state. The program was expanded last summer to remove the limit on canisters people could receive. As of early March, approximately 15,500 canisters remain to be distributed to nonprofits. The batches of formula will expire in October and December 2024, making it imperative to raise awareness about its availability. There are now more than 35 sites across all three counties that carry the canisters. The program also partners on special events and directly with nonprofits to reach constituents. To view a full list of public sites, visit the lieutenant governor’s website. Delaware families with a child under the age of one are eligible to receive 28.2-oz canisters of Care A2+ infant formula while supplies last. | |
CMS Shares Strategies to Improve Delivery of Services | The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a bulletin on strategies states have used to help more Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) individuals quit smoking. The informational bulletin summarizes the burden of smoking and smoking-related diseases in the Medicaid and CHIP population, outlines the benefits of helping people quit smoking, and provides an overview of the evidence-based treatment services and opportunities available to help this population quit smoking. The bulletin also provides an overview of state tobacco cessation coverage requirements and authorities in Medicaid and CHIP. An overview of quality measures that state Medicaid and CHIP agencies can use to measure and drive improvement in their delivery of tobacco cessation services and several resources that can support states in their drive for improvement are also included. | |
Don't Let Your Membership Lapse! | Your Membership Benefits are Important to You and Your Staff | Your Society has been working hard on your behalf and 2023 was a big year for accomplishments and 2024 is just as exciting! Renew your membership to take advantage of benefits, events, networking, and educational opportunities afforded to you! Thank you for your continued support as MSD continues leading the way to a healthy Delaware! | |
Wanted: Information to Determine Membership Diversity | Confidential Questionnaire Developed to Capture Information |
The needle is slowly moving forward! Thank you to all who have provided information. The MSD Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is working to support a diverse physician workforce and inclusive organizational culture. As a starting point toward understanding and improving our membership diversity, your help is greatly appreciated in submitting this information. A brief, four-answer questionnaire has been developed for your convenience and will take less than a minute to complete. Your information will remain confidential, however, it will be used in aggregate to assess the diversity of our membership, how that correlates with the diversity of our leadership, and to understanding the diversity of the physician workforce in Delaware. Access the questionnaire.
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Have an Interest in Getting Published? | Check Out the Opportunity Through the MSD Academic Channel on Cureus |
What is an Academic Channel on Cureus? The Medical Society of Delaware Academic Channel is a microsite of the Cureus Journal of Medical Science devoted solely to MSD and the articles, meeting abstracts and posters, and other content produced by our physicians, residents and/or students. Take advantage of the benefits provided by the MSD Academic Channel and submit your next article to Cureus through the MSD Academic Channel! View the Academic Channels on Cureus.
Explore the Benefits
- Zero Author Publication Fees
- Gold Open Access
- Easy, Online Submission
- Expert Review
- Priority Support
- Unmatched Transparency
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Premier Educational Program Partner Spotlight |
MSD is pleased to highlight one of our 2024 Premier Educational Program Partners. Diamond State Financial Group has been a part of the effort to keep our professional medical and public education programs growing through its partnership with MSD as a Premier Educational Program (PEP) Partner.
Premier Educational Program Partners have joined with the Medical Society of Delaware in supporting high quality professional medical education for Delaware physicians and other health care professionals to advance the health and well-being of Delaware's citizens. Diamond State Financial Group (DSFG) provides customized solutions to assist you in reaching your financial goals. DSFG offers a comprehensive line of products and services, and can assist with such needs as college funding, retirement or estate planning, as well as enrollment in MSD’s group 401(k) plan. DSFG is committed to helping you accomplish your long-term financial objectives. For more information on Diamond State Financial Group please visit: http://www.dsfg.com/
If you would like to become a PEP Partner, please contact Lynn Robinson, MSD's Director of Professional Education.
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Constructive Listening Sessions |
Listening campaigns offer individual physicians and physician groups a chance to tell leaders about their stressors and suggest improvements. Engage leaders in this process and emphasize that the sessions aren’t just for venting, but rather a way to solicit and process information about existing problems. During a session, the group is encouraged to share what is going well, and job-related stressors are recorded silently and independently.
