WORD TO THE WISE Newsletter: January 2019 - Volume 19, No. 1

In this issue: President's corner: New Year's resolutions for the medical society Update from your CMS BOD rep: Setting goals for improvement Medical Topics: Happiest physicians; Pueblo's opioid stats; Wellness corner: Self-care in 2019 Upcoming events: Progenity educational lunch; Parkview chest pain summit Local news: Greidanus on ER overcrowding, new legislative session and flu resources News from CMS: CMS president sends letter to Gov. Polis on CMS priorities News from AMA: State and national advocacy wins

PRESIDENT'S CORNER   Happy New Year from your Pueblo County Medical Society

Happy New Year! I hope 2019 is off to a good start for you and your families. Your staff and leadership of the medical society are ready to make this the best year yet. In the spirit of the New Year, I have three resolutions for the medical society: good governance, clear direction and relevance. The PCMS Board of Directors will meet this month on Saturday, Jan. 26, for four hours to focus on these resolutions and how we can use them to move the society forward. We are proud to represent the physicians of Pueblo County and we hope you’ll engage with us this year by keeping up with the latest PCMS news, by attending an event, or by volunteering for a committee or a leadership position. We are a strong and proud community of physicians who works together to improve health care for our patients. Let’s continue our work, together, in 2019 and beyond.

UPDATE FROM YOUR CMS BOD REP   Set goals for self-fulfillment and to advance our organization

As many do during the new year time, I have been thinking about goals. Goals take on several forms. Some of those include thinking long term and also less concrete -- things like what do I really want to accomplish; what kind of husband, father, friend and doctor do I really want to be? That includes some self-reflection. They then turn more concrete -- I want to do these certain things to become those people I want to be.  Goals should be measurable and reachable but should make you stretch, and be something by you can measure how well you are moving. I have learned that goals should be SMART (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound). Setting and reaching goals in the past has been very satisfying and I feel has led to improvements in my life. The next question, then, is how to do the same for a group, a large organization such as the Colorado Medical Society representing physicians across the state. Likely the same principles apply. We have identified concerns regarding making peer review documents legally accessible for trial; increasing scope of practice for allied health professionals (PAs/NPs); increasing caps on malpractice suits; changes to insurance payments, particularly for out of network issues; and maybe more as the year progresses. Surely talks regarding price transparency and universal health care will likely resurface.  Might I invite you to add to your goal list involvement on Central Line and to attend more of our meetings, to reach out to your elected officials, or involve yourself further in the community? Whatever your goal may be -- I believe it will not only make your profession more fulfilling for you but also help us as an organization reach our goals.

MEDICAL TOPICS

So, who are the happiest physicians outside work? Rheumatologists topped the list of “happiest physicians outside work” in the Medscape Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2019, with 65% indicating they were happy outside work. They were followed by otolaryngologists (60%), diabetes/endocrinology specialists (59%), and pediatricians (58%). The four happiest groups of specialists last year were allergists, dermatologists, emergency physicians and ophthalmologists, though most physicians who were surveyed about their lives outside work rated their personal happiness high. More than half (52%) reported they were very happy or extremely happy, slightly more than the 50% who said that in the previous annual survey; 9% this year said they were very unhappy or extremely unhappy. See more survey results here: https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/2019-lifestyle-happiness-6011057.

61 deaths in four years: A glimpse of Pueblo's opioid profile From 2013-2017, there were 61 prescription opioid-related overdose deaths in Pueblo County. This translates to a rate of 7.9 deaths per 100,000 Colorado residents. Both nationally and in Colorado, opioid use disorders have emerged as a significant public health concern. While prescription opioids can help people manage their pain, they also come with serious risks of addiction and overdose. Prescription opioids should be prescribed and used carefully. A report from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment summarizes Pueblo County's trends of fatal overdose, prescribing practices, and patient behaviors that may increase the risk of an overdose to better understand the scope of the opioid epidemic in our community and state. See the full report here.

Wellness corner - From sleep to restorative exercise, 2019 wellness trends are about owning self-care NBC News outlines the hottest trends in wellness, finding a common theme of “taking mindful ownership of self-care.” This is otherwise known as making time for yourself to reap the benefits. “Generally, we’re seeing less of a spotlight on acquiring stuff as healthy lifestyle choices take center stage,” the author states. Read more here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Hereditary Cancer Testing: What You Need To Know For Your Practice – Jan. 16 Progenity presents an educational session, “Hereditary Cancer Testing: What You Need To Know For Your Practice,” on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at noon. See a flyer here. Space is limited. RSVP to Mikki Davison at 719-367-1768 or mikki.davison@progenity.com.

Register today for Parkview’s annual chest pain summit – Feb. 8-9 Parkview will host its annual Dr. Matthew Sumpter Memorial Chest Pain Symposium on Feb. 8-9, 2019, at the Pueblo Convention Center. Register here and view the complete agenda. Attendees can earn up to 8  AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and 1 COPIC point.

