As many of you may have already heard, I am resigning as Health Officer of Sonoma County, effective April 7. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with you for the past three years, during an unprecedented pandemic. I appreciate all of the hard work and effort that every one of you contributed during these difficult times. As a result of our joint work, we were able to protect the community and save lives.
My work here is now done, and I have taken a position with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, as the Team Lead Medical Officer for the Quarantine and Travel Epidemiology Team. I will be returning to national and international work in infectious disease, including tuberculosis. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, and I hope that our paths cross again in the future.
Best regards,
Sundari Mase, MD, MPH | Health Officer
Department of Health Services
| |
Transition and challenge in Mendocino County | |
Andy Coren, MD
As we enter spring 2023, we are seeing a change in the COVID-19 pandemic that we hope will last. Hospitalizations and positivity of waste-water samplings have been decreasing and have reached levels approaching a bad influenza season. While this does not spell the end of the pandemic, it does mark the end of a required emergency response (orders and reporting) and a normalizing of activity and community response to the disease. Now patients can once again depend directly on their medical providers.
The California Medical Association recently published an article titled “End of the COVID-19 Emergency: What Physicians Need to Know,” which I hope you will all review. I found it to be a helpful guide for the transition.
Another challenge we now face is the current epidemic of opioid overdoses and deaths. Community education and the collaboration of many organizations, from schools to emergency rooms and outpatient care, are extremely important. Continue reading
| |
COVID-19 revised orders from CDPH
effective April 3, 2023
| |
New COVID-19 guidance related to changes in vaccination, masking, isolation, and quarantine requirements was announced by the California Department of Public Health in March. Click here to download a PDF with links and a summary of changes effective April 3 and March 13, 2023. Additionally, please be aware that greater protective measures may be required by your facility, healthcare organization, or other entities such as OSHA. Check Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake County websites for COVID-19 information in your local area.
| |
JOIN US ON SACRAMENTO'S CAPITAL HILL
CMA 2023 Physician Legislative Advocacy Day
| |
The California Medical Association will host its 49th annual Legislative Advocacy Day on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023, in Sacramento.
CMA's "Leg Day" brings together more than 400 physician and medical student leaders from all specialties and modes of practice throughout California. Physicians meet with legislators regarding priority healthcare issues as scheduled by their local medical society.
Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake County physicians – Are you planning to attend Leg Day? We will include you in scheduled meetings with our legislative representatives, but we must let them know in advance that you are joining us. We are scheduling appointments with Senators Bill Dodd and Mike McGuire and Assembly members Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Jim Wood. Carpool Lane? YES, please! SMLMA Executive Director Wendy Davies is planning to drive, leaving Santa Rosa at 6:30 a.m. for 8:00 a.m. conference start. Please let us know ASAP!
Self register using the link below or contact us at 707-525-4375 or rachel@smlma.org.
| |
CMA announces 2023 priority bills | |
The California Medical Association announced its 2023 priority bill package, which includes legislation that would reform prior authorization, expand cultural and linguistic competency, streamline provider credentialing, protect physicians providing reproductive healthcare and more. Click here for summaries of CMA's seven priority bills. | |
Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake MDs needed for HOD DXC | |
CMA House of Delegates
The "House of Delegates" is the principal policy-making body for the CMA, and SMLMA is part of HOD's District X Caucus (DXC). CMA HOD physician delegates meet annually to review, debate, and vote on resolutions and reports dealing with a myriad of medical practice, public health, and governance issues. SMLMA delegates represent the interests of physicians in our tri-county service area. We are now seeking nominations to fill delegate/alternate seats for SMLMA's District 10 delegation.
To nominate yourself or a colleague, submit the name and a brief explanation of your interest or nomination to rachel@smlma.org. Questions? Call SMLMA at 707-525-4375.
| |
– NEW BIMONTHLY FEATURE –
Tips and tools for practice management leaders
| |
SMLMA Practice Leadership Forum is pleased to present TIPS & TOOLS—a new bimonthly feature offering information, insights and solutions for improving practice workflow and administrative efficiencies. Our first article, shared by SMLMA Supporting Partner Principled Medical Management, addresses the need to streamline rapidly rising operating costs.
