Nearly Half of Physicians Age 55 and Over Have Been Sued

A new analysis from the American Medical Association (AMA) finds the possibility of being sued during a career in medicine is very real for most doctors, which is notable given that most claims end with no finding of negligence or error. According to the analysis of claim frequency, nearly one-third (31.2%) of U.S. physicians in 2022 reported they had previously been sued. The AMA analysis shows it is virtually a matter of time before a physician is sued. The longer a physician is in practice, the higher their exposure to risk. However, the analysis shows that in addition to age, a physician’s medical specialty and gender are prominent factors in the likelihood of being sued during a career in medicine.

End of Life Bill Moves On After Lengthy Debate

As was publicized in the MSD eNews and Views last week, House Bill 140 is similar to legislation that has been introduced and debated in previous sessions. Sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, the bill permits a terminally ill adult Delaware resident to request and self-administer medication to end their life. A lengthy debate on medical aid in dying took place on Tuesday in the House Health & Human Development Committee. MSD President, Robert J. Varipapa, MD, testified on behalf of MSD. MSD has a position of engaged neutrality on medical aid in dying. Read Dr. Varipapa's written testimony. The bill has been voted out of Committee and has been placed on the ready list.

An Act to Amend Title 6 of the Delaware Code Relating to Medical Debt

On May 17, 2023, Steven R. Chmielewski, MD, Chair of MSD's Government Affairs Committee, testified before the Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee on MSD’s opposition to SS1 to SB8, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MEDICAL DEBT. Read Dr. Chmielewski's written testimony. Even though the bill was released from Committee, the primary sponsor, Senator Spiros Mantzavino, has agreed to pull the bill at this time due in large part to strong opposition led by MSD. This will be an ongoing effort and we will keep our membership informed of future developments. For further information on the status of this bill, contact Lincoln Willis at Lincoln.Willis@thewillisgroup.com or Mark Thompson at Mark.Thompson@medsocdel.org or 302-559-1134.

HB 150 Would Help Undocumented, Those With No Access to Health Care

Sponsored by Rep. Krista Griffith, House Bill 150 would help Delaware children who are undocumented and do not have access to routine or preventive health care, including vaccinations and physicals, because they cannot afford the services. The bill would have the Department of Health and Social Services develop and operate a limited medical assistance program for children in Delaware who are not otherwise covered. The bill was reported out of the House Health and Human Development Committee and placed on the ready list.

CDC Issues Health Update

In the United States, cases of mpox (formerly monkeypox) have declined since peaking in August 2022, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to receive reports of cases that reflect ongoing community transmission in the United States and internationally. This week, CDC and local partners are investigating a cluster of mpox cases in the Chicago area. From April 17 to May 5, 2023, a total of 12 confirmed and one probable case of mpox were reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health. All cases were among symptomatic men. None of the patients have been hospitalized. Although vaccine-induced immunity is not complete, vaccination continues to be one of the most important prevention measures. CDC expects new cases among previously vaccinated people to occur, but people who have completed their two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series may experience less severe symptoms than those who have not.

Focused On Communities Hardest Hit During the Pandemic

Governor Carney, U.S. Senators Carper and Coons, and Representative Blunt Rochester announced Monday more than $65 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) capital projects funding to be distributed to community centers and other nonprofit organizations throughout all three counties to benefit those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will focus on Delaware's children, invest in our communities, and provide safer housing and a stronger economy. Delaware submitted its plan to the U.S. Treasury on January 14, 2022, and it was approved on May 1, 2023. Delaware’s Project Plan details $65 million in spending on Multi-Purpose Community Centers.

New Resources and Proposed Regulations to Expand Health Care Access

Today, on the Mental Health Awareness Day of Action, bold action is being taken to make it easier for schools to provide critical health care services, especially mental health services, for millions of students across the nation. Through a series of new announcements from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS), the approach is to meet families where they are and ensure that children have access to the health care they need – especially mental health services. ED is proposing a new rule that would streamline Medicaid billing permissions for students with disabilities. HHS, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is releasing a comprehensive guide for Medicaid school-based services to make it easier for schools to deliver and receive payment for health care services to millions of eligible students. The ED and HHS are charged with expanding access to school-based health and behavioral health services.

