They Said It...
"Those in the medical profession often see themselves as SuperMen and Women, and often extend themselves beyond reason. It is important to be able to protect oneself, to say No and to understand that if we cannot say No, we cannot say Yes, and further, we will be unable to recognize fulfilling options before our very eyes in love, friendship and work." SaraKay Smullens, author of Burnout and Self-Care in Social Work, emphasizing self-care as one of the ways physicians can help reduce burnout. Read more in our Spring 2022 edition of Philadelphia Medicine magazine.
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Things you should know... |
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Support House Bill 2660 to Amend the State Constitution and Protect Venue Rule |
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COVID-19 Made Health Care Providers Vulnerable, A Change in Venue Rule Could Make It Worse
While the Supreme Court has not acted on the proposed rule change, it continues to be a threat. To that end, the medical society supports House Bill 2660, a Constitutional amendment that will strip the Supreme Court’s ability to establish venue and place the matter in the hands of the legislature.
Please contact your legislators to support House Bill 2660 to amend Pennsylvania’s constitution to protect the venue rule.
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The Philadelphia Department of Public Health issued a Health Advisory on June 8 that provides updated guidance about exposure risk assessment and clinical manifestation of monkeypox. It is available from https://hip.phila.gov.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to monitor the Monkeypox cases in several countries, including the United States. It is important to recognize that in the current Monkeypox outbreak, individuals may present atypically and providers should be aware that rashes will likely not be generalized and may present subtly.
Resources with photographs:
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Amended Up-to-date COVID-19 Vaccine Status Definition |
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The CDC updated booster recommendations and the definition of up-to-date vaccination includes:
- All individuals ages 50 years and older should receive a second booster at least 4 months after receiving their first booster.
- People ages 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should receive a second booster at least 4 months after receiving their first booster.
- People between 18 to 49 years who received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for both their primary and booster dose may receive the second booster dose of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna). Of note, this group does not require the second booster dose to be considered up-to-date.
- A single booster is recommended for children ages 5 to 11 years old.
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Parenting as a Physician: It Takes a Lot of Patience |
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Finding work-life balance during the COVID-19 pandemic has required parents to constantly recalibrate, shifting the demands of parenting to meet the needs of their employers. Burnout rates remain particularly high among physicians, and those who also take on the responsibilities of caring for their children face a unique set of challenges. The AMA will have a panel discussion webinar at noon on June 21 which will feature multiple physician parents and will provide tips on how to set limits, balance family life as a physician, simply find the time, and manage family activities.
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Private Practice Learning Collaborative: E/M Documentation Burden Reduction |
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The AMA has launched a new learning collaborative opportunity for private practice physicians designed to help implement actionable changes that can quickly increase their practice’s efficiency. Each session in the eight-week Private Practice Simple Solutions series will focus on a different topic.
Physicians will be able to access a pre-recorded didactic presentation and a discussion board. The discussion board runs throughout the entirety of the eight weeks, offering opportunities to interact with fellow cohort members and ask questions to subject matter experts who oversee the sessions. A second pre-recorded presentation will follow the first, focusing on the common obstacles or questions identified on the discussion board.
The first session, which provides insights on using the AMA STEPS Forward® E/M Documentation Burden Reduction Toolkit as a guide, will be released on July 7. The second recording will be released on Aug. 16.
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Be on the Lookout for Increase in Legionellosis Cases |
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The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) is alerting physicians and medical practices to an anticipated seasonal increase in Legionella infections combined with a potential increase in cases resulting from changing building occupancies as described in 2020 PA-HAN 507, 2021 PA-HAN 579, and on CDC’s website.
PADOH is advising maintaining a high index of suspicion in adult patients with pneumonia. The preferred diagnostic tests for Legionnaires’ disease are culture of lower respiratory secretions (e.g., sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage) on selective media AND the Legionella urinary antigen test. Submit Legionella isolates to the PADOH Bureau of Laboratories for serotyping. Report all legionellosis cases to the health department via PA-NEDSS or by calling PADOH (877-PA-HEALTH).
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CONTRACT CORNER BRIEFS
by Karen E. Davidson, Esquire
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PHYSICIAN NONCOMPETE provisions included in employment contracts are often overly broad with potential for unforeseen or unintended consequences. So, when negotiating an employment contract, a best practice includes clarification of the non-compete - even if you cannot otherwise negotiate a reduction to the restrictions (e.g., time or distance/locations, etc.). If you are seeking a new position (and anticipating leaving your present situation), the new employer (and their legal counsel), may first need to be convinced that, as a new hire, you will not be in breach of your prior/present non-compete. Having a crystal clear non-compete can: (i) help stave off a new employer’s skittishness about hiring you; and (ii) protect you from future liability for your new employer’s costs, expenses and legal fees stemming from non-compete breach.
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Tools for Success Returns
Date: Thursday, June 23
Time: 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Place: Waynesborough Country Club, 440 Darby Paoli Road, Paoli PA 19301
The Chester & Delaware County Medical Societies are hosting a Practice Management Conference, “Tools for Success Returns," on Thursday, June 23 from 2:00 to 5:30 PM at the Waynesborough Country Club. Topics include practice management updates, human resources and best practices for attracting and retaining staff in your practice. A reception will follow from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.
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