LOCAL NEWS

Greidanus talks ER overcrowding in Pueblo Chieftain PCMS President Tom Greidanus, MD, was featured in an article in the Pueblo Chieftain last week (“Choosing ER should be a last resort,” Jan. 10, 2019), sharing his observations about overcrowding in the emergency room and thoughts on choosing an appropriate health care setting. “Greidanus estimated that only about 5 to 10 percent of the ER admissions are patients with truly critical conditions such as heart attacks or strokes. He estimated another 60 percent fall into a category where some level of examination is needed to determine such how sick the patients really are. The remaining visitors to the ER have conditions so minor that they clearly shouldn’t be there. These include requests for treatment of common cold symptoms or even prescription refills.” “No one who’s got an injury or illness wants to suffer from it any longer than they have to. However, a little common sense can result in effective but cheaper care, while saving the ER space for those who truly need it.” Read the full article here.

New legislative session begins; health care, education among top priorities Two days after taking the oath of office, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis addressed a joint session of the Colorado General Assembly on Thursday, Jan. 10, to outline his goals for office. During his first State of the State address, he addressed health care, early childhood education, energy and the environment, and the economy. He laid out his plans for health care, saying that while we've made progress, families are still being “ripped off.” He also announced the creation of the “Office of Saving People Money on Health Care” and said that we “must get a grip on the opioid epidemic.” Other reporting by KOAA News 5 quoted newly elected Senate President Leroy Garcia of Pueblo. “Too many have died at the hands of opioids, and many more struggle with drug abuse and addiction.” The Denver Post reported that there was bipartisan skepticism that the state’s budget can handle everything Polis wants to accomplish. “As a Pueblo native and member of the Joint Budget Committee, I hope Gov. Polis continues to partner with myself and my colleagues to govern for all of our state, including Southern Colorado,” state Rep. Daneya Esgar, the vice chair of the budget committee, told the Denver Post. “I look forward to working collaboratively as the budget begins to come together, to prioritize key issues that are our shared priorities.” Read more about Polis’ health care agenda here, from the Colorado Medical Society.

Flu: Resources for your patients from PDPHE The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone receive a flu vaccination each year as soon as it is available. Anyone six months and older is encouraged to receive the vaccine, including pregnant women. If all healthy individuals receive a flu shot, those unable to receive the flu shot will be more protected. The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment offers flu vaccine to all individuals six months and older, but they ask patients to check with their primary care physician or local pharmacy first as there are some individuals in the community that cannot receive the vaccine anywhere else. Preventing the flu: Good health habits can help stop germs Remind your patients of these best practices: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands often with soap and water to help protect yourself from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu. Click here for additional flu information including fact sheets, flu season reports, FAQs, guides for parents, activity sheets for kids and more.

NEWS FROM THE COLORADO MEDICAL SOCIETY

CMS President Parsons sends letter of congratulations, priorities, to Gov. Polis CMS President Debra Parsons, MD, FACP, sent a letter to newly inaugurated Colorado Gov. Jared Polis congratulating him on his election, pledging CMS’s full cooperation in working together, and educating the governor on the mission of CMS and the value of the medical society to his administration. Specifically, Parsons pledged unrestricted access to CMS’s professional advocates, physician leadership and subject-matter experts on health care cost and quality, the opioid crisis, Professional Review and Medical Practice Act sunset, workers’ compensation and physician wellbeing. She also expressed the desire to work toward the mutual goal of further reducing the uninsured rate in Colorado. Read the full letter here.

NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 8 physician advocacy wins that set the stage for 2019

Given the turbulence in Washington, it’s easy to overlook the many policy wins scored on behalf of patients and physicians at the national and state levels. In her opening address to the AMA State Advocacy Summit, AMA President Barbara L. McAneny, MD, detailed how physician advocacy has made a difference on gun violence, regulatory relief, physician payment and more, while offering a look ahead to the Association’s ambitious 2019 policy goals. Read more here.

MISSION:   Fa cilitating meaningful collaboration of medical professionals in Pueblo County through social networking, education, and advocacy!   VISION:   To c reate a medical society that serves as a venue for collaboration for the betterment of healthcare in Pueblo County, and improve the practice of medicine and life of medical professionals, locally.

Board Officers: President: Thomas Greidanus, MD; President-Elect: open position; Secretary: Marcel Junqueira, MD; Treasurer: Robert Tonsing, MD; Past-President: Alfredo Vargas, MD; CMS Representative: Brad Roberts, MD |  Directors: Julie Newburg, MD; Ross Patrick, MD; Cheryl Walker, DO; Kevin Weber, MD | Chief Executive Officer : Cheryl Law, MA, MNM

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