Welcome to a new week and your Monday NCMS Morning Rounds.

  August 24, 2020

NCMS Legislative Update – NCMS Requests $50 million in COVID-19 Relief

Last week the NC House Select Committee on COVID-19 and its Health Care Working Group reviewed the funding needs for a variety of groups impacted by the pandemic. Legislators went through a list of 40 items in need of funding and tried to rank them as to urgency. This is in anticipation of the NC General Assembly’s return to Raleigh in September to consider COVID-19 relief legislation.

The NCMS and several other health care stakeholder organizations have requested $50 million from state lawmakers to address the COVID-19 related needs of your practice. Learn more about the committee meeting and our request on our legislative blog.

Watch your email for an Action Alert to send to legislators explaining how the pandemic has impacted your practice and urging them to fund our relief request.

With less than 75 days until the General Election on Nov. 3, we are in the final stretch of our PAC fundraising effort. Our goal to raise an additional $40,000 will help support candidates who understand the issues medical professionals face. Your support is crucial. Please give now, if you haven’t already made your donation. Donate here.

And don’t forget to request your absentee ballot and learn more about how you can vote in the upcoming election.

NC Diabetes Prevention Program Goes Virtual

The NCMS has been working closely with the AMA over the past year to implement a comprehensive diabetes prevention program. When the pandemic hit, that healthy lifestyle programs that were a part of the effort were initially suspended. But now, those beneficial programs are back – virtually.

The AMA published a feature article on North Carolina’s virtual DPP, highlighting the NCMS’ role in the program. Read the article here.

‘Catch-Up to Get Ahead’ Initiative for Childhood Immunizations

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this month launched its ‘Catch-up to Get Ahead’ initiative to increase childhood immunization rates in the wake of significant declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign includes a toolkit containing graphics and sample posts for your social media networks as well as videos and a list of resources to help you spread the message to parents and caregivers. Access the toolkit here.

The initiative seeks to bring together government and private sector partners to enhance access to essential immunization services by:
• Increasing immunization opportunities by encouraging extended office and clinic hours for the administration of catch-up vaccines;
• Informing parents about COVID-19 safety precautions and practices in place in health care settings and encouraging them to take their children to get vaccinated; and
• Catching children up on their immunizations to mitigate pressures on our healthcare system when the influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses begin co-circulating in the coming months.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and raising awareness around receiving recommended immunizations is even more important during the pandemic.

Learn more about the initiative here.

In the News

Long-Haulers are Re-defining COVID-19, The Atlantic, 8-19-20

Learning Opportunity

SAVE THE DATE: Addiction Medicine Essentials – Oct. 16 – 17. This fall’s virtual Addiction Medicine Essentials Conference, will focus on health inequities, particularly racial inequities, in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment and policy. Dr. Jessica Isom, Dr. Jill Williams and Victor Armstrong will identify and explore barriers to health equity in addiction medicine. Registration coming soon.

If you missed the spring Addiction Medicine Conference you can REWIND to attend 6 sessions and receive up to 4.5 hours of CME, all on your schedule for just $50. Access the sessions 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!