May 6, 2022

Don’t Miss Out: NSMS Awards Gala & Murder Mystery Dinner - May 20th

We're just two weeks away from the 2022 NSMS Awards Gala & Murder Mystery Dinner, free to all NSMS members plus one guest. The Gala will be held on Friday, May 20th, from 6-9 p.m. at Eagle Vines Golf Club (American Canyon) in an outdoor tent. Included will be a reception, dinner, wine, an awards ceremony honoring three Solano & Napa physicians, and an interactive murder mystery show led by trained actors from the Murder Mystery Co.! Don't miss out on this chance to reconnect with friends and family. Register online here, or email grogers@napasolanodocs.org.

Last Chance to Apply for Medical Student Scholarship

NSMS is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications to give away four $1,000 scholarships to any medical students who have shown interest (i.e. participated in a related activity or project) in improving public health, the practice of medicine and/or the quality of patient care, and who have ties to Solano or Napa counties. Click here to review the application and eligibility requirements. The deadline to apply is May 15.

CMA Issues Statement on Leaked Roe v. Wade Decision

Yesterday, CMA President Dr. Robert E. Wailes released a statement regarding the leak of SCOTUS' opinion that would overturn abortion rights: “We are gravely concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to overturn the protections offered by Roe v. Wade and put the lives and welfare of millions of women at risk... This draft opinion, if it becomes final, would undermine decades of progress in women’s health care. It is a direct attack on the practice of medicine and patient reproductive health outcomes...” Click here to read the full statement.

Federal Report Finds Medicare Advantage Plans Often Deny Necessary Care

HHS released a report last week that found every year Medicare managed care organizations inappropriately deny medically necessary care to tens of thousands of people enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans. The HHS Officer of Inspector General (OIG) reported that Medicare Advantage plans denied prior authorization requests and payment requests that met Medicare coverage and billing rules. Use your voice to fight against prior authorization red tape by sharing your story here.

Women Physicians Invited to Participate in Survey on Wellbeing

Physicians for a Healthy California and University of California Health are extending their research on the well-being of California women physicians through a grant from The Physicians Foundation. Women physicians licensed by the Medical Board of California are invited to participate in an anonymous online survey. The purpose of this project is to assess different aspects of well-being and obtain information on work experiences from women physicians in California, as well as to identify factors that impact well-being and career satisfaction.

Medical Board Eliminates Plastic Physician Licenses

The Medical Board of California recently phased out plastic medical license cards. In lieu of the old plastic cards, physicians can now use the medical board’s new "Print Your Own" Wallet License Generator that allows individuals with current licenses to generate a digital license and print it on any printer, or house the card electronically.

Nominate an Outstanding Colleague for 2022 CMA Service Awards

Every year, the California Medical Association (CMA) honors inspirational physician members during its annual House of Delegates in October. CMA is now accepting nominations for several awards. The deadline for all nominations is Thursday, June 10. Click here for more information.

Statewide Mental Health and Addiction Funding Announcement: Bridge Navigator Program Launch

DHCS invests $40 million in to support addiction and behavioral health treatment. The CalBridge Behavioral Health Navigator Program (Bridge Navigator Program) is making addiction and mental health treatment accessible statewide through hospital emergency departments, with support available for every ED in the state. Funding is available now. Click here to learn more and access the application.

Fight Climate Change and Save Money

Physicians who adopt environmentally sustainable activities will provide long-lasting benefits for the planet and their patients, while receiving a financial payoff starting as soon as their practice’s very next electric bill. Find a newly published AMA guide “Lower costs by going green!”. Check out our on-demand webinar to learn more about adding environmental sustainability to your practice.

Prescribing COVID-19 Therapeutics: Everything You Need to Know 

On-Demand

Free for members and non-members | CME Available 

Learn how to treat COVID-19 using authorized therapeutics available to physicians specifically in the Napa and Solano area. Receive an overview of the treatments available, how to prescribe them to patients, and review real-life scenarios to help you better care for patients with COVID. This webinar is brought to you by the Napa Solano Medical Society in collaboration with the Napa County Public Health Dept. and Solano County Public Health Dept. 

Watch the webinar here.

Restoring Joy to the Practice of Medicine Together  

On-Demand | CME Available 

Physicians passionate about wellness from medical groups, health clinics, medical staffs, residency programs, and other physician organizations throughout the Bay Area are invited to this free online conference over two half-days on April 21 and 28. Keynote speakers are Marie Brown, MD, AMA Director of Practice Redesign; Paul DeChant, MD, Healthcare Consultant; and John Chuck, MD, Former TPMG Regional Chair for Physician Health and Wellness Leaders. Three panel discussions will cover practice improvements in action; developing evidence-based interventions; and transforming leadership for a culture of wellness.  

Register here. 

Virtual Grand Rounds: Updates in COVID-19 and Novel Surveillance Methods 

Tuesday, May 10 | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm 

FREE to all | CME Available | Hosted by CMA 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, public health experts are watching vigilantly and trying to predict what is to come. Will there be another surge? If so, when? Alongside traditional surveillance methods, several novel techniques are being utilized to understand the dynamics of disease spread, including wastewater surveillance and dog-sniffing. Join CMA to learn from the experts, including Dr. Erica Pan and Dr. Carol Glaser, to review the epidemiology of COVID-19 in California and elsewhere, and to learn more about exciting disease surveillance tools. 

Register here.

Protecting Mental Health in Disasters: COVID-19 and Beyond

Wednesday, May 11 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am

FREE | Hosted by AMA

COVID-19 is the most far-reaching and long-lasting disaster in generations, with a long "tail" of expected mental health effects impacting patients, providers, and their families. Understanding the range of mental health effects and aspects of risk and resilience are critical to effective response and recovery. In this AMA STEPS Forward™ webinar, speaker Joshua C. Morganstein, MD, CAPT, discusses how the use of evidence-based early interventions by individuals, organizations, and leaders can reduce distress, foster resilience, enhance operational sustainment, and help treat psychiatric disorders that may emerge.

Register here.

Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Course 

Saturday, May 21 | 9:00 am to 1:30 pm 

Live Webinar Training | Hosted by the American Society of Addiction Medicine 

This 8-hour, blended course (4-hour on-demand, 4-hour live virtual) provides required education to qualify for the waiver to prescribe buprenorphine in an office-based setting and covers essential information for providers to identify, assess, diagnose, and manage patients with opioid use disorder (OUD).  The target audience for this introductory activity includes physicians who wish to obtain a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine in office-based treatment of opioid use disorders, and clinicians and healthcare team members working with providers who prescribe buprenorphine in office-based treatment of opioid use disorders. 

Register here.

34th Annual Virtual Conference on Physicians’ Wellbeing

Friday, July 15 | 8:00 am to 12:15 pm 

CME Available 

Presented by Riverside County Medical Association, this program is designed to assist hospitals and health care organizations comply with Title 22 Regulations on matters related to health and wellness, addiction, mental illness and behavioral issues of physicians and other health care providers. This event is endorsed by CMA. Registration is $169, with a discounted price of $50 for residents and medical students. 

Register here. 

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