Catch My Stride walkers enjoyed sunshine and camaraderie at Cascades Park on March 27. The walk, led by Dr. Rohan Joseph, Andrea Stephens, and Pam Irwin, was a great opportunity to rekindle old friendships, to meet new physicians, and to get to meet physicians’ family members. Stay tuned for the April activity schedule.

Wolfson Children’s Hospital is proud to provide Continuing Medical Education opportunities to our partners and referring providers by offering monthly virtual CME sessions at no cost. If you have missed any of our previously offered live webinars and still wish to obtain CME credit for them, we have provided 4 recorded webinars for a total of 5.5 CME credits possible. Please follow the instructions below in order to take advantage of this opportunity!

1.      Open the flyer and choose which education session you would like to watch.

2.      Click the link in the attachment for the desired education session.

4.      Follow the instructions included in the video description to complete the required survey and input the associated activity code.

*Please note, if you are licensed outside of the state of Florida, you must contact the CME office at [email protected] to request an official transcript of your participation.

FreeCME.com 

Nova Southeastern University on Friday detailed its decision to require students, faculty and administrators to be vaccinated for COVID-19 when they return to campus in the fall.

“We believe that this is the best and safest path forward,” Dr. Harry Moon, the private university’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said at a news conference at the main campus in Davie.

Only the Pfizer shot is approved by the FDA for 16 and older. An emergency order says "all Floridians shall be eligible to receive any COVID-19 vaccine as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration" on April 5.

Florida will allow ages 16 and 17 to begin receiving the two-dose Pfizer coronavirus vaccine April 5.

Parental consent will be required, either in person or by a signed form.

More than 5,200 elderly Floridians have been vaccinated as part of the state’s door-to-door effort to inoculate homebound seniors.

The program, which launched in February, was created to help vaccinate seniors who have limited mobility or don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes.

When variants of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) emerged in late 2020, concern arose that they might elude protective immune responses generated by prior infection or vaccination, potentially making re-infection more likely or vaccination less effective. To investigate this possibility, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues analyzed blood cell samples from 30 people who had contracted and recovered from COVID-19 prior to the emergence of virus variants. They found that one key player in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2—the CD8+ T cell—remained active against the virus.

The FDA has approved a Bristol Myers Squibb cell therapy made by engineering a patient’s immune cells to target a cancer protein called BCMA. The regulatory decision for Abecma in multiple myeloma gives BMS its second approved CAR-T therapy.

The Washington-based health system has filed a lawsuit against EHR giant Cerner saying it intentionally misrepresented its products and services. Cerner's systems did not operate as promised, leading to severe cash collection issues at Astria Health and forcing it into bankruptcy in 2019, the suit alleges.

There is no evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines cause death or infertility, according to Dr. Kevin Sneed. He clears up other vaccine misconceptions as well.

Florida is days away from expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to adults of all ages and some teenagers. But months into rollout, there are still some people hesitant to get shots.

Misinformation spread on social media and through word-of-mouth is partly to blame.

Health News Florida's Stephanie Colombini sifts through some popular vaccine myths with Dr. Kevin Sneed, dean of the University of South Florida's Taneja College of Pharmacy, to get the facts.

An experiment that induced imaginary sounds in both people and mice could help explain how brain disorders like schizophrenia cause hallucinations.

A technique that induces imaginary sounds in both mice and people could help scientists understand the brain circuits involved in schizophrenia and other disorders that cause hallucinations.

The technique appears to offer "a way to study psychotic disorders in animals," says Adam Kepecs, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The HHS' information blocking rule goes into effect Monday, and for nearly a year, providers and IT vendors have been racing to prepare. But they have faced several hurdles along

the way, including figuring out how to handle scenarios that could make them non-compliant.

Many doctors wonder, “Should I buy disability insurance as a resident?”

Long-term disability insurance protects the most valuable financial asset of a doctor—your ability to trade your time for money at a high rate for the next 30-40 years. There is a reason it is not cheap (expect to spend 2-6% of income protected)—because doctors actually use it. Some estimates are as high as 1 out of 7 doctors will receive benefits from their long term disability policy at some point during their career.

Trying to remember March 2020 feels like sticking your head into a parallel universe. This time last year, Americans were just going into lockdown—presumably for two weeks—to protect themselves from a mysterious but deadly virus. We disinfected mail but didn’t wear masks. Few of us knew that COVID-19 symptoms could last for months, that you might lose your sense of smell, or that your toes might break out in purple lesions. The possibility that millions would die was real but incomprehensible.

The pandemic today is almost unrecognizably different. In the United States, an acute, terrifying catastrophe has given way to the monotony of lowered expectations. There are no makeshift morgues in the streets. Businesses are opening despite a thousand American deaths a day. This week, Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered New York City employees back to work, regardless of their vaccination status, while case counts in the city are on a high plateau. The pervasive sense is that we can’t wait forever for the pandemic to end.

Florida’s four federally supported COVID-19 vaccination sites will stay open an additional four weeks after receiving extra doses from the state’s supply originally slated for county and local sites.

The sites were expected to close April 28, but will now close on May 26. To keep these sites open, the sites will utilize state vaccine allocations, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said.

