WORD TO THE WISE Newsletter: February 2020 - Volume 20, No. 2

In this issue: President's update: Dr. Marcel Junqueira gives the February board report Update from your CMS BOD Rep: Results from the public option survey Update from your PCMS CEO: Join us in opposing "pot clubs" Events: Parkview events in 2020; Nightingale Awards; Judy Sykes Symposium; Sangre de Cristo Gala Resources: Physician burnout; coronavirus resources; PDGM one-pager; PCMS database of physicians who have closed practices; volunteers needed for middle school substance use education; articles needed for newsletter News from CMS: Save the date for the 150th CMS Annual Meeting News from AMA: Coronavirus resource center

UPDATE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT: Marcel Junqueira, MD

Report from our February board meeting: Goals for 2020 The PCMS Board of Directors met last week to discuss the goals for 2020. The plan reinforces our mission statement of promoting medical education, networking and advocacy. We also discussed subcommittee formation for medical education, advocacy, social events, media and membership development. We're looking for volunteers to join these committees. Please contact us if you are interested.

UPDATE FROM YOUR CMS BOD REP: Brad Roberts, MD

Results of the CMS survey on the public option; plus new CMS CEO The Colorado Medical Society survey recently polled all members on the proposed public option to inform the board about member views for decision-making and advocacy next steps. Thanks to all who completed it. It showed that physicians still consider the rising cost of care to be a crisis or very serious problem but we have divided opinions (split nearly in half) about whether to support or oppose the proposed public option. Members spoke clearly that CMS needs to be actively engaged as this proposal works its way through the legislature to ensure physicians' voices are heard, and I am honored to represent Pueblo physicians on the CMS Board of Directors. As always, please reply to this email with any thoughts or concerns you would like to share with me. I am also pleased to introduce Bryan Campbell, CMS's new CEO. I had the pleasure of meeting Bryan at the January CMS board meeting and had a voice in his selection. He is energized to serve Colorado physicians and has a unique understanding of component medical societies, media relations and advocacy. Read more about Bryan here.

UPDATE FROM YOUR PCMS CEO: Cheryl Law

Show your support for smart public health choices; join PCMS at a city council presentation regarding "pot clubs" on Feb. 24 The Pueblo County Medical Society will be presenting to city council on Monday, February 24, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, the floor above Mayor’s office, regarding pot clubs in Pueblo (marijuana hospitality establishments). Brad Roberts, MD, and Carl Bartecchi, MD, will be presenting. Because we believe it would be helpful for city council to see the attendance as full as possible, we urge all PCMS members to attend in their white coats. This represents a very important and significant decision for our community and its health, and physicians must make our voices heard. Please email me at cheryl.law@pueblocms.org with any questions.

EVENTS

Parkview Medical Center – 2020 Symposiums Save the date for the following symposiums presented by Parkview Medical Center: Saturday, April 18, 2020: Pain Management Symposium Saturday, July 18, 2020: Surgical Services & Trauma Symposium Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020: Neurosciences Symposium Below are the 2020 Parkview Medical Group (PMG) All-Provider Meetings: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. And below are the 2020 Parkview General Medical Staff (GMS) meetings: Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Save the date - 2020 Nightengale nurse recognition event, March 27, 2020 Save the date for the Nightingale and Luminary Award Ceremony in Pueblo on March 27, 2020. State Nightingale Awards will be presented in Denver on May 9, 2020. The Nightingale Luminary Awards recognize nurses throughout Colorado who exemplify the spirit of the profession in the areas of advocacy, innovation and leadership. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and Nightingale Committees choose Nightingale Luminaries annually from among hundreds of nominations. This year, Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) are accepting nominations for LPNs to be recognized at the Regional level. The deadline for the LPN nominations is Feb. 14. Access the nomination form at www.secahec.org.

Save the date: Judy Sikes, PhD Scholarly Activity Symposium - April 15, 2020 Save the date for the Judy Sikes, PhD Scholarly Activity Symposium presented by Parkview Medical Center and the Graduate Medical Education Department. The symposium will be held on April 15, 2020 at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo. Dr. Teresa Braden, Director, and her committee have created an impressive educational and informational platform. The event has been approved for CME credits. Practitioners and nursing staff throughout southern Colorado are invited to attend the symposium. The following events will take place: oral presentations on cases, research and quality initiatives; poster presentations; judging of the events; prizes for top three oral presentations, best three posters in research/QI/safety and best three posters in clinical vignettes. Contact Jodi Lopez at 719-595-7581 or  jodi_lopez@parkviewmc.com with any questions or concerns.

Save the date: Sangre de Cristo Hospice and Palliative Care Gala - June 13, 2020 Plan to join Sangre de Cristo Hospice and Palliative Care for a Gala celebrating 35 years serving the community. It will be held June 13, 2020 at Occhiato Ballroom. Attire is business forma; black-tie optional. More information to come.

