NCMS Morning Rounds 3-29-21
Welcome to a new week of NCMS Morning Rounds.March 29, 2021Tomorrow is the big day – Doctors’ Day!Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 30, is the annual observance of Doctors’ Day, a time to honor you and the amazing work you do. This year Doctors’ Day has special significance. Physicians – and PAs – have been front and center working tirelessly to continue to care for people during a global pandemic. We recognize you and the invaluable professional and personal sacrifices you have made over the past year! And we want to give you an opportunity to recognize your colleagues. Consider sending an e-card to show a colleague you care and recognize their contributions in honor of Doctors’ Day. If you chose, their name will be publicized in the NCMS Morning Rounds newsletter and on our social media platforms. To make it even more meaningful, the proceeds from each $10 card goes to support the work of the NCMS Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation and its many programs to improve access to care in North Carolina. Click here to send a 2021 Doctors’ Day e-card today. NCMS Legislative UpdateLast week the budgeting process continued at the NC General Assembly as Governor Roy Cooper introduced his budget proposal. Several components of note include a call for Medicaid expansion as well as funding for the state’s transition to Medicaid managed care; allocations for minority health program expansion and a veteran suicide prevention program among many other items. For a more complete look at the Governor’s budget and to get a sense of his priorities, visit our NCMS legislative blog for a summary. The Governor’s budget presentation is only one part of the process. Legislators are continuing to hear from various groups in their subject specific appropriations committees. Each chamber will present a its budget proposal and then negotiations to reconcile everyone’s priorities will begin. Watch our blog and your NCMS Morning Rounds newsletter for updates throughout this session. Other bills of note that were filed last week include: HB289 – Broadband Mapping Funds which allocates $1 million to identify areas in the state in need of broadband access or improvements. This has become a priority for the NCMS as use of telehealth has increased during the pandemic and those without broadband do not have good access to the technology necessary. HB395 – Extend Deadlines for Mandatory HIE Participation is a proposal to extend the deadlines for psychiatrists and other health care providers to participate in the statewide health information exchange (HIE) network until 2022. SB345 – PA Team Based Practice would update laws and regulations to better reflect the team-based environments in which the vast majority of PAs work. The proposal ensures PAs are regulated and licensed by the North Carolina Medical Board and differentiates the requirements between early-career and experienced PAs. This proposal is the result of work by the NCMS’ Medical Team Task Force. As previously reported, last week the NCMS and the NC Academy of Physician Assistants issued a media statement when this legislation was introduced on Wednesday. Read the joint statement here to learn more. Finally, a big thank you to those who have already responded to our Action Alert expressing opposition to HB 277 / SB 249 - The SAVE Act. This legislative proposal would allow nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives to practice without the supervision of a physician, essentially creating the authority for the independent practice of medicine. A record-setting 2400+ emails were sent to legislators using this alert and 300 new people registered for this and future grassroots mobilizations. If you haven’t responded yet, please do so at this link. And please share it with your colleagues and networks. Beware of This Scam!The North Carolina Attorney General’s office recently released a fraud alert warning licensed medical professionals about sophisticated fraud schemes that make it appear that the professional’s regulatory board is contacting them about an urgent and sensitive matter. A common ploy is to inform the licensed individual that his or her information is being used for criminal activities that are under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or other law enforcement agencies. Often, the scammer demands payment in order to prevent suspension of the individual’s professional license. Frequently, the scammers “spoof” the appropriate licensing board’s telephone number so that the call may appear legitimate to the medical professional. If you receive any communication, via telephone or letter, that demands immediate payment, the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) advises you NOT to provide any personal or financial information to the individual or individuals requesting it. You may wish to contact the Medical Board at 919-326-1100 or [email protected] to report the communication received and confirm the current status of your license. You may check the status of your license online by entering your last name and first name in NCMB’s “Look up a doctor or PA” tool. The Office of the Attorney General also recommends that scams be reported to its Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. Learn more about how to protect yourself in this notice from the NCMB. In the News'Not Just The Most Vulnerable': Who Gets 'Long COVID', Becker’s Hospital Review, 3-23-21 Learning OpportunityThrown Under the Bus: Young People’s Mental Health in the Pandemic Era (Virtual), April 8 @ noon to 1 pm If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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Morning Rounds for March 26, 2021
Happy Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.March 26, 2021Joint Statement with NC Academy of Physician AssistantsYesterday the NCMS and NC Academy of Physician Assistants issued a joint media statement in support of the recently introduced legislation SB-345- PA Team-Based Practice. This proposed legislation would update laws and regulations to better reflect the team-based environments in which the vast majority of PAs work. The proposal ensures PAs are regulated and licensed by the North Carolina Medical Board and differentiates the requirements between early-career and experienced PAs. Read the joint statement here to learn more. Help a Fledging Health Care Professional While They Help YouIf your practice is interested in training the next generation of health care professionals, but you’re not quite ready to host medical students, the MedServe Fellow program may be for you. Fellows are recent college graduates who have completed a pre-medical curriculum and are taking time off before medical school to get clinical experience. They spend 2 years as full-time employees in clinics in both clinical (e.g. medical assisting) and public health (e.g. outreach) roles. The MedServe program provides quarterly skill trainings and ongoing supportive curriculum for fellows to ensure they arrive at your clinic prepared and knowledgeable about our changing health care landscape. Cost of hosting Fellows is shared with MedServe's philanthropic funds. Weekly Reminder: NCMS, NCMS Foundation Board OpeningsThe NCMS and NCMS Foundation leadership nomination process is underway. Please consider a leadership role for yourself or a worthy colleague. The NCMS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. If you have something to contribute to the NCMS Foundation’s mission, then consider serving on its Board of Trustees. A full description of what is expected of trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. In addition, the NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. An overview of each of the roles on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee along with details on the nomination process are included in this document. In the NewsYou've Been Vaccinated. What Happens If You Catch The Coronavirus Anyway? Advisory Board, 3-24-21 Learning Opportunity2021 Quality Payment Program Overview Webinar, Thursday, April 8 at 2 PM If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for March 26, 2021
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA recounts the week's events at the NC General Assembly. Governor Roy Cooper introduced his budget proposal as the budgeting process continues; a variety of other legislation was filed including bills on broadband needs, Health Information Exchange connectivity deadlines and PA team-based practice. Thanks to everyone who responded to the Action Alert -- more than 2,400 emails were sent to legislators opposing SB345 -- the SAVE Act. If you haven't yet taken action, please access the alert here and let your state representatives know where you stand on this bill.
Get daily updates on what is happening at the state legislature on our NCMS legislative blog here.
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-25-21
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.
March 25, 2021
Take Action! Your Voice Makes a Difference
If you haven’t already accessed our Action Alert expressing opposition to HB 277 / SB 249 - The SAVE Act, please consider doing so now. This legislative proposal would allow nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives to practice without the supervision of a physician, essentially creating the authority for the independent practice of medicine.
Education, training and experience are essential in health care decision making. Ignoring the need for additional training when providing additional authority puts patients at risk.
Send this Action Alert now. So far, we’ve had the biggest response ever to this call to action with over 2,000 emails sent to legislators. Thank you to those who have already responded. Your voice as a health care professional constituent is key to our advocacy efforts
Medicare Sequester -- Grassroots Advocacy at the Federal Level Also Needed
Congress has just over a week to decide whether to extend Medicare sequester relief to physicians until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. If the extension is not adopted, an across the board 2 percent cut to Medicare payments will go into effect.
Please reach out to Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis to urge them to support S748 – The Medicare Sequester Relief Act.
The AMA has an easy way for you to reach out to the Senators on this legislation. Access their grassroots message on S748 here.
This bill is bipartisan and would prevent the cuts for the duration of the public health crisis. The proposal recognizes that due to COVID-19 physician practices are already facing a steep decline in revenue and additional payment cuts could jeopardize operations unless the moratorium on the Medicare sequester is kept in place until the end of the pandemic.
Please act now since time is short before action must be taken. Contact the Senators now!
Practice Survey Results on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts
The results of our most recent survey of North Carolina medical practices with particular emphasis on the COVID-19 vaccination are available in this summary.
Just over a third (32 percent) of responding practices identified patient volume as their foremost concern with vaccination issues the second most pressing concern for 16 percent of respondents. Those COVID-19 vaccine concerns included access to the vaccine for patients as well as vaccine hesitancy among practice staff and patients and having adequate staffing for vaccine clinics. See all the results here.
As we have for the past year, the NCMS, Curi and the NC Medical Group Management Association will continue to send our survey regularly to identify trends among North Carolina practices as the state continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its various impacts.
In the News
'Vaccine Passports' Are Coming. But Not All Experts Are Sure That's A Good Thing, Advisory Board, 3-23-2021
Learning Opportunity
Mitigating Burnout and Maintaining Provider Satisfaction During Vaccination Rollouts (Webinar), Wednesday, March 31 at noon
The COVID-19 pandemic forced health centers to change the way health care is delivered. Virtual health care visits were widely and quickly implemented and staff were redeployed to accommodate the demand for testing. This rapid change in health care delivery came with significant challenges including changes in staffing and care team makeup, furloughs, lack of PPE at the beginning of the pandemic, and fear of infection for those in direct contact with patients. As health centers continue to meet community needs related to the pandemic and engage in mass vaccination efforts, it will be important to consider lessons learned over the past year. In this webinar series, we will explore provider burnout and satisfaction in the context of the pandemic, lessons learned, and strategies that health centers can take to minimize burnout and maintain provider satisfaction in the next several months.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-22-21
Welcome to spring and Monday's NCMS Morning Rounds.March 22, 2021NCMS Legislative UpdateIf you haven’t already accessed our Action Alert expressing opposition to HB 277 / SB 249 - The SAVE Act, please consider doing so now. This legislative proposal would allow nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives to practice without the supervision of a physician, essentially creating the authority for the independent practice of medicine. Education, training and experience are essential in health care decision making. Ignoring the need for additional training when providing additional authority puts patients at risk. Send this Action Alert now. Your voice as a health care professional constituent is key to our advocacy efforts. Another bill of note introduced last week is HB329 – Chiropractic Care Copayment Parity. This proposal prohibits insurers from offering a health benefit plan that imposes any limitation on treatment or levels of coverage if performed by a chiropractor unless a comparable limitation is also imposed on the medically necessary treatment if performed or authorized by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. It also prohibits insurers from offering a health benefit plan that imposes a copayment amount charged to the insured for chiropractic services that is higher than the copayment amount for the services of a primary care physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner for a comparable medically necessary treatment or condition. At its meeting last week the Joint Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard presentations on mental health and specifically telepsychiatry. See the agenda and presentations at the committee website here. Two proposals currently under consideration SB161 – NC Statewide Telepsychiatry Program/Funds and HB209 – Support Statewide Telepsychiatry Program call for funding for telepsychiatry programs. The NCMS supports increased funding for programs that address the dire need for mental health services. Last week, as previously reported in your NCMS Morning Rounds, the NCMS joined with the NC Psychiatric Association in a media statement highlighting the increased needs due to the pandemic. Read the statement here. Finally, HB316 – Support Maternal Health/Extend Medicaid Coverage, directs the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to implement continued Medicaid eligibility of pregnant women for 12 months postpartum beginning on April 1, 2022. To keep up with all the bill filing action each day at the NC General Assembly, be sure to check our NCMS legislative blog regularly. Reminder: Tomorrow is Diabetes Alert Day!Just a reminder that tomorrow, March 23 is Diabetes Alert Day, and the NC Diabetes Advisory Council is hosting a webinar to review NC’s Guide to Diabetes Prevention and Management. If you haven’t already registered, click here and register today! This webinar will discuss prediabetes and diabetes in NC, provide an overall review of the Guide, and address actions that individuals/organizations can take to decrease the burden of diabetes in NC. Arm Yourself: COVID-19 Vaccine Planning and ResourcesThis month’s NCMS Foundation/NC Medical Group Management Association Lunch and Learn webinar will address COVID-19 vaccine planning and resources with guest speaker Bill Shenton, JD, a partner at Poyner Spruill. Be sure to join in this webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23 from noon to 1 p.m. This presentation will provide an overview of key considerations in planning a COVID-19 vaccine administration program in a medical practice and will touch on some available resources that can be accessed to prepare. Topics covered will include: In the NewsWhat Amazon Care’s Nationwide Expansion Means For The Telehealth Industry, STAT News, 3-18-21 Learning OpportunityAddiction and COVID-19: A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Nora Volkow, Tuesday, March 23 from 2 to 3:30 PM Addiction Policy Forum invites you to a webinar with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), both part of the National Institutes of Health, about the intersection of addiction and the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered will include the impact on people with substance use disorders, the latest on safe and effective vaccinations for COVID-19, and the unique challenges that the pandemic has presented for people in recovery. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for March 19, 2021
This week we are mobilizing our grassroots network to oppose the SAVE Act, a proposal that would grant independent practice to nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified nurse anesthetists and others. Watch and learn more about how you can let legislators know your view on this bill and get an update on other legislation introduced this week.
For daily updates from the NC General Assembly be sure to follow our NCMS legislative blog.
