The Sonoma County Medical Association and Mendocino Lake County Medical Association is continuing to support our medical communities through the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic efforts. As stated previously, I aim to be helpful, not redundant so I am not emailing you as often as I would like. With that said, this email is once again jam packed with content! Please consider this a resource to reference now and save for future reference as questions arise. This, like most content we are receiving on COVID-19, is likely to self-destruct in 90 seconds. Said tongue in cheek, but really is the way of information during this pandemic.
Here are a few links you might find helpful to review:
A bit of a reprieve for us on the MICRA front: MICRA proponents have announced that they will not be challenging MICRA's protections through a ballot initiative until the November 2022 ballot, rather than this year.
Contact: (707) 620-0808 | exec@scma.org: This is my home office line during the shelter in place order. Please feel free to contact me if I can assist you.
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GUIDELINES/RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR REOPENING THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, California and the United States took steps to limit the transmission and impact of the virus by implementing shelter in place orders. While this has so far prevented any surges overwhelming our hospitals, it has also meant that many other parts of the health care system have been idled to preserve resources and capacity in the system and limit opportunity for transmission or exposure of the virus.
Physician practices and health care facilities have seen massive drops in patient visits, caused by a combination of shelter in place orders and patient fear. This may lead to much more complex problems in the future, as patients miss routine screenings and preventative care. With proper safety precautions, a doctor’s office is one of the safest places for a patient to be. Reopening them is an important step for California to take as a state.
As we begin to reopen our health care system, the California Medical Association (CMA) proposes several steps that will be instrumental to ensuring the ongoing safety of patients and the health care workforce. CMA recommends the following:
Additional info:
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MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
As the needs of the healthcare industry have changed, so has NORCAL Group, keeping pace with the growing complexities and new risks physicians and practices face. Our flexible and comprehensive coverage options, as well as our industry-leading risk management, wellness, and burnout-prevention resources are supported by a talented and dedicated team of insurance professionals. Visit
norcal-group.com or call 866-466-7225.
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California Physician Survey Results
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In a period of eight days, 3,246 physician practices responded to the survey – a
record response rate. The survey results indicate significant practice viability concerns for physicians in all specialties and practice sizes.
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The California Medical Association receives hundreds of calls a day from providers looking for assistance. With the questions they receive, they have created the COVID-10 FAQ's:
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions. This list is updated daily! Click to see if your questions/concerns about your practice, staffing, telehealth, etc. are already listed. If you have a question you would like to ask, email them to
communications@cmadocs.org.
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Sundari Mase, MD
Interim Health Director
Sonoma County Department of Health Services
(707) 565-4426 | Sundari.Mase@sonoma-county.org
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R. Logan Faust, MD
St. Joseph Health Medical Group
Specialty: Gastroenterology
(707) 303-8350 logan.faust@stjoe.org
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CMA offers a
Confidential phone line,
regardless of membership, for physicians and/or dentists. You can call on your own behalf, or a family member or colleague may call, to request help when a physician is facing problems of stress, substance abuse or mental health issues.
This line is completely confidential and serves in support of physicians to ease any personal burdens that may be affecting their well-being.
Callers are connected to a physician or dentist with extensive experience in helping health professionals.
Physicians’ and Dentists’ Confidential Line:
Northern California: (650) 756-7787
Southern California: (213) 383-2691
For a detailed explanation of what the Confidential Line
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- Telehealth Expansion: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Thursday a significant expansion of telehealth services so physicians can deliver a wider range of care to Medicare patients in their homes. Most notably, CMS will now be paying for evaluation and management (E/M) visits provided via audio-only telephone at the same rate as if the services had been provided in person. This change is retroactive to March 1, 2020.
- Amwell - Implementing Telehealth: CMA Physician Services announced a partnership with Amwell, a leading telehealth solutions platform. Through this partnership, all California physicians have access to Amwell’s telehealth platform at a discounted rate for the next twelve months and no monthly fees through June 2020. Need help with telehealth fees: Contact: Angela Connor, Director of Grants and Public Funding, at angela.connor@amwell.com or (910) 476-2520.
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California physicians (M.D. and D.O.), nurses and respiratory therapists providing emergency or intensive services to acutely ill COVID-19 patients can receive coaching sessions from trained peer wellness coaches, available at no cost for up to 30 days.
Sign up here
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA - GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM
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Healthcare facilities and clinicians should prioritize urgent and emergency visits and procedures now. These actions can preserve staff personal protective equipment (PPE) and patient care supplies; ensure staff and patient safety; and expand available hospital capacity:
- Delay all elective ambulatory provider visits
- Reschedule elective and non-urgent admissions
- Delay inpatient and outpatient elective surgical and procedural cases
- Postpone routine dental and eyecare visit
Cases and latest updates
(Note: This page will be updated regularly at noon Mondays through Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.)
PPE Burn Rate Calculator: [excel spreadsheet] This spreadsheet can help healthcare facilities plan and optimize the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) has developed a
library of resources to help physicians safely and efficiently utilize telemedicine in their practices including:
- Webinar on the Proper Coding for Telemedicine Patient Visits
- Telemedicine Risk Management Strategies
- Telemedicine Patient Information Sheet
- Telemedicine Consent Forms
The standard medical malpractice coverage through CAP includes telemedicine within California, at no additional charge. This benefit is just one of the flexible options that CAP provides to its members. To learn more about the benefits we offer to our physicians, contact Dorine Leong at 650-543-2183 or via email at
DLeong@CAPphysicians.com.
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- CAP COVID-19 Resource Center: Essential Resources for Physicians Practicing Medicine in These Challenging Times: We are pleased to offer you access to our COVID-19 resource page, which will continually be revised with key guidance and up-to-date best practices. Contact: Dorine Leong at 650-543-2183 or via email at DLeong@CAPphysicians.com.
- Berry & Fritzinger is grateful for the dedicated and talented medical professionals in Sonoma County who are on the front lines of protecting our community from this pandemic. We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 legal developments and can help you understand how to apply these new laws to your practice. You can reach David Berry, Esq. at 707-800-0550 or via email at info@berryfritzlaw.com.
- Need to have a conversation with a financial expert? Contact SCMA's Business Partner and Financial Advisor: Russell Van Sistine: Mobile: 707-766-4765 | Business: 707-542-7071. Russell is happy to have a quick conversation with you if you have questions or concerns as it pertains to the ups and downs of the stock market and your investments.
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Contact SCMA|MLCMS: exec@scma.org | Rachel@scma.og | (707) 525-4375
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