ASAP: Peer assistance contract appeal denied, new PPE order opportunity, and much more

ASAP e-newsletter: Aug. 5, 2020

Breaking news: State denies CPHP appeal

The appeal submitted by the Colorado Physician Health Program asking for the state to reconsider the request for proposal (RFP) conditions and basis for awarding the peer assistance contract for physicians to Peer Assistance Services (PAS) has been denied. Colorado Medical Society President David Markenson, MD, MBA, immediately submitted a letter to Patty Salazar, executive director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, expressing extreme disappointment in the decision, once again emphasizing that this action removes critical confidentiality protections for physicians who voluntarily self-refer for services and hampers physicians' willingness to seek care. CMS believes this will have harmful consequences for patient safety, maintaining an adequate physician workforce for Colorado, and the mental health/well-being of physicians. Read the letter here. Stay tuned for more information as it is available.

CMS working for you: Order PPE supplies to protect your practices

The Colorado Medical Society has teamed up with ActionPPE.org to once again give CMS members access to medical-grade PPE supplies. All items are already in a warehouse in the United States, preventing any delays through customs, and orders ship quickly and directly to your office. View product details and certificates for KN95 or disposable tri-fold masks, disposable gowns and face shields here -- actionppe.org/3/cms/ -- and share this link with your colleagues.

AMA survey: Pain management and COVID-19 guidelines

The AMA Advocacy Resource Center asks all physicians to complete a survey specifically on the issues affecting patients with pain and physicians treating them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results will help inform future advocacy efforts. The survey is available here.

CMS supports the AMA's #MaskUp campaign: Urge your patients to wear a mask to reduce transmission of COVID-19

CDC updates guidelines on return to work for health care workers after COVID-19 infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released updated guidelines for health care workers to return to work following COVID-19 infection; access the guidance here. Additionally, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has released new guidance for the interpretation of subsequent positive results in individuals already known to be infected with COVID-19; access a graphic here. This information was first released July 31 in a CDPHE Health Alert Network message. If you are not receiving HAN messages, contact CDPHE HAN Coordinator at cdphe_epr_sit@state.co.us to register.

CMS President-elect urges you to get involved in your medical society; form link corrected

Ever consider an appointment to a council, committee or task force? President-elect Sami Diab, MD, urges all Colorado Medical Society members to consider the many opportunities available. Check out the many ways you can get involved here. (Note: A malfunction with the form link sent in a prior email blast meant that some submissions did not reach CMS staff. If you did not receive a response to your submission, please resubmit it through the link above or email membership@cms.org.)

Reminder: Voting is open for the Colorado Medical Society Leadership Election; complete your ballot today

All CMS members should have received a ballot to vote in the 2020 Colorado Medical Society Leadership Election on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 9 a.m. Thank you to those who have already voted! If you haven't, please search your inbox (or promotions tab or spam/junk) for the email from membership@cms.org with the subject line "Your ballot is here! Vote in the 2020 CMS leadership election." You can also access the ballot by direct link here; if using the direct link, you must enter your name and email address at the bottom so it is counted. Read more about the candidates on the election page of CMS.org. If you have questions about the voting process, don't hesitate to reach out.

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Upcoming events for physicians

Save the date: Colorado Medical Society will host a virtual Annual Meeting Friday, Sept. 25

Though the in-person Colorado Medical Society Annual Meeting has been cancelled for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, CMS will host a shortened, virtual event featuring education; an address by AMA President Susan Bailey, MD; the swearing in of Sami Diab, MD, as CMS president; recognition of outgoing president David Markenson, MD, MBA; social time; and more. Watch for more details and registration coming soon!

AAP Colorado virtual series: Honoring our healers, honoring ourselves

Aug. 12, Aug. 20, Aug. 26, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Recognizing the need to "re-fill our cups" given the toll the past several months has taken, the American Academy of Pediatrics - Colorado Chapter (AAP Colorado) invites all physicians to participate in a four-part mental health wellness series that acknowledges the importance of taking time to reflect upon issues critical to physicians and your profession. Each session will be facilitated and is designed to be a stand-alone topic, so physicians can attend as many sessions as desired. Remaining sessions are as follows: "Honoring Our Children's Experiences (Aug. 12), "Honoring Our Stories" (Aug. 20) and "Honoring Our Diversity" (Aug. 26). Suggested donation is $25 per session. Find more information and register here.

HCPF Provider Leader Webinars

Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, 12-1 p.m.

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing is hosting monthly provider webinars on the third Thursday of the month from 12 - 1 p.m. The dates for the provider webinars will be Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, 2020. These webinars will cover key updates from the Department on COVID-19 and other implementation updates and will be a forum to discuss what the "new normal" in health care may look like following the pandemic. HCPF encourages you to save the dates and attend if you can. If you are not able to make the webinar, the meetings will be recorded and archived online. This virtual meeting will be held at this link. Find more information on the Provider Leader Resource Center webpage: colorado.gov/hcpf/provider-leader-resource-center.

Colorado Consortium lunch and learn sessions

Wednesdays May-October, 12:30-1:15 p.m.

The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention’s Provider Education work group continues their series of free lunch-and-learn sessions Wednesdays through October from 12:30-1:15 p.m. The Aug. 5 event features northern Colorado leader and CMS member Lesley Brooks, MD, giving an introduction to medication-assisted treatment, and the Aug. 12 event features Scott McFadden, MRC-CD, LPC, LAC, giving a personal perspective on addiction.

Each presentation is eligible for 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. You must pre-register here to receive CME credit; this link also takes you to each program's individual accreditation statement, objectives and disclosures. If you’d simply like to drop-in and not receive CME credit, no pre-registration is required. The 45 minute sessions will include a didactic session followed by Q&A. For a complete list of topics and dates, please visit the consortium website. All sessions will be held via Zoom: link / password: 620980. Programs will be recorded and posted online for future viewing.