Toolkits:
Podcasts:
AMA STEPS Forward® offers a collection of engaging and interactive educational content designed to help put the joy back into medicine.
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Safety Information and Adverse Reporting Notices | Information on Recent Product Recalls and Safety Announcements |
Convenience Kits With Sterile Water Based Products
Windstone Medical Packaging, Inc. is recalling their Local Lower Extremity Pack, In House Ocular Pack and Closure Kit in direct response to Nurse Assist LLC’s, November 6, 2023, recall of 0.9% sodium chloride irrigation USP and sterile water for irrigation USP, over sterility concerns. These kits contain Nurse Assist Sterile Saline which could not be verified as having the required sterility assurance. The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. Use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death.
HeartMate Touch Communication System
Abbott is recalling their HeartMate Touch System for risk of unexpected pump stop or start. If the HeartMate Touch System is disconnected from a patient’s HeartMate Controller while a “pump stop” command is running, issues may occur. When the HeartMate Touch is reconnected to the same or a new controller, the “pump stop” command may continue to cause unintended issues. The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. Use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death. Please be aware, this recall is a correction, not a product removal.
Par Pharmaceutical Treprostinil Injection
Par Pharmaceutical is recalling one lot 57014 of Treprostinil Injection 20 mg/20mL (1 mg/mL) due to the potential for the presence of silicone particulates in the product solution. Treprostinil Injection is formulated for subcutaneous or intravenous infusion. The product is a prostacyclin vasodilator indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension to diminish symptoms associated with exercise and for those who require transition from epoprostenol to reduce the rate of clinical deterioration. Administration of an injectable product that contains particulate matter may result in local irritation or swelling in response to the foreign material. If the particulate matter reaches the blood vessels it can travel to various organs and block blood vessels in the heart, lungs or brain, which can cause stroke and even lead to death. The affected lot was distributed nationwide to wholesalers and hospitals from June 16, 2022, through October 17, 2022. To date, Par Pharmaceutical has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.
Avanos Sterile Water Based Products
Avanos Medical, Inc. is recalling, in direct response to the Nurse Assist recall due to sterility concerns, their 0.9% sodium chloride irrigation USP and sterile water for irrigation USP. Certain lots of MIC Gastric-Jejunal Feeding Tube - Endoscopic/Radiologic Placement kit and MIC Gastric-Jejunal Feeding Tube with ENFit Connectors - Endoscopic/Radiologic Placement kits include the recalled Nurse Assist supplied syringes, pre-filled with sterile water. Any open wound exposed to non-sterile products could potentially put the patient at risk of infection. The pre-filled syringe is the only item in the Avanos feeding tube kit affected by the Nurse Assist recall. There have been no complaints, injuries, or deaths associated with this issue.
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Beebe Healthcare will be at the Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach from 1-3 p.m. Thursday, March 21, to offer health screenings and two wellness presentations. Beebe’s Community Outreach team will offer free blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol screenings for attendees at the VIA, which is located at 415 North Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. The event is free and open to the public.
Beebe Healthcare will break ground on a Family Medicine Residency Clinic at the Long Neck Health Center at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21. A short ceremony will precede the groundbreaking. Attendees will hear from Beebe and Family Medicine Residency leaders about why this new space will greatly benefit the community and Beebe’s medical education program. The event is open to the public. Please RSVP here: tinyurl.com/bdwypsy3. This new building project at the Long Neck Health Center will give current and future resident physicians more space to serve a culturally diverse population in an area that continues to grow. With the full complement of residents, the doctors will be able to provide about 7,000 primary care appointments.
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Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos announced the launch of a new initiative that will pair trained mental health clinicians with police officers, who will respond as a team to calls for service and conduct proactive outreach to support those in need in our community. The Wilmington Police Department’s Partners in Care Program is a collaborative effort with ChristianaCare, which will supply two mental health professionals and a community health liaison to work alongside police officers.
