They Said It...
"If every patient had a patient navigator in the ED, what a great sense of belonging and care they would have. There would be less lawsuits, less miscommunication, less patient errors, and a greater feeling of being cared for." Dr. Wayne Bond Lau, winner of the Philadelphia County Medical Society's 2021 Practitioner of the Year Award, answering the question of what he would change about the health care system in the U.S. You can read more about him and other PCMS award winners in our Winter 2022 edition of Philadelphia Medicine magazine.
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Things you should know... |
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Philadelphia Department of Public Health updates COVID Response Levels in response to fewer COVID tests |
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PDPH removed the percent positive metric from the City’s COVID Response Levels calculation. As screening testing is gradually phased out, the percent positive metric that has helped to inform the COVID Response Levels will be less instructive about the state of the pandemic. The remaining metrics on case counts, hospitalizations, and the rate of rise remain useful for understanding current risk. Philadelphia remains at the “All Clear COVID Response Level.” Check out the current level and the metrics used to determine that level on the COVID Response Levels webpage.
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The data submission period for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who participated in the 2021 performance year of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) is open until the end of the month. Data can be submitted and updated until 8:00 p.m. ET on March 31, 2022. If you need help, you can contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET or by email at: [email protected].
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The war in Ukraine is distressing with tragic stories of destruction and loss every day. PCMS is not a disaster response organization but we can reinforce our colleagues and friends to support organizations best suited to support direct relief. We all know that medications, supplies, and funding remain in short supply and we encourage everyone who wants to help to support organizations that are already on the ground near the crisis.
Locally, Maura Sammon, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Temple and Chief Medical Officer for Global Response Management (GRM) recently connected with us. GRM recently partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to support efforts in Poland and Ukraine. GRM has an official seat at the WHO Emergency Operations Center in Rzeszow, Poland. Any funds donated through this will be spent solely on WHO sponsored activities in Poland and Ukraine. Check out Global Response Ukraine.
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Congrats to Dr. Patricia Henwood, PCMS member, for being selected for the PAMED’s 2022 Voluntary International Service Award |
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Patricia C. Henwood, M.D., associate professor and director of Global Strategic Partnerships, Office of Global Affairs at Thomas Jefferson University, was recognized by PAMED for her focus on global health, humanitarian emergencies and point-of-care ultrasounds. Over the last 10 years, Dr. Henwood has developed and led ultrasound training programs in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Liberia with a nonprofit she co-founded called Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Environments. She continues to volunteer her time at Thomas Jefferson’s COVID-19 testing sites in Philadelphia’s underserved communities. |
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Warning: Scammers impersonating Drug Enforcement Agents targeting medical practitioners |
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The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) continues to warn the public of a widespread fraud scheme in which telephone scammers impersonate DEA agents to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. Per the DEA warning, DEA personnel will never contact members of the public or medical practitioners by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment, will never request personal or sensitive information over the phone, and will only notify people of a legitimate investigation or legal action in person or by official letter. Anyone receiving a call from a person claiming to be with DEA should report the incident to the FBI at www.ic3.gov. For more information about this scam, please refer to the DEA website. |
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Tick season coming with another virus |
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The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has confirmed higher than expected rates of Powassan (POW) virus in ticks located in multiple Pennsylvania counties during the 2021 surveillance season. POW virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected deer tick, and although no human POW virus cases were reported in Pennsylvania last year, the PA DOH has issued an alert of this reportable disease in Pennsylvania. Click here to learn more.
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2022 is medical license renewal year |
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Physicians must renew their licenses in every even-numbered year. Allopathic physicians (MDs) must renew by Dec. 31, while osteopathic physicians (DOs) must renew by Oct. 31. The State Board of Medicine and the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine later this year will send a license renewal notice electronically via email to the email address associated with your Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) account. It’s never too early to get those CME’s and license requirements out of the way. Click here to learn more about the CME requirements.
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White House Health Equity Forum: Environmental Justice, Climate Change, and Health Equity
Date: Thursday, March 31
Time: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET
The White House Office of Public Engagement invites healthcare providers, administrators, and organizations to hear from administration officials and experts across the climate, environmental justice, and health sectors who will spotlight the intersection of climate change, environmental justice, health equity and key provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that meaningfully address environmental harms that disproportionately impact our nation’s most vulnerable patients.
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8th Annual Jefferson Liver Disease Symposium
Date: Saturday, April 9
Time: 8 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. ET
A one day, virtual program that focuses on relevant information regarding new developments in Hepatology, and new approaches to the management of liver diseases that can be readily integrated into daily practice of gastroenterologists, primary care physicians, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team.
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MAT Waiver Training for Primary Care Providers
Date: Wednesday, April 27
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
The Health Federation of Philadelphia is hosting an all-day CME accredited online waiver training program. This training will prepare new buprenorphine prescribers, who plan to apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder for more than 30 patients. The program is free but you must register.
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The 11th Annual Clinical Update in Gastroenterology
Date: Saturday, April 30
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET
You’re invited to hear Philly’s Top Docs discuss the latest in the field of Gastroenterology! Join us virtually on Saturday, April 30, 2022 for our free CME program. Topics featured include updates on the gut microbiome, esophageal disease, liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
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Inflammatory Brain Disorders Conference
Date: Friday, May 20 to Saturday, May 21
Stanford University School of Medicine is offering a virtual Inflammatory Brain Disorders Conference on May 20-21, 2022 via webcast. The focus is both pediatric and adult patients. CME credit is available to all live attendees. To learn more, visit www.neuroimmune.org.
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