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-18-21
Happy Thursday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.March 18, 2021Is there a positive change brought about by the pandemic that you would like to see become part of post-pandemic life? RESPOND HERE. The most interesting responses may be published in the upcoming NCMS Bulletin magazine. Thanks for sharing! Joint Media Statement on COVID-19’s Impact on Mental HealthThe NCMS joined with the NC Psychiatric Association yesterday in releasing a media statement on the impact of the pandemic on mental health. “The COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on the nation’s mental health is not likely to abate even after the pandemic is over,” the statement reads. “Now is the time not only to help those currently in crisis, but also to plan for better access to mental health services in the future.” Information on how to access care now is included as well as praise for pending legislation addressing future needs for mental health services. Is Telehealth Here to Stay?This week’s NCMS Foundation Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership’s Power Hour addresses whether the increased use of telehealth platforms during the pandemic is here to stay post-pandemic. Telehealth was a hot topic for a Power Hour last April. How has its use evolved over the past year? Is it a viable means of patient-centered care for the future? What needs to change? What is working well now? Join your colleagues as we explore this topic in our friendly and engaging virtual Power Hour forum. Care Share Welcomes New Executive DirectorCare Share Health Alliance recently announced that Weyling White will serve as its next Executive Director. White succeeds Linda Kinney, who remains at Care Share as Director of Innovation and Capacity Building. Care Share Health Alliance, a public/private partnership, was created to serve as a statewide resource and technical assistance center to help communities develop Collaborative Networks to improve access to care and the health of low-income, uninsured and underserved people. “We are fortunate to have Weyling lead Care Share,” said Alice Pollard, Board Chair. “Weyling brings tremendous leadership experience with programs that promote systems change to increase access to health care. His experience and passion for health equity and social justice will be a guiding light for advancing Care Share’s vision of communities that are healthy and committed to health equity for all.” White most recently worked with Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center (RHCC) as the Practice Administrator. He joined RCCHC in 2013 as the Director of Hertford Health Access, a collaborative network that was supported by Care Share. Weyling is a native of Ahoskie, NC, and in 2019, made history when he was elected as Ahoskie’s first African American Mayor. Weyling is a graduate of the Rural Economic Development Institute with the NC Rural Center, a Leadership North Carolina Class XXVI graduate, and a current Bernstein Health Leadership Fellow. In the NewsFirst Children Vaccinated In Moderna's Phase 2/3 Pediatric Covid-19 Vaccine Trial, CNN Health, 3-16-21 Learning OpportunityShifting Power Workshop: Collaborations to Confront the Root Causes of Health Inequities, March 26 from 1 - 2:15 p.m. This work is more important than ever given the intersecting and cascading crises of COVID-19, police violence, and housing and economic insecurity. Health departments are accountable to these crises and should increasingly seed and nurture collaborations with groups explicitly focused on building community power as a strategy to achieve health equity. In that spirit, this discussion will highlight a framework to approach this work, along with examples of health department and community organizing collaborations.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-17-21
Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 17, 2021Thinking ahead: What is one thing that has changed for the positive during the pandemic that you would like to see become part of post-pandemic life? RESPOND HERE. The most interesting responses may be published in the upcoming NCMS Bulletin magazine. Medicare Reimbursement for COVID-19 Vaccine DoublesOn Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Medicare reimbursement for administration of the COVID-19 vaccine would nearly double. The rate will increase from approximately $28 to $40 for the administration of single-dose vaccines and from approximately $45 to $80 for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines requiring two doses. The exact payment rate for administration of each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will depend on the type of entity that furnishes the service and will be geographically adjusted based on where the service is furnished. As vaccine supplies are increasing advocacy by the AMA and national specialty societies worked to help ensure that you receive adequate reimbursement for administering these vaccines as a key step in ending the pandemic. The updated Medicare payment rate reflects the additional resources necessary to ensure the vaccine is administered safely and appropriately. The costs are incorporated into the new CPT code 99072 and are bundled with COVID immunization administration payments. Patients do not incur any charge for the vaccine. Be Alert to Diabetes Prevention and ManagementDiabetes Alert Day is next Tuesday, March 23, and the NC Diabetes Advisory Council reminds you that diabetes is a significant issue in our state. According to the NC Guide to Diabetes Prevention and Management (‘the Guide’), almost half of people in NC either have prediabetes (34.5 percent) or diabetes (12.5 percent), with a total of 1/3 million North Carolinians who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. This is a 33 percent increase over the past 10 years. The Guide addresses diabetes as a complex disease that is impacted by social determinants of health at the individual, relationship, community and societal levels. It also serves as a call to action to prevent and manage diabetes in NC, and its purpose is to: 1. Increase understanding of the impact of diabetes in North Carolina To learn more about the Guide, register for the March 23 webinar. Click here and register today! Looking for Lifelong Success and Fulfillment?Clark Gaither, MD, FAAFP, medical director for the NC Professionals Health Program, recently collaborated with Maria N Tolstykh, an I/O Psychologist and Founder of Sustainable Work, along with 20 other experts in a summit called ‘Sustainability at Work: Tools and Solutions to Lifelong Success and Fulfillment.’ As a result of this collaboration, Dr. Gaither, also known for his blog and writings as ‘Dr. Burnout’ helping medical professionals avoid and overcome burnout, is sharing the knowledge and insights gained in a free online series to help you discover sustainable balance and fulfillment in your work and life. In the NewsECRI Says COVID-19 Has Made Racial Disparities Biggest Healthcare Safety Concern, Health Care Dive, 3-15-21 Learning OpportunityThe Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Records: Comprehensive Overview and Recent Changes, March 24 at 12:30 PM. Register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-16-21
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 16, 2021Meet and Greet Medicaid Health Plan RepsWith open enrollment underway as of yesterday for Medicaid managed care, if your practice has not yet contracted with one of the pre-paid health plans -- or even if you have -- here is an opportunity to get your questions answered. NC Medicaid in partnership with NC AHEC will host a series of virtual Health Plan Meet and Greet Sessions beginning next Tuesday, March 23. Representatives from each of the five contracted health plans will be available to address your concerns and questions about the state’s transition from Medicaid fee-for-service to Medicaid managed care, slated to ‘go-live’ on July 1. Sessions will be delivered live with a recording and transcript made available after each event at NC AHEC’s Medicaid Managed Care webpage. And be sure to check out that page for other learning opportunities as North Carolina gets closer to this major shift in its Medicaid program. The first session will be for primary care and specialty providers on Tuesday, March 23 beginning with Amerihealth Caritas at 7:45 a.m., followed by Carolina Complete Health at 9:30 a.m. Learn more and access the links for each session by scrolling to the bottom of NC AHEC’s webpage. What Are Your Foremost Concerns?Please take just a minute to respond to this week’s survey about what practice issues are keeping you up at night as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on. The NCMS along with the NC Medical Group Management Association and Curi started this ongoing, regular survey at the beginning of the pandemic and have collected invaluable data about the ever evolving concerns and needs of practices like yours during this unprecedented time. This helps inform our policy and advocacy work on your behalf. Thank you for responding. This week’s survey includes questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Read a summary of the results culled from the 2020 surveys here. NCMS Member Practice Selected for Equity-Oriented Primary Care ProjectNCMS Board of Directors member and longtime NCMS leader Karen Smith’s, MD, family medicine practice in Raeford, NC, has been accepted into the Equity-Oriented Primary Care Innovation Collaborative. This national project is aimed at answering the question: How can primary care delivery be sustainably redesigned to drive equitable health outcomes? The goal is that by 2023 three primary care practices and their communities will demonstrate how primary care services can redesign themselves to center on racial equity and drive measurable improvements for communities of color. Over the course of the project qualitative data will be routinely collected from the participating practices on how mindsets, actions, and conditions change as they work towards reducing health inequities in their own communities. Learn more about this innovative initiative here. And kudos to Dr. Smith! In the NewsCovid-19 Roundup: Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine Seems Highly Effective Against P.1 Variant, Study Finds, Advisory Board, 3-12-21 Learning OpportunityPrior Approval Institutional (Zoom), Thursday, March 25 from 9:30 a.m. – noon. This course will cover: Meeting Information If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-15-21
Welcome to a new week and your NCMS Morning Rounds
March 15, 2021
Help With COVID-19 Vaccination Effort
With COVID-19 vaccine supply ramping up and President Joe Biden’s recent announcement that all adults should be eligible for vaccination by May 1, the necessary workforce to get the vaccines administered needs to be in place. To that end, NC AHEC has created a volunteer survey for physicians and PAs interested in participating in vaccination events. This is intended to supplement the state’s centralized volunteer database, NC TERMS and is focused on licensed medical professionals.
NC AHEC is trying to compile volunteer lists of interested physicians and PAs to offer to local health departments as they are staffing up for vaccination events that aren’t supported by a health system or other institution. Access the survey here.
If you are interested in volunteering, NC AHEC offers a free vaccine training module. It uses a team-based lens, it is applicable to every member of the vaccine team. Learn more and access the training here.
Expanding Vaccine Eligibility for Those at Higher Risk
Last week, Governor Roy Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, announced that beginning this Wednesday, March 17, those in COVID-19 vaccine eligibility Group 4 who have a medical condition that puts them at higher risk and those who live in additional congregate settings will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. The rest of Group 4, which includes other essential workers will become eligible April 7.
In keeping with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 include those with asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, sickle cell disease, obesity, or smoking. The updated eligibility also includes anyone who is living in higher risk congregate or close group living settings who is not already vaccinated including, people experiencing homelessness or living in a homeless shelter and people in a correctional facility, such as jail or prison.
Currently eligible groups – health care workers, long-term care staff and residents, people 65 and older, and child-care and school staff – will continue to be prioritized. Learn more about the state’s recommendations on who is at higher risk here.
Over the past weeks, the NCMS’ refrain has been: “Those who would fare the worst, should be vaccinated first.”
NCMS Legislative Update
The budget process is underway with the various appropriations committees, including the committee focused on health expenditures, meeting regularly. The NCMS is advocating for increased funding for public health and other areas that would benefit the health of North Carolinians. Stay up-to-date on the action at the NC General Assembly throughout the week by visiting our NCMS legislative blog.
Thank you to those who took action and contacted your legislators through our Action Alert on HB93 – Require Naloxone Scripts with Opioid Scripts. This legislation is a prescribing mandate, which the NCMS strongly opposes. In addition to the 800 Action Alert emails sent to legislators a formal letter signed by 30 NC medical specialty and county societies was sent to legislators (read the letter here) and the AMA also sent a letter opposing this proposal. Read the AMA’s letter here.
Our grassroots efforts and your emails did have an impact. Several of the bill sponsors pulled their support for the bill. Even so, the proposal did pass out of the Insurance Committee last week and is now before the House Health Committee. Please continue to reach out to legislators in opposition. Do so now with this Action Alert.
Also last week, HB277/SB249 – the SAVE Act, was introduced. This proposal would change the supervisory regulations for nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives and nurse specialists to allow independent practice. This is another proposal on which to reach out to your legislators to share your views. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for more on this proposal as the session progresses.
Our official White Coat Wednesday season kicked off last week when NCMS Board of Directors member Holly Biola, MD, MPH brought a group of UNC preventive medicine residents to meet with legislators and participate in a thoughtful discussion on equity and public health issues.
Our weekly White Coat Wednesday is your opportunity to learn about the NCMS’ advocacy on your behalf and to meet with your elected representatives. These sessions are currently being held virtually. Learn more and sign up for this meaningful opportunity to engage with the legislative process and your NCMS colleagues. And it doesn’t have to be on Wednesday! Thanks in part to holding these meetings virtually, we can be flexible if there is a better time for you to meet with your legislators.
In the News
Are Covid-19 vaccine side effects worse for women? Advisory Board, 3-11-21
Learning Opportunity
Diabetic Eye Care for Federally Qualified Health Centers Webinar: Mar 25 at 1 PM
Learn how the IRIS solution for diabetic retinal exams has positively impacted the patient population by helping to preserve eyesight at CommUnity Care Health Centers of Texas, an FQHC in Austin. With panelists from IRIS and CommUnity Care, we will discuss achieving quality/HEDIS measures, equipment decisions, designing workflows, EMR integration, and more!
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Political Pulse for March 12, 2021
The budget process continues during this legislative long session and the NCMS is advocating for appropriations in support of increased funding for public health and other areas that would benefit the health of North Carolinians. Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, speaks about this and other action at the NC General Assembly this week that could impact your practice.
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-11-21
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds
March 11, 2021
Joint Statement on the Importance of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
Yesterday a group of state health care organizations, spearheaded by the NCMS, issued a joint media statement encouraging North Carolinians to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they become eligible to receive one.
The NCMS was joined by the NC Academy of Family Physicians, the NC Health Care Association, the NC Community Health Center Association, the NC Public Health Association and the NC Association of Public Health Directors in urging vaccination with one of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of brand. This is a crucial step – in addition to continuing to follow the 3 ‘Ws’ public health protocols – in ending the pandemic.
The Future is Now – Future Clinician Leaders College Underway
The NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership Future Clinician Leaders College program is underway with 32 participants from a variety of professional programs and representing educational institutions throughout the state. See the class of 2021 roster here.
This unique one-year program, in partnership with NC AHEC, is an interprofessional leadership development program for emerging leaders currently in health care professional training. This year’s class includes MD, PA, occupational therapy, physician therapy, nurse anesthetist, dentistry and pharmacy degree candidates. The interactive learning format allows for individual reflection and leadership growth and enhanced communication and perspectives within a health care team.
Participants actively engage with faculty, speakers and peers and have the opportunity to interact with state leaders and utilize their leadership skills through a team project that aims to tackle major health policy challenges facing the state.
You can see the issues addressed by last year’s class in this compendium of their project white papers. Access the white papers here.
Learn more about the program here, or, to apply for the 2022 cohort, please contact Aubrey Cuthbertson. Deadline for applications for next year’s class is November 13, 2021.
In Memoriam: William ‘Bill’ Bowman, MD
Longtime NCMS member William ‘Bill’ Bowman, MD, passed away unexpectedly last weekend. Dr. Bowman served on the NCMS Board of Directors, a variety of NCMS committees and was a longtime member of the NC delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA). He also was past Chair of the Board for the NC Professionals Health Program.
A general surgeon, Dr. Bowman retired from Cone Health in 2016 after serving as Executive Vice President of Medical Affairs. His colleagues at Cone remembered Dr. Bowman as “both an excellent physician and a kind and well-respected leader.” During his tenure at Cone he also served as Chief of Surgery and President of the Medical and Dental Staff.
Dr. Bowman received his undergraduate degree from Davidson College and his MD from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He did his residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco and began practicing in Greensboro in 1981, eventually joining what is today Central Carolina Surgery.
Dr. Bowman is remembered fondly by NCMS staff as well as by his physician and PA colleagues as a genuine, respectful and compassionate voice in facing challenging health policy issues as well as in dealing with his patients.
We extend our sympathies to Dr. Bowman’s wife, Gay, who is a past president of the NCMS and AMA Alliances, his family and many friends.
In the News
Online Symptom Checkers Can Lead To Delayed Treatment For Serious Conditions, Becker’s Hospital IT, 3-9-21
Learning Opportunity
Institutionalizing Equity: Public Health Leaders Advance Organizational Change, March 19, 1 - 2:15 p.m.
This session will feature a discussion on the importance of leadership when implementing organizational changes to advance health and racial equity. Participants will learn effective methods to prioritize equity and utilize public health leadership to advance structural transformation.
Learn more and register here.
Registration for this event closes on March 15 at 4 p.m.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-10-21
Here's your mid-week NCMS Morning Rounds
March 10, 2021
Take Action Today!
The NCMS is calling on you to send an email Action Alert to your legislator opposing HB93—Require Naloxone with Opioid Scripts. This bill would mandate co-prescribing naloxone with certain opioid prescriptions. The NCMS opposes prescriptions mandates. If you didn’t already respond to this Action Alert, please take just a minute to use this easy method of grassroots engagement. Use this link to contact your legislator via email now.
As of yesterday afternoon, the bill still was slated to be heard before the House Insurance Committee today, so acting now is key.
Please Help Decrease the Burden of Diabetes in NC
Have you checked out the NC Guide to Diabetes Prevention and Management yet? There’s great information about diabetes and prediabetes in NC, along with specific information for health care providers and how they can help decrease the burden of diabetes in our state.
The Guide addresses the prevalence, health disparities and economic burden of diabetes, and how the social determinants of health influence diabetes prevention and management. The Guide also covers primary prevention, diagnosis, management, and ways that healthcare providers can influence primary prevention and diabetes self-management engagement.
To learn more about the Guide, click here to register for the upcoming free webinar to be held on March 23 at 11:30 a.m.
Edging Toward July 1 Launch of Medicaid Managed Care
The next big milestone in the approaching July 1 launch of Medicaid managed care, will be on Monday, March 15 when open enrollment begins for those eligible for Medicaid benefits. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) began mailing enrollment packets statewide and launched new resources for beneficiaries last week.
Beneficiaries can now call the NC Medicaid Enrollment Call Center at 833-870-5500 (TTY: 833-870-5588) to learn more about NC Medicaid Managed Care and can download a free beneficiary enrollment mobile app called NC Medicaid Managed Care, which is available on Google Play or the App Store. All these tools are available to your patients on the NC Medicaid enrollment website, which also will assist beneficiaries in choosing a primary care provider (PCP) and a health plan for their families’ care.
To assist beneficiaries in selecting from among the five Medicaid managed care health plans and find a provider, the enrollment website offers the Medicaid and NC Health Choice Provider and Health Plan Lookup Tool with four categories of search capabilities, advanced search based on specialty and the ability to view all providers within an organization/location and by practice name. Open enrollment runs through May 14.
If you did not contract with one or more of the Medicaid managed care health plans before the Feb. 1, 2021 deadline, you are not included in the current provider directory. But, if you execute a contract before April 12, you will be included in auto-enrollment, which begins May 15 for those Medicaid beneficiaries who had not proactively selected their plan and provider by May 14.
Read more about each step in the state’s transition to Medicaid managed care here. Also, remember the NC Population Health Collaborative meets this Thursday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. when it will address ‘The Journey Towards Medicaid Managed Care: Get Your Go Bag Ready!’ This session will cover a variety of topics including issues around the Advanced Medical Home (AMH) and COVID-19 coverage policies. Learn more and register here.
In the News
As Pandemic Drinking Surges, Is It Time To Add Warning Labels To Alcohol? Advisory Board, 3-8-21
Learning Opportunity
Transition of Care at Managed Care Launch (Crossover) Thursday, March 11 | 5:30–6:30 PM
With the July go-live date for Medicaid Managed Care fast approaching, the NC AHEC Program is helping providers prepare for the transition with two webinars and one virtual office hour event covering managed care topics this month. This session will review the information sharing processes established between the Health Plans and the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services (NC DHHS) to ensure member continuity of care at Managed Care Launch.
Learn more here. Register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-3-21
Here is your mid-week NCMS Morning Rounds
March 3, 2021
Logistics Behind a Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
Last Friday, several NCMS staff members joined a group from the eastern chapter of the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) to tour Vidant Health’s COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic being held at the Greenville Convention Center. As vaccine supply becomes more plentiful and smaller practices may begin administering them, gleaning lessons on logistics from those who have already set up vaccination clinics could be useful.
As he led the tour through the convention center’s clearly defined registration, vaccination and observation areas, Anthony Bartholomew, vice president of operations for Vidant Medical Group, shared his insights on setting up the mass vaccination clinic. The site has the capacity to administer 3,000 vaccines daily. Since it opened on Jan. 25 through last Friday, Feb. 26 approximately 41,000 vaccines had been given.
