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May 11, 2023

In this issue

• Nurses Week
• APP Operations Update
• Supporting Your Practice
• Leadership Announcements
• Epic Updates



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Happy Nurses Week

May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, and we acknowledge the extraordinary care each of our nurses give to help our patients live well. They’re integral to the work we do at Advocate Health Care. Read their inspiring stories.

Introducing "APP Operations Update"

We know there is a lot of day-to-day information to keep track of across APP. You spoke, we listened. We are launching a monthly Operations Update with need-to-know information all in one document. This month's edition includes EpicCare Link and Claims updates. View here.

Clinical Integration updates: View the latest program updates including appeals determination letters sent April 12 and Statin measures updated to Cerner.

Population health outreach: We are conducting the following patient outreach on your behalf to support quality outcomes and close quality care gaps. Learn more.

ICYMI: End of the COVID Public Health Emergency (PHE): The Federal COVID PHE expires today, May 11. View these resources for details on what’s changing and what will not be affected: telehealth changes, U.S. Department of Public Health and Human Resources fact sheet and the CDC website.

Celebrating the advocacy of our nurses: Last week, 35 direct care nurses from our Chicagoland sites joined forces with our Government Affairs team in Springfield to advocate for increased investment in the Illinois Medicaid program to improve health equity and access, elevated nurse license portability and other issues impacting health care delivery. They met with dozens of lawmakers, including Senate President Don Harmon, House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, House Assistant Majority Leader Marcus Evans and Senator Ann Gillespie, to discuss these and other important topics under consideration by the Illinois General Assembly. 

Pharmacy & Therapeutics April updates: Review the latest Pharmacy and Therapeutics ambulatory and regional committees decisions. View summary.

For All Conference: Join us for Advocate Health’s virtual FOR ALL Conference on Thursday, June 1, 8 a.m-2 p.m., to hear from nationally recognized experts in culturally competent care, workplace inclusion, emerging trends, research and other diversity disciplines. Learn best practices to enhance your cultural competence skills and more. Register.

Advancing Research:

• JPCRR: Chewing vs. swallowing antiplatelet drug before PCI | Suhail Allaqaband, MD
• Children’s studies virtual prevention option; teen depression | Cathy Joyce, MD
• Scientific Grand Rounds: Structural racism and the death gap in America's cities

Leadership Announcements

• Todd Schroll, LCSW, has been appointed to the role of Vice President, Behavioral Health Service Line Administration in the Midwest Region, effective May 22. Learn more.
• Francesca Mattone-Volpe, MD, Chief Medical Officer for the Medical Group in Northern Illinois, has left the organization to pursue other opportunities. We are thankful for her many contributions to the organization. In the interim, CMO coverage will be provided by Jackie Ivey-Brown, MD, Sachin Dixit, MD and Raj Thota, MD.

Epic Update: Ambulatory Epic Connect: New visit types, Navigator go-live and more.



Epic Update: Hospital edition: DKA alert in discharge navigator, fentanyl, urine screen expansion, Radiant and Cupid standardization, and more. 

Continuing Medical Education

8th Annual South Region Primary Care Medicine Symposium

Wednesday, May 17, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Join us in receiving an annual update of current topics in primary care for increased awareness and utilization of evidence-based guidelines pertaining to evaluation, treatment and management.

DEA licensure requirements

Starting on June 27, physicians and APCs will need to attest to 8 hours of CME dedicated to Opioid Use Disorder and/or Substance Use Disorder. This is a one-time attestation for all new and renewal applications and past trainings do count towards this requirement. Visit website.

Upcoming CME

May 12: 12th Annual Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Symposium (In-person)

May 16: MEDtalks: Defining and achieving diagnostic excellence

May 17: 8th Annual Primary Care Medicine Symposium (In-person/virtual/ABIM MOC credit)

May 18: Unequal Cities: Structural racism and the death gap in America's 30 largest cities

May 19: 1st Annual Lung Cancer Symposium (In-person/virtual/ABIM MOC credit)

May 30: MEDtalks: Science behind chronic pain: Language to use for patient education and identification of opioid use disorders

June 6: MEDtalks: Juneteenth and its significance

June 23: The Pediatric Sleep Disordered Breathing Symposium (In-person)

Additional Education

May 19: Congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease with stable angina