Peds@CA2 eNews - National President Elect Candidates; CME Conference Highlights

Paula J. Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP 

President, AAP-CA2

Representative, AAP-District IX CFMC 

Welcome to the May 2015 edition

of our monthly Newsletter.

Our 26th Annual Southern California Postgraduate Pediatric Conference, "Advances in Pediatrics" was held at the Universal Sheraton in Universal City, CA on Saturday, April 25, 2015.

It was extremely well attended and featured our inaugural S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture. As I took office last year, we discussed the future of our CME conference. Many debated the utility in this day and age of continuing to provide this member benefit. Due to many factors, such as the event timing, the location, the interesting speakers, the exhibitors, the generous donations to the S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture Fund, for the first time in about a decade our conference was truly a success.

During the first break, one of our members, Dr. Esmond, told me that our pediatric dermatology speaker, Jeff Sugarman, MD, Ph.D, FAAP, FAAD, gave the best pediatric dermatology lecture she had ever heard. That comment, and many more like it, were numerous and unsolicited.

At lunchtime, our vice-president, Dr. Curry, and I presented an update on the state of the chapter. As District IX CFMC representative, I discussed the resolution process. As a result of that talk, an inspired chapter member, Dr. Stern, handed me a fabulous idea for a resolution for next year's Annual Leadership Forum (ALF). We then showed our chapter video. If you have not taken a moment to watch it, the link can be found on our website and at the bottom of the newsletters. Photos from our wonderful event can be found below.

Save The Date

Dr. Pickering

Please mark your calendars now for next year's conference on Saturday, April 16, 2016 .

Next year, our S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture speaker will feature Larry K. Pickering, MD. FAAP from the CDC. Click here to read about Dr. Pickering.

Please take a moment to email the chapter with topic or additional speaker suggestions.

Advocacy
On April 14, 2015, our chapter Treasurer, Alice Kuo , MD, Ph. D. Med, FAAP, along with several representatives from our region, attended the Annual CMA/AAP Legislative Day in Sacramento. The group visited with Senator Holly Mitchell to talk about her vision screening bill which the AAP opposed. Please see the photo below.

Our member-at-large, Cori Cross, MD, FAAP, attended the National AAP Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. Please read her report and photos from the event below.

Please read below for an update by AAP District IX CEO, Kris Calvin, on the status of SB277.

AAP Candidates
The National AAP has provided us with photos and statements for their two exceptional candidates for president elect. Please note that we strive to provide unbiased candidate information and as a result, the candidates are displayed in alphabetical order.

Disaster Committee

Our disaster committee chair, Dr. Millicent Wilson, from the Los Angeles County (LAC) EMS Agency is working on a project called the Pediatric Surge Plan. This project is designed to double the number of potential pediatric hospital beds in the time of a disaster. A table top exercise was held in Santa Fe Springs, CA, on April 20, 2015, in advance of a mock LA County wide disaster drill to be held next month, on June 11th.

Please feel free to get involved locally by contacting our chapter 2 executive director.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Paula Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP
President, AAP-CA2
Representative, AAP-District IX CFMC

AAP National President Elect Candidates

In an effort to let you get to know the two AAP president-elect candidates better, the National AAP has requested that we distribute their first essay response to the question: How will you as President help the Academy to provide tools to chapters and local members to promote community investment in children?

Please read their individual responses below.

Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP

Essay Question #1

How will you as President help the Academy to provide tools to chapters and local members to promote community investment in children?

The formation of imaginative partnerships with commerce, industry, foundations and non-governmental organizations can be fostered and facilitated by the AAP. Individual members and Chapters should be able to partner with the national structure of the AAP to achieve this goal. A variety of services exist within the AAP that are available but not currently easily accessible to the members and Chapters.

Promotion of investment in children begins with the illustration of their needs and the eventual embracing of them by their community. Pediatricians have traditionally been the advocates for children and have the logical opportunity to speak to the needs of children. It is one of my central agenda items to facilitate leadership training and access to Academy services for all members.

The Academy has a Chapter Relations Division in place. I will make better known the skills available in the AAP Staff to help Chapters solve various problems. The AAP should establish a formalized consulting service that is widely publicized and readily accessible to the individual members and chapters. An effective method to support "Best Practices in Chapter Management Concepts" will be to make this service robust in its charge and responsibilities.