T. Indotineae Infections Not Previously Described in the US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disclosed two cases of a highly contagious drug-resistant ringworm in New York City, the first ever reported cases of the infection in the U.S. Officials have not suggested a broad threat to the public at this time. Health care professionals should consider T. indotineae infection in patients with widespread tinea, particularly when eruptions do not improve with first-line topical antifungal agents or oral terbinafine. 

U.S. Patients Who Underwent Surgical Procedures in Mexico

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory about an outbreak of suspected fungal meningitis among U.S. patients hospitalized in Texas after undergoing cosmetic procedures under epidural anesthesia in the city of Matamoros, state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is currently unknown which organism(s) is causing the outbreak. As of May 12, 2023, five patients have been diagnosed with suspected fungal meningitis; all have been hospitalized, and one has died. Physicians should be aware that patients who underwent medical or surgical procedures under epidural anesthesia in Matamoros, Mexico, and who have developed signs or symptoms of possible meningitis (e.g., fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, altered mental status) should promptly seek evaluation.

Medication for Treatment of Vasomotor Symptoms Caused by Menopause

Last Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Veozah (fezolinetant), an oral medication for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, caused by menopause. Veozah is the first neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe hot flashes from menopause. It works by binding to and blocking the activities of the NK3 receptor, which plays a role in the brain’s regulation of body temperature.

Training the Bodies of Toddlers to Handle Accidental Ingestion

An experimental skin patch is showing promise to treat toddlers who are highly allergic to peanuts, one of the most common and dangerous food allergies. The Viaskin patch delivers treatment through the skin and helped those who couldn't tolerate even a small fraction of a peanut to eventually safely eat a few. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Residency Programs, Practice Settings, and Medical Schools Invited to Apply

The American Medical Association has announced a request for applications for its 2023 ChangeMedEd Innovation Grant program. The AMA invites medical schools, residency programs and practice settings to apply. In addition to receiving funding, grant recipients will join the AMA ChangeMedEd Consortium, which is committed to developing, implementing and disseminating bold, innovative projects that promote systemic change to better train future physicians. This round of innovation grants will focus on precision education across the medical education continuum, including medical students, residents and practicing physicians. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Central time, June 26, 2023. Acceptances will be sent by August 4. Grants will start Sept. 25. View the submissions guidelines and apply.

New Study Points to Fatigue and Lack of Motivation as Biggest Barriers

Many adults struggle to implement healthy lifestyle choices and a new survey from YouGov and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) found that fatigue and a lack of motivation are the biggest barriers to a healthy lifestyle. An online survey asked adults what prevented them from implementing healthy lifestyle choices, such as a healthier diet and increased physical activity. Overall, 38% of respondents said they lack the motivation to make healthy changes and 35% said they feel "too tired." Respondents also cited the cost of food (30%), a lack of time (26%), work/life balance (25%), the cost of exercising (25%), a lack of confidence (16%), and "not knowing where to start" (12%) as factors preventing them from adopting a healthy lifestyle. Only 24% of respondents said nothing prevented them from making healthy choices.

FDA Issues Alert

LiDestri Foods is recalling 24-ounce jars of Wegman’s Italian Classics Diavolo pasta sauce, because it may contain undeclared fish (anchovy). People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to anchovy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The Diavolo pasta sauce was sold at Wegman’s grocery stores in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia between April 3, 2023 and May 16, 2023.

One-On-One with State Legislators: Making a Difference in Health Care

MSD hosted its second Pubs and Politics event of the year last evening at Frazier’s Restaurant in Dover, DE. MSD members spent time engaging with Delaware elected officials at the event including Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long; Speaker of the House, Representative Peter Schwartzkopf; Senator Kyle Evans Gay; Senator Russell Huxtable; Senator Spiros Mantzavinos; Representative Jeff Spiegelman; and Representative Peter Swartzkopf.

Fast, Efficient, Free Publishing at Your Fingertips!

The MSD Academic Channel is a section of the Cureus Journal of Medical Science devoted solely to the Medical Society of Delaware and the articles and other content produced by physicians. Take advantage of the benefits provided by the MSD Academic Channel and submit your next article. Publish and post all of your articles, posters, and abstracts in one place to build your personal brand!

