Happy March! Spring is in the air (at least for those of us lucky enough to live in Sonoma County)! I can happily report that the SCMA vaccine clinic at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds is seeing 600+ people daily and with 30+/- volunteers and/or staff at each clinic since January, we have not had a single reported case of COVID-19 among our team. I report this to give you hope for returning to "normal" soon.
CMA has made requesting PPE supplies a bit easier with an online ordering portal. Please see "Need PPE?" article below for full details. We are still collaborating with the State of California Office of Emergency Services to ensure that local medical offices have the supplies you need to run your practice.
In other news, I am super thrilled that our very own SCMA member, Catherine Gutfreund, MD, has decided to throw her hat into the political arena—running for the 2022 president-elect role in the California Medical Association. As I told her, this was the best news I have had in two years! Helping SCMA members advance in their leadership commitment is stuff that really motivates me! Dr. Gutfreund has been a member for 21 years, is a past SCMA president and has been serving our members through the CMA House of Delegates for many years now. Please see more about her candidacy further down in this newsletter.
Have some feedback for SCMA? I welcome your thoughts and insights! I hope that you too feel that the vaccination clinics are a service to our members (and your patients) and support the mission of our organization as it pertains to supporting and enhancing the health of our community.
Yours in health and service,
Wendy Young, Executive Director
707-620-0808 | exec@scma.org
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COVID-19 VACCINATION UPDATES |
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SCMA clinics expand vaccination efforts |
SCMA's vaccination clinic is currently open at Santa Rosa Fairgrounds Grace Pavilion. At press time, we are vaccinating through the County’s designated tiers including healthcare workers with direct patient contact, age 70+ and on designated days—agricultural workers. By the end of this week, the SCMA clinic will have administered 12,233 doses of the vaccine representing 6,116 fully vaccinated individuals!
We have been asked to focus only on second-dose appointments and had to cancel all first-dose appointments last week and this week due to the midwest winter storms that created a vaccine shortage. My understanding is that production halted at the Moderna plant when employees could not get to work in the snow! We are hopeful that once the Blue Shield third party administration services are in place, we will be able to continue to serve the community through the vaccine clinic, but this is still to be determined.
Dr. Steve Olson, (pictured above) is a retired Kaiser physician and regular vaccinator volunteer at the clinic. Steve is posing with an image from our art installation at the clinic encouraging vaccinations in the Latino community. SCMA partnered with the Sonoma County Winegrowers Association and the Sonoma County Vintners Association, opening two days at 600 appointments each day for winery production workers and Sonoma County agricultural field workers.
If you are a Spanish-speaking physician, NP, or RN and/or can join us as a Spanish translator for the March 18 and 19 clinics, please contact SCMA at volunteer@scma.org. Please add in the subject line of your email “March 18-19 Spanish-Speaking Volunteer.” THANK YOU to all the physicians and healthcare volunteers staffing the vaccination clinics! We can’t do this without you.
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Please consider a donation to the Medical Society of Sonoma County! Your tax deductible donations help us to continue our clinic initiative!
Click the button above or to donate by check or credit card,
Please mail checks payable to ‘Medical Society of Sonoma County’ to
1613 Madeira Circle, Petaluma, CA 94954.
If requested, we are happy to send you a receipt for your tax records.
Want to be a part of the solution? Volunteer to help at the SCMA clinics! Please email volunteer@scma.org to connect with volunteer coordinators who can help you with pre-clinic participation training modules. Our coordinators will help you find a clinic role that serves you best.
Want to donate supplies or provide lunch for the staff/volunteers for a future SCMA vaccination clinic? Please contact our clinics logistics director at cliniclogistics@scma.org for details on what current needs are or how to donate lunch! We have approximately 30 staff/volunteers each day and try to treat them well!
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Post-vaccine waiting area |
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"This is Our Shot" campaign |
Help lead the way by encouraging vaccination and reassuring the public that COVID vaccines are safe, effective and necessary. Physicians can help fight misinformation and encourage our community to get vaccinated. Read media story in The Washington Post.
