Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It

August 19, 2022

NSMS Endorses Proposition 1 to Protect Abortion, Contraception Rights in CA


NSMS has joined CMA and several other health advocacy organizations in supporting Proposition 1, a ballot measure seeking to enshrine an individual's right to have an abortion, or to use or refuse contraception, in the California Constitution. NSMS believes medical decisions—including those around abortion or contraception—should be decided by patients in consultation with their health care provider. To learn how to support this initiative or to view a fact sheet directly from the Yes on 1 campaign, click here for more information. 

You're Invited: Ballots & Brews, and Waterfront Views!


NSMS invites you to join us at Mare Island Brewing Co. in Vallejo for an evening of fun and good food. All are welcome; medical students included. Enjoy waterfront views, play outdoor games, sip some suds, and join a conversation with CMA Associate Vice President of Political Operations on the biggest issues in health care on the November ballot. The event will take place Friday, September 9 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Register here to reserve your spot today.

California’s Big Move on Data Exchange


The Data Exchange Framework, abbreviated “DxF”, will require all actors in the health care system – physicians, hospitals, health plans, skilled nursing facilities, etc. – to make patient data available to all other actors within the bounds of federal and state privacy laws. Once all actors have signed the Single Data Sharing Agreement, practices and others will be contractually obligated to share data across the health care system. The date by which practices must comply with this requirement depends on the size of the practice. Now that the Framework has been published, the timeline for implementation is going to move quickly. It will be important for practices to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the Framework and begin their preparations as soon as possible. Please find the full article from CMA here or access their fact sheet

Updates to COVID-19 Treatment and Prevention Guidelines


Visit NIH’s ‘What’s New in the Guidelines' webpage. Below are some of the most recent updates: 

  • Evusheld: give as PREP to immunocompromised patients, consider consultation with an allergist for those with history of severe reaction to COVID-19 vaccine, FDA authorized repeat dosing every 6 mos. if patients need ongoing protection 
  • Remdesivir: fully approved for treatment of adults and children for in- and outpatients 
  • Paxlovid: Limited prescribing by pharmacists now allowed under EUA

Media Training for Physicians: Express Your Interest


Are you interested in adding your voice in support of Prop. 1 to protect abortion rights in California and/or Prop. 31 to stop the sale of flavored tobacco products? The campaigns in support of the measures are looking for physician volunteers to serve as spokespeople and will be conducting a series of trainings in the coming weeks all over the state (and remotely) where physician volunteers will get message training for media interviews, author op-eds and participate in press conferences and other media events. To sign up, please email svelayas@cmadocs.org and include your name, title, phone number, email address, and which proposition/training you would like to participate in.

U.S. to Shift COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Costs to Insurers, Patients


HHS will be meeting with drugmakers, pharmacies, and other stakeholders on August 30 to map out how insurance coverage and reimbursements would cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. As COVID-19 cases drop, the Biden Administration shifts this burden onto insurance and patients. Additional news indicates that HHS is likely to extend the PHE into January 2023, ensuring expanded Medicaid coverage, telehealth services, and boosted payments to hospitals.

Inflation Reduction Act Fails to Address Medicare Payment Reform



The Inflation Reduction Act takes action on climate change, extends premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace insurance plans and takes steps to slow the growth of drug prices. Unfortunately, it does nothing to address Medicare physician payment reform or to halt payment cuts set to take effect next year. Read the full article from AMA here and see how payment rates for hospitals, nursing homes, etc. are adjusted for inflation but physician payments are not. 

Advancing Physician Wellness at Your Organization


At its next convening, on Tuesday, September 13 at 6 pm, guest speaker Gaurava Agarwal, MD, CWO at Northwestern Medicine, and Paul DeChant, MD, the program director of the Bay Area Physician Wellness Collaborative, will discuss the variety of forms that a wellness leader role can take depending on the size, nature, and resources of the physician organization. The Bay Area Physician Wellness Collaborative is a roundtable of leaders from medical groups, hospital medical staffs, residency programs and other physician organizations to learn and share how to apply the organizational culture and practice changes that can reduce physician burnout and drive professional fulfillment. Click here to indicate your interest in joining the collaborative; participation is by invitation only.

CYBHI Monthly Webinar



On August 29 at 3 p.m., DHCS will virtually host a webinar to keep stakeholders apprised of DHCS’ progress in implementing various work streams of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). Key attendees include, but are not limited to, youth, parents, family members, behavioral health providers, Medi-Cal MCPs, county behavioral health departments, and commercial health plans, as well as education and other cross-sector partners. Advance registration is required. 

WEBINARS & EVENTS

Children Under Stress: Preventing ACEs and Supporting Childhood Well-being

Tuesday, August 23 | 11:00 to 12:00 pm 

Hosted by the National Institute for Health Care Management 

 

The number of families experiencing hardships, including unemployment, food insecurity, and housing instability, rose during the pandemic, with a disproportionate impact on Latino and Black communities. Compounding these stressors are the ACEs that most children experience at least once in their lifetime. This webinar will explore actionable strategies to prevent ACEs and programs to support children and break the cycle of adversity. Speakers will discuss the CDC’s investments in implementing ACEs prevention strategies and opportunities for cross-sector involvement; evidence-based actions that can create safe, equitable, and engaging learning environments, including trauma-sensitive schools; and establishing community programs and partnerships to build social and emotional learning and skills. 