To improve overall health and reduce health disparities throughout the communities it serves, ChristianaCare is expanding its efforts in Delaware and Maryland to provide home delivery of healthy foods for patients managing chronic health conditions. Through ChristianaCare’s Delaware Food Farmacy program in Delaware and Healthy Food, Healthy Hearts program in Cecil County, Maryland, more than 300 people with chronic health conditions have an opportunity to improve their health through tailored home deliveries of food, paired with nutrition education and social care services. ChristianaCare’s food delivery programs operate on the “food is medicine” model, which recognizes that nutritious foods are essential for good health – and they must be accessible in the community, particularly in under-resourced areas.
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The Delaware Academy of Ophthalmology in conjunction with the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center has brought back the annual Eye Screening event, after pausing during the pandemic. This year's FREE eye screening event will take place on Saturday, March 16th from 8 a.m. to 12 Noon at the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, 601 New Castle Ave., Wilmington. Board certified ophthalmologists will be available to screen attendees for cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The event is open to adults and children with the goal to provide access to services for the uninsured. Screening is limited and done on a first come, first served basis. No appointment necessary. If you feel you have patients who qualify for this event, please refer them to come.
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| | "What About Our Kids?" film screening and panel discussion will take place on Tuesday, March 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Cheer Center, 20520 Sand Hill Rd, Georgetown. Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Sharon Baker will present highlight reels from her new film "What About Our Kids?". Attendees will get a special preview of this must-see film featuring mental health practitioners, educators, and teens themselves directly addressing teen mental health, social media, and how the caring adults in their lives can help them. Panelists will respond and react to the film, increasing awareness and understanding by sharing their unique expertise in brain science, equity and inclusion, trauma-informed care, education, and public health and leading attendees in highly interactive discussions that encourage critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving to empower positive change. Free admission, open to all, but limited seating. Includes a light dinner. See the flyer for more information and to register.
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MSD's Campaign for Kids Promotes the Health and Well-Being of Delaware Youth... "It's OBVIOUS!" Join MSD for a free March lecture series to address issues that impact young Delawareans on March 20, and 27 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the ChristianaCare John H. Ammon Medical Education Center, Newark Campus. Presentations on Obesity, Bullying, Violence, Intelligent Decisions, and Suicide Prevention. Download the flyer. For more information and to register, please visit https://reg.planetreg.com/OBVIOUS%20Lecture%20Series.
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The Division of Public Health’s Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (OIDE) now has office hours for Delaware health care providers. OIDE is hosting an accessible and informative platform for health care professionals to engage with epidemiologists and other experts to stay informed about key public health topics. The monthly “EpiChat” forum is for Delaware health care professionals to learn about Delaware’s reportable diseases, ask questions, and share insights. Resources will be shared. During these meetings, OIDE will provide information and guidance on various public health topics. The EpiChat series will feature online discussions with epidemiologists and subject matter experts via DPH’s One Health partnership.
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Thursday, March 21 at Noon - Lyme disease's epidemiology, geographic distribution, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and tick prevention and control. Register for the Lyme Disease EpiChat.
- Thursday, April 18 at Noon - Rabies Education: How to report potential rabies exposures, when rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed, and how PEP should be administered.
To receive EpiChat notifications, contact Reportdisease@delaware.gov. Click to register for the March EpiChat Lyme Disease session: https://tinyurl.com/MarchLyme. For more information, contact OIDE at 302-622-4149.
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Strategies for Improving Maternal and Infant Health Related to Opioid Use - Tuesday, March 26th from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Plan to join this 60-minute, no-cost live webinar, brought to you by Quality Insights, AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware, and the Delaware Division of Public Health, that will take a deeper dive into:
- The current impact of opioid use disorder (OUD) on women and infants in Delaware;
- Evidence-based interventions to assess for and address OUD in pregnant and postpartum patients;
- Resources for pregnant and postpartum patients living with, or in recovery from, OUD.