• ZERO PUBLICATION FEES thanks to MSD's Academic Channel subscription
• EASY ONLINE SUBMISSION
• EXPERT REVIEW by Channel editors, peer reviewers, and Cureus editors to ensure your article is fine-tuned and polished prior to publication
• PRIORITY SUPPORT for help during the submission and publication of your article
• UNMATCHED TRANSPARENCY with the ability to track your article through editorial and peer review all the way to publishing
• RETAIN COPYRIGHT of your own work
• OPEN ACCESS - published articles are immediately available to all readers with no required registration or subscription
• INDEXED in PubMed, PMC, Web of Science and Google Scholar
• AVERAGE PUBLICATION TIME is 37 days
• 3.3 MILLION monthly reads

Free, Money-Saving Membership Benefit for You!

My Green Doctor is a free money-saving membership benefit from the Medical Society of Delaware. Members use the “Meeting-by-Meeting Guide” to learn how to adopt environmental sustainability, save resources, and help create healthier communities. The program adds just five minutes to each regular office staff meeting or weekly office “huddle”, making small changes at each meeting that over time really add up. Everyone in your practice can register as Partner Society members at www.MyGreenDoctor.org or at www.MyGreenDoctor.es (si, en Espanol). Use the discount code MGDMSD to get full free access to My Green Doctor, save $60 instantly, and save $1,000s in the first year. Ask your practice manager to register today and to put My Green Doctor on your next agenda. You can do this!

Congratulations to the following physicians as we

celebrate their MSD membership milestone

anniversaries during the month of June.

Larysa Hlukha, MD - Emergency Medicine Residency at Bayhealth

Andrew D. Toron - Emergency Medicine Residency at ChristianaCare  

Please join MSD in welcoming the newest members of the Medical Society of Delaware. As the third oldest medical society in the country, MSD has an amazing history. Thank you for taking part in our continued success!

Josefina-Luisa Cancino, MD - Family Medicine, Family Practice Associates

Gregory W. Kunis, DO - General Surgery Residency at ChristianaCare

MSD members are afforded a seven-day review period from the date of this publication to comment regarding applicants for membership. Please contact Michelle Seymour at (302) 224-4905 or Michelle.Seymour@medsocdel.org with any comments on the current pending member(s) listed above or if you know of someone interested in joining MSD. You could be eligible for a membership dues referral discount!

The national emergency and public health emergency (PHE) declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic ended on May 11, 2023. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has resources available, some of which have been updated based on recent action by Congress.

• Frequently Asked Questions: CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (Updated 5/12/2023).
• Provider-specific fact sheets for information about COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) waivers and flexibilities: https://www.cms.gov/coronavirus-waivers
• Acute Hospital At Home: https://qualitynet.cms.gov/acute-hospital-care-at-home
• Loss of Medicaid or CHIP coverage
• FAQs on CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, end of COVID-19 PHE (May 4, 2023)

Updates will continue to be provided as we approach the end of the PHE. You are encouraged to regularly visit the CMS Emergencies Page for the most up to date information.

• 2nd bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: Who Should Receive It?
• (Delaware) General Questions: call 211 or email DPHCall@delaware.gov or Vaccine@delaware.gov for vaccine-specific questions.
• Latest information on Delaware's response (testing, treatment, vaccination): de.gov/coronavirus (Updated 2/2023)
• CDC COVID-19 Testing Locator Website (no-cost COVID-19 Testing. launched 1/2023)
• COVID-19 by County Community Level Check (# hospital admissions and beds used and total number of new cases)
• DPH Public Health Alerts: de.gov/publichealthalerts
• Federal website for information on navigating COVID: COVID.gov
• CDC COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Calculator
• COVID-19 Therapeutics Locator
• CDC COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review.
• FDA At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests provides a list of all FDA-authorized at-home over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests

The Latin phrase Rerum Cognoscere translates to learn, examine, or become aware of facts or things. In this section, we highlight measurable items of interest in health care from MSD, Delaware, the US, and the world.