“We’ve never set anything up of this magnitude. It was just a lot of rapid planning,” he said, adding that a key to success is “being willing to change if you notice something that isn’t working. With the few days we had to plan it we did the best that we could and I think we did a great job. We really have fine-tuned this over the past five weeks to get it where it is today.”
Scheduling Appointments
Together Vidant and the Pitt County Health Department websites are set up to take appointments for vaccination. To reach the broader community, workers have gone out to underserved areas and, in collaboration with faith-based organizations, have used tablets to help people make online appointments on the spot.
“All scheduling is done online. We try to maximize the use of technology,” Bartholomew said. “We apply various marketing techniques with that technology and go to various churches and various neighborhoods with tablets to schedule. We found that’s better than taking phone calls or having people turn in lists. We had to learn that lesson the hard way.”
Joyful, Helpful, Safe and Efficient
The public relations and marketing staff at Vidant created a strong framework for the experience they want people to have when they arrive at the Convention Center. No lines and every encounter should be ‘joyful, helpful, safe and efficient.’ Volunteers in bright orange t-shirts with ‘Dose of Hope’ emblazoned on the back greet people at the door with hand sanitizer, a free face mask, if necessary, and a welcoming smile. Volunteers, including National Guardsmen directing traffic and parking, are available to help throughout the process. The atmosphere is almost festive as individuals are guided to one of 26 registration tables set up in the first section.
The basic registration information is initially entered in Epic rather than the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) to expedite the process.
“We decided to take the CVMS off the front to save time. We have another room off in the back where we have 15 to 20 people who are getting reports [from the registration area] that give them enough information to go into the CVMS database and register the patient and put in the shot information,” Bartholomew said, adding that they are working on a technical interface between Epic and the CVMS to streamline the process further.
An individual receiving their first vaccine dose may spend 4 to 6 minutes at the registration area. Second doses take less time. Interpreters – either in-person or online – are available for those who need them. The total vaccination experience from start to finish takes about 30 minutes on average, Bartholomew said.
The clinic does second doses on Monday through Wednesday, and first doses the rest of the week and weekend.
“That cycle seems to go ok,” Bartholomew said. “On second dose days, people really fly through here.”
Vaccination, Observation + Selfies and Cookies
After receiving the vaccine in the vaccination section, individuals move to the observation area where about 210 chairs are set up, physically distanced, in 30-minute and 15-minute observation sections. Appointments for the second dose of vaccine are made at this point. EMS personal always are standing by in case there is a reaction that needs a rapid response.
Lending to the overall festive atmosphere, local bands and musicians have come by to entertain those waiting. “Sometimes it’s hard to get our patients out of here,” Bartholomew said.
As patients do exit, volunteers cheer and guide them to a selfie station and to refreshments to complete the COVID-19 vaccine experience.
For the legions of volunteers and Vidant and county health department staff working this clinic, there is an on-site pharmacy, human resources department personnel, an electronic time clock on site and a break room fully stocked with snacks.
As Bartholomew said: “We want this to be a good experience for everybody.”
North Carolina’s Special Guide to Diabetes Prevention and Management
Did you know North Carolina has its own Guide to Diabetes Prevention and Management? The overall purpose of the Guide is to reduce the burden of diabetes in NC, and it also serves as a call to action for our state.
The Guide:
1. Addresses what diabetes is and what diabetes looks like in North Carolina.
2. Focuses on actions that individuals at risk for diabetes or who have diabetes, families, and peers can implement to improve the health of North Carolinians.
3. Provides specific strategies for community groups, employers, and healthcare providers to implement toward assisting people to manage their risk for developing and/or managing diabetes, including reducing risk of complications.
4. Shares opportunities to focus on what we can do to reduce the burden of diabetes, and the evolving role for our broader society including policy and advocacy in North Carolina.
To coincide with Diabetes Alert Day, the NC Diabetes Advisory Council will be hosting a free webinar to review the Guide on March 23, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. Click here to register.
Request a printed copy of the Guide here. The Guide will soon be available in Spanish.
In the News
What Can You Do Once You're Vaccinated? Here's What Fauci And Other Experts Say, Advisory Board, 3-1-21
Learning Opportunity
2021 NC OBGYN Society and NC Section of ACOG VIRTUAL Annual Meeting, March 19-21
Join us virtually to learn more about:
• The latest on breast cancer screening, including genetic counseling and imaging;
• Understanding obesity medication management in weight loss management;
• Help Ob/Gyns appreciate the value that APPs can provide for their patients;
• How too recognize what millennial patients value from their providers and practices and identify realistic ways to meet their expectations;
• The latest updates on common STD/I’s with a focus on the impact to the pregnant population.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 3-8-21
Enjoy your Monday NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 8, 2021It’s All About YOU on March 30This year the annual Doctors’ Day observance has special significance. Physicians – and PAs – have been front and center working tirelessly to continue to care for people during a global pandemic. We recognize you and the invaluable professional and personal sacrifices you have made over the past year! And we want to give you an opportunity to recognize your colleagues. Consider sending an e-card to show a colleague you care and recognize their contributions in honor of Doctors’ Day. If you chose, their name will be publicized in the NCMS Morning Rounds newsletter and on our social media platforms. To make it even more meaningful, the proceeds from each $10 card goes to support the work of the NCMS Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation and its many programs to improve access to care in North Carolina. Click here to send a 2021 Doctors’ Day e-card today. NCMS Legislative UpdateLast week was a busy one at the NC General Assembly. As the budget process begins in earnest, the Joint House and Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to kick off its discussions of Medicaid and the impending transition to Medicaid managed care. Committee members heard from NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH and others from NCDHHS as they consider appropriations for the coming biennium. The committee will meet again this week. You can access the documents from each of the meetings at the Committee page here. Other legislative proposals continue to be filed and make their way through committees. Some to note include: HB 93 – Require Naloxone with Opioid Scripts, which would require members to prescribe an opioid antagonist, such as naloxone, when prescribing opioid medications for patients. As reported last week in your NCMS Morning Rounds, the NCMS has spearheaded the opposition to this proposal and submitted a letter to legislators outlining our objections, which was endorsed by more than two dozen specialty and county medical societies. Read the full letter and see the list of signatories here. HB196 – COVID-19 Response and Relief has many health care provisions including an extension of the 5 percent Medicaid fee-for-service ‘bump’ and clarifies the medical liability protections enacted during the public health emergency. Other sections of the bill include a $3 million allocation to update and improve the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) and $15 million for the NC Policy Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill to develop and manage a plan for an initiative to implement alternative COVID-19 surveillance methods throughout the State. Read about other proposed allocations in the bill summary on our NCMS legislative blog. Another interesting new bill is HB214—Grant Program to Reduce COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy. This would fund a competitive grant program designed to improve North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination rate among historically marginalized populations by partnering with minority businesses to conduct or host public communications, health or educational initiatives, community vaccination events, social media initiatives or other activities. HB209 – Support Statewide Telepsychiatry Program was introduced by the NC General Assembly’s only physician, NCMS member Rep. Kristin Baker, MD, (R-Cabarrus). This bill would appropriate $1 million to East Carolina University Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health for the statewide telepsychiatry program known as NC-STeP to be used to establish five new STeP program sites in underserved areas. Read the latest on new legislation filed by checking our NCMS legislative blog regularly for daily bill summaries. A Vaccine for Everybody! Please Spread the WordIn the ongoing effort to ensure that historically marginalized populations, including people with disabilities, have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, NC Emergency Management is working with the federal government to ‘set aside’ vaccine doses in Groups 1, 2 and 3 right now and Group 4 starting on March 24 to help make sure everybody gets vaccinated. They are asking NCMS Morning Rounds readers to help spread the word about a mass vaccination clinic opening in Greensboro this Wednesday, March 10, where these ‘set aside’ doses will be available. The FEMA-supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center will be held at Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro beginning Wednesday, and will be open for 8 weeks, operating seven days a week with the capacity to provide up to 3,000 vaccinations per day. Please forward this to any community-based organizations or contact you may have in your community if you are within easy traveling distance of Greensboro. The vaccination clinic will have options for drive-thru service in the parking lot and walk-in service in the space formerly occupied by Dillard's department store. Half of all vaccination appointments from March 10 through March 14 (that is 7,500 appointments) will be set aside for individuals from historically marginalized populations who are able to access vaccine appointments. If you have contact information for those in your community who are able to help organize and possibly make vaccination appointments for people please send it to Nishika Ramchandani at [email protected] In the NewsThe Short-Term, Middle-Term, and Long-Term Future of the Coronavirus, STAT News, 3-4-21 Learning OpportunityHealthcare System Cybersecurity Response: Experiences and Considerations (Webinar), March 18, 2021 I 1:30-2:45 PM As part of our nation’s critical infrastructure, health care facilities large and small must be proactive and move quickly to protect themselves from cyberattacks that could directly impact the health and safety of patients and the community at large. According to medical health experts experienced in cybersecurity preparedness, cyberattacks are identified as the top threat in many health care systems’ annual Hazard Vulnerable Analyses (HVA). Health care systems, government agencies, and other partners have worked diligently to defend against the growing number of cyberattacks on the health care industry. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-5-21
Finally Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 5, 2021Don’t forget today’s Power Hour: Join us at noon as health care colleagues discuss the benefits and challenges of re-opening schools for more in-person learning as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Learn more and register here. NCMS Spearheads Opposition to Naloxone Mandate ProposalThe NCMS along with more than two dozen specialty and county medical societies sent a letter to the NC General Assembly opposing HB 93 – Require Naloxone with Opioid Scripts, which would require members to prescribe an opioid antagonist, such as naloxone, when prescribing opioid medications for patients. Read a summary of this bill on our legislative blog. “We understand the importance of preventing opioid overdoses, and we share the goal that patients at risk of overdose should receive opioid antagonists. However, the decision to co-prescribe naloxone should be one that is based on a prescriber’s clinical judgment. It should not be one mandated by law,” the letter states. The letter also notes that an existing standing order ‘allows any patient at any pharmacy to obtain naloxone without a prescription.’ Read the full letter and see the list of signatories here. Also be on the lookout in your email for an NCMS Action Alert, so you can directly and easily contact your legislator on this proposal. NCMB Approves MAT Pilot ProgramAt its January meeting, the NC Medical Board (NCMB) approved a pilot aimed at expanding the pool of clinicians trained to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. The Governor’s Institute and the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) have partnered to run the program, which will enable qualified PAs to prescribe buprenorphine for MAT treatment even if their supervising physician is not waivered. Under current regulations, PAs who have their buprenorphine waivers to treat opioid use disorder OUD may provide MAT as long as their supervising physician is also waivered. Currently, not enough physicians have become buprenorphine waivered to meet the demand for MAT in North Carolina. Physicians who supervise waivered PAs but have not personally completed all steps to qualify for their buprenorphine waiver are invited to join this pilot program. The Governor’s Institute and NC Society of Addiction Medicine will connect participants with resources and experienced buprenorphine mentors at no cost to participants. Licensees who need to complete buprenorphine/MAT training can also get support through the program. This pilot program is time limited. Currently the pilot is open to PAs who are waivered. The question of including NPs in the pilot will go before the Board at the March meeting. At the end of one year, the Governor’s Institute and NC DHHS will report data from the program to NCMB. Learn more about the program here. Keep in mind the NCMS Foundation’s Project OBOT as well for waiver training opportunities as well as a unique collaborative platform that helps ensure patient success. Learn more about Project OBOT here. Nominations Now Accepted for NCMS Leadership PositionsNominations to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees are now being accepted for the coming year. If you are interested in a leadership role or know someone who you would like to nominate as a good candidate, be sure to read the recently updated document links below. The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. An overview of each of the roles on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee along with details on the nomination process are included in this document. In the NewsSupport For Telehealth Medicare Reimbursement Gains Steam In Congress, Health Care Dive, 3-3-21 Learning OpportunityWebinar: NC Medicaid Transition to Managed Care for Community Partners - The Beneficiary Experience, 3:00-4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-4-21
Happy Thursday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 4, 2021NCMS, NC Nurses Association Issue Joint Statement on Marketplace EnrollmentThe NCMS and the NC Nurses Association yesterday issued a joint statement aimed at raising awareness about the extension of the enrollment period for healthcare.gov also known as Marketplace insurance coverage, and encouraging those who do not have coverage to explore this option. Here is the statement, which was sent to media statewide. As organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of North Carolinians, the NC Medical Society and the NC Nurses Association want to encourage those who are eligible for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace at healthcare.gov to sign up now. The enrollment period has been extended until May 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic, so there is ample opportunity to explore this option and get crucial access to health care during this uncertain time. “We know that those who do not have health insurance are less likely to seek out routine, preventive care. Being covered for preventive care – and knowing you can get care when you’re feeling sick -- means healthier individuals,” said NCMS President Philip Brown, Jr., MD. “Keeping you out of the emergency department is better for you and for the system as a whole, especially during the pandemic.” All Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and can’t terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19. “The pandemic has exacerbated existing problems with access to health care. Many of our fellow North Carolinians cannot get the care they need, and this extension gives some of them a chance to seek out the preventive measures they need to stay healthy,” said NCNA President Dennis A. Taylor, RN, DNP, PhD, ACNP-BC, FCCM. “If you are a patient who qualifies for the Marketplace coverage, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. And if you are a healthcare provider, I urge you to make sure your patients know about this extended enrollment period.” If you do not currently have health insurance, the health care providers in your community encourage you to go to healthcare.gov to consider the affordable options that are right for you and your family before May 15 – for your health! Don’t Miss this Week’s Power HourThe next NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership’s Power Hour, our continuing series of conversations around timely issues, will focus on re-opening our schools for more in-person learning. Join us at noon tomorrow, Friday, March 5, as we discuss the impact of the pandemic on our children’s learning and well-being and the benefits and challenges of returning more children to in-person learning. Register here. The NCMS recently issued a joint statement with the NC Pediatric Society encouraging the return to in-person instruction as long as the necessary COVID-19 risk mitigation protocols are in place. Read the statement here. Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Authorized for Emergency UseAs you probably already are aware, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease. The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Janssen is a pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson) to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18-years-old and older. This will begin to help alleviate some of the vaccine shortages, with North Carolina receiving a shipment this week of approximately 80,000 doses of the new vaccine. The Janssen vaccine requires only a single dose, and may be stored a regular refrigeration temperatures between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit, making it more convenient and accessible for patients and practices. This vaccine works differently than the previously authorized Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. As the FDA explains, the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is manufactured using a specific type of virus called adenovirus type 26 (Ad26). The vaccine uses Ad26 to deliver a piece of the DNA, or genetic material, that is used to make the distinctive “spike” protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While adenoviruses are a group of viruses that are relatively common, Ad26, which can cause cold symptoms and pink eye, has been modified for the vaccine so that it cannot replicate in the human body to cause illness. After a person receives this vaccine, the body can temporarily make the spike protein, which does not cause disease, but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively, producing an immune response against SARS-CoV-2. The available safety data to support the EUA include an analysis of 43,783 participants enrolled in an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study being conducted in South Africa, certain countries in South America, Mexico, and the U.S. The participants, 21,895 of whom received the vaccine and 21,888 of whom received saline placebo, were followed for a median of eight weeks after vaccination. The most commonly reported side effects were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and nausea. Most of these side effects were mild to moderate in severity and lasted 1-2 days. Overall, the vaccine was approximately 67 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 66 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination. At this time, data are not available to determine how long the vaccine will provide protection, nor is there evidence that the vaccine prevents transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from person to person. Learn more about this vaccine at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. In the NewsJust How Likely Are You To Catch The Coronavirus Twice? Here's What New Research Reveals, Advisory Board, 3-2-21 Learning OpportunityTransforming Public Health Through Leadership, Justice and Racial Healing, March 12, 1-2:15 p.m. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 3-2-21
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning RoundsMarch 2, 2021ALERT: CSRS Mandate Coming SoonThe requirement to check the NC Controlled Substances Reporting System (NC CSRS) before prescribing certain controlled substances will take effect soon, although a specific date has not yet been set. This mandate is a provision in the STOP Act (Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act), which was signed into law in June 2017 to help stem the opioid abuse crisis. In the latest issue of its Forum newsletter, the NC Medical Board states that its staff has been notified by the NC Department of Health and Human Services' (NCDHHS) Drug Control Unit, which runs NC CSRS, that all system upgrades and requirements that, by law, must be completed before the requirement can be in effect have been finished. Although there is still no specific effective date for mandatory NC CSRS use, it's clear that it won't be long now. Register here, if you haven't yet. You can review the specific requirements of the law at this link to the statute, §90-113.74C (a). The NCMB also provides the following summary. Prior to prescribing a Schedule II and Schedule III opioid or narcotic, practitioners are required to review a patient’s 12-month prescription history in the NC CSRS. For every subsequent three-month period that the Schedule II or Schedule III opioid or narcotic remains part of the patient’s medical care, practitioners are required to review the patient’s 12-month history in the NC CSRS. Reviews should be documented within the patient’s medical record along with any electrical or technological failure that prevents such review. Practitioners are required to review the history and document the review once the electrical or technological failure has resolved. Certain practitioners may, but are not required to, review the NC CSRS prior to prescribing a targeted controlled substance to a patient in any of the following circumstances: • Controlled substances administered in a health care setting, hospital, nursing home, outpatient dialysis facility or residential care facility. • Controlled substances prescribed for the treatment of cancer or another condition associated with cancer. • Controlled substances prescribed to patients in hospice care or palliative care. The STOP Act authorizes NC CSRS to conduct periodic audits to determine prescriber compliance with review requirements. The law states that NC CSRS shall report to the Board any licensee found to be in violation of the requirement to check NC CSRS; violations may result in regulatory action by the Board. Tracking the COVID-19 Trends – Thanks to YouSince the beginning of the pandemic, the NCMS, the NC Medical Group Management Association and Curi have been sending surveys regularly to our members to track the impact the pandemic is having on your practice. Thank you to everyone who consistently responds to this survey! Your participation allows us – and you – to get a snapshot of where medical practices in North Carolina are financially, with PPE supplies, telehealth and staffing among other issues. This valuable data helps inform our advocacy and resource development on your behalf. Please take just a minute to complete today’s survey. TAKE THE SURVEY. Review a summary of the data for last year here. Nominations Now Open for NCMS AwardsNominations are open for the annual NCMS awards, given to those in the health care community who exemplify the NCMS’ mission of enhancing health for all North Carolinians. The nomination deadline is July 1, so if you or one of your colleagues meets the criteria outlined below, now is the time to begin the application process. The E. Harvey Estes, MD, Physician Community Service Award honors a North Carolina physician who has an outstanding record of community service, which, apart from his or her specific identification as a physician, reflects well on the medical profession. Learn more and access the application form here. The John Huske Anderson Award recognizes a layperson whose contributions have had a positive impact on the medical profession and public health in North Carolina. Learn more about this award and access the application form here. All application materials must be submitted to Evan Simmons at [email protected]. In the NewsFalse Claims Linking COVID-19 Vaccine, Infertility Are Making Women Hesitant To Get Vaccinated, Health Experts Say, Becker’s Hospital Review, 2-24-21 Learning OpportunityLeadership and Policy: Actions to Address Racism as a Public Health Issue, March 5, 1 - 2:15 p.m. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for Feb. 26, 2021
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, recounts the legislation important to you and your practice that is moving through the NC General Assembly. Bills of note include a prescribing mandate, the first telehealth proposal of this session and one expanding a telepsychiatry program. Get all the latest on legislation filed during the current session on our legislative blog.