 

Register here.

The Top HR Issues Impacting Medical Practices...and How to Handle Them 

Wednesday, August 24 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm 

Hosted by the Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP) 

 

Whether you manage a team of one or 100, implementing structured human resources policies and procedures can improve staff efficiency and help you avoid employment-related lawsuits. CAP's SVP of Human Resources and Operations, Nancy Brusegaard Johnson, will address how to hire great staff, effectively manage HR issues, stay current on employment regulations, and much more. 

 

Register here.

Therapeutics Webinar Series for Providers 

Monday, August 29 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm 

Hosted by CDPH 

 

This bi-weekly webinar series features CDPH subject matter experts who will provide updates, resources, and answers to providers’ questions. The webinar series will continue through at least the end of the year. 

 

Register for the whole series here.  

Addressing Adult Suicide Ideation in the Primary Care Setting 

Thursday, September 1 | 10:00 to 10:45 am 

Hosted by AMA STEPS Forward 

 

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Building off the Practical Strategies for Managing Suicidal Ideation & Reducing Risk, this pre-recorded webinar focuses on how primary care practices can address suicidal ideation within their adult patient population. 

 

Register here.

Leadership Reading and Discussion Group 

Wednesday, September 7 | 6:00 to 7:30 pm    

FREE | CME Available | Online    

    

Physicians are free to join any meeting of the Leadership Reading and Discussion Group; reading the book is not required. Doctor Hilary Worthen, course director of the Physician Leadership Program, facilitates the discussion group that is held on Zoom. The book selection for September 7 is “An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back” by Elisabeth Rosenthal, MD. This book describes how the flawed system of health insurance and delivery has failed patients in the US, and proposes solutions for far-reaching reform. 

 

Register here

Dismantling Stigma for All: Addressing Physician and Patient Mental Health Including Suicide Risk 

Thursday, September 8 | 10:00 to 11:00 am 

Hosted by AMA STEPS Forward 

 

As part of National Suicide Prevention Week, this live, interactive forum will connect attendees with industry experts on suicidal ideation and physicians with lived experience to discuss solutions for dismantling the stigma around seeking mental health treatment. 

 

Register here.

Monkeypox Management: A Patient-Centered Approach

Friday, September 9 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm 

Hosted by the Pacific AIDS Education & Training Center 

 

Join speakers from San Francisco Department of Public Health and Lifelong Medical Care for this virtual webinar addressing the local epidemiology and clinical manifestations of monkeypox, approaches to evaluating and discussing monkeypox with patients, and barriers to health-seeking behaviors using patient-centered techniques. Access the flyer and distribute it with your networks. 

 

Register here

Ballots & Brews 

Mare Island Brewing Co., Vallejo | Friday, Sept. 9 | 6:30 to 9:00 pm 

Free for members | $50/person for non-members 

 

Bring the family to Mare Island Brewing Co.'s "Whaleboat Room" to enjoy good food and good company. Sip some suds and learn about the biggest health care issues on the November ballot or eat some free food and play games outside (e.g. cornhole, giant Jenga, foosball, or bring your own from home!) with waterfront views. Micah Scheindlin, CMA Associate Vice President of Political Operations, will present on how 2022 ballot measures could impact you and your patients.  

 

Register here.

Bay Area Physician Wellness Collaborative 

Tuesday, September 13 | 6:00 to 8:00 pm 

FREE | CME Available | Online 

 

The Bay Area Physician Wellness Collaborative aims to bring together medical group leaders, chief wellness officers, wellness committee chairs, and others who have been charged with “fixing the physician burnout problem” from across the East Bay. Participants will: 

  

  • Receive a highly structured road map to make substantive changes over a three-year period that can fundamentally change the practice environment in your organization 
  • Learn from wellness experts who will provide curated information and implementation tools that they can bring back to their organizations 
  • Become part of an online community to share information and experiences 
  • Create a network of peers to support each other in this work 

 

The guest speaker for the September 13 session is Gaurava Agarwal, MD, CWO at Northwestern Medicine and a leader in CWO development nationwide. This collaborative is by invitation only; please click here to indicate your interest in joining the collaborative.

Understanding the Climate Health Crisis and How California Physicians Can Make an Impact 

Friday, October 21 | 2:00 to 4:00 pm 

Hybrid: Virtual and In-person at L.A. Live 

 

This free event will be an engaging two-part panel discussion that will explore the health impacts of climate change in California and the opportunities for California's physicians to advance policy-level climate solutions with enormous public health co-benefits. Sponsored by Climate Health Now and the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE) in coordination with CMA. 

 

Register here.

NSMS's On-Demand Library


To access all on-demand programs, go to https://www.pathlms.com/medical-society/courses 

 

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?

Please contact NSMS at grogers@napasolanodocs.org or (707) 255-3622with any questions or concerns you have.