Reducing Administrative Expenses
By Melanie Keil, MBA
As we close the first quarter of 2023, the challenges of staffing during the pandemic have shifted into challenges of post-pandemic cost concerns. Specifically, physicians are increasingly concerned about rising administrative costs along with continued inflation worries. We can all agree that administrative costs are not only related to staffing costs, but also to IT and EMR systems and management, which are critical to keep current Continue reading
TIPS & TOOLS is sponsored by the SMLMA Practice Leadership Forum. For questions or to submit an article for publication, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@smlma.org or 707-525-4375.
| |
Principled Medical Management provides financial management, operations management, organizational governance, business development and marketing, human resource management, risk and compliance oversight, and strategic planning for solo and small group practices. Visit www.principledmedical.com
| |
SMLMA PRACTICE LEADERSHIP FORUM PRESENTS
Developing your wildly important goals
Join us for lite bites and refreshments and learn about developing strategies for implementing important goals. SMLMA Supporting Partner Melanie Keil / Principled Medical Management will present and lead the discussion.
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Partnership HealthPlan
495 Tesconi Circle, Santa Rosa
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
To reserve your place, contact
Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@smlma.org
| |
Bay Area medical components explore collaborations | |
The SMLMA Team recently met with teams from our sister Bay Area medical societies (pictured above) for a day of connection and brainstorming. The group spent a full day sharing experiences and exploring how to best serve the needs and interests of member physicians.
Please contact SMLMA Executive Director Wendy Davies at 707-620-0808 or exec@smlma.org with your suggestions, ideas, or challenges. How can SMLMA assist you and your practice? Remember, we are here to serve YOU!
|
|
JOB OPENINGS
Looking for an internal medicine physician interested in quality of life while still delivering excellent care to patients. Are you interested in slowing down, taking time with your patients, and taking more and longer vacations? Me too! Come work with me in Healdsburg, share space and fantastic medical assistants, and most importantly, cover each other so we can take the vacations we deserve. Contact Dr. Rachel Mayorga at 707-755-0095.
•••••••••••••••••••••••
| |
Begin a rewarding career in Public Health! Mendocino County seeks Licensed Vocational Nurses, Registered Nurses, Public Health Nurses, and Senior Public Health Nurses to fill immediate full-time and extra help openings. LVN: $55,515 - $67,475; RN: $ $78,187 - $95,014; Public Health Nurse: $91,124 - $110,780; Senior Public Health Nurse $100,297 - $121,908. Apply now at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mendocinoca
|
FREE classifieds or announcements for SMLMA MEMBERS
SMLMA members can place FREE classified ads or announcements on the Community Bulletin Board. Cost for nonmembers is $1 per word. Contact Susan Gumucio at 707-481-8995 or susan@smlma.org.
| |
APRIL WEBINARS AND EVENTS | |
Providence Hospice Sonoma County
My Journey as a Hospice Physician
Hear from Hospice Medical Director Shara Yurkiewicz, MD, about her journey to practice medicine and offer end-of-life care in our community (a "Wednesdays at Hospice" presentation).
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 • 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
See website for Zoom link. Meeting ID 973 3020 7869 | Passcode: Hospice
| |
California Medical Association
Working with Different Generations
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 • 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
Leading the Charge: Embedding Health Equity into the Forefront of
Value-Based Care
Thursday, April 6, 2023 • 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
CMA Data Exchange Explainer Series #2 – Data Exchange Policy and Legal Environment
Thursday, April 13, 2023 • 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
Introduction to Value-Based Care for Physicians
Thursday, April 20, 2023 • 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
| |
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. Interactive Q&A session takes place with each live event. Learn about the series here.
AddressiAlcohol Use Disorder
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Trauma, Resilience and Long-Term Consequences
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine Perspective on Cancer Prevention
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
Prenatal Genetic Screening: Current Guidelines and Updates
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
| |
Congratulations, new SMLMA members!
We look forward to supporting you and your practice
with Providence Medical Group and Vituity.
| |
PROVIDENCE MEDICAL GROUP
Neil Levin, MD
Internal Medicine
William Markoff, MD
Family Medicine
Pamela Maur, MD
Cardiovascular Disease
Daniel Mirda, MD
Hematology
Ridgely Muller, MD
Emergency Medicine
| |
Roger Kin Chee Ng, MD
Cardiovascular Disease
Tiffany Ngai, MD
Infectious Disease
Thong Phan Nguyen, DO
Internal Medicine
Anna Paulsson, MD
Radiation Oncology
Michael Pezold, MD
Vascular Surgery
Rajveer Sangera, DO
Internal Medicine
| |
|
COOPERATIVE OF AMERICAN PHYSICIANS
Important lessons for avoiding lawsuits
| |
In From Exam Room to Courtroom: Lessons Learned from Real Medical Malpractice Cases, you will find important insights focusing on three areas of liability to help you avoid unnecessary lawsuits:
- Physician misjudgment errors
- Gaps in communication and documentation
- Oversights during specialist referrals
| |
| | | |