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-26-21
Happy Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 26, 2021Get the Latest State Update on the COVID-19 VaccineMark your calendar for Tuesday, March 2 from 6 to 7 p.m. for an update on new COVID-19 vaccines and the status of vaccine distribution from State Health Director Betsey Tilson, MD, MPH. During this webinar, Dr. Tilson and other leaders from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will address vaccine allocation, provider enrollment, prioritization and the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) as well as answer questions. Connect at this Zoom link (https://zoom.us/j/131899801#success) or dial in at (646) 558-8656 and use webinar ID 131 899 801. NC*Notify Helps Access COVID-19 Lab ResultsNC HealthConnex, the state’s Health Information Exchange, recently announced that new notification features are available for current NC HealthConnex subscribers. COVID-19 lab result alerts are now accessible, allowing clinicians to react in more timely manner to positive cases. NC*Notify is a subscription-based service that notifies you when your patients receive services across the care continuum. The information is based on admission, discharge and transfer data received from more than 100 participating hospitals plus encounter data from more than 6,000 ambulatory care settings. The real-time event notifications provide care teams with valuable information that spans geographic and care settings and supports efforts to focus on patient-centered care. In addition to COVID-19 notifications, some of the other new alerts include: Consider an NCMS/NCMSF Leadership PositionNominations to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees are now being accepted for the coming year. Read on to learn more about the positions and if you or someone you know would be a good candidate. The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. An overview of each of the roles on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee along with details on the nomination process are included in this document. In the NewsSchools May See A Burst Of The Common Cold When They Reopen, Research Suggests, STAT News, 2-23-21 Learning OpportunityPlease join the Region IV Public Health Training Center on Monday, March 1 at noon for a live webinar on ‘Racism, Bias and Other Determinants of Health: Issues and Actions.’ Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-25-21
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 25, 2021NCMS, NC Peds Issue Joint Statement on In-Person LearningThe NCMS and the NC Pediatric Society issued a joint media statement yesterday in support of reopening schools for in-person learning. The statement is centered on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics guidance and the science supporting the return to in-person learning as long as risks in spreading the COVID-19 virus are mitigated. Following is the statement sent to media statewide: The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), representing physicians and PAs statewide, and the NC Pediatric Society, representing the state’s pediatricians and other child health professionals, support the decision to re-open schools for in-person learning in North Carolina as long as the risks of acquiring the COVID-19 virus are mitigated as outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) school reopening guidelines and the American Academy of Pediatrics Reopening Principles. “The data shows that children are less likely to have had the virus and less likely to have severe symptoms if they do acquire it, yet they still can be infected and spread the virus to others. Therefore, we continue to strongly urge strict adherence to mitigation efforts both in the schools and in the larger community,” said NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD. “While school systems need to follow the CDC’s guidance to ensure the safest possible environment for our children, we all need to wear a mask, wash our hands and practice physical distancing from those outside our household. We all need to do our part to help keep our children healthy and learning to their full potential.” Weighing the risks of acquiring the virus against the benefits of resuming in-person learning is a complicated calculus, dependent on many factors unique to each community including adequate resources for schools. The CDC and pediatricians in our state and nationally who know and treat young patients understand this and offer thoughtful guidance based on the latest science around health impacts of the pandemic. We know that absence from school due to the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on children’s mental health and development. Many families are struggling with food insecurity, housing issues, financial and health issues and cannot adequately attend to their children’s educational or emotional requirements. Returning to in-person learning, with proper risk mitigation, is the best way to address many children’s educational, social and emotional needs. “Humans need humans and our children need in-person instruction for their positive intellectual and emotional development,” said President of the NC Pediatric Society Christoph Diasio, MD, FAAP. “We’re seeing more anxiety and depression among our patients, along with increased obesity and myopia. When in-person schools can be safe for students, teachers and staff, they are a great place for kids to be with other kids and caring adults.” As new, more transmissible variants are emerging, it is crucial that we work together to mitigate community spread through the 3 ‘W’s, getting a vaccine when eligible to do so in order to avoid worse immediate outcomes for our community and in the long term for our children’s future. No single action will stem the spread of this virus, but together we can make a difference. Resources: FDA Committee Weighs EUA for Another COVID-19 Vaccine TomorrowThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biologics Advisory Committee will meet tomorrow beginning at 9 a.m. to consider an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutical division. The meeting will be available to view virtually at this link, where you can also review documents on the vaccine trials. View the agenda for the meeting here. Previously, this advisory committee of experts also reviewed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and recommended an EUA shortly after their deliberations concluded. Review of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires just one dose unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, comes as new variants of the virus are spreading. The committee will weigh how these variants will impact the new vaccine’s effectiveness. Johnson & Johnson reported that in a study of nearly 44,000 volunteers the single shot showed a 66 percent effectiveness in protecting participants from moderate or severe coronavirus disease. For a comprehensive look at the issues the committee will be considering, this article from Healthcare Dive gives a good overview. If approved, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could, in time, help alleviate some of the supply issues and help meet the demand of those waiting to be vaccinated. Join the NCMS Book ClubLooking for a way to connect with your colleagues, discuss compelling ideas and socialize with engaging individuals remotely? The NCMS book club has attracted a great group of NCMS members and you are welcome to join them. The book currently up for discussion is The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig. In this New York Times bestseller, we will meet Nora Seed and journey with her through a labyrinthian library of endless possibilities! Kirkus aptly describes this book as “a whimsical fantasy about learning what’s important in life.” Learn more about the book and check out reader reviews here. The club gives you plenty of time to read the selection and participate in a guided discussion. The forum will begin Thursday, March 18 and continue through Thursday, May 20. Learn more about the NCMS Book Club and sign up here. In the News'Vaccine Alarmism': Is Ambiguous Public Messaging Hindering COVID-19 Vaccination Rates? Becker’s Hospital Review, 2-19-21 Learning OpportunityThe Journey Towards Medicaid Managed Care: Get Your Go Bag Ready! March 11 from 11 am - 1 pm
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-24-21
Halfway through the week! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 24, 2021
Case Challenging Temporary COVID-19 Liability Immunity DismissedLast week, Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson Jr. dismissed a lawsuit that attempted to challenge the temporary COVID-19 immunity from civil liability provided to physicians and PAs under legislation passed last year. Read the Judge’s order here. Last May, the NC General Assembly passed SB704—COVID-19 Recovery Act and HB118—Liability Safe Harbor, which were signed into law by Governor Cooper. The NCMS along with a broad coalition of other health care, business and education stakeholders supported the legislation’s expanded liability protections during the pandemic. The legislation provides immunity from claims of negligence for the contraction of COVID-19 and for any malpractice claims that may have been caused by disruptions to the normal provision of care during the COVID-19 emergency. The immunities are temporary, and do not provide immunity for grossly negligent conduct or intentional wrongdoing. In January, national media outlet, ProPublica, wrote an article, later picked up by local media, featuring the lawsuit, and its challenge to the liability protections. Read the article here. Results of Practice Survey on COVID-19 VaccineThe Jan. 18 Urgent Practice Data Survey, regularly sent by the NCMS, NC Medical Group Management Association and Curi since last March, included questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. The results have been compiled into a graphic summary, which reveals some interesting insights into the response of medical practices and staff in the initial stages of the vaccine rollout. We will continue to send the survey to identify trends among North Carolina practices as the state continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its various impacts. In the NewsFDA Starts Review Of How Skin Pigmentation Affects Pulse Oximeter Results, Health Care Dive, 2-22-21 Learning OpportunityA Conversation on Intergenerational Tobacco Use and Its Cultural Impact on Black Communities, Feb 24 from 7 to 8 p.m. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-23-21
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Feb. 23, 2021
Who Can Administer COVID-19 Vaccines? NCMB Clarifies
The NC Medical Board (NCMB) recently clarified that existing state law allows a licensed physician to delegate medical tasks to an unlicensed person, as long as that individual is qualified to perform the assigned tasks.
Although NCMB has not addressed the specific question of whether unlicensed individuals should administer COVID-19 vaccinations, it is NCMB’s view that this task falls within the definition of “medical tasks” that may be delegated in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat § 90-18(c)(13). “Qualified” individuals could include retired physicians or other clinicians who no longer have active North Carolina professional licenses.
It is the responsibility of the licensed physician delegating the task of administering vaccine to determine that the individual performing the task is, in fact, appropriately trained and competent, and the delegating physician would be held ultimately responsible for the actions of the unlicensed person. NCMB advises that this be taken into consideration when determining the appropriate level of supervision (direct, on-site, or remote).
More information about delegation can be found here.
Unlicensed professionals who want to participate in the vaccination efforts should register with NC DHHS and NC DPS/Emergency Management by visiting NC Terms.
Understanding the Types of COVID-19 Vaccines Being Developed
Thanks to the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) for this infographic, which offers a quick overview of the various types of COVID-19 vaccines in development along with their strengths and weaknesses.
Seligson Honored by NC Healthcare Association
Robert W. Seligson, MBA, MA, who retired from his position as NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO last year after 26 years, was honored last week with the NC Healthcare Association (NCHA) Meritorious Service Award.
Since 1986, the NCHA has awarded a Meritorious Service Award annually to a recipient who has provided unique, meritorious service to the health care field during the year or years preceding selection. It is given to someone who is not an executive officer or trustee of an NCHA member institution when selected to receive the award. Service is not restricted to health care institutions, but also can include education, research or publications; local, state, or federal government; health insurance organizations; and vendors to hospitals. The service recognized by this award must have a direct connection to NCHA.
The NCHA produced a video featuring several NCMS staff members and past NCMS President Elizabeth Kanof, MD, who speak about Seligson and his contributions to the NCMS and health care in North Carolina.
In the News
3 Trends Spurred By The Coronavirus Epidemic Also Threaten American Lives, Advisory Board, 2-19-21
Learning Opportunity
Leading Edge, Evidence-Based Tobacco Treatment Training (Virtual), March 8-16
The Duke-UNC TTS Program combines findings from the most current evidence-based research on pharmacotherapy, population-based issues, practical guidance on running a practice, and targeted skills in tobacco dependence counseling. Information is delivered through a blend of self-paced online learning and interactive virtual sessions comprised of didactic content, problem-based learning activities, applied practice problems, and practice counseling. All participants receive our comprehensive tobacco treatment textbook, which may be used as a valuable reference after the completion of the course.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-22-21
Welcome to a new week of NCMS Morning Rounds.
Feb. 22, 2021
NCMS Legislative Update
Last week, a steady flow of legislative proposals continued to be filed. Remember, you can see summaries of all the bills we're monitoring that could impact your practice and/or your patients on our regularly updated NCMS legislative blog.
One bill of particular note, HB93 – Require Naloxone Scripts with Opiod Scripts, would mandate clinicians co-prescribe the opioid antagonist naloxone anytime an opioid is prescribed. The NCMS opposes this mandate and will be sending a letter to legislators to describe our opposition to this sort of prescribing requirement that does not allow for physician discretion. Our advocacy team is also considering mobilizing through grassroots efforts, so watch your email for an Action Alert in which you can reach out directly to your legislator with your thoughts on this bill.
Another proposal we’re watching closely is HB96 – Allow Pharmacists to Administer Injectable Drugs, which seeks to expand the statutory definition of the “practice of pharmacy” to include the ability to administer injectable drugs.
Finally, SB37—In Person Learning Choice for Families passed both chambers and was sent to the Governor for his consideration. The bill requires all local school districts to offer in-person instruction for children in grades K-12 for the remainder of the school year. In a statement last week, Governor Cooper signaled that he may veto the bill and stated that it “falls short” in “adhering to the Department of Health and Human Services’ health safety guidance for schools and protecting the ability of state and local leaders to respond to emergencies.” Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for more on this in the coming days.
New COVID-19 Resources en Espanol
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has added new resources to its Spanish language COVID-19 vaccination website, including a new video on COVID-19 vaccines. Read about the new resources here.
Protégete a ti y a los demás. ¡VACÚNATE! is aimed at providing everyone with access to COVID-19 information and vaccines. To support this guiding principle, North Carolina is drawing upon the experience and expertise of Latinx/Hispanic leaders to develop and implement its vaccine plan.
The new resources are designed to help Spanish speakers learn about the COVID-19 vaccines, find out when they are eligible, determine when and where they can get vaccinated and find resources to encourage vaccination within their communities.
Consider Your Practice Administrator for Administrator of the Year
NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) is seeking nominations for its 2021 Administrator of the Year award. Each year, the NCMGMA and Curi recognize outstanding performance by an individual with the Administrator of the Year Award. This year, the honor will be presented at the NCMGMA’s Annual Conference, to be held May 19-21, at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes.
The award recognizes a health care administrator, affiliated with the NCMGMA, who has exhibited exceptional leadership management proficiency and enhanced the effectiveness of health care delivery in his/her practice and community through recent, noteworthy achievements.
Nominations are due by March 19. Learn more and access the nomination form here. For questions, please contact the NCMGMA offices at [email protected].
In the News
Current Systolic Blood Pressure Guideline Too High For Women, Study Suggests, Becker’s Hospital Review, 2-17-21
Learning Opportunity
Tobacco Use - Evidence-Based Interventions: Cessation and the Truth about E-Cigarettes (Virtual), March 3, 5:30 - 8:45 p.m.
