WORD TO THE WISE Newsletter: January 2020 - Volume 20, No. 1

In this issue: President's update: Dr. Marcel Junqueira talks substance use in Pueblo Update from your CMS BOD Rep: A plan for 2020 2019 PCMS Year in Review Events: Cardiac symposium; Parkview events in 2020; Trauma training; Nightingale Awards; Judy Sykes Symposium Resources: Primer on out-of-network law; PCMS database of physicians who have closed practices; seeking volunteer opportunities for retired physicians; volunteers needed for middle school substance use education; articles needed for newsletter News from CMS: Legislative preview News from AMA: Recommendations for a healthy new year

UPDATE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT: Marcel Junqueira, MD

A new year and new challenges: PCMS opposes “marijuana lounges” Substance use – legal and illegal – continues to be a big concern in our region and state. A new law passed in 2019, House Bill 1230, recently went into effect allowing cities and counties across Colorado to decide whether they will allow marijuana consumption in public spaces in so-called “marijuana hospitality establishments” or “marijuana lounges.” These lounges are being compared to bars that serve alcohol. The Pueblo County Medical Society recently adopted a position against marijuana lounges and has called upon the city and county to prohibit their operation. Related is the physician community’s concern about the use of e-cigarette products, or vaping, and lung injury associated with vaping.  Read more here.

UPDATE FROM YOUR CMS BOD REP: Brad Roberts, MD

An ambitious plan for 2020 The Colorado Medical Society Board of Directors held our first meeting of 2020 and there are many things to report. Top of the agenda is the 2020 Colorado General Assembly, which also convened last week. All eyes will be on health care costs, particularly as legislators consider policy on the public/state option, the Total Cost of Care initiative being promoted by the Colorado Hospital Association and pharmaceutical costs. In addition to health care costs, CMS will be monitoring any attempts by the trial lawyers to make it easier to sue providers, policy solutions to the opioid crisis, ways to reduce administrative burden and empower physicians, and any challenges to scope of practice. Read more here.

PUEBLO COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY UPDATE - 2019 Year in Review The Pueblo County Medical Society had a great year in 2019, hosting events, advocating for physician members and patients in our region, collaborating with community stakeholders, and more! Click here to read our year in review and goals for 2020, and thank you for your membership!

EVENTS

Register today for Parkview Medical Center’s Cardiac Symposium Parkview Medical Center presents the Dr. Matthew Sumpter Memorial Cardiac Symposium Feb. 7-8, 2020 at the Pueblo Convention Center. Cost to attend is $25 and attendees can earn up to 6 CME credits. View the agenda and register at www.parkviewmc.com/cs2020.

Parkview Medical Center – 2020 Symposiums Save the date for the following symposiums presented by Parkview Medical Center: Saturday, Feb. 7-8, 2020: Cardiac Symposium (register here) Saturday, April 18, 2020: Pain Management Symposium Saturday, July 18, 2020: Surgical Services & Trauma Symposium Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020: Neurosciences Symposium Below are the 2020 Parkview Medical Group (PMG) All-Provider Meetings: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. And below are the 2020 Parkview General Medical Staff (GMS) meetings: Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Training opportunity: Brain synchronization therapy Feb. 6-7 and March 5 Libby Stuyt, MD, joins Regan Young, owner and psychotherapist for A New Leaf Therapy, to lead a three-day training for brain synchronization therapy (BST) – a protocol for trauma therapy – in February and March at the Rawlings Library in Pueblo. They will teach bilateral stimulation similar to EMDR, Tapas, meridian therapy like Emotional Freedom Technique, and biofeedback using Heartmath and Great Wild Divine. The training will be held two days in a row, Feb. 6 and 7, and then a third day, March 5, a month later, to give providers and therapists the chance to practice with people in between. The cost is $330. Find more information here. Find the application here.

Save the date - 2020 Nightengale nurse recognition event, March 27, 2020 Save the date for the Nightingale and Luminary Award Ceremony in Pueblo on March 27, 2020. State Nightingale Awards will be presented in Denver on May 9, 2020. The Nightingale Luminary Awards recognize nurses throughout Colorado who exemplify the spirit of the profession in the areas of advocacy, innovation and leadership. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and Nightingale Committees choose Nightingale Luminaries annually from among hundreds of nominations. This year, Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) are accepting nominations for LPNs to be recognized at the Regional level. The deadline for the LPN nominations is Feb. 14. Access the nomination form at www.secahec.org.

Save the date: Judy Sikes, PhD Scholarly Activity Symposium - April 15, 2020 Save the date for the Judy Sikes, PhD Scholarly Activity Symposium presented by Parkview Medical Center and the Graduate Medical Education Department. The symposium will be held on April 15, 2020 at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo. Dr. Teresa Braden, Director, and her committee have created an impressive educational and informational platform. The event has been approved for CME credits. Practitioners and nursing staff throughout southern Colorado are invited to attend the symposium. The following events will take place: oral presentations on cases, research and quality initiatives; poster presentations; judging of the events; prizes for top three oral presentations, best three posters in research/QI/safety and best three posters in clinical vignettes. Contact Jodi Lopez at 719-595-7581 or  jodi_lopez@parkviewmc.com with any questions or concerns.

