WORD TO THE WISE Newsletter: April 2018 - Volume 18, No. 4

In this issue: President's corner: Advocacy update and upcoming events Join our new members-only Facebook group! Primary care doctor needed! Members on the move: Gogarty recognized for leadership in opioid epidemic Upcoming events: PCMS board meeting, Beers w/Peers, symposium on pain management Local news: Acudetox clinic, DEA National Take Back Days News from CMS: Update from CMS BOD rep Brad Roberts, MD; reps needed for Council on Legislation; free leadership training with CME News from AMA: Prior authorization survey results

PRESIDENT'S CORNER   Dr. Tom Greidanus updates members on advocacy and events Update on our advocacy efforts: 1)     House Bill 18-1279: The Colorado Medical Society (CMS) reached out to us asking for our support in opposing House Bill 18-1279.  House Bill 18-1279, Requirement to Prescribe Controlled Substances Electronically, would require podiatrists, dentists, physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and optometrists to prescribe controlled substances only via a prescription that is electronically transmitted to a pharmacy unless a specific exception applies. This would go into effect July, 1, 2020, or, for practitioners in rural communities or in a solo practice, July, 1, 2021. PCMS surveyed members on this issue on March 28 and 21 members voted the day the survey was sent out. Thank you to all who responded. Our members overwhelmingly support CMS in their opposition of this bill. Here is a sample of the written responses: Stand firm on this issue, please. I am about to get electronic prescriptions as part of my practice for pain medications but it should never be made mandatory!  This mandate does not look into the full ramification of its implementation. The better way to achieve the same goal is physician and patient education. This should be opposed as above. Thank you. In agreement, mandatory is bad and this bill should be voted down.  It does not appear the evidence is there to support it. We have an expensive EMR; e-prescribing has been very problematic.   I don't have electronic record: it’s too expensive and I prescribe in multiple locations (office, ER, surgery center and hospital). It would be inconvenient possibly for some patients, i.e., fewer pharmacy options. I vote no to mandatory electronic prescriptions [The bill is] going after the wrong target. This will negatively impact doctors and do little to impact the opioid crisis. There are times when e-prescribing is not practical. This bill was heard before the House Health, Insurance and Environment Committee on Thursday, March 29. It passed out of committee and will now go to the full House for consideration. 2)     SB18-022_L005: This bill is regarding Clinical Practice for Opioid Prescribing in Acute Pain Circumstances. PCMS will send a survey soon; watch your email. We are asking for member participation on whether the Society should support CMS with a YES vote for SB18-022_L005. We have two upcoming events on our calendar. Please join us!   Beers w/Peers social event is now one our premier events for PCMS-member residency doctors and their guest. Please RSVP to attend a time of networking and camaraderie with colleagues on Friday, April 27, 2018, 5:30pm to 8:30pm at The Clink. (See complete details below). Thank you to our Silver Sponsor: Ent Credit Union! 2018 COPIC and PCMS All-Member CME Program and CMS Regional Forum is being held to provide physicians with a CME that addresses the opioid crisis -  rational limits and usage of opioids as well as alternatives . CMS President M. Robert Yakely, MD, and President-elect Deb Parsons, MD, FACP will be in attendance for the Regional Forum. 1 COPIC point available. Guests invited. Dinner provided. Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Pueblo Community College. (See complete details below). Thank you to our Exclusive Platinum Sponsor: COPIC! Thank you for your continued membership in the Pueblo County Medical Society. Sincerely, Tom Greidanus, MD PCMS President

Connect with PCMS on Facebook! PCMS now has a Facebook page with a members-only group. Click here to "like" the page then request access to join the group. The private group will be moderated by PCMS staff who appreciate receiving your suggestions -- and pretty much any information (e.g., questions, news, events) -- that you would like us to consider sharing with medical professionals. We look forward to connecting with you! Questions? Contact Cheryl at 719-281-6073 / cheryl.law@pueblocms.org .

Any primary care physicians taking new patients? The Society has been asked by a local physician whether any primary care physicians are taking new patients. Two doctors contacted the member to alert him that they are closing their offices and their patients need a new doctor. If you are taking new patients, contact Cheryl at cheryl.law@pueblocms.org.

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE This section of the PCMS newsletter highlights members who are making a difference in our community or medical field. We encourage all members to send us a note about your professional or personal achievements, philanthropy, or those of a colleague that you think should be featured. Email cheryl.law@pueblocms.org .