This program is designed to provide medical providers and other health care professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to counsel patients who use tobacco and other nicotine delivery devices.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Political Pulse for Feb. 19, 2021
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, gives you the latest news from the NC General Assembly including a bill mandating co-prescribing of naloxone. The NCMS opposes this legislation. Also learn the latest on the legislation to reopen schools for in-person learning, which is now with the Governor who has indicated he will not sign it.
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-19-21
Finally Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 19, 2021Don't forget today's Power Hour at noon when the discussion will focus on the importance of teamwork during challenging times like these, and, in general, how inter-professional care teams can improve patient care, lower costs, increase population health and even help alleviate burnout and stress. Learn more and register to receive the Zoom link here. COVID-19 Conditions Coding HelpAs of the beginning of this year, six new ICD-10 codes were implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify conditions related to COVID-19. Using these codes is important to capturing more information about the virus through surveillance data and the nation's health care claims. Read the CDC’s announcement. To help make sense of the new codes, NC AHEC and Community Care of North Carolina have developed a tip sheet. Access that resource here. Opportunity to Mentor a Future PhysicianIs your practice interested in mentoring the next generation of clinicians but not quite ready to host students? Consider employing a MedServe Fellow. Fellows are recent college graduates who have completed a pre-medical curriculum and are taking time off before medical school to get clinical experience. Fellows spend two years as full-time employees in clinics in both clinical (e.g. medical assisting) and public health (e.g. outreach) roles. The cost of hosting Fellows is shared with MedServe's philanthropic funds. Nominations Now Being Accepted for NCMS/NCMSF Leadership PositionsNominations to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees are now being accepted for the coming year. Read on to learn more about the positions and if you or someone you know would be a good candidate. The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. An overview of each of the roles on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee along with details on the nomination process are included in this document. In the NewsPhysicians See Spike In Rare Inflammatory Condition Linked To COVID-19, Becker’s Hospital Review, 2-16-21 Learning Opportunity2021 Virtual Addiction Medicine Conference, April 8-10 If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-18-21
Happy Thursday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 18, 2021Be Empowered with the NCMS Foundation’s Power Hour!For nearly a year the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership has been offering regular discussion forums on timely topics impacting physicians and PAs during the pandemic. This Friday, Feb. 19 beginning at noon, will be the next in our series of Power Hours. We invite you to join the conversation about the importance of teamwork during challenging times like these, and, in general, how inter-professional care teams can improve patient care, lower costs, increase population health and even help alleviate burnout and stress. Learn more and register to receive the Zoom link here. We also have compiled a library of previous Power Hours to browse and view. The wide-ranging topics include ‘COVID-19 and Mental Health,’ ‘Overcoming Vaccination Hesitancy in Minority Populations,’ ‘Race and Health Equity’ and ‘Lifestyle Medicine,’ among many others. Browse through the Power Hour library here. NCMS’ Ongoing and Broad Efforts on Diabetes PreventionIn addition to the NCMS’ partnership with the AMA as part of the DiabetesFreeNC initiative, the NCMS also is involved with the NC Diabetes Advisory Council (NC DAC). This is an advisory group working to reduce the burden of diabetes through coordination among stakeholders in diabetes prevention and management in North Carolina. Learn more about our efforts with the AMA here. Be sure to mark your calendar for March 23 at 11:30 a.m. for the NC Diabetes Alert Day Virtual Launch. This webinar will discuss prediabetes and diabetes in NC, provide an overall review of the ‘2020 Diabetes Guide,’ and address action that you and your practice can take to decrease diabetes in the state. Learn more and register here. To understand more about NC DAC and what is does, visit this site. Working Together to Address the Challenges of the PandemicWith the COVID-19 national emergency, many people are facing unprecedented challenges. Some have lost their jobs, and have lost health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. Others may be underinsured with unaffordable health coverage, or may have health insurance, but aren’t sure how to access the services that they need for their health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a toolkit to help provide accurate and timely information to your community on the COVID-19 vaccine. Access the toolkit here. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also offers resources to medical practices understand coverage, reimbursement and billing when providing the vaccine to Medicaid and Medicare patients. Access that information here. For those patients looking to obtain health insurance through the Healthcare.gov marketplace, a special enrollment period to apply and enroll will run through May 15, 2021. Read more about special enrollment period here. Patients can access information at the HealthCare.gov website here. In the NewsAn In-Depth Look At COVID-19 Vaccine Questions: Effects of the Shot, North Carolina Health News, 2-13-21 Learning Opportunity2021 Opioid Misuse & Prevention Summit (Virtual), May 4-6. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-17-21
Already time for Wednesday's NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 17, 2021Beyond COVID-19 -- Urging Parents Not to Forget Other VaccinationsThe American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is encouraging parents to catch up on regular immunizations their children might have missed due to the pandemic. “While there is not yet a Covid-19 vaccine that has been approved for children, there are vaccines that prevent against other deadly diseases,” the group’s president Lee Savio Beers, said in a recent statement. “These diseases have not gone away during the pandemic, and so it is very important that children stay up to date on all their immunizations, in partnership with their pediatrician.” Read the AAP’s statement here. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recently released its annual recommendations on immunizations for children and adolescents. The recommendations are not significantly different than previous years other than the interim recommendation for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in people 16 and older, and the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in people 18 and older. Read the CDC’s recommendations here. A recent survey conducted by Avalere on the impact the pandemic has had on immunization reveals a decline in adolescent and adult immunization rates. Review the survey results and analysis here. This Week’s Urgent Practice Survey Awaits Your InputAlong with the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) and Curi, the NCMS has been regularly sending a practice survey to help assess how your practice is faring during the pandemic. Over the past year, we have been able to track trends in the impact the pandemic is having on practice finances, availability of personal protective equipment, use of telehealth and other challenges. This information is essential to our resource development and advocacy efforts on your behalf. Please take a minute and complete the survey to let us know how your practice is doing at this point. To see what the survey data revealed about the impact of the pandemic on North Carolina medical practices, review this 2020 survey summary. Latest NC Medical Board Podcast Focuses on Victim ServicesThe latest episode of MedBoard Matters, the NC Medical Board’s podcast, is titled, ‘Crossing the Line: Professional Sexual Misconduct.’ Podcast host, Jean Fisher Brinkley, speaks with Marissa Hoechstetter who is a survivor of sexual assault by her physician and is now an active patient advocate speaking out to raise awareness and demand greater accountability. Also featured is NC Medical Board paralegal, Wanda Long, who is the staff member who originated the role of Victim Services Coordinator at the Medical Board. In the NewsPeople May Need To Get Covid-19 Vaccine Yearly, J&J CEO Says, Advisory Board, 2-12-2021 Learning OpportunityNorth Carolina Academy of Sleep Medicine Annual Virtual Conference | Feb. 26-27. NCASM invites you to participate in two full days of expert speakers. This meeting provides an outstanding opportunity for both technologists, physicians, and other sleep professionals to receive current data and information from specialists in the field to improve healthcare outcomes. Additionally, the conference provides an excellent forum to meet and network with others. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-16-21
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Feb. 16, 2021
NCMS Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization
Yesterday, the NCMS issued a statement to the media on COVID-19 vaccine prioritization focused on “those who will fare the worst, must go first.”
Here is the statement:
The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), representing physicians and PAs throughout North Carolina, is committed to working with the state, local health departments and other partners to ensure COVID-19 vaccinations are administered to as many people as quickly as possible, given the current limited supply of vaccines. While each of us plays a critical part in fighting this virus by getting our shot, we also have a crucial role in ensuring those at increased risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19, including those in marginalized communities, continue to be prioritized.
Individuals who have high-risk conditions for severe disease and mortality from COVID-19 should be prioritized. As NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD puts it: “Those who will fare the worst, must go first.”
We call on every North Carolinian to help us care for your family, friends and neighbors by prioritizing our limited supply for those who are medically vulnerable to COVID-19. Rest assured, there will be a time for us all to receive our shot.
Until then, and even after, it is imperative we remain vigilant with consistent mitigation efforts. Wear a well-fitting mask when you are with anyone other than those you live with. Maintain physical distance and continue to wash your hands frequently.
We have come this far together, and we will get through this together. Each of us has a part to play in limiting the loss of life and human suffering that COVID-19 can cause. Your trusted hometown medical team is ready to serve you as we have for generations. Call upon us.
Watch an accompanying video message from Dr. Brown.
Medicaid Managed Care Transition Resources
NC AHEC has developed a series of resources based on concerns expressed by the health care community as the state moves to transition to Medicaid managed care as of July 1, 2021. Access the resources here.
If you have questions about the Provider Directory Tool, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is offering a demo and question and answer session TODAY, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. To get the link to the meeting, please contact Katie Zimmer at [email protected] and Casey Harris at [email protected].
There is an Rx for Inner Peace
The Rx Inner Peace program provides physicians evidence-based stress management and self-care education with the goals of burnout prevention and relief. This program is predominantly online, self-paced and divided into eight learning modules with most lessons less than 15 minutes in length to accommodate busy physician schedules. Lessons include informative lectures, movements to release chronic body tension and pain, relaxing guided meditations, calming breathing techniques, self-regulation tools to decrease stress and anxiety, improve sleep and life balance, and build resilience. Live virtual group and private support sessions for lesson review, Q & A, and life coaching for mindset are also included.
The National Academy of Medicine reports rising levels of physician stress (88 percent), depression (39 percent) and burnout (50 percent) with suicide rates two times the national average. Understanding the importance of these statistics, the Rx Inner Peace program was created to support physicians by providing much needed and deserved self-care education to both prevent and relieve suffering as well as to improve overall well-being.
Get a sneak peek and learn more about the course here.
Read about the course instructor, Robyn Tiger, MD, here.
In the News
Could One Vaccine Prevent Covid-19—and SARS, MERS, and the Common Cold?, Advisory Board, 2-12-21
Learning Opportunity
2021 NC OBGYN Society and NC Section of ACOG VIRTUAL Annual Meeting, March 19-21
Join virtually to learn more about:
• The latest on breast cancer screening, including genetic counseling and imaging;
• Understanding obesity medication management in weight loss management;
• Help Ob/Gyns appreciate the value that APPs can provide for their patients;
• How to recognize what millennial patients value from their providers and practices and identify realistic ways to meet their expectations;
• The latest updates on common STD/I’s with a focus on the impact to the pregnant population.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-15-21
Happy President's Day! Here is your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 15, 2021NCMS Legislative UpdateWith the NC legislative session in full swing, be sure to check our NCMS legislative blog regularly to keep up on all the legislative proposals that have an impact on your practice and health in North Carolina. You’ll find summaries of pertinent bills introduced and where they stand in the legislative process. Check the blog here. Several highlights from last week: NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD and NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, JD, appeared before the NC House Health Committee to speak about NCMS physician and PA experiences with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Watch a video of their testimony as well as committee members’ questions here. The only physician member of the General Assembly, NCMS member Rep. Kristin Baker, MD (R-Cabarrus) offered insights as a psychiatrist to her fellow legislators during discussion of SB37-In-Person Learning Choice for Families. Rep. Baker spoke about the mental health impacts of remote learning on students. Another bill of note is HB61-Local Communicable Disease Programs/Funds increases the amount of funding for public health departments to prevent communicable disease. The NCMS fully supports this emphasis on public health and prevention. Recovering and Rebuilding Financially After COVID-19This month’s free NCMS Foundation and NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) Lunch and Learn webinar will focus on ‘Recovering and Rebuilding Financial Resiliency in the Wake of COVID.’ Please join your colleagues tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. NCMS Board member and owner of a rural family medicine practice in Raeford, NC, Karen Smith, MD, FACFP along with the practice’s Population Health Administrator Michaela Latham will review the financial lessons learned through the pandemic and how building financial resiliency is key to practice stability. Discussion will include the practical aspects of recovering from the costly impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and what is being done to build up their practice resiliency for a stronger more stable future. In the NewsWhat If We Never Reach Herd Immunity? The Atlantic, 2-9-21 Learning Opportunity2021 NC Chapter – American College of Physicians VIRTUAL Annual Scientific Session, Feb. 19-20. What Can You Learn At This Year’s Virtual Scientific Session? If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse 2-12-21
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, gives you the latest legislative news for the week including information on the testimony of NCMS leaders before the House Health Committee; remarks by the NC General Assembly's only physician member and special birthday wishes for a former state Senator, who is a longtime NCMS member.
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-12-21
It's Friday! Here is your NCMS Morning Rounds.Feb. 12, 2021The Year in Review: Summary of 2020 Practice SurveyLast March, the NCMS partnered with the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) and Curi to survey all of our members to better understand the impact the pandemic is having on their practices. Thanks to your responses to this regular survey, we were able to track the trends. We have compiled the findings in this summary document – a concise overview of an historic time for medical practices. The graphs and charts offer a 2020 snapshot of the financial concerns, staffing issues, access to PPE, use of telehealth and other ongoing challenges you face. Thank you to everyone who routinely completed -- and who continues to complete -- the survey as we carry on with collecting this valuable data at regular intervals. All three organizations have used the information to develop resources to help you and to advocate on your behalf with policymakers. Influenza Down Drastically in NC in 2020-21The protective measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus have also significantly reduced incidence of influenza so far this year. The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports that practicing the 3 W’s such as wearing a mask, waiting six feet apart and washing hands has meant very low levels of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this year compared to previous years. North Carolina mirrors similar trends nationally and globally. Four deaths from flu have been reported to NCDHHS since the flu season began in September. There were 186 deaths total for the 2019-2020 season and more than 200 deaths during the 2018-19 season. The data show these low levels of flu and RSV are occurring despite similar or higher levels of testing for both illnesses. Review the data at NCDHHS’ flu tracker website here. Ever Consider an NCMS/NCMSF Leadership Position?Nominations to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees are now being accepted for the coming year. Read on to learn more about the positions and if you or someone you know would be a good candidate. The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. An overview of each of the roles on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee along with details on the nomination process are included in this document. In the NewsCovid-19 Cases Are Falling In The U.S. It Could Be A Calm Before A Variant-Driven Storm, STAT News, 2-10-21 Learning OpportunityAcademyHealth National Health Policy Conference and Health Datapalooza, Feb. 16 -18. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-11-21
Welcome to Thursday's NCMS Morning Rounds!
Feb. 11, 2021
New NC Executive Order Expands Number of COVID-19 Vaccine Providers
On Tuesday, Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 193, which extends regulatory flexibility to “increase the pool of professional health care workers, including those who can administer FDA-authorized COVID vaccines.” Read the order here.
This Order continues the current ability of each professional health care licensure board to waive or modify enforcement of legal or regulatory constraints as needed to:
- allow clinicians unlicensed in NC but licensed in other states to provide care/administer vaccines
• allow retired/inactive clinicians to provide care/administer vaccines
• allow skilled, but unlicensed volunteers to provide care/administer vaccines
• allow students at appropriately advanced stage of professional study to provide care/administer vaccines
• allow NC licensed dentists to administer vaccines and to administer epinephrine or diphenhydramine for treatment of severe allergic reaction to vaccine
In issuing the order Cooper said it “gives the [NC Department of Health and Human Services, NCDHHS ] authority to expand types of providers to administer vaccines. I’m ordering state officials to marshal all state resources, including property, facilities and personnel, upon request by NCDHHS, to help with vaccination efforts as supply increases.”
NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH stated that the state is not short on providers, but rather short on the vaccine.
“That is our limitation at this point,” Cohen said. “We do want to get ready and onboard providers so when our supply does increase that we make sure we can continue both the speed and equity we are working under.”
If you are a physician or PA who would like to volunteer in the state’s vaccination effort, please register though the NC Training, Exercise, and Response Management System (NC TERMS). Access that system here.
Medicaid Transformation Updates
Late last week the state issued an update on progress toward its transition to Medicaid managed care. In addition to highlighting key dates between now and the July 1, 2021 ‘go live’ date for Medicaid managed care, the update included links to the Medicaid Provider Directory. This contains all active Medicaid and NC Health Choice providers, including primary care providers, specialists, hospitals and organizations. View the directory and health plan lookup tool here.
NC Medicaid encourages you to review your listing if you have already contracted with the pre-paid health plans to provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries. This page provides information on how to report an error on your listing.
Even though the Feb. 1 deadline to be included in the current, open enrollment Medicaid and NC Health Choice Provider Directory and Health Plan Look-up Tool, (open enrollment begins on March 15) you can still negotiate and execute contracts with health plans to have your information included for the auto-enrollment period, which begins on May 16. To be included in this, contracts need to be signed and submitted to health plans by April 12, 2021.
