Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It
August 27, 2021
COVID-19 Updates

NIH Director Francis Collins said COVID vaccines for children under 12 will probably not be approved until late 2021. Pfizer is expected to deliver the results of its clinical trials for 5- to 11-year-olds to the FDA sometime in September.

The Benicia City Council voted on Tuesday to require everyone 4 and older, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, to wear face coverings in public indoor spaces. Solano County does not have a mask mandate.
 
Solano County reported on Wednesday that 74% of residents 16 years and older have received at least one COVID vaccine dose, and 61% are fully vaccinated.
 
Napa County reported on Tuesday that 82% of residents 16 years and older have received at least one COVID vaccine dose, and 77% are fully vaccinated.

Solano County reports that, as of August 26, it has given more than 491,000 vaccinations (first and second doses). As of August 19, ICU capacity in the county is at 4% with 19 confirmed COVID patients hospitalized.
 
Napa County reports that as of August 26, more than 188,000 vaccine doses have been administered by the county. As of August 19, ICU capacity was 25% with 5 COVID patients in ICU.

As of August 26, Statewide ICU capacity is 1,574 beds, a 1.9% increase from the day before.

Apply Now for CalVaxGrant — Deadline Is September 10
 
Under CalVaxGrant, a new state program to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, physicians and medical practices can apply to receive up to $55,000 in reimbursement for related expenses incurred since November 2020 and through November 2021. Qualifying expenses include staffing and training (most common expenses), technology, infrastructure, supplies and equipment, and administrative overhead. Apply before September 10 at calvaxgrant.org

Need Assistance with COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Reimbursement?
 
If your practice is experiencing challenges with COVID-19 vaccine administration reimbursement, please contact the NSMS at (707) 255-3622 or ncms@napasolandocs.org. CMA has also published these FAQs: COVID-19 Vaccine Reimbursement Quick Guide and COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for Physician Practices.
Check Your 2020 MIPS Feedback for COVID Adjustment
 
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback, including scores and payment adjustment information, for the 2020 performance period is now available for review on the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) website. In response to advocacy from the AMA and CMA, the CMS applied an automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances hardship exception and reweighted the Cost Performance Category to zero in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 final score should reflect these COVID-19 flexibilities. CMS will update MIPS performance feedback and final scores for some clinicians for 2020 and the associated MIPS payment adjustment information. CMS will also extend the targeted review period, which usually goes through October 1. More details to come.
Add Your Signature to CMA's Letter on Nurse Practitioners
 
The CMA is asking physicians to lend their voices to help shape the regulations implementing Assembly Bill 890 (Wood), which became law on January 1, 2021, and authorizes two new types of nurse practitioners, 103 and 104 NPs, to perform certain functions without standardized procedures and physician supervision. It is critical that physician voices are heard as these regulations are developed. If you would like to sign CMA's joint letter, please email bpaplanus@cmadocs.org. The Board of Registered Nursing's Nurse Practitioner Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet and consider draft regulatory proposals on Tuesday, August 31.
Do You Know What It Takes to Be a Great Physician Leader?
 
Develop tangible leadership skills and enhance your leadership effectiveness over eight live online sessions, starting Tuesday, September 21, in the Bay Area Physician Leadership Program. Learn from nationally recognized experts and develop lasting connections with local colleagues, while earning up to 24 CME credits. Early registration discount of $100 ends on August 31. Member discount and group discounts are available. Click here to learn more. 
WEBINARS & EVENTS
Available on demand
Member $29.00 | Non-member $79.00

Now available! Current and new staff can receive on-demand training on HIPAA, OSHA, and customer service. Intended for all staff encountering patients in person or by telephone, this course covers customer service techniques, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For questions, contact Jenn Mullins, Education and Event Associate, at jmullins@accma.org.
Click here to register.
Tuesdays through December 14
Free to attend | CME Available | Presented by CMA
 
The California Medical Association's (CMA) wellness program (CMA Wellness) is pleased to launch free, online wellness engagement groups for health care providers who conduct patient screenings for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Treating patients with multiple ACEs or toxic stress can potentially impact your personal wellness and increase feelings of burnout. CMA Wellness's engagement groups will support providers by offering subject matter experts, best practices, and an open forum to share experiences, facilitated by trained, volunteer physicians. Each monthly webinar is organized around a prevailing theme with a stakeholder co-host to provide a variety of perspectives with a general discussion and breakout rooms. Registration is required, and providers will be joining the Tuesday series for a 6‑month duration.
 