Please post your “vaxxie” (a selfie getting your COVID vaccination) or share information about why people should get vaccinated on social media to counter vaccine opponents. Use hashtags #thisisourshot #vaccineswork #covidvaccine #trustscience Read more here.
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Vaccination hesitancy communication training |
SCMA member Dr. Brian Prystowsky has created a three-part training that demonstrates how to navigate SARS CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy discussions with patients.
The videos are accessible via the links below (not searchable to avoid public viewing and antivax activity). Please share with healthcare professionals who would benefit from this training.
For searchable, patient-friendly "Doc and Elephant Explain Coronavirus Vaccine" videos, visit Dr. Prystowsky's YouTube channel.
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Vaccine conversation starter |
Hesitancy among healthcare workers and the community to get the COVID vaccine threatens to slow down progress to reach herd immunity. Your patients consider you to be the most trusted source of vaccine information when it comes to vaccinations.
THANK YOU to the Santa Clara County Medical Association for sharing its vaccine conversation guide, which SCCMA developed to answer common questions patients may ask about the COVID-19 vaccine, along with information for responses. The guide also includes tips for having vaccine conversations with your patients.
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COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS AND UPDATES |
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COVID-19 relief package allows PPP deducts up to $150k |
Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders have announced an agreement on a package of immediate actions intended to speed needed relief to individuals, families and businesses suffering significant economic hardship from the COVID-19 recession. “If physician practices don’t receive the full extent of the support they need, we risk threatening patients’ access to care and the future viability of our healthcare delivery system,” said Dr. Bretan. READ MORE
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Click the images below for current information and statistics in each county.
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Need PPE?
Supplies available to all member and nonmember practices
Due to ongoing disruption in Personal Protective Equipment supply and increasing demand, the California Medical Association with the help of the State of California Office of Emergency Services has established a portal to provide PPE at no cost to practices that are experiencing challenges in procuring PPE and/or facing financial hardship due to increasing costs.
CMA is collecting a nominal shipping/handling fee with each order to offset the actual costs associated with managing the program, which include warehousing, packing and freight preparation, and actual shipping costs. CMA will offer this program for as long as supplies are available. ORDER HERE.
For questions, please contact member services at 800-786-4262 or through CMA's contact form.
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Dr. Gutfreund announces candidacy for CMA presidency |
I am Catherine Gutfreund, a family physician practicing in Santa Rosa, a mom, a world traveler (in non-COVID times), an avid knitter and a passionate advocate of organized medicine. I have been a member of the District X delegation for the past 20 years and served SCMA as president.
I am running for 2022 CMA president-elect and welcome your support! My vision and experience, along with my compassion, make me the best choice to serve you. I will do that by listening and understanding your concerns, and then leading to remove obstacles in our practices so we can continue to do what we do best, care for patients.
I will work tirelessly on your behalf, and together, we can impact the health and wellness of Californians for generations to come. I would be honored to have your support for the office of CMA president-elect. For my full candidate’s statement and additional background information, please click here o r contact me at Catherine.A.Gutfreund@kp.org.
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SUPPORTING COMMUNITY
SCMA clinic offers vaccinations for ag workers
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As efforts to vaccinate essential agricultural and production workers struggle to proceed throughout California and the nation, Sonoma County’s farmers, vintners and health communities have been successfully partnering to get thousands of COVID-19 vaccination doses to these essential workers throughout the region.
The program is a cooperative effort involving the Sonoma County Winegrowers, the Sonoma County Vintners, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, local community health centers including the West County Health Center, the Sonoma Valley Health Center, the Alliance Medical Center, the Alexander Valley Health Care, and the Sonoma County Medical Association.
Our SCMA clinic volunteers dedicated two full days in February to vaccinating vineyard and wine production workers at Grace Pavillon, administering first doses of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine to more than 1,200 people. Second doses to follow in March. Read the full story in Sonoma County Winegrowers E-News Bulletin.
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BEGINS APRIL 24, 2021
Enrolling now for next 12-week program
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You can have the life you want. I can show you how.