RESOURCES

Out-of-network law: What physicians need to know Surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers continue to be a hot issue nationally and in Colorado. During the 2019 legislative session the General Assembly passed HB 19-1174, which aims to limit the impact of these bills on patients. Though the law took effect Jan. 1, 2020, the Colorado Division of Insurance is still working to finalize rules to implement HB 19-1174, specifically regarding payment and provider disclosures. In the meantime, the Colorado Medical Society developed a resource for physicians to help you understand how the new law will affect your practice -- and will continue to update this resource as final rules and regulations are published. Access "Out-of-network law: What physicians need to know" here.

PCMS webpage to assist providers with patient medical records PCMS will offer a centralized online location for providers to post information where their patients can locate their medical records should the provider relocate, retire or close practice for any reason. Doctors closing practices unexpectedly and not notifying patients beforehand, sometimes causing an inability for patients to be able to locate medical records, is known by the Colorado Medical Board as "patient abandonment." The Medical Record Retention and Protection policy is available here. Please use the Contact Us portal to let PCMS staff know if you would like to be added to the list and how your patients can access their records, and/or share this information with a provider who would like to be on the list and ensure patient medical records are easy to locate according to policy. Read more here.

Seeking volunteer opportunities for retired physicians A group of retired physicians under the leadership of Colorado Medical Society Past President M. Robert Yakely, MD, have been working with COPIC to develop an online catalog of volunteer opportunities for retired physicians who have elected to keep their Colorado medical license and malpractice insurance in force. Active or retired members who know of any such opportunities for physicians who wish to continue to make contributions to their communities to remain engaged are encouraged to contact ryakely@hotmail.com to add to this online list. Find the current list of volunteer opportunities here.

Volunteer opportunity: Medical providers needed to provide education in district 60 middle schools The Substance Use Response Ecosystem is working with the Pueblo County Medical Society, the Pueblo Department of Public Health, and school district 60 to provide education regarding substance abuse and dependence to middle school students in district 60. We are looking for interested health care providers who would be interested in helping.  We have developed an approximately 30 minute lecture with time for questions on how substance dependence works with specifics on vaping, alcohol, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamines. Our goal is to provide data-driven education to the students on substance abuse. You do not need to be an expert in substance abuse to help. We anticipate that anyone who has completed advanced level medical training such as physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants should be able to do it. It is something that many of us deal with in our practices. If there is a need for a refresher on any part of the topic we can also assist with providing the information if needed.  We anticipate the commitment to be relatively small, possibly only one or two mornings or afternoons for the year. We would love your help.  If you are interested please email cheryl.law@pueblocms.org. Thank you!

Urgent plea for physicians, NPs and PAs to write articles for the newsletter We need physicians, NPs and PAs to write articles for us. Believe us, you don’t have to be a great writer to share your stories, advice, comments, research and so much more with others. All you have to be is willing!  You can send a paragraph in an email or Word doc.100-200 words is best because the whole story will be enclosed in the e-newsletter. Hyperlinks are great too. Our publisher will edit your work and send you a draft for final approval!  The publication deadline for the newsletter is generally the 7th or 8th of each month depending on the stories and any news deadlines.  Contact me, cheryl.law@pueblocms.org, with any questions or concerns and to submit your article - Thanks, Cheryl

NEWS FROM THE COLORADO MEDICAL SOCIETY

The legislature is now in session - read our legislative preview for insight on issues important to physicians The 2020 Colorado General Assembly convened Wednesday, Jan. 8, and the legislative landscape is already shaping up to produce a challenging session for physicians. It’s not without opportunity, however, with several CMS-authored bills, impressive goals in the public health arena, and ample opportunity for physicians to have a seat at the table. Read CMS's 2020 legislative preview, the cover story of the January-February issue of Colorado Medicine, for more on a physician credentialing bill, a workers' compensation arbitration bill, interventions to address the opioid crisis, proposals to reduce high health care costs and improve quality, threats to liability, and more.

NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AMA’s 10 health recommendations for successful New Year’s resolutions

In honor of the new year, the American Medical Association (AMA) is offering 10 recommendations to help Americans make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to their health in 2020 and beyond. Read them here and share with patients!

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: Marcel Junqueira, MD; President-Elect: open position; Treasurer: Kathleen Brown, MD; Past-President: Tom Greidanus, MD |  Directors: CMS Representative Brad Roberts, MD; Teresa Braden, DO; Ross Patrick, MD; Jacob Mathew Jr., DO; Cheryl Walker, DO; and Kevin Weber, MD |  Chief Executive Officer: 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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