Download the webinar flyer for additional details. The Medical Society of Delaware has approved this continuing medical education activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Registration deadline: March 22nd. Register.
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Private Practice Simple Solutions: Value-Based Care
Kick-Off Webinar (Part 1): March 26 | 10:15 a.m. CT
Live Webinar with Q&A (Part 2): April 30 | 10:15 a.m. CT
Bryan Batson, MD, CEO of Hattiesburg Clinic discusses the current value-based care landscape in this eight-week learning collaborative, including transitioning towards value, assessing risks, data-sharing, and infrastructure cost responsibility. Register now.
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Navigating AI in Health Care - Thursday, March 28 at 11 a.m. ET. Delve into the practical uses of augmented intelligence (AI) in health care with this webinar, including addressing the risks of AI, exploring its transformational potential and understanding how physicians are navigating this new technology. Learn more.
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| | Get Involved in Earth Month! Registration is now open for the annual Christina River Watershed Cleanup, rallying volunteers to join the effort on Saturday, April 13. Sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in partnership with the Christina Conservancy and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, the cleanup marks the 32nd year hundreds of volunteers will pick up trash at sites across New Castle County as part of Earth Month activities in Delaware. The cleanup, scheduled from 8 to 11 a.m., will span more than 12 sites from Brandywine Hundred south through Glasgow and Bear. Cleanup volunteers are encouraged to register now through Friday, April 5, on the volunteer tab at ChristinaRiverCleanup.org. Volunteers registered for the cleanup will be provided with gloves, trash bags and safety vests to use during the cleanup. As a thank you, volunteers will receive a Christina River Watershed Cleanup vehicle trash bag or other cleanup swag items while supplies last.
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Moving Delaware Forward: From Equity Awareness to Action. Equity Action Summit will take place April 18 & 19 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront. Join the ongoing movement to advance equity for all as shared stewards. The goal is to work and learn together to ensure that all people and places in Delaware are thriving - no exceptions. Over two days, gain knowledge of the vital conditions for well-being and explore multisolving to advance equity. Learn about local initiatives, find ways to build momentum, and be ready to inspire action in your communities. This is a safe space to see, support, and align equity efforts in Delaware. Closing celebration at Wilmington Blue Rocks game with fireworks. Free to everyone. Learn more and register.
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Is your practice interested in improving appropriate use of antibiotics in telemedicine? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is currently recruiting practices for a no-cost, 18-month program beginning in June 2024 to promote appropriate antibiotic use while maintaining patient satisfaction and reducing potential side effects in patients seen via telemedicine. Practices will receive training and one-on-one expert coaching to implement sustainable improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of infections in the telemedicine environment. Practices will learn how to improve workflow efficiencies and participants will be eligible for continuing education units (CEUs), continuing medical education (CME) credits, and American Board of Internal Medicine maintenance of certification (MOC) points. Learn more and sign up for an informational webinar on the program website: safetyprogram4telemedicine.org. Refer to the informational flyer.
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Physician Employment Contract Negotiation Self-Paced, Online Program. Equip yourself with the vital business skills needed to negotiate fair and sustainable physician contracts. Enroll now to level the playing field and secure favorable outcomes for your professional partnership. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 3.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit. Discounted registration fee for MSD members and residents/fellows. For more information and to register, visit https://reg.planetreg.com/PhysicianContractNegotiation. Download the flyer.
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| | Nemours Children’s Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation are proud to announce a new online training program for healthcare professionals, promoting better care strategies for America’s 2.3 million children and teens living with a wounded, ill, or injured service member or veteran. The new training content is free of charge and created by Nemours Children’s Health, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the Hidden Helpers Coalition. The three-part training informs primary, specialty, and behavioral health care professionals, social workers and other care team members about the role and responsibilities caregiver children and teens may take on at home, how trauma-informed care can benefit this vulnerable community, and why some young caregivers and their families are reluctant to share their challenges with providers. The modules also address the importance of holistic care for military families and their common barriers to proper care. Caregivers and caregiver children and teens in the Elizabeth Dole Foundation network narrate and appear in the modules alongside experts from Nemours Children’s. The training is eligible for AMA-PRA Category 1 Credits™ via the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and is available now through Nemours Children’s Health Continuing Education website at ce.nemours.org.