Hello! I'm Emily Shaw, MD — a Sonoma County family physician and certified life coach. My 12-week coaching program specifically designed for community-minded physicians helps doctors improve their relationships, their experience at work and home, their quality of life generally, and so much more. It is a combination of weekly, small group sessions to go over core coaching topics as well as weekly private, individual coaching built around each individual's personal goals.
The current session started in January and participants are already vocal about their results. They're saying things like "I can't imagine life without this class!" And "This has been a rudder for me. A North Star." Their spouses are noticing a difference in the way they're acting at home. They're coming home earlier. They're spending more time with their kids. They're more patient, loving, and feeling more connected. They're showing up as the people they want to be at home and at work. WOW!
Only 6 spots currently left for April program.
Reserve your place now!
In solidarity with you all,
Emily Shaw, MD, Chair, SCMA Physician Wellness Committee
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MARCH WEBINARS AND CLASSES |
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Wednesday, March 24, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Medicare Changes:
2021 and Beyond
Online 60-minute training for physicians, practice managers and medical office professionals includes:
- Telehealth and other communications technology
- New CMS E/M 2021 Guidelines
- The Quality Payment Program (MACRA) Year 5
- Compliance with the current MAC
- Other Medicare Part B issues
Presented by Cheryl Bradley, Associate Director in CMA's Center for Economic Services. Cheryl has over 25 years of experience in the Medicare Program and working with providers in all specialities across California Medicare contractors. Don't miss her lively and informative workshop!
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Register now for CMA's March webinars
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Telehealth Series for Small and Medium Sized Practices: (Pt. 11) Telehealth Strategy
In this interactive session, physicians will learn how to build a strategy to incorporate telehealth into their practice, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virtual Grand Rounds: COVID-19 Vaccines and Virus Variants
Hear from state experts regarding the epidemiology of the virus and its variants, the state of the vaccine rollout, in-depth information on vaccines in use — as well as vaccines in development — and the latest information on personal mitigation techniques and strategies.
Legislative Advocacy Day Training
In preparation for CMA's Virtual Legislative Advocacy Conference to be held
April 5–9, 2021, CMA's Center for Government Relations will host a special training webinar (members only).
GME Webinar Series: Board-Certified Physicians: Key to Continuity Sites
Physicians, practice managers and providers can expect to learn the foundational elements of preparing clinical facilities to successfully design medical residency programs.
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Sutter Health
The Sutter Health Virtual Grand Rounds is a Continuing Education (CE)* webinar series hosted by Sutter Health Network providers for all medical professionals across Northern California. Learn about the entire series here.
Presented by William Gilbert, MD
Presented by Gnanagurudasan Prakasam, MD
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Shriners Hospitals for Children
Join Shriners for its 2021 Virtual Provider CME series—monthly webinars at no cost to providers.
For pediatricians, primary care providers, RNs, and school-based nurses.
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit Designation for 1.0 contact hour for each program.
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Congratulations and welcome to our newest SCMA members! We are delighted to have you on board and look forward to supporting you and collaborating with you and your colleagues.