For more information and to register, click here.
Tuesday, September 14 | 10 – 11 AM
FREE | Presented by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
 
This webinar is a physician-focused presentation covering key aspects of the information-blocking requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act. Participants will also be able to ask questions.
 
Register here.
Tuesday, September 14 | 12:00 – 1:15 PM  
FREE | Presented by CMA  
  
Erica Pan, MD, MPH, from the California Department of Public Health will provide an update on COVID-19 in California, including efforts to keep the virus at bay, progress on vaccinations, and the hope for keeping schools open. We will also hear from The Nocturnists, a medical storytelling live show and podcast in which healthcare workers can pause and examine their inner landscapes. The Nocturnists helps us examine the forces that drive burnout and moral distress, and in doing so, provides hope that we can find ways to flourish in the face of the extreme stresses of medical practice, particularly in the setting of a pandemic. 
  
Register here.
September 21 – January 18
CME Available
 
Registration is now open for the 2021–2022 Physician Leadership Program, from the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association (ACCMA), is an innovative program developed in 2016 by physician leaders in collaboration with faculty from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and Haas School of Business. Participants will enhance their leadership effectiveness, learn from nationally recognized experts, expand their network with local colleagues, and will gain practical skills and insights directly applicable to their practice opportunities and challenges. Participants can earn a Certificate of Completion and up to 24 hours of CME credit.
 
Discounts for medical society members and groups are available! Find out more and register here.
Thursday, September 23, 2021, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Hybrid meeting: In person (Los Angeles) and virtual
 
State of Reform, one of the most important statewide events in California health care, pulls together practitioners, thought leaders and policymakers — each working to improve our health care system in their own way — into a unified conversation in a single place. Choose to attend in person or virtually; registration fee varies. CMA members receive a 20% discount on registration with promo code CMA20.
 
For more information and to register, click here.
Friday, October 8 | 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM 
Discounts for Members; Free for Medical Resident and Student Members | Presented by CMA
 
The NEPO Summit is known for bringing together some of the most diverse voices in medicine and providing an opportunity to discuss critical topics in health care through the lens of multiculturalism and health equity. This year’s online event will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions. In the morning session, experts will discuss how an awareness of Cultural and Linguistic Competency (CLC) and Implicit Bias (IB) can benefit physicians and patients alike. The afternoon session will focus on issues of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), health outcome disparities in the Asian American and Pacific Islander American communities, and physician wellness.
 
Learn more and register here.
Friday, October 15, 6:00 – 9:30 PM
Chardonnay Golf Club, American Canyon, CA
FREE FOR MEMBERS + ONE GUEST | $125 FOR NON-MEMBERS
 
Join us for an evening of entertainment and great food as we celebrate the following physicians for their achievements in medicine and recognize the Napa-Solano medical community for coming together during a historically challenging time. Physician of the Year: David Pratt, MD (Napa), Tessa Stecker (Solano). Lifetime Achievement: Lawrence Cooney, MD (Solano).
 
Register here (your NSMS username and password is the same as your CMA login). For questions, contact Griffin Rogers, NSMS Director, at grogers@napasolanodocs.org or (707) 255‑2544. 
Register now and the on-demand program will be provided to you on date of release
On demand | Available Friday, October 15
FREE | CME Available
 
Review some of the most critical privacy and security standards in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Rules. In this one-hour webinar with expert HIPAA and practice management consultant David Ginsberg, you will receive important updates on who is covered, what information is protected, how you can stay secure in the Information Age, and how to avoid costly mistakes, as well as learning what is new for compliance. For questions, contact Jenn Mullins, Education and Event Associate, at jmullins@accma.org.
 
Click here to register.
Thursday, October 21 | 6:15 – 7:30 PM
FREE | CME Available
 
In this webinar, we will start with the core — you — and then expand. You will have time to think about your attitudes, the way you treat yourself and others, how you spend your time, your purpose, and resilience. The speaker is Linda Clever, MD, of RENEW. For questions, contact Jenn Mullins, Education and Event Associate, at jmullins@accma.org.
 
Click here to register.
NSMS's On-Demand Library

To access all on-demand programs, go to learning.accma.org.

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