For the AAP to adequately represent the reality of its membership, it must gather information about members' needs, attitudes and opinions. I will work to better manage and strategically utilize the AAP's data and data systems so that current, reliable, and easily accessible information can be leveraged on pediatricians' behalf.

Linda Young, MD, FAAP

Essay Question #1

How will you as President help the Academy to provide tools to chapters and local members to promote community investment in children?

First, the unified voice of many is louder than many single voices. Building membership in our chapters increases the impact of the voice of advocacy for children. As President, I would encourage efforts to increase our membership at the local level, particularly through the use of social media and other electronic outlets.

Secondly, many physicians and chapters are committed to advocacy but may not know where to begin. We need to make available the "playbooks" on relevant initiatives, like immunization, gun control, health coverage. Such playbooks can detail who to call, how to build collaboration, what the resources are - along with fact sheets and talking points.

Thirdly, we need to implement a mechanism to share success stories. I propose that our Academy develop its own version of "Pinterest". Pinterest is a free website, widely used for people to share ideas. Our members could post stories of successful promotion of investment in children on such an Academy website - for example, a post "Our Chapter was successful in getting legislation restricting access to tobacco products for children and here's how we did it." In this way, best practices across the country can be shared for our members to adopt and adapt for their own localities. The use of social media like this creates the opportunity to learn from others, as well as to engage and energize our members.

Advocacy: Legislative Conference - Washington DC

Cori Cross, MD, FAAP AAP-CA2 Member-At-Large

REACH OUT AND ADVOCATE

If you ever have the opportunity to attend the AAP's Legislative Conference (Leg Con) in Washington D.C, don't pass it up. This April I attended Leg Con for the first time. It is an experience that I would recommend to any pediatrician with even the tiniest spark of interest in advocacy. It was an invigorating, action packed couple of days, and although the conference is called the Legislative Conference, the skills you learn are applicable to any advocacy project from federal legislation to addressing a local school's policy on junk food.

The two and a half day program is a workshop-type experience that leaves you not only excited about the impact you can have as a pediatrician, but also with the tools to make it happen. In small groups, you hone your skills and learn how to craft messages, use social media to amplify those messages, build coalitions and negotiate an outcome.

You also have the opportunity to learn in-depth about a few of the AAP's top advocacy topics for the year. This year, the top topics were e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine, children and poverty, children's healthcare and the Affordable Care Act, and children's nutrition and hunger.

The conference concludes with a morning on Capitol Hill. Chapter 2 was well represented and joined with other District IX pediatricians for visits to both Senator Boxer's and Senator Feinstein's office as well as visits to many of California's Representatives' offices.

This year our charge was to garner support for HR2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, and for the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act. HR2 has since passed and the Child Nicotine Poisoning and Prevention Act now has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

It was rewarding to witness that we, as pediatricians, can use our knowledge and our passion for children to speak-up, advocate, and effect change.

(From left) ChrisAnna Mink, MD, FAAP, and Cori Cross, MD, FAAP, with Megan Price, staff for CA Representative Ted Lieu

California pediatricians, with Tom Rivera (top right), Legislative Research Assistant to Senator Barbara Boxer

2015 Advances in Pediatrics - Highlights

The 26th Annual Southern California Postgraduate "Advances in Pediatrics" Conference, f eaturing the Inaugural S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture, took place this past Saturday, April 25, 2015, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel, in Universal City. AAP-CA2 would like to thank the attendees, the fabulous speakers, the exhibitor sponsors, and the generous donors to date, who all helped make this event a great success.

AAP-CA2 President, Paula Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP, opens the 26th Annual Conference at the Sheraton Universal.

From UCSF, pediatric dermatologist Jeff Sugarman, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP, FAAD. presented a talk on Rashes that are Potentially Serious or Life Threatening, with a breakout (pictured below) on Dermatology Potpourri: Case-Based Pediatric Dermatology. Per a comment by one of our members, Dr. Sugarman gave the best pediatric dermatology lecture she had ever heard.

From Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Emergency Medicine physician Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD, FACEP, FAAP, discussed how to set one's office in preparation for pediatric emergencies. Dr. Gausche-Hill was just appointed the new medical director for the LAC EMS Agency.

Director of the Bureau of Toxicology & Environmental Assessment for LAC, and Director of the CA Poison Control System, medical toxicologist, Cyrus Rangan M.D. FAAP FACMT , presented the newer drugs of abuse currently used by teenagers, and entertained attendees with real-life videos.