ER physician Shaun Gogarty recognized for leadership in opioid epidemic awareness Emergency medicine physician Shaun Gogarty, MD, received a certificate from Parkview Hospital for his “loyal dedication and unwavering commitment” to leadership in “raising community-wide awareness of the opioid epidemic and efforts, specifically to reduce heroin dependency, through innovation and collaboration, leading to the creation of a medical directorship with health solutions offering suboxone therapy for patients battling addiction.” “As an emergency physician I watched heroin related cases in the ER go from maybe one per year to more than one per day over a very short time,” he said about how he became aware of the opioid epidemic. “People were sick inside and out and too often – other than draining abscesses – we had little to offer in the way of help. Sending them for detox just meant a miserable withdrawal and back to the same behaviors. Additionally, my family was affected personally by the heroin epidemic. Ultimately, I wanted to understand the disease better and how I could help address it.” “The medical community can more profoundly affect outcomes now than ever before using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine and naltrexone,” he said. “Everyone in primary care – including emergency physicians – should be using MAT in appropriate cases and other treatments as needed. By shifting to physicians treating the epidemic rather than cartels, we can massively reduce the economic impact and more importantly the personal and societal impact that heroin is having now in Pueblo. ” Congratulations on this recognition, Dr. Gogarty! Keep up the good work.

SIGN UP NOW! Three upcoming IT MATTTRs 2 provider trainings to receive the DEA waiver to prescribe buprenorphine IT MATTTRs 2 is a program that offers compensation for providers and their practices for the time they invest in training to address the opioid crisis by using medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. Three IT MATTTRs 2 trainings are coming up: April 19 in Colorado Springs, April 27 in Durango and June 13 in Denver. Compensation is available for MDs, DOs and residents. Information on the trainings can be found on this flyer . Registration can be found here . Questions? Contact Allyson at Allyson.Gottsman@UCDenver.edu .

UPCOMING EVENTS We strongly encourage all members and spouses to consider volunteering on a committee to plan a future PCMS event. Contact Cheryl at cheryl.law@pueblocms.org to volunteer or add your event to our upcoming event calendar.

Pueblo County Medical Society Events

Beers w/Peers party - April 27 The new Beers w/Peers party social is now one our premier events for PCMS-member residency doctors and their guest. BwP will be held Friday, April 27, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at The Clink, 140 Central Main St., Suite 222, Pueblo, and will provide fun things like a venue with a fireplace and balcony, 1 free drink ticket, gastronomical appetizers by Brues Alehouse, music and dynamic discussion with really cool people you might not know, yet. The event is free to you and your guest but you must RSVP to events@pueblocms.org to confirm your spot as once this event reaches capacity, only confirmed members and their guests will be allowed in.

2018 COPIC and PCMS All-Member CME Program and CMS Regional Forum - May 30, 5:30-8:30 p.m. 1 COPIC point available. Guests invited. Dinner provided. Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Pueblo Community College, 900 W. Orman Ave., Ste. SC 234, Pueblo, CO 81004 – SC 201C, Fortino Ballroom A. Purpose of the event: To provide providers with a CME that supports continuous improvement and learning and helps physicians address the opioid crisis -  rational limits and usage of opioids as well as alternatives . CMS President M. Robert Yakely, MD, and President-elect Deb Parsons, MD, FACP will be in attendance for the regional forum. It is our goal to foster learning, inspiration and provoke conversation that deeply matters to our members and the people they serve. Associate Members: $10. Non-member medical providers $20. Please RSVP to events@pueblocms.org to confirm your spot as once this event reaches capacity, only confirmed attendees will be allowed in.

Next PCMS Board Meeting - July 25 Save the date for the next board meeting on Wednesday, July 25. Location: Columbine Conference Room at Parkview Medical Center, 400 17th St., Pueblo, 81003. PCMS board meetings are open to members who wish to observe their leaders in action and become more involved in the society. Meetings will be productive and are valuable to the organization! RSVP to cheryl.law@pueblocms.org.

Local Events

Parkview Symposium on Pain Management – Saturday, May 12, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Parkview invites all medical professionals to learn and demonstrate the best practices related to alternative methods of pain management with a focus on avoiding the use of opioids at the Symposium on Pain Management, Saturday, May 12, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. at Pueblo Community College. 6 CME credits available. Registration is $25. Find more information here or contact Valerie Baughman, director of behavioral health services, at 719-584-4872.