NC Medicaid encourages you to contract with health plans in a timely fashion to avoid losing patients when Medicaid beneficiaries are assigned to in-network providers. More information is available here.
Building a Culture of Health Requires Diverse Leadership
Applications are now open for a unique leadership program dedicated to increasing diversity in senior medical, dental and nursing faculty.
Are you a physician, dentist, or nurse faculty member who is committed to eliminating health disparities? The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development program through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation offers four-year postdoctoral research awards to physicians, dentists and nurses from historically marginalized backgrounds.
- Hone your research and leadership skills.
• Receive mentoring from a distinguished national advisory committee.
• Become a more effective influencer.
• Deepen your understanding of social determinants of health, health equity, and a Culture of Health.
Scholars will receive an annual stipend of up to $75,000 each, complemented by a $30,000 annual grant to support research activities. The application deadline is March 17.
Learn more about eligibility, selection criteria, and how to apply.
In the News
'Keep Your Guard Up': CDC Chief Urges States Not To Lift Pandemic Restrictions, Cites Rising Variant Cases, Becker’s Hospital Review, 2-8-2021
Learning Opportunity
Black Maternal Health and the History of Eugenics in North Carolina with Dr. Kimberly Harper, Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. via Zoom
In this session of Community Class, a new series for educators, students, and community members at large, Harper will reveal that the current Black maternal health crisis is not a new issue, but rather that it ties back to America’s history with chattel slavery. Through the lens of North Carolina’s eugenics movement—a state-led movement that provided for sterilization as birth control from 1933 to 1973—and medical segregation, she will examine reproductive justice in contemporary society.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-10-21
Already time for your Wednesday NCMS Morning Rounds!
Feb. 10, 2021
NCMS Leaders Testify Before NC House Health Committee
Yesterday, NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD and NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, JD, testified before the NC House Health Committee to share with legislators physician and PA experiences around the state’s COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
Dr. Brown stressed that many lessons have been learned as the state works to allocate the current scarce supply of the vaccine in the face of urgent demand. He reported that health systems, health departments and other providers are working with faith-based organizations and community leaders to help ensure eligible individuals in marginalized communities have equitable access to the vaccine. Great strides have been made in this area, thanks to collaboration between the state, health systems and many others, he said.
He urged legislators to not ‘rest on our laurels’ at this point and to allow physician practices and others vaccine allocations in order to begin to work out the logistics of vaccinating large numbers of people when supply of the vaccine increases.
“We need to figure out how to broaden the effort and include every willing provider to vaccinate people,” he said. “We stand ready as physicians of this state. We want to be part of the solution.”
Watch the NCMS’ virtual testimony and committee members’ questions and answers here.
Representatives from AARP, the NC Healthcare Association and the NC Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA), which was representing pharmacists, also addressed the committee. Each shared their constituents’ experiences and concerns about the vaccine distribution. Review their presentation slides here.
Psychiatric Consults a Phone Call Away
The NC Psychiatric Access Line (NC-PAL) is a free telephone consultation program to help primary are practices address the behavioral health needs of their patients. The service is a collaboration between Duke University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
Consultants respond to questions about behavioral health issues, offer local resources and can connect practices to one of their on-call psychiatrists to assist with diagnostic clarification and medication management questions.
The hotline is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. You can be reached at 919-681-2902. Learn more here.
TODAY: Discussion Focused on Your Well-being and Resilience
Today at noon, the Office of Clinician Engagement (OCE) at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) will hold a discussion on ‘Health Care Professional Well-being & Resilience.’
Panelists include Dr. Barry Marx, Director, Office of Clinician Engagement, Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CMS) and Dr. Susan Bailey, AMA President and Holly Carpenter, BSN, RN, Senior Policy Advisor, Innovation Nursing Practice & Work Environment for the ANA.
In the News
The Age Groups Driving New Coronavirus Infections, Charted, Advisory Board, 2-8-21
Learning Opportunity
Healthcare Equality Index: A roadmap for LGBTQ inclusion, March 24, from 1 to 2 p.m.
March 22-26, 2021 is National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week, a time to bring attention to the devastating cycle of discrimination and health disparities that affect LGBTQ people.
Join representatives from The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Chief Nursing Executive at UCSF Health to learn more about how organizations can advance LGBTQ equity and inclusion in health care through participation in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-9-21
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning Rounds!Feb. 9, 2021DON’T FORGET: This evening from 6 to 7 p.m., State Health Director Elizabeth Tilson, MD, MPH and other leadership from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) will offer an update on new vaccines, the status of distribution (including allocation, provider enrollment, and prioritization), communications resources, and the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS). Speakers will respond to questions during a Q&A session. Join the conversation here. Moving Toward COVID-19 Vaccine Administration EquityAs NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD, stated in a video last week: “the COVID-19 pandemic has created a profoundly disproportionate amount of suffering for people of color, with disparities in disease and death rate across the country. As we deploy preventive vaccination with the power to defeat the disease, it is of critical importance that we ensure equitable and, in many cases, preferential access to vaccination for those groups most adversely affected.” NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, in her testimony before the NC House Health Committee, spoke about how the state is working to address these disparities. Over the last few days, many health systems, health departments and practices throughout North Carolina have ramped up their vaccine efforts in underserved communities, often working with churches and other community organizations to reach those in need. At New Hanover Regional Medical Center, where Dr. Brown is Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive, the number of vaccines being administered to historically marginalized communities has increased by 50 percent over the last week, he said. Novant Health held a mass vaccination clinic on Saturday working with local churches and community leaders to vaccinate 4,000 people at The Park Expo Center. Novant’s Senior Vice President for Consumer Engagement Jerome Williams, MD, MBA told local media: “There is a disparity of vaccination rates between people of color and the majority population so through these intentional, strategic efforts we are trying to achieve health equity." In Raleigh, WakeMed worked with community members to set up vaccine administration stations at 17 churches in Wake County in communities hit hardest by the virus. View the demographics of the state's vaccination efforts at NCDHHS' COVID-19 vaccine dashboard here. To help people understand the disparities, NCMS Board member and family physician practicing in Raeford, Karen Smith, MD, FAAFP was interviewed by Spectrum News along with NCDHHS Deputy Secretary Benjamin Money, MPH about addressing vaccine hesitancy in the African American community in particular. Watch the In Focus segment here. Today at 10 a.m. Dr. Brown and NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, JD, are slated to testify before the NC House Health Committee on the vaccination efforts. The meeting will be livestreamed and you can access the link on the committee webpage here. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for updates on this testimony and other COVID-19 vaccine news. This is Congenital Heart Defects Awareness WeekDid you know that heart defects are the most common birth defect; researchers estimate that over 2 million people are living with a heart defect in the United States. From Feb. 7 to 14, join the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) in sharing messages about living with a heart defect on social media tagged with #CHDCare4Life. Tools You Can Use: Kudos to Dr. Brown!NCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD, has received the University of North Carolina, Wilmington’s Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, to be bestowed later this week as part of the University’s virtual homecoming activities. The award recognizes ‘extraordinary achievement, outstanding character and exemplary service to the university and community.’ Dr. Brown, UNCW class of ’88, began his medical career as a vascular surgeon after graduating from ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. Now, as executive vice president and chief physician executive at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) he has been part of an expansive effort to transition NHRMC from a regional medical provider to a more comprehensive health system to better serve the health care needs of the region. Also a 2003 alumnus of the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership, Dr. Brown went on to be a co-director of the Institute. He also is a former president of the New Hanover-Pender Medical Society. Dr. Brown remains active in UNCW’s Seahawk community. He serves as the medical director for the master's program in athletic training and on the Dean's Advancement Council in the College of Health and Human Services. He often lectures as a guest in CHHS and mentors students interested in a medical career. Read more about Dr. Brown and this honor here. In the NewsA Parallel Pandemic Hits Health Care Workers: Trauma and Exhaustion, The New York Times, 2-4-21 Learning Opportunity2021 NC Opioid Misuse and Overdose Prevention Summit (Virtual), May 4-6, 2021 General conference registration opens Feb. 15! This event will fill up fast with a registration cost of only $25. Mark your calendars and stay tuned. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-8-21
Welcome to a new week and your NCMS Morning Rounds!Feb. 8, 2021NCMS Legislative UpdateLast week, the Senate and House fast-tracked and unanimously passed SB 36—2020 COVID Relief Bill Modifications. The bill makes modifications to the 2020 COVID relief bill such as extending deadlines for spending federal COVID funds allocated last year. Part of that funding included $25 million allocated to the NCMS Foundation to help independent practices struggling financially due to the pandemic. The Foundation was able to distribute the total amount by the original Dec. 30, 2020 deadline, benefitting 643 practices or 3,830 individual providers. The average grant per practice was just under $38,000. The map below shows the location of the practices awarded these Financial Recovery Program funds.
The legislation also includes $94.7 million for the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ (NCDHHS) vaccine distribution program and another $39 million for the GREAT rural broadband grant program. This program supports grants to enhance broadband infrastructure in rural North Carolina. Another COVID relief bill is expected in the coming weeks, and will focus on spending more of the federal dollars appropriated by Congress last December. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for updates on this legislation as well as check the NCMS legislative blog for daily bill summaries. Last Thursday, the House Health Committee held the first of its oversight hearings on the state’s vaccine distribution efforts and heard from NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH and local health directors. During her presentation, Sec. Cohen stated that DHHS’ goal is to vaccinate as many people as quickly and equitably as possible with a very limited supply of vaccines. She said that there is still more work to do with vaccinating North Carolinians who are age 65 and older, and the state will remain in priority group 2 for at least a few more weeks. Committee members questioned the Secretary on issues such as the timeframe for teachers being vaccinated; vaccine cancellations across the state; the lack of inclusion of pharmacists as vaccine providers; an inconsistent vaccine supply to rural areas and low vaccine numbers in minority populations. Thank you to the nearly 400 NCMS members who sent ‘welcome back’ messages to their legislators through our Action Alert. Building a relationship with your elected representatives is crucial to our legislative advocacy efforts. You are uniquely positioned to help educate legislators on the issues that impact your practice and the health of their constituents. You can still send a welcome message here. Tomorrow: NCDHHS Office Hours on COVID-19 Vaccine DistributionTomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. State Health Director Betsey Tilson, MD, MPH, and other NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) leaders will offer an update on new COVID-19 vaccines, the status of distribution (including allocation, provider enrollment and prioritization), available communications resources and the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS). Speakers will respond to questions during the Q & A portion of the presentation. Access the meeting via Zoom here. Also, Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) and NC AHEC are collaborating to build a resource hub for vaccine-related information. Explore these materials here. And NCDHHS has a wealth of resources on its You Have a Spot. Take Your Shot website here. In Memoriam: Charles B. Hammond, MD, FACOG, FRCOGNCMS life member, Charles B. Hammond, MD, FACOG, FRCOG, died on Monday, Feb 1, 2021. He was a renowned educator, researcher, advocate for women's health, mentor and obstetrician/gynecologist. He was a past president of the NC Ob/Gyn Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and held multiple other leadership positions. Dr. Hammond had a long and distinguished career at Duke University serving as Edwin Crowell Hamblen Distinguished Professor of Reproductive Biology and Family Planning and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology from 1980 to 2002. In the NewsJohnson & Johnson Submits Application for Covid-19 Vaccine to FDA, STAT, 2-4-21 Learning OpportunityOffice Hours with NC DHHS to Discuss COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan (Zoom meeting), Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for Feb. 5, 2021
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, updates you on key bills filed this week at the NC General Assembly as well as details from the House Health Committee meeting in which NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, spoke to legislators about distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and fielded their questions. And thank you to those 400+ NCMS members who responded to our Action Alert to welcome their legislators back to the legislative session. Be sure to visit our NCMS legislative blog, to view summaries of all these items and to access our Action Alert.
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-5-21
It's Friday! Here's your NCMS Morning Rounds
Feb. 5, 2021
Don’t forget today’s Power Hour session from noon to 1 p.m. when our guest experts will discuss the extraordinary toll the pandemic is exacting on people’s mental health. Health care providers also have to deal with the added stressors of burnout and physical exhaustion as COVID-19 continues to spread. Tune in for a discussion about caring for your mental health during such challenging times. Sign up here.
Medicaid Transformation Resources
As the July 1 ‘go live’ date for the state’s transition to Medicaid managed care inches closer, NC AHEC and the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) are working to provide the necessary education and resources to ease the shift from fee-for-service.
The NC AHEC Practice Support team has developed a checklist to help primary care providers through the transition. View the recommendations and resources here.
The Thursday evening webinar series also continues, featuring a variety of topics on both Medicaid transformation as well as COVID-19 vaccine updates. The next session on Thursday, Feb. 11, will address the ‘Advanced Medical Home Glide Path’ and is designed for those within your practice who are responsible for meeting the NC Medicaid Advanced Medical Home Tier 2 or 3 requirements. Learn more and register here.
For more upcoming Medicaid managed care webinars to address your questions and challenges around this major move, visit this webpage.
Making the COVID-19 Pandemic Response More Effective
A team of researchers from the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University and the Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention, is studying how to make our response to the COVID-19 pandemic more effective.
They invite you to participate in a 10-minute survey to assess possible messaging campaigns around the COVID-19 vaccine. Your answers could help shape our vaccine outreach in the future. Your participation is entirely voluntary.
In return for participation, you may opt to enter a drawing to win one of five gift packs containing a water bottle, face mask, and light fleece jacket with the Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention's petri dish logo.
If you're interested, please click here to complete the survey.
If you have any questions about the survey or your participation, please email [email protected].
Interested in NCMS or NCMS Foundation Leadership? Nominations Now Open
Do you want to make an impact in improving health statewide? The NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees have positions open for the coming year and are now soliciting nominations for these leadership roles.
The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here.
A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021.
The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021.
In the News
Can Covid-19 Cause Diabetes? New Research Turns Up A Troubling Link, Advisory Board, 2-3-21
Learning Opportunity
Durham-Orange County Medical Society Zoom Discussion on Bioethics, Featuring Sarah Stoneking, MD, Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Dr. Stoneking is a primary care physician at Lincoln Community Health Center in Durham, NC. She completed her MD at UNC-Chapel Hill, her residency and chief residency in primary care internal medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance, and a Fellowship in Bioethics at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics. She has served on Ethics Committees at Cambridge Health Alliance as well as at the Durham VAMC. She will be beginning a Fellowship in Geriatrics at UNC-Chapel Hill in July of 2021.
Agenda:
• 6:00pm-6:30pm - Business Meeting led by DOCMS President Keely Godwin, MD
• 6:30pm-7:30pm - Featured Speaker
• 7:30pm-8:00pm - Q&A
CME Credit is available for this session.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-4-21
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds
Feb. 4, 2021
NC COVID-19 Vaccinations Increase
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that over 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered across the state since the vaccine first became available in December through last Friday. To get the latest data on the vaccination effort in North Carolina, the state’s vaccine dashboard is updated every weekday. View the dashboard here.
The state is pushing to administer the total allotment of vaccines from the federal government in order to continue to receive the maximum supply for the state. In a press release, NCDHHS listed the many health systems, county health departments and primary care practices that have been allocated vaccines and have been working hard to get the vaccine to those who are eligible. Read the press release and view the list of providers here.
For the next three weeks, the state is guaranteeing baseline vaccine allocations to providers. In addition, it will set aside doses of the state’s allocation to ensure equitable access to underserved and rural communities.
Vaccine supply continues to be very low and there may be wait times for those eligible to be vaccinated. Patients can find out when they will be eligible to get their vaccine through the online tool, Find My Vaccine Group, which guides the user through a series of questions to determine which vaccine group they are in. People can then sign up to be notified when their group can get vaccinated. North Carolina is currently vaccinating people in Groups 1 and 2, which include health care workers, long-term care staff and residents and people 65 and older.
In the meantime, it is crucial to continue urging patients to wear a mask, wait at least six feet apart and wash hands often.
To see how North Carolina is doing in vaccine administration compared to other states, view the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine data tracker here. The data may differ from state numbers due to reporting times and how the data is collected. The CDC recommends visiting the local sources for the most up-to-date data on vaccinations.
Some Timely Health Equity Updates
Several organizations have recently released reports and issued challenges around racial equity and chronic disease prevention.
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), which is headed by Chief of the NC Chronic Disease and Injury Section of the NC Division of Public Health Susan Kansagra, MD, challenged providers to address racial equity through chronic disease prevention. The announcement includes proposed action steps and a one-year strategic map. Get the details here.