For well over half a century, employer-sponsored health insurance has been central to the U.S. healthcare system. According to recent data from Kaiser Family Foundation, an estimated 49% of Americans still receive health insurance coverage from employers. However, the relentless escalation in healthcare costs and consolidations in the healthcare industry have increasingly rendered traditional employer-sponsored health insurance "unaffordable" for millions of employers and their employees.

Governor Ron DeSantis says he will take executive action to prohibit “vaccination passports” in Florida.

Florida’s COVID-19 cases are rising again as air traffic reaches numbers not seen in more than a year, sparking concerns that the nation’s wide-open Southern vacation playground could help fuel a fourth surge of infections.

The White House and Centers for Disease Control Prevention called for vigilance on Monday, describing a feeling of “impending doom” with an alarming new uptick in cases nationwide and increased spring break travel.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis continued on his course of fully reopening the state’s tourism sector and downplayed the federal government’s concerns.

The Washington-based health system has filed a lawsuit against EHR giant Cerner saying it intentionally misrepresented its products and services. Cerner's systems did not operate as promised, leading to severe cash collection issues at Astria Health and forcing it into bankruptcy in 2019, the suit alleges.

Board-certified physicians are getting another extension on the deadline to maintain their internal medicine credentials.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) once again extended the Maintenace of Certification (MOC) requirements through December 2022.

We appreciate your past participation in the Doctor of the Day Program. In anticipation of the 2021 Regular Legislative Session, preparations for this program are underway.

The Florida Legislature has implemented COVID-19 protocols, please review the DOCTOR OF THE DAY PROGRAM_COVID memo for details. Please also see the Doctor of the Day Information Packet and the Application Form.

The Leon County mask mandate added to the Leon County Amended Emergency Ordinance No. 20-15 is still in effect. The ordinance states that an individual in a business establishment in Leon County must wear a face covering while in that business establishment.

A business establishment means a location with a roof overhead under which any business is conducted, goods are made, stored or processed, or where services are rendered. The term “business establishment” also includes locations where non-profit, governmental, churches, and quasi-governmental entities facilitate public interactions and conduct business. Also, as part of the requirement, all businesses must post a notice visible to all customers that face coverings are required while indoors. An example sign can be found here.

The ordinance will remain in place until repealed. A copy of the ordinance and frequently asked questions are posted to the Leon County Emergency Information Portal at www.LeonCountyFL.gov/ei. For additional questions regarding the mask mandate ordinance, please call Leon County Administration at 850-606-5300.

For additional information on COVID-19, the Florida Department of Health has activated a 24/7 COVID-19 call center at (866) 779-6121. Leon County residents can also call the County Health Department at (850) 404-6300, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, the best resource for Florida-specific COVID-19 information remains the following FDOH website: www.FLHealth.gov/COVID-19.

Sample Mask Signage for Businesses

View the Signed Emergency Ordinance

View the FAQ Regarding this Requirement

Face coverings are available at the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality (315 S. Calhoun Street, Suite 110, Tallahassee, FL, 32301) Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A business with one location is eligible for up to 100 face coverings. Local businesses with multiple locations are eligible for up to 200 face coverings. For FAQs regarding the distribution of masks to businesses, click here. 

No denying that the last 12+ months could have been a bit better and brighter. If your days don't seem as bright, we hope you take advantage of this program. The CMSF's Physician Wellness Program will pay for up to six completely confidential wellness coaching sessions with any of the counselors enrolled in our program (contact information below). Pick up the phone and call any of the resources noted below. Telehealth options available during COVID-19. 

To view Physician Wellness resources, click here.

The State-Level COVID-19 profile for Florida. This data is collected from medical facilities in one of two system HHS protect or National Healthcare Safety Network  

The New England Journal of Medicine - A collection of articles and other resources on the Coronavirus outbreak, including clinical reports, management guidelines, and commentary

From the American Medical Association: COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) Resource Center for Physicians

From the Florida Medical Association: Coronavirus Educational Resource Center

FMA's Step-by-Step Guide to COVID-19 vaccine enrollment for Florida physicians (FMA) 

See the latest state Department of Health data summarizing the number of people in Florida who have either received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or completed the vaccine series (FMA) 

Florida Department of Health's COVID Vaccines in Florida 

COVID-19 Pandemic Planning FAQ (dated 11/19/2020) includes important information regarding procurement and handling of costs for vaccine administration. (FEMA) 

What Happens Once There is a COVID-19 Vaccine? Key Challenges to Vaccinating America (12/3/2020) - VIDEO or SLIDES (Kaiser Family Foundation) 

Mandatory Reporting of COVID-19 Laboratory Test Results: Reporting of Cycle Threshold Values (December 3, 2020)

Notable recent additions to CDC guidance include more detailed infection prevention and control recommendations for health care settings: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/infection-control.html.

Please continue to closely monitor the CDC novel coronavirus website for situation and guidance updates. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

See Flyer 

Brochure & To Register 

READ MORE & REGISTER 

Machine donations can be dropped off at Capital Medical Society Foundation's office at 1204 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Donations to Capital Medical Society Foundation are tax-deductible within IRS guidelines Federal Tax I.D. #: 59-2104510. For additional information, please call 942-5215 or email [email protected].

Click here to access AmazonSmile and support the CMS Foundation today!