Mental Health America of Pueblo presents "A Brief History of Addiction and How Addiction Affects Us Today," April 11, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Join Mental Health America of Pueblo Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at The Senate Bar & Grill, 219 S. Grand Avenue, Pueblo, for “A Brief History of Addiction and How Addiction Affects Us Today” by Alison Warren, Program Director of Intervention for Community Corrections Services-Pueblo. Cost is $16.00 for MHAP members; certificates provided to members at no cost; $21.00 for all others and $5 extra for certificates of attendance. RSVP by Monday, April 9, 2018 with your name and the names of those who will be joining you by emailing mhapueblo@gmail.com. Payment by VISA or MasterCard is accepted.

Community shredding and recycling event – Saturday, April 14, 12-3 p.m. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with Mobile Record Shredders and Blue Star Recyclers, is hosting a free and low-cost event to help businesses and residents securely dispose of confidential documents and recyclable items. It will be held Saturday, April 14, 12-3 p.m. at the Northside Kmart Parking Lot, 3415 N. Elizabeth, Pueblo, CO 81008. Most items are $0.59 per pound; computers, cell phones and tablets are free to recycle. Find more information here.

Mental Health America of Pueblo presents Robert Hawkins Tribute and Award Ceremony on May 4 honoring Michael Nerenberg, MD  Mental Health America of Pueblo is proud to present the 17th Annual Robert Hawkins Tribute and Award Ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2018, at Pueblo Community College, Fortino Ballroom, 900 West Orman Ave., Student Center 234, Pueblo, CO 81004. The event starts with a cash bar and silent auction at 5:30 p.m. and dinner and awards at 6:30 p.m. The 2018 Gil Sanchez Award Recipient is Michael Nerenberg, MD, PCMS emeritus member and co-founder and president of the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. Find more information and register through this event flyer.

Training opportunities around the state from April to June: Prevention 101, Choosing Evidence Based Strategies, and Facilitation 101 A series of trainings from the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) will explore the foundational concepts of substance abuse prevention (Prevention 101), facilitation of community and/or organizational meetings to help a group consistently meet its goals (Facilitation 101), and how to select an evidence-based approach and evaluate an evidence-based strategy (Choosing Evidence Based Strategies). There is no cost to attend these trainings. Click here to view all dates and locations.

Others Events

Register for "Physician Burnout: Integrated Strategies for Diverse Stakeholders," May 10-11, 2018 in Avon, Colo.  Make plans to attend the inaugural "Physician Burnout: Integrated Strategies for Diverse Stakeholders" conference, May 10-11, 2018 at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain in Avon, Colo. Register here: www.regonline.com/physicianburnout. This two-day conference will focus on the root of physician burnout as well as provide tools and resources for mitigating burnout and achieving a holistic approach to physician wellness. Speakers from all over the country will share their research and experience on this important subject at this innovative and exciting event.

7th World Congress of Clinical Safety (7WCCS); call for abstracts, due April 30 The 7th World Congress of Clinical Safety will be held Sept. 7-8, 2018, in Bern, Switzerland. The theme is "sustainable health care and management." Abstracts for the congress are due April 30. Find more information here: http://www.iarmm.org/7WCCS/.

2018 CMS Annual Meeting Save the date for the 2018 Colorado Medical Society Annual Meeting. It will be held Sept. 14-16, 2018 at the Vail Marriott. Attendees will enjoy camaraderie, interactive workshops and lectures on the hottest topics in medicine, and great special events. Watch for more information coming this summer: www.cms.org/events/annual-meeting.

LOCAL NEWS

SCHRA to host weekly Acudetox clinic; looking for providers to get certified in the protocol Judy Solano, MS, RN, ADS, founder/CEO of the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association (SCHRA), will hold a weekly Acudetox Clinic starting Friday, March 30, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. for patients struggling with addiction. Acudetox is an ear acupuncture protocol that is used to treat addictions of all kinds, specifically alcoholism, substance abuse and chemical dependency. Its benefits include decreased withdrawals and cravings, and chromic pain relief. Learn more about Acudetox here. The clinic day will also serve as a fundraising effort to support services providing this treatment to SCHRA's clients free of charge. The first treatment is free then a $25 donation to SCHRA is requested. Judy encourages all health care workers, especially first responders, to try Acudetox. She is organizing a group of approximately 10 medical and clinical professionals to schedule an Acudetox certification in Pueblo with Dr. Libby Stuyt, an internationally known expert and trainer for this protocol, to get more Acudetox specialists in Pueblo. If interested, contact Judy at (719) 289-7149.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to be held on April 28 Encourage your patients to take part in the 15th DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to turn in their unused prescription medications to secure locations. The event addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue: Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction, accidental poisoning and overdose by getting potentially dangerous and addictive medications out of patients' medicine cabinets and keeping them from being diverted for non-medical use.  Take Back Day will happen nationally on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and many Colorado communities have permanent take-back drop boxes for prescription medications. Find more information and drop box locations at TakeMedsBack.org.