Last month, the office of the US Surgeon General released a new report titled 'Health and Economic Prosperity--A Report of the Surgeon General.' The report uses the vital conditions for health as an underlying framework and stresses the importance of wellbeing and business involvement in community health. See the report here.
The American Lung Association and the Center for Black Health and Equity published a new resource titled 'Better for It.' This science-based, factual guide outlines strategies for beginning conversations around the COVID-19 vaccine in communities of color. Access the guide here.
Finally, if you’d like to learn more about health equity and the African-American population, register for the Center for Black Health and Equity’s ‘The State of Black Health Virtual Conference,’ on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 2-3. Among many topics, the conference will address cancer, mental health, menthol, gun violence and the disparate impact of COVID-19 on African American populations. Learn more and register here.
NCMS Specialty Society News
Did you know that the NCMS offers association management services to 10 medical specialty societies in North Carolina? These include the NC Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (NCSEPS) and the NC Society of Pathologists. For a list of all 10, please visit our specialty society webpage here. The NCMS offers these groups a wide range of services including advocacy, membership maintenance and recruitment, meeting management, financial management and communications support.
Here are several important updates.
NC Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
The NCSEPS held its 2021 Codequest Meeting virtually on Jan. 23. If you were not able to attend this training with Sue Vicchrilli, COT, OCS, OCSR, you still have an opportunity to access the training and receive up to four credits of general CME. Access the recorded Codequest session here.
NC Society of Pathologists
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) created a brief survey to help us understand how COVID-19 has impacted our member pathologists and their practices. The results of this survey will inform CAP leaders, policy makers/influencers and government regulators of the economic and personal challenges pathologists are facing. Following are the details:
- Purpose of study: To identify areas where the CAP can best help our members and inform CAP leaders, policy makers/influencers and government regulators of the economic and personal challenges pathologists have faced due to the pandemic.
• Time to complete: Approximately 10 minutes
• Deadline: Tuesday, Feb. 9
• For participants who complete the study: A copy of the results and a $5 Starbucks or Amazon.com gift card as a small token of our appreciation.
If you have completed prior CAP COVID Impact studies, thank you for your participation. CAP will continue to administer an additional follow-up study in approximately four to six months to continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic.
Please complete this important survey and encourage your colleagues to do so as well.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to David Gross, Director, Policy Roundtable, at [email protected].
In the News
At-Home Covid-19 Test To Ramp Up Production With $231.8 Million Federal Contract, CNN Health, 2-1-2021
Learning Opportunity
Annual Winter CME Virtual Conference co-hosted by the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, NCOMA, and NCS-ACOFP, Feb. 13 – 14.
Attendees can earn up to 16 hours of AOA Category 1-A credit or 16 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Review lecture topics here. Conference registrants will have 30 days to view the conference content and earn CME credit.
View registration rates here. Learn more and register online here. Registration ends February 9th.
For questions, contact Nancy Guy, Conference Coordinator: [email protected] or 910-893-7960.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-3-21
Halfway through the week! Here's Wednesday's NCMS Morning RoundsFeb. 3, 2021NCMS President’s Message on COVID-19 Vaccine EquityNCMS President Philip M. Brown, Jr., MD, issued a brief message expressing the need to ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Brown noted that this is the first week of Black History Month, drawing attention to historically marginalized populations and the opportunity the current vaccination efforts present to remedy historic inequities. Watch Dr. Brown’s message here. Here is a written version of the message: Don’t Forget to Complete This Week’s Practice SurveyAs we have since March 2020, the NCMS has partnered with the NC Medical Group Management Association and Curi to survey our member practices on the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on staffing, financial resources, wellness and other challenges and issues surrounding this public health crisis. Please take just a moment to complete this week’s survey to help us track trends to help inform our advocacy and resource development efforts on your behalf. And watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for a summary of the trends revealed over 2020 and the results of our latest survey that included questions on the COVID-19 vaccination roll out. SAVE THE DATE: March 11 for the NC Population Health CollaborativeSave the Date for our first quarter NC Population Health Collaborative on Thursday, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join us as we discuss ‘The Journey Towards Medicaid Managed Care: Get Your Go Bag Ready!’ This meeting will be held virtually (via Zoom). If you’re not already signed up for our NC Population Health Collaborative mailing list, please click here to ensure you don’t miss out. Registration details will be coming soon! Lastly, don’t forget to mark your calendars for our Fall NC Population Health Collaborative meeting on Sept. 9. In the NewsWhen Will the Covid-19 Epidemic End?, Advisory Board, 2-1-21 Learning OpportunityCare Transformation State of the Union, Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. In this webinar, we’ll explore strategies to improve your Covid-19 response and succeed in your broader population health strategy. Things You’ll Learn: -Why now is the time for some organizations to accelerate their commitment to population health If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 2-2-21
Here is Tuesday's NCMS Morning Rounds
Feb. 2, 2021
February is Black History Month. Learn more here.
X-Waiver Announcement 'Premature'
The announcement last month by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updating the guidelines to exempt physicians from certain certification requirements needed to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment was premature. The requirement, commonly referred to as the x-waiver, remains in place.
The NC Governor's Institute issued a statement last week, reminding providers that, at this time, no changes have been made to the waiver requirements to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorders, and promised to continue to provide updates from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as they become available.
Read SAMHSA’s brief statement on the X-waiver here.
The NCMS Foundation through its Project OBOT helps facilitate Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) using buprenorphine and offers waiver training. Learn more here.
TODAY at 5:30 p.m. -- State Updates on COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will kick off a new live stream talk series to address and provide updates on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan beginning today, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m.
NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, will host the inaugural ‘fireside chat’ featuring Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II as its first guest. Spectacular Magazine Publisher and CEO Phyllis Coley will moderate and the event will stream live on the following channels:
- NCDHHS: Facebook and Twitter
• Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• Repairers of the Breach: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Each talk will be hosted by a NCDHHS official and will feature health experts, community leaders and others who serve historically marginalized populations and rural communities. Simply click on the social media platform of your choice above at 5:30 p.m. to listen in on the conversation.
Guide to Communicating Effectively with All Your Patients
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health recently released a new guide to providing effective communication and language assistance services to culturally and linguistically diverse individuals you see in your practice.
The guide offers strategies for communicating in a way that considers the cultural, health literacy and language needs of patients and their families. One part of the guide is geared to health care administrators responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating communication and language assistance services. The other part is tailored to physicians and PAs – or anyone providing direct care and services – with information and tips on cross-cultural communication, working with an interpreter and more.
Access the guide at this website.
In the News
Pediatricians Pivot To Vaccines On The Go As Immunization Rates Drop During The Pandemic, STAT, 1-29-2021
Learning Opportunity
POWER HOUR: COVID-19 and Mental Health Zoom Meeting, Feb. 5 from noon to 1 p.m.
Isolation due to the pandemic and increased stress due to financial and family pressures have taken an extraordinary toll on people’s mental health. Health care providers in particular have to deal with the added stressors of burnout and physical exhaustion from the worsening spread of COVID-19. Tune in for a discussion around caring for your mental health during such challenging times. Sign up here.
This week's Power Hour Guests
Dr. Yun Boylston – Burlington Pediatrics
Dr. Jennie Byrne – CareMore Health
Dr. Alexandra Cupito – Burlington Pediatrics
Dr. Robyn Jordan - UNC Substance Abuse Treatment & Recovery clinic
Dr. Marion McCrary – Marion McCrary Wellness LLC
Dr. Cormack O’Donovan – Wake Forest Baptist Health
The weekly Power Hours are offered to you by Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership/ North Carolina Medical Society Foundation and aims to provide a forum for ongoing conversation, collaboration and community. Tune in to Power Hour on Fridays to hear from different experts, decision makers and influencers on a variety of topics. The format is informal and conversational and sessions are easy to access through Zoom. The Power Hours will be recorded and made readily available to you through NCMS Morning Rounds.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 2-1-21
Enjoy your first NCMS Morning Rounds of FebruaryFeb. 1, 2021
Enjoy your image for February from the 2021 NCMS calendar. You may print out this month's calendar image and page by following this link. Legislative Session 2021-22 Now UnderwayThe 2021-22 session of the NC General Assembly began in earnest last Wednesday and many bills have already been filed. One proposal of particular note, HB6/SB18 – Funds for Planning and Construction of a New Brody School of Medicine at ECU -- was introduced on the first day of session. The NCMS has long be a supporter of this proposition as the Brody School of Medicine has a proven track record of educating physicians who tend to stay in the state to practice and is committed to improving access to health care in North Carolina. The bill allocates $15 million from the General Fund and Infrastructure Fund for the 2021-22 fiscal year and $13 million in 2022-23. The total amount to complete the project is $215 million. Throughout the session be sure to follow the bills filed at our NCMS legislative blog and get the highlights in your NCMS Morning Rounds. Also, be on the lookout in your email for our Action Alert to help you send a welcome message to your legislators. Building a relationship with your representatives and serving as a physician or PA constituent resource is a great help to our advocacy efforts. If you have not yet signed up for our grassroots Action Alerts, do so here. Nominations Now Open for NCMS and NCMS Foundation Leadership PositionsDo you want to make an impact in improving health statewide? The NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee as well as the NCMS Foundation (NCMSF) Board of Trustees have positions open for the coming year and are now soliciting nominations for these leadership roles. The NCMSF, the philanthropic arm of the NCMS, seeks to improve access to quality health care for all North Carolinians. The Foundation’s portfolio of programs demonstrates our commitment to this vision. Learn more about each of these programs here. A full description of what is expected of members of the NCMSF Board of Trustees along with details on the nomination process are outlined in this document. Nominations are due by Aug. 30, 2021. The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the NCMS Board of Directors, NC American Medical Association (AMA) Delegation and on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee itself. Nominations are due by May 17, 2021. COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for Pregnant, Lactating WomenLast week the World Health Organization released guidance for the COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant and lactating women. Their recommendation is inconsistent with guidance developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) experts. In a joint statement with the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), both organizations “continue to stress that both COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who choose to receive the vaccine. ACOG’s and SMFM’s current guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant patients remains in place.” These guidance recommendations are made by expert physicians and based on preliminary developmental and reproductive toxicity (DART) data as well as data that have demonstrated symptomatic pregnant individuals with COVID-19 are at increased risk of more severe illness and death compared with nonpregnant peers. Further, the joint statement recommends that there should not be barriers to access for pregnant and lactating women, including additional documentation prior to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Read the joint statement here. In the NewsNCDHHS Launches “Find My Vaccine Group” to Help North Carolinians Know When They Have a Spot to Take Their Shot, NCDHHS,1-25-21 Learning OpportunityUnderstanding Digital Health Today—and Preparing For Its Next “New Normal”, Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Things you’ll learn: If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for January 29, 2021
The 2021-22 session of the NC General Assembly is now underway. On the first day of session, a proposal to fund a new Brody School of Medicine building at ECU was filed, something the NCMS has long supported. Review all the bills filed on our NCMS legislative blog now and throughout the session. Also, be on the lookout in your email for our Action Alert to help you send a welcome message to your legislator. Reaching out as a resource to your representatives is a great help to our advocacy efforts. Watch and learn more about the opening of the session and what's ahead in the coming week in this week's Political Pulse video.
NCMS Morning Rounds 1-29-21
Happy Friday! Here is your NCMS Morning Rounds.
Jan. 29, 2021
Grant Funding for 'Keeping Kids Well' Initiative
The North Carolina Division of Public Health (DPH), in partnership with NC Area Health Education Centers (NCAHEC) and Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC), are providing grants to independent pediatric and family medicine practices to support interventions aimed at boosting compliance with scheduled immunizations and well-child care. Rates of childhood vaccinations have fallen sharply during the pandemic, leaving children and the adults around them vulnerable to preventable diseases. These grants are intended to provide additional resources to independent primary care practices working to address the problem.
Grants of up to $5,000 maximum per organization will be awarded upon successful completion of the intervention. In addition, practice support coaches from NC AHEC and CCNC will be available to assist in this effort.
Funds are limited and are distributed to accepted applicants on a first come, first serve basis, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Practices will be notified of approval within 1-2 weeks after submitting an application. Practices should then submit data reflecting the aggregate number of children served regardless of payor status, and provide W-9 documentation within two weeks of the completed intervention and no later than May 31, 2021. All required documentation should be sent to [email protected] in order to receive payment.
To apply for the DPH Keeping Kids Well Fund Initiative, please submit your application using this link.
NC HealthConnex Helps Facilitate COVID Vaccine Reporting
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), which manages the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) and the state’s Health Information Exchange (NC HealthConnex) are working together to report vaccine administrations statewide.
NC HealthConnex, will offer connectivity to CVMS and patient matching across sources to enhance vaccine data by utilizing the NC HealthConnex master patient index. NC HealthConnex will be receiving COVID-19 vaccine administration data from points of care such as CVS, Walgreens, hospitals and health systems, and electronic health records (EHRs). To reduce double data entry, NC HealthConnex will help with integrating health systems’ EHRs with the CVMS database. This data exchange through NC HealthConnex will reduce the need for manual entry of vaccine administration data directly into CVMS.
HealthConnex is a secure electronic network that gives authorized health care providers the ability to access and share patient information across a statewide information network.
NC HealthConnex is actively working with hospitals and health systems to ensure access to CVMS with plans to onboard additional health care organizations who administer vaccines soon. For more information, contact the NC HealthConnex Team at [email protected]. Get the latest updates from NC HealthConnex here.
PAI Advocates for Equitable Access to Telehealth Funds
The Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI), which advocates for physician practices nationwide, sent a letter last week to the secretary of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking that the agency’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding be more equitably distributed to independent medical practices.
“While PAI appreciates the FCC’s initial efforts in providing funding to areas hardest hit by COVID-19, the application process expressly favored not-for-profit medical organizations and other ‘public eligible health care providers’ at the exclusion of thousands of independent physician practices,” the letter states. “Unfortunately, the millions of patients living in rural and urban settings served primarily by independent physician practices only receive the benefit of such technology if those practices find alternative funding supports or undertake significant capital investments in technology and equipment at their own risk.”
The letter goes on to make a series of recommendations to improve the application process to ensure distribution of telehealth service funds is fair, equitable and accounts for all physician practice types.
In The News
Johnson & Johnson On Track For 100 Million Vaccine Doses By End Of June, Bolstering US Supply, The Hill, 1-26-21
Learning Opportunity
NC AHEC and CCNC Navigating COVID-19 Webinar Series, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6 to 7 p.m.
Join the Zoom meeting room on your computer, or dial-in at (646) 558-8656 using webinar ID 131 899 801.
