They Said It...
“Both Penn Medicine and Tower are committed to providing the very best care for patients in the regions we serve together. With the shared goal as our chief mission, forming a stronger alliance would allow us to work together to develop new approaches for delivering superior, cost effective and accessible patient care in our local communities.” Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, speaking in regards to the development of an alliance between Penn Medicine and Tower Health. You can read more about the Tower Health situation in our upcoming edition of Philadelphia Medicine magazine, available soon.
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Things you should know... |
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Physicians who are board-certified that spread COVID vaccine misinformation risk certification |
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A joint statement released Sept. 9 by the presidents/CEOs of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) reminds physicians that they need to provide the most accurate and timely health information available.
Physicians certified by these health care boards who provide misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines could risk losing their board certification. This follows similar statements from the Federation of State Medical Boards, which said providing misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines contradicts physicians’ ethical and professional responsibilities and may subject physicians to disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of their medical license.
In Pennsylvania, any possible disciplinary actions for state licensure would have to be filed with the state board, which would then have to determine whether the alleged action violates state law or regulation.
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Help shape the future of medicine |
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The Pennsylvania Medical Society’s (PAMED) House of Delegates (HOD) is where policy decisions are made. PCMS is proud of its resolutions because it preserves the value of each member's perspectives, experiences and empowers physicians to shape the ever-changing health care landscape.
Please take time to review the 30 + resolutions and provide comments by no later than Monday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. PCMS leadership wants to ensure that PAMED is speaking with its members’ voices on its advocacy efforts.
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Reminder for physicians: When and how do I renew my DEA registration? |
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Drug Enforcement Administration registrations for physician drug license renewal must be completed every three years. Unlike state medical licenses, your DEA registration renewal date is directly correlated to the date your registration was first issued.
There are situations where expiration dates may not be the full three-year period. When an individual is first registered with the DEA, they may receive an initial registration period of a minimum of 28 months or a maximum of 39 months. Subsequent renewal periods, however, will follow the three-year schedule.
To renew a DEA registration, DEA Form 224a must be submitted. DEA Form 224a can be completed and accessed here.
A renewal notice will be mailed to the registrant’s mailing address of record about 65 days before their registration expires. A second renewal reminder will later be sent via email. Prior to 2017, the DEA mailed two renewal notices to each registrant’s mailing address of record.
Most physician registrants would likely be within the dispensing practitioner registration category. The registration and renewal fee for this category is $888. Additional information on DEA registration fees can be accessed here. The DEA advises registrants to allow approximately four weeks for renewal processing.
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Caring for post-COVID conditions |
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a page on caring for post-COVID conditions. Having a post-COVID condition or supporting someone with a post-COVID condition can be challenging. It can be difficult to care for yourself or loved ones, especially when there are few or no immediate answers or solutions. However, there are ways to help relieve some of the additional burdens of experiencing or caring for someone with a new and unknown condition.
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COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review: |
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CDC released its weekly review from the COVID Data Tracker. A recent CDC study shows that the delta variant can spread rapidly in schools when unvaccinated teachers and staff have close, indoor contact with unvaccinated children. While children have been less affected by COVID-19 compared with adults, they can get sick with COVID-19 and can spread it to others. A second CDC study shows that rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in children and adolescents increased following the rise of the delta variant in the United States. Prevention strategies, including vaccination of school staff and eligible students, universal indoor masking, staying home when sick, and routine testing, are critical to schools reopening and operating safely.
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Biden-Harris administration to expand vaccination requirements for health care settings |
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On Thursday, the Biden-Harris administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious delta variant. Facilities across the country should make efforts now to get health care staff vaccinated to make sure they are in compliance when the rule takes effect.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the CDC, announced that emergency regulations requiring vaccinations for nursing home workers will be expanded to include hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings and home health agencies, among others, as a condition for participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The decision was based on the continued and growing spread of the virus in health care settings, especially in parts of the U.S. with higher incidence of COVID-19.
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Update to recommendations regarding immune-based testing for tuberculosis and co-administration of the COVID-19 vaccine |
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Notice from the Pennsylvania Dept of Health: When the COVID-19 vaccinations first received their initial emergency use authorization, the recommendation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination and testing for tuberculosis (TB) stated that TB testing with either the interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) or tuberculin skin test (TST) should occur either prior to administration of the COVID-19 vaccine or wait until 4 weeks after the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC updated their special considerations at the end of August for COVID-19 vaccination and announced that the COVID-19 vaccine and both the IGRA and TST tests for tuberculosis can be co-administered. There does not need to be a 4 week separation between them. This recommendation should streamline the health screening process and COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers and patients. Check out this link for the entire health advisory.
If you have any questions, please call PA DOH at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258) or your local health department.
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Looking for medical office space? PCMS has some! |
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Approximately 2,995 to 4,995 square feet of recently finished, fully built-out medical office space is available on the third floor of PCMS headquarters. The space is just above Philadelphia’s newest Goddard School, which offers early learning programs for children. The site is zoned CMX-4 and located in the heart of the Fairmount neighborhood.
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Hahnemann University Hospital Reunion
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 14
Time: 8 to 9:30 p.m.
All former HUH physicians and trainees employed at the time of HUH's closure are invited to participate in this virtual gathering to catch up and share your thoughts in the aftermath of the last two years. This reunion event will be conducted on Zoom.
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HHS Resource & Opportunity Summit
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 21
Time: Morning session: 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET
Afternoon session: 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is holding a Resource and Opportunity Summit. This Summit will feature presentations on government programs and have a special focus on health equity, maternal health, the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and the aging and disability population.
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Financial Literacy Series for Physicians
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 21
Time: 7 to 8 p.m. ET
The Chester County Medical Society is presenting a financial literacy workshop series designed for physicians navigating new employment, early career physicians, medical students, residents and fellows.
This program focuses on physician employment contracts.
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Financial Literacy Series for Physicians
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 7 to 8 p.m. ET
The Chester County Medical Society is presenting a financial literacy workshop series designed for physicians navigating new employment, early career physicians, medical students, residents and fellows.
This program focuses on managing student debt, budgeting, and understanding employer benefits.
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2021 Hospital Medicine Summit
Date: Saturday, Oct. 23
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Integrity CE is holding its 2021 Hospital Medicine Summit (HMS). This is a free, virtual educational event that addresses significant changes in the healthcare system and the increased demand on clinicians so they can provide optimal care to patients both in the hospital or acute care setting and when they are discharged into the community healthcare system. Multiple dates are available.
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Understanding the Military Experience
Date: Friday, Oct. 29
Time: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET
Star Behavioral Health Providers is providing training to help health care providers better understand the needs of service members, veterans and their families. The training is free and comprised of three tiers that must be taken sequentially. Multiple dates are available.
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Child Abuse Prevention Training Program
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 9
Time: 7 to 9 p.m. ET
Our upcoming Child Abuse Prevention Training Program for the 2022 licensing cycle will be taking place on Nov. 9. All physicians renewing their license are required to submit documentation to verify the completion of at least two hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition. The program will be conducted as a Zoom video conference.
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Jefferson Hypertension Symposium 2021
Date: Friday, Nov. 12
Time: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET
The 3rd Annual Hypertension Symposium: Salt, Pseudo-Resistance and Sound Decision-Making will address challenging situations in patients with Hypertension. The program features a Keynote Address on: Salt and Hypertension: Why is There Still a Debate?
This course is designed for all healthcare professionals specializing in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Nephrology, Neurology, Endocrinology, Nutrition, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.
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