RESOURCES

JAMA article on burnout: "A Call for Help -- Reflections on Burnout, CABG Surgery, and the Super Bowl" A surgeon gives a firsthand account of physician burnout and the importance of asking for help. In it the physician writes, "Medicine is a calling to help and heal others, but we must also learn to help and heal ourselves before burnout builds and plaque accumulates. I am back at full strength now and grateful my call for help was answered. I am no longer hesitant to ask for help. This is a sign of courage and strength, not weakness." Read the JAMA article here.

Coronavirus: What physicians need to know The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. Since then, more than 30,000 cases have been reported, with the vast majority in mainland China. In this article, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provides guidance to providers on identifying, reporting and treating a patient suspected of having 2019 novel coronavirus. Read more here. Also, the Colorado Medical Society has compiled helpful resources from a variety of sources -- including accredited continuing education -- on this CMS.org coronavirus resource page and will continue to update it as new tools are available.

Notice: Prepare for the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Medicare's Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. It is a new reimbursement model that affects all home care agencies and skilled facilities, grouping periods of care in a manner consistent with how clinicians differentiate between patients and the primary reason they need home health care. Read this informative one-pager for more.

PCMS webpage to assist providers with patient medical records PCMS will offer a centralized online location for providers to post information where their patients can locate their medical records should the provider relocate, retire or close practice for any reason. Doctors closing practices unexpectedly and not notifying patients beforehand, sometimes causing an inability for patients to be able to locate medical records, is known by the Colorado Medical Board as "patient abandonment." The Medical Record Retention and Protection policy is available here. Please use the Contact Us portal to let PCMS staff know if you would like to be added to the list and how your patients can access their records, and/or share this information with a provider who would like to be on the list and ensure patient medical records are easy to locate according to policy. Read more here.

Volunteer opportunity: Medical providers needed to provide education in district 60 middle schools The Substance Use Response Ecosystem is working with the Pueblo County Medical Society, the Pueblo Department of Public Health, and school district 60 to provide education regarding substance abuse and dependence to middle school students in district 60. We are looking for interested health care providers who would be interested in helping.  We have developed an approximately 30 minute lecture with time for questions on how substance dependence works with specifics on vaping, alcohol, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamines. Our goal is to provide data-driven education to the students on substance abuse. You do not need to be an expert in substance abuse to help. We anticipate that anyone who has completed advanced level medical training such as physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants should be able to do it. It is something that many of us deal with in our practices. If there is a need for a refresher on any part of the topic we can also assist with providing the information if needed.  We anticipate the commitment to be relatively small, possibly only one or two mornings or afternoons for the year. We would love your help.  If you are interested please email cheryl.law@pueblocms.org. Thank you!

Urgent plea for physicians, NPs and PAs to write articles for the newsletter We need physicians, NPs and PAs to write articles for us. Believe us, you don’t have to be a great writer to share your stories, advice, comments, research and so much more with others. All you have to be is willing!  You can send a paragraph in an email or Word doc.100-200 words is best because the whole story will be enclosed in the e-newsletter. Hyperlinks are great too. Our publisher will edit your work and send you a draft for final approval!  The publication deadline for the newsletter is generally the 7th or 8th of each month depending on the stories and any news deadlines.  Contact me, cheryl.law@pueblocms.org, with any questions or concerns and to submit your article - Thanks, Cheryl

NEWS FROM THE COLORADO MEDICAL SOCIETY

Save the date! CMS's 150th Annual Meeting will be held Sept. 26, 2020 Save the date for the event of the year for Colorado physicians, the 150th CMS Annual Meeting. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, with programming scheduled during the day at CMS/COPIC headquarters in east Denver and the exhibitor reception and inaugural gala that evening at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in the historic Lowry neighborhood.

NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) resource center for physicians

One of the first laboratory confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the U.S. was in Illinois, a woman who had recently traveled to Wuhan, China. Her husband was later diagnosed with the disease; the couple represented the first human-to-human transmission in the U.S. Given high anxiety over coronavirus, the AMA encourages physicians to stay up to date on this evolving situation. Access the AMA's COVID-19 resources for doctors here.

MISSION:   Fa cilitating meaningful collaboration of medical professionals in Pueblo County through social networking, education, and advocacy!    VISION:   To c reate a medical society that serves as a venue for collaboration for the betterment of healthcare in Pueblo County, and improve the practice of medicine and life of medical professionals, locally.

Board Officers: President: Marcel Junqueira, MD; President-Elect: open position; Treasurer: Kathleen Brown, MD; Past-President: Tom Greidanus, MD |  Directors: CMS Representative Brad Roberts, MD; Teresa Braden, DO; Ross Patrick, MD; Jacob Mathew Jr., DO; Cheryl Walker, DO; and Kevin Weber, MD |  Chief Executive Officer: Cheryl Law, MA, MNM

This newsletter is intended for the members and interested persons of the Pueblo County Medical Society. If you have received this and wish to opt-out call 719-281-6073 or use the “unsubscribe” link below.

‌	Visit our website at www.pueblocms.org