NC AHEC, Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC), the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, the North Carolina Pediatric Society, and the North Carolina Psychiatric Association, are hosting a monthly webinar to support North Carolina’s clinicians through the COVID-19 pandemic. This webinar is scheduled for 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 1-28-21
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.Jan. 28, 2021Be Aware of Which COVID-19 Vaccine Syringe Is UsedFor those who are administering the COVID-19 vaccine, the number of doses available in each vial may depend on the type of syringe used. If a specialty syringe called a low-dead volume syringe is used, an extra dose can be squeezed out of a vial of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. NCMS Board member Holly Biola, MD, MPH, FAAFP, offered her own experience: “Last weekend we were sad to only get 10 doses out of each Moderna vial for the first half of the day, and then magically 11 doses from each vial later on. One of our colleagues solved the mystery by telling us she'd heard about "low dead space" syringes on a state COVID call. It turns out that the syringes that come with the vaccine are "low dead space syringes," and the syringes we'd been using for the first few hours had been from our own stock. Turns out this makes that much difference.” The FDA had noted this in the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) fact sheet for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, stating: “After dilution, vials of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine contain six doses of 0.3mL of vaccine. Low dead-volume syringes and/or needles can be used to extract six doses from a single vial. If standard syringes and needles are used, there may not be sufficient volume to extract a sixth dose from a single vial.” A recent article from Reuters also notes that this is a specialty syringe and its manufacturer will have to ramp up production to help ensure no vaccine is wasted. “Syringe maker Becton Dickinson has contracted with the U.S. government to provide 286 million syringes for use with COVID-19 vaccines, including around 40 million low dead space syringes, and is fully prepared to deliver on that agreement, said Troy Kirkpatrick, the company’s senior director of public relations,” the article states. “Low dead space syringes are a niche product and Becton Dickinson had not discussed plans with the U.S. government to substantially boost their output when they began preparing for the vaccine rollout last year, he said.” Public Health Emergency Likely Will Extend Through 2021In a letter to Governors, the Acting Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Norris Cochran, IV, told each state leader that the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration will likely remain in place for the rest of 2021. He also assured the governors that when a decision is made to terminate the declaration, HHS will give states 60 days advance notice. “Predictability and stability are important given the foundation and flexibilities offered to states that are tied to the designation of the PHE,” the letter states. “Among other things, the PHE determination provides for the ability to streamline and increase the accessibility of health care, such as the practice of telemedicine.” Other allowances under a PHE include waiving or modifying certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and HIPAA rules and requirements. The hope, as noted in the letter, is provide “increased budgetary stability and predictability during this challenging time.” NCMS Members-Only COVID-19 Educational Event on Feb. 4NCMS members should have received an email invitation with details about a special educational session with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals’ Global Vaccine Medical Director on the science behind the COVID-19 vaccine. This members-only event will be held next Thursday, Feb. 4 from 6 to 7 p.m. Be sure to check your email for more information and the registration link. The email should be in your inbox for Tuesday, Jan. 26 around 7 p.m. Forgot to renew your NCMS membership for 2021? It’s not too late! Click here to renew. Want to become a member of the state’s oldest professional society? Learn more here. In the NewsModerna Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Against New UK and South African Variants But Plans To Test New Booster Shot, News Leader, 1-25-21 Learning OpportunityCOVID-19 Action in the Biden Era: A Fireside Chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Tuesday, Feb. 9, noon to 1 pm. To RSVP, please visit this link. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 1-26-21
It's Tuesday and time for your NCMS Morning Rounds.Jan. 26, 2021NCMS Board Gets Special Update on COVID-19 VaccineAt its meeting on Saturday, Jan. 23, the NCMS Board of Directors heard the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccine supply and administration from State Health Director Betsey Tilson, MD, MPH. Board members wanted to know how the NCMS can help the state facilitate administering the vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. Dr. Tilson told Board members that adequate vaccine supply is the major constraint in getting people vaccinated at this point and called on the NCMS to help get the facts out on the state’s efforts to ensure whatever vaccine is available is getting to the right people as efficiently as possible. She said the goal is to use all 127,000 doses the state receives each week in order to continue receiving that allocation from the federal government, which is watching to make sure all doses are administered and there is minimal waste. When considering there are 1.75 million North Carolinians in just the first two priority groups for the vaccine, the supply shortage is evident. Review the simplified priority groupings here. “We need to show the feds that we can push it out and maybe we’ll get more,” she said, adding that right now it is unlikely more doses will be available. “The whole world is fighting for additional doses.” As of Saturday morning, Dr. Tilson said the state is on track to use up its weekly allotment by Tuesday. Since the vaccine became available in December, approximately 527,000 first doses have been administered as of Saturday and about 86,000 second doses. She encouraged Board members to refer to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) vaccine dashboard for the most accurate data. Since the state opened its COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) earlier this month, Dr. Tilson said 3,164 organizations have initiated enrollment in the system, which would enable them to administer the vaccine. So far there are 620 provider location sites for the vaccine with a maximum number of 703 sites possible for direct allocation based on the number of vaccines available. She urged patience as the state must decide the most efficient sites for vaccine administration based on three criteria: ability of the site to do mass vaccinations; inclusion of historically marginalized populations and primary care locations. Finally, she asked that everyone ‘grant grace,’ as this unprecedented situation unfolds. Board members agreed that, given the current vaccine shortage, the prevention message must be especially forceful. Dr. Tilson encouraged the NCMS and its members to spread the message about the 3 ‘W’s of wearing a mask, washing hands and waiting six feet apart. For help in getting that message out, NCDHHS has a wealth of resources here. This prevention message is even more urgent now as the first case of the new variant of the virus has been identified in the state. Given that this mutation seems to be more transmissible, Dr. Tilson forecast that North Carolina may see another surge in cases come March. Medical Volunteers Needed to Help in COVID-19 EffortsAs reported previously in your NCMS Morning Rounds, if you are interested in volunteering to help in the state’s COVID-19 public health efforts – whether through testing, administering vaccines, data entry or other types of help, you need to go to NC Emergency Management’s Training, Exercise, Response Management (TERMS) site to create a profile and be vetted for a medical professional volunteer position. Access the site here. For other types of volunteer opportunities, you can go to the ReadyNC website, which helps coordinate disaster relief volunteer services. Visit the site here. Finally, you may also want to reach out to your local county health department about volunteer needs they may have. NC Council on Health Care Coverage Finalizes Guiding PrinciplesThe North Carolina Council on Health Care Coverage held its last meeting last Friday, in which the diverse group of council members, including NCMS Board of Directors member Merritt Seshul, MD, MBA, FACS and NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, JD, finalized guiding principles to help Governor Roy Cooper and legislative leaders as they consider options to increase affordable and comprehensive health coverage for North Carolinians. The Council is convened by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, which is led by Mark McClellan, MD, PhD. Council members include bipartisan members of the General Assembly and representatives from a variety of sectors including business, nonprofit and health care. Since beginning its work in December, the Council has heard from a variety of experts on issues such as Medicaid expansion, access to behavioral health services and options for private insurance market reform. The group has also examined the impact that the lack of coverage has had on businesses and employees in the state. During its meeting on Jan. 8, Council Members worked collaboratively developing draft guiding principles that were considered and approved at the final meeting on Jan. 22. The principles include maximizing health coverage, ensuring program simplicity, enhancing the health of North Carolina and ensuring health system sustainability. The group also highlighted the importance of the efficient use of taxpayer dollars, strengthening rural communities, reducing disparities, expanding access to and coverage of behavioral health services and supporting the business community. The full list of final principles as well as a summary of the Council’s work will be compiled into a final report by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. The guiding principles will be shared with members of the North Carolina General Assembly and other leaders across the state. In The News4 Key Trends For Payers and Providers In 2021, Health Care Dive, 1-22-21 Learning OpportunityThe Impact of Downtime on the Clinician and Patient Experience, On-Demand Webinar In this webinar, experts discuss: If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 1-25-21
Get ready for a new week of NCMS Morning Rounds.Jan. 25, 2021NC Medicaid Extends Rate Increase and Policy ChangesLast Friday, due to the extension of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, NC Medicaid announced it would extend the temporary provider rate increases and clinical coverage policies through March 31, 2021. In a special Medicaid bulletin, NC Medicaid states that officials have determined it is “both necessary and feasible to continue all temporary rate increases related to COVID-19 through March 31, 2021. As we approach that date, NC Medicaid will reassess both needs and available funding for further extension of temporary rate increases. Note that the legislated 5 percent rate increases authorized under SL 2020-4 cannot be extended beyond March 31, 2021 unless there is additional legislation amending the end date set in SL 2020-4." NC Medicaid also stated that many of the Clinical Policy Provisions, such as those related to telehealth enacted to support COVID-19 response, which do not require new federal authorities, are in the process of becoming permanent policy. The Division of Health Benefits (DHB) is seeking federal authority where appropriate. For permanent policy changes to the Medicaid program, DHB will post changes publicly. All stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback. For more information and details here is the link to the special Medicaid Bulletin. Summary of Biden’s Immediate Actions to Address PandemicThe day after his inauguration, President Biden began implementation of his national strategy to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Review the entire strategy here. The AMA has compiled a summary of initial actions through the following Executive Orders signed on Jan. 21. Access the actual at each link below: Memoranda issued on January 21 include: NCMS Legislative UpdateLegislators will be back in Raleigh on Wednesday, Jan. 27 to begin the new session in earnest. Be sure to watch your NCMS Morning Rounds as well as our NCMS legislative blog for details on all proposed legislation as bills begin to be drafted and filed. Now is also a great time to reach out with a welcome message to your legislators, simply welcoming them back to session and introducing yourself as a physician or PA constituent. This is a nice way to also offer your insight and expertise as a clinician when questions may arise when they are considering legislation that could impact your practice. Thank you to everyone who completed our survey on the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. The information you provided was helpful to our advocacy team as they fielded questions from legislators about the vaccination effort. The survey revealed that all respondents have been or will be vaccinated and are recommending your patients do the same as the vaccine becomes more widely available. Last week, NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH announced that 500,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state thus far. In the NewsSocial Distancing Has Crushed Many Common Viruses. Is A Dangerous Resurgence Coming? The Advisory Board Forum, 1-20-21 Learning OpportunityThe 2021 Playbook: What The Future Holds For Primary Care, Jan. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for Jan. 22, 2021
Legislators will be back in Raleigh on Wednesday, Jan. 27 to begin the new session in earnest. Watch our NCMS legislative blog for details on all proposed legislation with bills beginning to be drafted and filed next week. This week, NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH announced that 500,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 thus far. Thank you to those who responded to our survey on the vaccination roll out. The information has been helpful in conversations with legislators. Learn more about what the survey revealed in this video.
NCMS Morning Rounds 1-22-21
Happy Friday! Here is your NCMS Morning Rounds.
Jan. 22, 2021
COVID-19’s Impact on Clinicians in Safety Net Practices
The University of North Carolina’s Carolina Health Workforce Research Center and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently published its interim report, ‘Survey of the Pandemic Experiences and Effects on Clinicians in Safety Net Practices in 20 States.’
The NCMS Foundation’s Community Practitioner Program (CPP) participants are among the respondents to the survey that forms the basis of this report. The CPP offers school loan repayment help to clinicians who agree to practice in underserved NC communities. Learn more about the CPP here.
This interim report, which covers the period up to Dec. 22, 2020, includes insights into:
- how work and jobs for clinicians in safety net practices have changed with the pandemic,
• how well supported these clinicians have been in their jobs and their current work well-being, and
• the changes clinicians have experienced in their loan repayment or scholarship program contracts
A more complete and detailed final report with in-depth analyses will follow this March or April.
Some initial takeaways include that, not surprisingly, clinicians have felt moderately to severely stressed over the past year with the political atmosphere being the most often reported stressor (82 percent) with uncertainty over personal finances (44 percent) and the possibility of losing their jobs (37 percent) being the next most mentioned stressors.
Overall, 45 percent of clinicians/providers scored low on well-being. Among disciplines, physicians feel most supported by their practices and have best well-being scale scores. On a positive note, 85 percent of clinicians overall reported that work was meaningful to them during the past month.
Read more of the report’s results here.
Working Toward a DiabetesFreeNC Even During a Pandemic
The NCMS, the AMA and other organizations across the state are asking physicians, care teams and health care organizations to lead the way to a 'diabetes free NC' by identifying patients with prediabetes and referring them to an evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle change program.
Even during the pandemic, the YMCA continues to offer DPP virtually. This recent article by the AMA describes how Duke Health in Durham has identified patients who might benefit from such a program and then seamlessly refer them to a DPP in the area. Read ‘How the EHR Can Help ID, Refer Patients for Diabetes Prevention’ here.
Learn more about the DiabetesFreeNC effort and why it’s important here.
Deadline Extended for Primary Care Transformation Fellowship
The Duke University Department of Family Medicine and Community Health has extended the deadline to apply for its two-year Primary Care Transformation Fellowship. The new deadline to apply is Feb. 22, 2021.
The goal of the fellowship, which begins July 1, 2021, is to train physicians and physician assistants (PAs) to lead health care transformation and improve health within their communities and community-based practice settings. The fellowship includes coursework from the Duke University Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Leadership program, primary care preceptor training, a mentored transformation project, and a fellowship seminar series. Fellows will have 25 percent committed time to complete program requirements.
In The News
Rapid Blood Test Helps Predict COVID-19 Severity, Researchers Find, Becker's Hospital Review, 1-20-21
Learning Opportunities
Boosting Rural/Remote Recruitment and Retention Webinar, Jan. 28 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Globally, patients in rural or remote areas have worse health outcomes compared to their peers in metropolitan areas. A major contributor to this trend is the acute and growing workforce shortage of physicians, nurses, and other necessary positions in these areas. In this session, we’ll discuss how rural and remote organizations can address this shortage by boosting recruitment and retention.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 1-21-21
Welcome to your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.Jan. 21, 2021Additional CVMS Training THIS Morning + Webinar TonightThis morning at 9 a.m. an additional COVID Vaccine Management System (CVMS) Train-the-Trainer – Surge Staff session will be held. For practices looking to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, this system is necessary to document and track vaccinations. The training will run until noon. Join via Zoom here with passcode 165704. If you have inquiries about the COVID-19 vaccine as well as any CVMS technology issues, please contact the COVID-19 Vaccines helpdesk here or email the helpdesk at [email protected]. NCMS members may also contact NCMS Director of Member Services Frank Snyder, [email protected], who is serving as NCMS point person on the CVMS to help troubleshoot issues members may be experiencing. Tonight, don’t forget the NC Medicaid Vaccinations and Administration webinar from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the latest in the series of Thursday evening webinars hosted by Chief Medical Officer of the NC Division of Health Benefits Shannon Dowler, MD. The agenda for tonight’s webinar includes: Your Input Needed on COVID-19 Vaccine RolloutPlease take just a moment to complete the latest urgent practice survey. This brief survey has been distributed by the NCMS, Curi and the NC Medical Group Management Association regularly since the beginning of the pandemic in March. The information you provide has been crucial as each organization seeks to spot trends in the needs of medical practices throughout the state to offer resources and to advocate on your behalf with state officials as you deal with the pandemic. This week’s survey includes specific questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and your experience in the rollout. Thank you to those who have already replied. We will report the details of this latest survey in an upcoming issue of NCMS Morning Rounds. For an overview of the pandemic and data gathered through the survey throughout the past year, watch this week’s NCMS Foundation/NCMGMA Lunch & Learn webinar in which Sam Cohen, JD, of Curi and one of the survey designers traces the impact of the pandemic on North Carolina practices. Watch the webinar here. The passcode to access the recording is: NCMGMA/NCMS1 Legal Aid to Offer Ombudsman Services to NC Medicaid BeneficiariesThe NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced yesterday that Legal Aid of North Carolina will provide Medicaid Managed Care Ombudsman services to the state’s Medicaid beneficiaries beginning this spring. Legal Aid, partnering with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and Pisgah Legal Services, will serve as a central resource to educate and inform beneficiaries about the state’s move to Medicaid Managed Care through outreach events, a public website and a toll-free phone number. The Ombudsman will also help resolve issues within the Medicaid Managed Care delivery system. As the Ombudsman, Legal Aid will work collaboratively with community-based organizations and government agencies to assist beneficiaries with issues impacting their health. The Ombudsman will be available to address specific Medicaid-related questions from beneficiaries, make referrals to applicable resources and assist in resolving issues with managed care. In addition, the Ombudsman will help track crucial information regarding access to care for ongoing reporting and analysis. This will help identify trends across Medicaid Managed Care to ensure timely attention to potentially systemic issues. The Ombudsman services provided by Legal Aid are not a replacement for the Grievance and Appeals processes required of each Prepaid Health Plan, nor do the services replace the right of a member to appeal through any State-administered appeals system. These services are distinct from North Carolina’s existing Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program that assists residents of long-term care facilities. More information about the Ombudsman will be available soon on the NC Medicaid website. In The NewsHHS Awards $20M to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Data-Sharing Efforts, Becker’s Hospital Review, 1-19-21 Learning OpportunityThe Digital Future of Managing Chronic Conditions, Thursday, Jan. 21 from 2 to 3 pm DON’T FORGET tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 22, to tune in to Power Hour beginning at noon when the topic will be COVID-19 and its impact on patients’ mental health. A few weeks into the new year, the situation with COVID-19 seems far from over and communities across the country wonder when will we see an end to the pandemic. As the health care community struggles to contain the spread, there are growing concerns on the impact on mental health among patients. So how are our patients doing? How are people dealing with and making sense of COVID-19 and how well are systems responding? Moderated by Franklin Walker, MBA, VP Rural Health Systems Innovation, you will have the opportunity to listen and converse with Jennie Byrne, MD, PhD, Staff VP, Clinical Excellence at CareMore Health; Vinay Saranga, MD, Saranga Comprehensive Psychiatry; Robyn Jordan, MD, PhD, Medical Director at UNC Substance Abuse Treatment & Recovery clinic; and Michele Kim, NP, Nurse Practitioner at Cherry Hospital (Inpatient Psychiatric Facility in Goldsboro).
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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