The three panelists, Dr. Rangan, Dr. Sugarman, and Dr. Gausche-Hill, respond to questions from attendees.

AAP-CA2 Member-At-Large, Ken Saul, MD, FAAP, moderated the session.

Raffle Winners

The following attendees were the lucky winners of the raffle held during our conference:

Heide Woo, MD, FAAP

1/2-Off a one year AAP-CA Chapter 2 Membership.

Nathalie Rubin, MD, FAAP

1/2-Off next year's Early Bird 27th AAP-CA2 Advances in Pediatrics CME conference registration.

Patricia Rowe, MD, FAAP

Two tickets to see an LA Galaxy game courtesy of our member-at-large, Tracy Zaslow, MD, FAAP.

Carolyn Kipper, MD, FAAP

A $50 iTunes gift card.

Patricia Nishikawa, MD, FAAP

A $25 Starbucks gift card.

State of the Chapter

AAP-CA2 Vice President, Edward Curry, MD, FAAP, presented an overview of the state of the Chapter. He also presented a report as chair of our CME committee.

Dr. Curry's address was followed by an update from AAP-CA2 President, Paula Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP. She discussed the resolution process as our District IX Chapter Forum Management Committee(CFMC) representative.

These reports were followed by our chapter video.

Elizabeth R. Sowell, Ph.D. , Director of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory and Professor of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, presented her work as published in Nature last month on how being raised in poverty affects the developing brain. Click Here to read about her research.

Allan S. Lieberthal, MD, FAAP, a past president of AAP-CA2, lifelong friend and colleague of Dr. Marcy, opens the Inaugural S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture, and thanks the Marcy family for attending.

Mark Sawyer, MD, FAAP, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist, presented enlightening talks, including the S. Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture on emerging infections. His presentation demonstrated how important the travel history is and reminds one to ask, "Where in the world was Carmen Sandiego?"

Awards and Recognition

The following AAP-CA2 members received special recognition awards during the Advances in Pediatrics conference, this past April 25th, for their service and dedication to the chapter:

Mary Doyle, MD, FAAP

For her Distinguished Service and Dedication

to the Mission and Goals of the Chapter

Presented at The 2015 Advances In Pediatrics CME Conference

April 25, 2015

Steve Feig, MD, FAAP

For His Work and Dedication to the CME Committee

Presented at The 2015 Advances In Pediatrics CME Conference

April 25, 2015

Bill Mason, MD, FAAP

For His Work and Dedication to the CME Committee

Presented at The 2015 Advances In Pediatrics CME Conference

April 25, 2015

Ken Saul, MD, FAAP

For his Work and Dedication to the Chapter having served as both

Area Representative, and Member-At-Large

Presented at The 2015 Advances In Pediatrics CME Conference

April 25, 2015

Programs and Contributions

Now in its 16th year, the AAP-CA2 rotates the Annual High School Medicine-Biological Sciences Scholarship Program award through all of the AAP-CA2 counties. This year's turn is Santa Barbara County. Applications submitted by Santa Barbara County High School students are now under review. Two Winners will be selected, one will receive $1,000, and the other $500.00.

We would like to thank the following individuals for their generous donations , received over the last month, to the following areas:

High School Medicine-Biological Sciences Scholarship, and Resident Research Award programs

Paula Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP

The S. Michael Marcy Memorial Fund

Edward Curry, MD, FAAP
Allan Lieberthal, MD, FAAP
Suzanne L. Roberts, MD, FAAP
Paula Whiteman, MD, FACEP, FAAP

Those wishing to make charitable contributions to the chapter may do so by sending a check made out to: AAP-CA Chapter 2. Y ou may also specify in the memo line a particular project to which you would like to contribute, for example, the High School Scholarship Fund, the Resident Research Award Fund, or the S. Michael Marcy Memorial Fund, and mail it to:

American Academy of Pediatrics, CA Chapter 2
P.O. Box 94127
Pasadena, CA 91109

ADVOCACY - Legislative Day in Sacramento

On April 14, 2015, AAP-CA2 Treasurer, Alice Kuo , MD, PhD, Med, FAAP, and AAP-CA2 Member-At-Large, Grant Christman, MD, FAAP, along with several representatives from our region, attended the Annual CMA/AAP Legislative Day in Sacramento. The group visited with Senator Holly Mitchell to talk about her vision screening bill which the AAP opposed.

