Fitting within our goal to help physicians when you need help, the Colorado Medical Society is coordinating virtual focus groups with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) so we are better prepared to respond to the next pandemic. You will be asked for your feedback on staffing and function deficits, throughput challenges, supplemental staffing, and potential incentives for participants in a Health Care Services Reserve Corps.

Two sessions remain:

Physicians who participated in the first session on April 28 had a great discussion about issues in the ER, specifically sharing their concerns with nursing shortage. What was your biggest challenge? Share it with CMS and CDPHE in one of the final two listening sessions!

The Colorado Medical Society, in partnership with the CU Housestaff Association, invites you to attend an in-person happy hour at Ursula Brewery, 2101 N. Ursula St. in Aurora, Wednesday, May 11, 5-7 p.m.

All physicians and especially resident physicians are welcome! Come to connect with your peers and enjoy a drink and light appetizers on us. Thank you to our event sponsor, Huntington National Bank!

Last week, members of the CMS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee had a one-on-one meeting with Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, chief health equity officer for the American Medical Association. Dr. Maybank has helped guide the AMA to develop a variety of resources to promote equity for physicians and their patients.

 

The Committee discussed the CMS DEI Roadmap, as well as some of the challenges and successes that the AMA has had in implementing change in this area. The Committee plans to discuss some of these opportunities at their next meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 5. As always, CMS meetings are open to all members. You can register for meetings of the CMS DEI Committee here.

A CMS member who watched the film called it heartbreaking and thought-provoking. She said, "we all are absolutely certain as doctors that we provide equitable care regardless of race. But the data on kidney transplants, maternal and infant mortality, Covid deaths, etc., does not lie. That makes me wonder how to start looking at data in my little corner of this world. We cannot hold ourselves accountable without data. We cannot confront our own part in the world of medicine that is failing a portion of the population without data."

Thank you to all who attended the Colorado Medical Society's first in-person Regional Summit! We heard from many physicians and guests how happy they were to finally be back in person. We were, too!

Save the date for our July Regional Summit and Board of Directors Meeting - July 23-24 in Denver! Reply to this email to be added to our VIP list and be the first to be notified when registration opens.

The Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus invites you to attend a webinar on Colorado's Medical Aid in Dying Law during which expert speakers Hillary Lum, MD, PhD, and Eric Campbell, PhD, (pictured) will present the results of a recent survey of 300 Colorado physicians. Don't miss this important webinar!