J&J Vaccine Pause Viewed as Building Trust; Calls for Action by Clinicians

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert about its joint recommendation with the FDA to pause use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine “in an abundance of caution” due to the potential risk of patients developing a rare and severe type of blood clot. The pause is, in part, to ensure that the healthcare community is aware of the potential for adverse events and can provide proper management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.

Due to concerns over delays to patient care, reforming the prior authorization process is picking up steam nationally and in Michigan. At the federal level, AAFP joined 39 organizations in sending a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to express growing concern with expanding use of prior authorization requirements. In Michigan, newly introduced legislation calls for prior authorization transparency, clinical validity, and fairness.

This week the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill, by a vote of 384-38, that delays a 2% Medicare cut until the end of the year. The automatic cut was scheduled for Apr. 1. Back in November 2020, AAFP signed onto a letter sent to Congressional leaders in the House and Senate that advocated for eliminating the Medicare payment reduction. The letter pointed out that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare system is under financial stress, making now an inopportune time to cut Medicare payments. President Biden is expected to sign the bill when it reaches his desk.

In recognition of the essential role of family physicians in their patients' lives, AAFP is extending its National Doctors' Day celebration beyond Mar. 30 by thanking members with a gift of $100 off a purchase of $250 or more. This offer is good through Apr. 30.

MAFP joined the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations in sending a letter of support to the U.S. representatives who introduced the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 (HR 2347). This legislation provides both short-term supports and long-term improvements to the program, which has been successful in enabling family physicians, pediatricians, and other clinicians to provide vaccine at no cost to eligible children. However, mounting financial and administrative burdens, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are making it difficult for clinicians to participate in the program. Meanwhile, at the state level, pharmacies approved to participate in Michigan’s Vaccines for Children program may, beginning on May 8, administer recommended vaccines to beneficiaries aged 3-18 years. Public comments on this policy are being accepted until May 13.

May 4 Webinar May Meet Upcoming Implicit Bias Training Requirement

The live CME webinar, Let's Talk About Bias, taking place on May 4, may meet an upcoming medical licensure requirement for family physicians in Michigan. Using real-world examples, we will explore how implicit and explicit bias shows up in healthcare settings and the impact on patients, practices, and healthcare access and delivery. Click here to register for the webinar at the reduced price of $30. Rules regulating the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs' implicit bias training requirement are currently being promulgated; MAFP will share updates as they become available.

Call for Presentation Proposals: Women in Family Medicine Conference  

Presentation proposals are being accepted through May 3 for Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan's 2021 Women in Family Medicine Conference, being held virtually on Saturday, Nov. 13. Submissions should include current topics of interest and new studies, technologies, and/or procedures.

MAFP Welcomes the new members who joined the Academy during February and March 2021. "Community" is one of MAFP's four pillars. The main objective of this pillar is to encourage family physicians, family medicine residents, medical students, and partners to create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community. If you see names of people you know in the list of new members, please reach out to welcome them to our Michigan family medicine community! If you are a new member, we encourage you to explore the ways you can get involved and connected.

Launched in 2017, an innovative program of Wayne State University School of Medicine and Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital pursued a sustainable culture of wellness among resident physicians. The program is now being implemented in all of WSU’s sole-sponsored residency programs and was recognized with the 2021 Innovation Alliance Award by the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers.

Jean Wong, MD, assistant professor of family medicine and program director of the University of Michigan Family Medicine Residency, will be recognized with the Program Director of Excellence Award by the school's Office of Graduate Medical Education during a virtual reception on May 3. Dr. Wong was selected for this award based on her strong vision, commitment to diversity, and advocacy for resident education and wellness.

Wearing his hat as medical director of health departments in eight Thumb and northeast Michigan communities, MAFP President Mark Hamed, MD, MBA, MPH, FAAFP weighs in on the state's latest surge of COVID-19 cases, admitting it has caused him to lose sleep.

Do you have news to share about yourself, your practice, or a colleague? Email info@mafp.com.

Effective Apr. 1, all healthcare professionals with prescriptive authority in Michigan are now able to prescribe the product MAVYRET ® to patients with the hepatitis C virus. This initiative is part of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Hepatitis C Elimination Plan and We Treat Hep C campaign, which aims to make curative hepatitis C treatment more accessible by removing barriers to prescribing.

Family physicians who have conducted COVID-19 testing for uninsured individuals, provided treatment for uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis on or after Feb. 4, 2020, or administered COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured individuals may file claims for reimbursement.

Pre-publication review and dispute for the Program Year 2020 Open Payments data is available through May 15. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will publish 2020 Open Payments Program data in June 2021.

The federal Information Blocking Rule, which went into effect Apr. 5, makes information sharing between physicians and other covered entities mandatory unless one or more of eight exceptions is met. AAFP Vice President and Chief Medical Informatics Officer Dr. Steven Waldren answers questions to provide members with needed information about the new rule.

AAFP is looking to fill two, one-year vaccine science fellowship positions. The selected fellows will work with mentors to become more familiar with vaccine science and policy. The application deadline is Apr. 23.

AAFP’s Public Health Award honors members who have made extraordinary contributions to improving public health. Nominations are due by May 15.

Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan's interactive "Beyond Clinical & Curriculum" webinar series is designed for residents and medical students to explore the variety of family medicine practice options. Three webinars will be held in the evening on April 20, 21, and 22, featuring a panel of seasoned family physicians sharing their experiences and answering questions in real-time. The cost for the series is just $25 for MAFP members.

Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan is accepting applications from residents and students interested in serving as a MAFP delegate or alternate delegate to AAFP’s National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students (conference registration is open). Resident and student congresses will meet during the virtual conference, July 29-31, to vote in the resident and student leader elections and write, debate, and vote on resolutions. MAFP delegates will receive a scholarship to cover the cost of attending the virtual event. Click here for information about the roles and responsibilities of chapter delegates. The deadline to apply is May 1.

AAFP Foundation is offering $200 Family Medicine Leads Scholarships for residents and students to attend the virtual 2021 National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students. The application deadline is June 1.

AAFP's Chief Resident Leadership Program workshops are being held virtually May 6-8 and Sept. 28-Oct. 2 during Family Medicine Experience (FMX is the Academy's largest event; registration is included). Participating residents will also receive access to office hours, monthly newsletters, and a coaching plan. Registration closes Apr. 29.

The 43^rd Michigan Family Medicine Research Day on Thursday, May 27, 10 am-12 pm ET, will convene physicians, residents, and students for sharing and learning about the latest family medicine research in Michigan. Registration is open. Lecture and e-poster presentation abstracts are due by Apr. 16.

In early March, more than 1,000 residency program directors and staff from across the country connected during AAFP’s Residency Leadership Summit to empower their teams and chart their residency programs’ future. Now, Residency Leadership Summit On Demand is available for residency staff; it includes 24/7 access to 41 recorded sessions, including 38 workshops and three Main Stage presentations.

New Intersectionality Member Interest Group

New to AAFP’s menu of member interest groups is one focused on intersectionality in healthcare. Its purpose is to “provide a forum for members to organize and advocate for healthcare equity and racial and social justice, and to discuss personal experiences with implicit and explicit bias.” This is one of 24 member interest groups that AAFP offers.

AAFP’s patient-facing website, familydoctor.org, is a valuable resource that members can use to support their patient education efforts. Over 900 physician-reviewed, easy-to-understand articles—in English and Spanish—arm patients with current, relevant, and trustworthy medical information.

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