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On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time requirement which went into effect on June 27, 2023, for any Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioner to complete eight hours of training “on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders.” You can satisfy this training requirement to meet the conditions of the MATE Act through courses offered online by the American Medical Association. If you have not met this specific eight-hour training requirement yet, the deadline to do so is the date of a practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission.
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March 15 - 6th Biennial Perinatal Palliative Care Symposium: Aspects of Trauma in Perinatal Palliative Care, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., John H. Ammon Education Center, ChristianaCare Newark Campus. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 5.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
March 26 - Strategies for Improving Maternal and Infant Health Due to Opioid Use, 12-1 p.m., virtual webinar. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
April 9 - Delaware Cancer Consortium 2024 Retreat, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Bally's Dover Casino Resort, Conference Center Ballroom D). This activity has been approved for a maximum of 4.25 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
April 9 - Mind Matters: The Intersectionality Between Behavior Health, HIV, and Substance Use, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Del One Conference Center, 100 Campus Dr., Dover. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
April 12 - Climate and Health Conference, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., John H. Ammon Education Center, ChristianaCare Newark Campus. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 credit. No fee to attend, but registration is required, no late in-person registrations will be accepted. Registration deadline is April 10th.
April 13 - Delaware Academy of Family Physicians Annual Meeting, Bayhealth SIM Center, Dover.
April 17 - 18th Annual Delaware Healthy Mother & Infant Consortium Summit, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Chase Center on the Riverfront.
April 18 - DEAAP Spring Conference, "Paving the Way to Pediatric Wellness: Chronic Disease Management and Mental Health in Primary Care," 2:00-5:30 p.m., Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront (760 S. Justison St.). This activity has been approved for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
May 1 - Delaware Academy of Medicine/DPHA 2024 Annual Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Hyatt on the Riverfront, Wilmington.
May 7 - 61st Annual William J. Holloway Infectious Disease Symposium, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., virtual and in person at the John H. Ammon Education Center, ChristianaCare Newark Campus. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit.
October 29 - SAVE THE DATE! 28th Annual Delaware Healthcare Forum, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Bally's Dover Casino Resort, Rollins Center, Dover.
November 23 - SAVE THE DATE! MSD Annual Meeting and Presidential Reception, Bally's Dover Casino Resort
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The Latin phrase Rerum Cognoscere translates to learn, examine, or become aware of facts or things. In this section, we highlight measurable items of interest in health care from MSD, Delaware, the US, and the world. |
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11.4%
Number of US high school seniors reporting use of products containing mood-alerting hemp-derived THC (delta-8 products such as gummies and vapes) in 2023.
JAMA
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30.4%
Number of US high school seniors reporting use of marijuana in 2023.
JAMA
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35.4%
Among US high school seniors who had used delta-8, the percent who used it ten or more times in 2023.
JAMA
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Sign Up for DPH Health Alerts | The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) encourages you to sign up for Delaware Health Alert Notifications through the Delaware Health Alert Network (DHAN). The DHAN is an electronic notification system to health care professionals through emailing and faxing. The system is activated when a CDC HAN email message is received. The message is sent out to the distribution lists selected by DPH subject-matter experts. Learn more about Delaware's Health Alert Notification system. If you are not currently receiving health alert messages directly and would like to sign up to receive, please self-register in the Health Alert Delaware system. | |
Recommended Immunization Schedules, 2024 | |
Influenza Dashboard (2023-2024 Flu Season) | |
COVID-19 Information Finder | |
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The information contained herein is solely informational, planned in accordance for a diverse membership audience. This communication reflects news and announcements that have been made available to MSD and is not intended to exclude other pertinent material. The content published is proposed to represent facts of interest and provide awareness to the members. MSD reserves the right to determine what information is relevant to its membership. | |
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