NEWS FROM THE COLORADO MEDICAL SOCIETY

Update from Brad Roberts, MD, your PCMS representative on the CMS Board of Directors The CMS board of directors met on Jan. 19, 2018, and revised our strategic plan. The new mission, values, vision and goals, after much deliberation and discussion is as follows and can be found at http://www.cms.org/about/strategic-plan . Mission To champion health care issues that improve patient care, promote physician professional satisfaction and create healthier communities in Colorado. Values Leadership – We serve with integrity, using an open and credible process that is grassroots responsive to build consensus among our diverse membership. Collaborative and physician driven – We work with others to find common ground and solve problems. We also fearlessly fight for collective physician priorities. Evidence-based – We make decisions that are data-driven, membership responsive and patient-centered. Innovation – We embrace and drive change for better health and health care. Professionalism – We demonstrate ethical and technical excellence in the service of physicians and their patients. Vision CMS will be the leader in making Colorado the best state in which to provide and receive the safest, highest quality and most cost-effective medical care. Goals Professional satisfaction: State-of-the-art advocacy will focus on member priorities to positively impact rewarding physician careers. Efficient and effective communication: Dynamic exchange of information with members will ensure timely action on their priorities. Organizational excellence: Continued innovation of CMS will increase membership value and make CMS meaningful and relevant to a diverse physician population. We certainly need our physicians in Pueblo to stay actively involved to make a difference. Please continue to participate with Central Line and PCMS as able to support helping us to make health care better. Thank you for all your hard work!

Two PCMS volunteers needed for CMS Council on Legislation Each component medical society is entitled to two seats on the Colorado Medical Society’s Council on Legislation, which reviews and decides positions on bills before the Colorado General Assembly and implements legislative and regulatory policies established by CMS. PCMS currently does not have an appointee on the COL. If you are interested in filling this need, please contact Cheryl. Meetings are every other week during the legislative session and can be attended by phone conference or in person at the CMS office in Denver.

Is turnover killing your practice? Find out how to sustain your team at a free CME leadership program on April 21 Health care requires high-performance teamwork, and building and sustaining your practice team is essential to good patient care and the viability of your practice. Whether it is managing yourself or managing your team, understanding what works best to help get the job done proactively rather than reactively can be a lynchpin of your leadership. An upcoming CME workshop in the CMS Physician Leadership Skills Series -- free for CMS members -- focuses on practical strategies focused on physician engagement and best practices like "stay interviews" to help prevent turnover and drive optimal performance. It will be held 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. on April 21 at the CMS offices in Denver. Attendees can earn up to 4.0  AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Read more here, including educational objectives and the CME accreditation statement. Or go directly to registration here.

NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION How insurance companies’ red tape can delay patient care Payers’ prior-authorization (PA) requirements delay treatment, have a negative impact on clinical outcomes and lead patients to abandon treatment, say the results of an AMA survey of 1,000 practicing physicians. There was near-universal consensus (92 percent) among physicians that prior authorization has a negative impact on patients’ clinical outcomes. Sixty-one percent said that negative impact is “significant.” One of the principal ways prior authorization affects patients is by delaying care. Again, the vast majority of physicians surveyed—92 percent—said patients whose treatment requires PA experience care delays sometimes, often or always. Read more here.

MISSION:   Facilitate meaningful collaboration of medical professionals in Pueblo County.   VISION:   Create a medical society that serves as a venue for collaboration for the betterment of healthcare in Pueblo County. The Society’s efforts will improve the practice of medicine and life of medical professionals.

Board Officers: President: Thomas Greidanus, MD; President-Elect: Open position; Secretary: Ross Patrick, MD; Treasurer: Robert Tonsing, MD; Past-President: Alfredo Vargas, MD; CMS Representative: Brad Roberts, MD |  Directors: Teresa Braden, DO; Donald Luebke, MD; Julie Newburg, MD |  Executive Director: Cheryl Law, MA, MNM

This newsletter is intended for the members and interested persons of the Pueblo County Medical Society. If you have received this and wish to opt-out call 719-281-6073 or use the “unsubscribe” link below.

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