MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS |
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Physicians, Please Take Our COVID Survey
We want to hear from you! MAFP has designed a member survey to determine your present condition and the current status of your practice. The 14-question survey will provide MAFP with information about what our members need, so we can work to meet those needs. Take the survey.
This survey is a follow-up to our June member survey, which received 160 responses. At the time of that survey, only 10% of respondents or their partner physicians had tested positive for COVID-19. MAFP seeks to know how that number has changed over the last 6 months, among other things. We estimate it will take 5 minutes to complete.
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Physician Vaccines Available
This week, MAFP notified members of the announced Mississippi State Department of Health schedule of drive-through vaccination locations. The only persons eligible to receive the vaccine this week are health care personnel (nurses, physicians, emergency medical services, technicians, pharmacists, dietary and food staff, environmental services staff and others), plus Mississippians aged 75 and over.
"We will be adding additional appointments and slots available," Dr. Paul Byers, State Epidemiologist, said today. "Publicize to your physicians that our drive-through clinics will still be ongoing each week for the foreseeable future."
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E/M, Medicare Codes Changed
The most consequential changes to office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) coding in more than two decades took effect Jan. 1, 2021.
Physicians and other qualified health professionals will now be able to level visits based solely on either medical decision making (MDM) or total time. The ways MDM and total time are calculated have changed somewhat, and will probably take some getting used to, but the good news is that the supporting documentation burden should be lower. Read More from Family Practice Management.
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Learn From the Batson-Crosby Triage Protocol for COVID-Positive Patients |
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I nor the Hattiesburg Clinic take any responsibility for anyone using this information – just sharing what has worked for us! -- Dr. Crosby
Family physician Dr. Samuel Crosby of Hattiesburg, an MAFP past president, has shared with MAFP his experiences with treating COVID-19 patients at Hattiesburg Clinic in the hopes that other family physicians can benefit from their accumulated knowledge.
After treating 6,000 COVID-positive patients, Dr. Crosby and his Hattiesburg Clinic colleague Dr. Bryan Batson report a remarkably low hospitalization rate of 1% and a mortality rate of only 0.6%.
"Sorting out signs and symptoms, risk factors and testing needs that would make a difference in diagnosis and prognosis was a challenge," Dr. Crosby said. "Our triage protocols changed almost daily as we observed, learned more, reviewed literature, and followed CDC and MS Department of Health updates."
The Batson-Crosby Triage Protocol spells out an innovative nebulized ETOH treatment, recommended supplements and other OTC therapies. It also includes the text of notes sent home with positive patients.
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Sign Up for Legislative Doctor of the Day |
One physician serves as Doctor of the Day at the State Capitol each day of the Mississippi legislative session. Sign up today to serve! You'll get to serve your state to provide medical care at the Capitol clinic, network with legislators and be introduced on the House and Senate floors.
MAFP President-Elect Dr. Carlos Latorre of Vicksburg, pictured above with Rep. Oscar Denton of Vicksburg, served as Doctor of the Day on January 4. Join Dr. Latorre and others in promoting family medicine! This is all the more important since MAFP will not be able to have its traditional in-person Capitol Day during this session. Due to COVID-19, groups are not able to visit the Capitol this year.
The Mississippi Legislature convenes each year in January and is expected to be in session until Thursday, April 4. Spots are available many of those weekdays. Sign up here for Doctor of the Day. You must be a member of the Mississippi State Medical Association, who administers the program.
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Dr. Binford Nash, Clinton |
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Family Physicians Lewis, Nash Retire
Dr. Bill Lewis: Family physician Bill Lewis of Forest retired Dec. 31 after 38 years at Forest Family Practice at the age of 67.
Dr. Lewis has been an active MAFP member since graduating from UMMC family medicine residency in 1982. He completed his undergraduate degree at Mississippi State University and earned his medical degree from University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC).
Dr. Binford Nash: Dr. Binford Nash of Clinton recently retired at age 69 after a long career in family medicine and pediatrics. He most recently served as an Associate Professor in the Pediatric Department at UMMC.
"I’m finishing a combined total of UMMC employment of 32 years. 12.5 with Family Medicine Residency ('85-'97) and 19.5 with Pediatrics as the HIV consultant for OB High Risk Clinic and OB providers across the state. I have worked with a little over 1,000 pregnancies in the last 19.5 years here – not all of whom were term deliveries," Dr. Nash said. "Through it all, friendships and relationships within the Family Medicine circle have always been consistent and supportive."
Dr. Nash has been an active MAFP member since 1979 after graduating from UMMC and UMMC's family medicine residency.
If you know of other MAFP members who have recently retired, please let us know and we will publicize them as well.
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Free CME on HPV Vaccinations Offered by American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is hosting a free webinar called "Getting Back on Track After the Impact of COVID-19: HPV Vaccination and Cervical Cancer Screening Guideline Updates." The webinar is designed to provide evidence-based strategies for the updated ACS Recommendations. The presenters will also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent immunization and best practices and resources for getting back on track with vaccinations. Med Learning Group is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This CME activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Essentials.
January 20, 2 pm (Zoom)
Presenters: Debbie Saslow, PhD, ACS Managing Director, Cancer Control Initiatives, HPV/GYN Cancers; and Marcie Fisher-Borne, ACS Managing Director, Interventions and Implementation
Free CME ECHO Offered on Healthy Living
Start the new year off right with a Healthy Living 6-session ECHO aimed at primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and other health care workers. Put together by the UMMC Department of Preventive Medicine, the MSU Extension Service and Aim for Change, each ECHO session earns physician participants 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. There is no cost.
The monthly sessions will run from January to June. The February session is as follows:
February 1, 7-8 pm (Zoom)
Presenter: Elena Dent, PhD, RDN, LDN, CDCES, Instructor, UMMC Dept. of Preventive Medicine
To register, e-mail Brea Cole and you will be sent the Zoom information.
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MAFP Resources for Physicians
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