Maine AFP PineCones E-Newsletter
2018 January

Highlights of Recently Enacted Legislation: L.D. 593 (c. 63) Medical License Renewal 
 
All MD physicians should pay attention to this law. It eliminates the mail aspect of the renewal notification requirement for medical licenses, providing instead that the board must "notify" licensees at least 60 days before expiration of the requirement to renew. 
 
More importantly, the new law eliminates the grace period for renewal after expiration. DO physicians still have a 30 day grace period, but many other professions (nurses, for example) have none. That means one's right to practice is suspended on the expiration date if the license has not been renewed. Reinstatement is allowed within 90 days upon payment of a late fee and submission of "an administratively complete renewal application", but in the meantime the physician may not practice medicine in Maine.  
 
Failure to file within the 90-day period means that a lapsed licensee must go through additional administrative steps to be relicensed.                                    ( from MMA Weekly Update) 
Maine Legislature's Opioid Task Force Issues Final Report
"The task force recognized that the final recommendations to address the opioid crisis needed to take an integrated and comprehensive approach. The recommendations are broken into three categories to reflect the work of the small groups and the approach of the MOC [Maine Opiate Collaborative]. However, in developing the recommendations, the task force did not lose sight of how the categories are interrelated." (f rom the report's Executive Summary)

The Task Force recommendations are divided into three sections: prevention and harm reduction; treatment and recovery; and law enforcement. The report also discusses the background of the crisis and the genesis of the task force and gives a summary of its meetings.

Read  more about the Maine Opiate Collaborative  HERE

Maine Legislatures Opiate Task Force Full report available on the MMA website HERE

The Doctor of the Day arrives at the Legislature just before 10:00 a.m. and is met by her or his professional association's representative. After being introduced in the House and the Senate, the DoD is free to observe debate in either chamber and to chat with Senators and Representatives in between times. On some days there will be interesting committee meetings on bills of relevance to medicine or public health.

An additional benefit: for those of you with school-age children, your children are invited to serve as honorary pages in the House or the Senate. It's a great chance for them (and you!) to learn about the operation of state government from a close-up vantage point.
To volunteer as Doctor of the Day, please contact the MMA's Sarah Lepoff at [email protected]. 
Join the AAFP in the "Pursuit of Health - for All" AAFP Announces "The EveryONE Project"  
EveryONE Project Unveils Social Determinants of Health Tools 
January 09, 2018 04:03 pm AAFP News - To help patients achieve optimal health outcomes, family physicians need to identify and address their social determinants of health (SDOH) -- the conditions under which people are born, grow, live, work and age.
To support this effort, the AAFP has launched the first offering from its EveryONE Project -- an initial screening toolkit to help physicians recognize and respond to various social factors that impact their patients' health.
READ MORE
 (The AAFP and its  Center for Diversity and Health Equity are taking a leadership role in addressing diversity and social determinants of health as they impact individuals, families, and communities.)

The NEED is still there - Volunteer & Donate to help those affected by severe storms:
If you want to volunteer to help - information:   join "Medical Disaster Response Network" Facebook group-HERE:    

The AAFP Foundation partners with Heart To Heart International (HHI) & International Medical Corps (IMC) - they have been on the ground since these hurricanes struck.    Donations to the AAFP Foundation designated for "Disaster Relief: 2017 Hurricane Season" will be distributed between these two organizations where the need is greatest.  More information and to DONATE HERE
Mark Your Calendars and Save the Date!

Connect with the MAFP:  [email protected]
Telephone:  207-938-5005
 

@MaineAFP     

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In This Issue
Opioid Task Force Report
Doctor of the Day-Signup
the "Everyone Project"
Volunteer/Donate
2018 MAFP Update
Opioids In Maine
MAFP Member Advocacy Days  
March 7 & 8 
Open to and FREE for MAFP members only -
More Information & Registration HERE
Opioids in Maine

Visit MAFPs Resource Page for updates on the new law, training's, as well as physician and patient resources
WIC Health Care Provider Toolkit Available

Hunger. Shallow focus With winter here, food security issues increase for Maine families.  Health care providers can help to identify those families who need assistance with this most basic of needs.  We are providing this Health Care Provider toolkit to help you in your work with the patients you see every day.
(link to MAFP's webpage with all of the resources:   http://www.maineafp.org/patient-education/wic-nutrition-program )