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Internal Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Elliott Brandwene, MD
Emergency Medicine
Maria-Claudia Campagna, MD
Internal Medicine
Janet Chiang, MD
Endocrinology
Julie Clark, MD
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Giac Consiglieri, MD
Neurological Surgery
Catherine Davis, MD
Internal Medicine
Marlon DeCastro, MD
Internal Medicine
David Della Lana, MD
Family Medicine
Laurie Doolittle, MD
Pediatrics
Asia Downing, MD
Internal Medicine
John Elliott, MD
Internal Medicine
Omar Ferrari, DO
Emergency Medicine
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Bobby Field, MD
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jana Fix, MD
Internal Medicine
Michael Gelb, MD
Psychiatry
Michael Glamore, MD
Urology
Shana Hill, MD
Pulmonary Disease
Douglas Jicha, MD
Vascular Surgery
Jon Karch, MD
Critical Care Medicine
Ognjen Katan, MD
Critical Care Medicine
Sara Keck, MD
Medical Oncology
Leroy Keiser, MD
Medical Oncology
Sae Hee Ko, MD
Vascular Surgery
Anthony Kosinski MD
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Trieneke Kylstra, MD
Family Medicine
Stella Lai, MD
Neurology
Adamane Lalithmohan, MD
Cardiovascular Disease
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Nahla Makhoul, MD
Internal Medincine
Eran Mataron, MD
Internal Medicine
Thomas Morales, MD
Gastroenterology
Ridgely Muller, MD
Emergency Medicine
Kateri Murray, MD
Hospital & Palliative Medicine
Tiffany Ngai, MD
Infectious Disease
Albert Nguyen, MD
Critical Care Medicine
Paul Nicholas, MD
Psychiatry
Anna Paulsson, MD
Radiation Oncology
Brett Schulte, MD
Sugery
Melissa Strange, MD
Pediatrics
Donald Whisler, MD
Rheumatology
Kirellos Zamary, MD
Sugery
Grace Zhang, MD
Ophthalmology
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CMA has been an outspoken voice in protecting the autonomy of public health officers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to advocate on all fronts to ensure that the interests of physicians and their patients are addressed at state and federal government levels.
CMA and its county medical societies also support California's physicians with a multitude of services ranging from free professional resources to an extensive network of benefit partners.
To learn more, see the flier at the left or call CMA's call center during weekday business hours at 800-786-4262.
CMA/SCMA/MLCMS membership benefits at a glance
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Together, we are taller and stronger |
When you renew your membership or join the California Medical Association and SCMA or MLCMS, you add your voice to nearly 50,000 members statewide who are actively supporting the practice of medicine and public health initiatives like SCMA's COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Membership is affordable and easy to maintain; monthly payment plans are available. Call 800-786-4262 or click the button below to join online. |
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ALLOWS PPE EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS ON STATE TAXES
Contact your legislators: Support AB 80
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AB 80 is a critical piece of legislation that will help front-line physicians and community practices keep their doors open so that they can continue to provide necessary care for California residents. Physician practices have faced devastating reductions to revenues and increases in costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 87% of practices reporting ongoing fiscal concerns. CMA is urging physicians to contact the governor and your legislators to ask for immediate action to bring California’s tax treatment of PPP loans into conformity with federal tax laws.
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SCMA BUSINESS PARTNER CORNER |
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FREE ON-DEMAND WEBCAST:
Enhance your practice's telemedicine Program
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The rapid pace that practices have had to adopt telemedicine over the past year has left many questions unanswered and gaps unfilled. In this webcast, Virtual Care: The Next Medical Frontier, presented by the Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP), Dr. S. John Korangy, MD, MPH, addresses fundamental challenges many physicians experience when implementing virtual care programs and provides a framework for a successful operation.
Learn more about CAP's medical malpractice coverage.
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IN THE NEWS
St. Joseph Health Medical Group has added three new family medicine providers to the group in Santa Rosa. William Markoff, MD, James Trapnell, MD, and Jennifer Warren, RN, MSN, FNP, will all see patients at 500 Doyle Park Drive. See full details and appointment information here.
CAN YOU HELP?
Operation Access is seeking volunteer physicians to provide surgical and specialty care for low-income and uninsured adults in Northern California. You determine the frequency of participation and types of cases you accept. Please contact us to learn more about how you can get involved. Call 415-733-0052, email info@operationaccess.org or visit our website.
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For updates on future SCMA vaccination clinics and volunteer opportunities, please join our mailing list. When you sign up for our email communications list, you'll receive the latest information and resources from SCMA and MLCMS.
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SCMA and MLCMS members can place FREE classified ads in News Briefs. (Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word.) To place a classified ad or display banner, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-481-8995.
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When you shop at smile.amazon.com and designate the Medical Society of Sonoma County as your charitable organization, a percentage of your purchases is donated to MSSC—which works in tandem with SCMA to support physicians and healthcare professionals in Sonoma County. Thank you and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY from the SCMA Team! |
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Contact SCMA|MLCMS: exec@scma.org
or rachel@scma.org | 707-525-4375
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