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September 14, 2023

In this issue

Highlighting our Top 5
Supporting Your Practice: CI update, population health outreach, flu shot deadline
Epic Updates
Additional Things to Know: Updated COVID vaccine, expanding ACW care delivery model, and more
Leadership announcements
CME

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Physician Partners,

With so much great work taking place across APP each month, we are committed to publishing a monthly "APP Top 5" to support alignment and engagement on key priorities – along with tips and resources to best support you and drive ongoing performance.

View our September Top 5 slide for information on the following topics:

Flu shot deadline
Key APP updates
Quality update
Condition Management Documentation update
Utilization update

As always, thank you for your partnership.

Don Calcagno, President, APP | SVP, Chief Population Health Officer, Advocate Health

Supporting Your Practice

Clinical Integration updates: View the latest program updates including Meridian became scorable on Aug. 25, updated utilization measures and more.

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

Flu shot deadline Oct. 24 – how to comply: Getting a flu shot is mandatory for APP physicians to promote a safe working environment, helping to prevent transmission among teams, patients and our communities. Use TrackMy to help schedule and verify flu vaccinations. To meet this requirement:

Option 1: Schedule in TrackMy and receive your vaccination through an Advocate Health Care site Vaccine Champion or a Teammate Health Flu Clinic, which runs Sept. 19-Oct. 24.
Option 2: Receive your vaccination through a provider or outside clinic and submit record to Teammate Health, following these steps:

Complete the TrackMy query process or manually upload your documentation into TrackMy using this guide.
Check TrackMy 24 to 28 business hours after you query or upload to view your compliance status using the “Compliance Review” tile.

Option 3: Receive approval for accommodation in TrackMy to be exempt from the flu requirement this year. Submit a medical or religious accommodation early to allow for approval by Oct. 24. Those who have received a lifetime accommodation do not need to file another request. For assistance, reference page 4 in this guide.

Epic Updates

EpicCare Link learning materials moved: The EpicCare Link self-guided learning materials have been moved from the home page to the new Learning Home Dashboard located under the “Reporting” tab. Visit the new dashboard to find tip sheets and short videos to learn the functionality and workflows of EpicCare Link.

Epic Update: Ambulatory Epic Connect: Reduction of 20,000 In Basket messages per month, TB Skin Test and more.

Epic Update: Hospital edition: Spanish AVS, preference card change request, ad hoc default county type changing from doses to days and more.

Additional Things to Know

Updated COVID vaccines available Oct 5: The FDA approved use of the updated Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines to more closely target currently circulating variants and to provide better protection against serious consequences of the virus. As a result, the COVID bivalent vaccine is no longer authorized for use, and we're pausing COVID vaccinations at Advocate Health Care until the updated Moderna vaccine is available beginning Oct. 5. At that time, we'll administer the updated vaccine to patients six months and up at our doctors' offices and Aurora Retail Pharmacies. We will not be offering the Pfizer vaccine at this time.

Expanding Walgreens clinic care delivery model: To further strengthen our ability to provide high-quality care that’s convenient and affordable, we’re expanding our Remote Physical Exam model to all Advocate and Aurora Clinics at Walgreens locations across Illinois and Wisconsin. Combining an in-person assessment with video technology is one way we’re redefining how, when and where care is delivered to best meet the needs and expectations of our patients and communities. The model is live at 11 locations and the remaining 44 sites will be converted later this month. Learn more about this innovative delivery model in this FAQ.

Supporting your patients with sepsis: September is Sepsis Awareness Month. Sepsis affects nearly 350,000 people yearly and can happen to anyone. Use this FAQ and share this health e news story to help patients understand sepsis and the recovery process.

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

Blood supply low – consider donating: There’s currently an emergency nationwide appeal for blood and platelet donors. Teammates who are able are encouraged to donate blood, and blood types O are especially needed. Register.

Advancing Research:

Researchers use AI to transform surgery | Gary Chmielewski, MD and Debra O’Connor, DO
Advocate Children’s expands use of infant massage program | Preetha Prazad, MD

Leadership Announcements

Jacqueline Ivey-Brown, MD, FACP, has been appointed as Chief Medical Officer for the Medical Group in North Illinois, effective Sept. 24. Read the announcement.

As we advance our Service Line integration, we are pleased to share the latest Medical Director appointment.

Celebration and conversations to honor Hispanic Heritage Month

Join our Who We Are session, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m.-noon, for a vibrant discussion on Hispanic heritage and its impact on our communities. Learn more and attend.

Continuing Medical Education

MEDtalks: The importance of psychological safety for clinical leaders

Thursday, Sept. 21, 7-8 a.m.