( Back row, from left) Annabelle Soares, UCLA pre-med; Weiyi Tan, MD, MPH, UCLA med-peds R4; Grant Christman, MD, CHLA faculty; Colin Robinson, MD, MPH, UCLA med-peds R4

( Front row, standing, from left) Kelly Clancy, CHLA staff; Alice Kuo, MD, PhD, UCLA med-peds faculty; Rachel Klein, MD, UCLA med-peds R4; Stacey Weinstein, MD, UCLA med-peds fellow

( Center, sitting) Senator Holly Mitchell, 30th. District

ADVOCACY - State Government Affairs

From the office of Kris Calvin, CEO, AAP-CA and AAP-CA Foundation

Kris Calvin

CEO AAP-CA and

AAP-CA Foundation

Senate Bill 277 would eliminate California's Personal Belief Exemption for school and child care entry vaccines. SB 277 would not alter the current medical exemption permitted under CA law. To address concerns of some legislators, the bill was recently amended to add a home-school exemption, to permit parents opposed to some or all vaccines for school that choice.

The bill is authored by Senators Richard Pan, MD FAAP, a pediatrician leader in the AAP, and Ben Allen, a former school Board member now representing SD 26 in our Chapter. (click to see Sen. Ben Allen's website)

The clear intent of SB 277 is to make schools and child care a safe and healthy zone for all children, by preventing the potential rapid spread of vaccine-preventable disease when vaccine levels fall below that needed for herd immunity. (Unfortunately, dangerously low levels of vaccination occur now in some schools across California.)

Chapter 2 members have been instrumental in the bill's successful progress thus far, responding to AAPCA alerts, calling their legislative representative to urge passage of the bill through the Senate Health, Education and Judiciary Committees. Pediatricians joined other advocates in combating some members of the opposition's assertions that vaccines have injured their children and/or that the bill would no longer permit valid medical exemptions to vaccines. (The latter is an incorrect assumption that hopefully has been cleared up.)

Once SB 277 clears the Senate Floor, it will likely face challenges moving through committees in the Assembly, and Chapter 2 members will be asked again to raise your voices in support. It is clear your advocacy is making a difference -thank you!

To view the bill's text and progress, go to the AAPCA's statewide website, hosted collaboratively by Chapter 2 and the other three CA AAP Chapters, at http://aap-ca.org/bill/

Once there, click on SB 277. (You may also view other AAP-CA priority bills on a variety of topics.)

You may follow Kris Calvin, on Twitter @kcalvinaap

Los Angeles County Pediatric Surge Plan

The Pediatric Surge Plan is a mechanism to potentially double the number of available pediatric beds in LAC should there be a disaster. Part of this process is a county wide disaster drill being organized with the LAC EMS Agency Medical Alert Center with a simulation center with participating hospitals. In preparation, the LAC Pediatric Surge Plan Tabletop Exercise took place on April 20, 2015 in Santa Fe Springs, CA. This project is being led by our disaster committee chair, Dr. Millicent Wilson of the LAC EMS Agency and Bridget M. Berg, MPH, FACHE, Administrative Manager, Pediatric Disaster Resource and Training Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Training Opportunities

REDUCING SECONDHAND SMOKE EXPOSURE

Dr. Jyothi Marbin, a pediatrician in Oakland CA, works with a program called

CEASE (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure) California , which teaches pediatric providers (through their hospitals and clinics) to reduce secondhand smoke exposure by providing nicotine replacement therapy prescriptions and referrals to the CA Smoker's Helpline to families where parents smoke. Click to view the CEASE California website

The program has been funded by the American Academy of Pediatrics in Northern California, where they've done about 20 trainings already, and they now have funding from First 5 California to disseminate CEASE to 75 practices in Southern California. The training is free and takes about an hour.

Dr. Marbin is offering trainings to practices in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as these are two of the top five counties with the highest rates of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in CA. Ideally, this is for busy FQHCs serving low-income children and families.

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Marbin directly at [email protected]

You may read Implementation of a Parental Tobacco Control Intervention in Pediatric Practice as published in PEDIATRICS. Click here to access the article.

Coming Events

May 10 -
Volunteering Opportunity on Mother's Day

For the last six years, Foster Care Counts and volunteers have hosted foster families for a day of food, games, family, and celebration, and each year is more fun than the last. On Sunday, May 10th, hundreds of volunteers will once again make Foster Mother's Day memorable for the 2,000 foster parents and children invited to take part in a special event in their honor. If you are interested in volunteering, please follow the link below. Click to learn more, and sign up!