Monday Rx: EUA for COVID-19 Vaccines, Physicians Well Being and Hardships, LACMA Leaders and Partner Updates May 24, 2021 Adolescent Services, Aledade, California Department of Public Health, California Medical Association, CDC, Cooperative of American Physicians, COVID-19, Dr. Sion Roy, Emergency Use Authorization, FDA, LA County, LACMA MD Lifeline, Los Angeles, Physician Aide Association, Vaccination, Virtual Grand Rounds, Well Being Index 1859 Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19 The Food and Drug Administration last week posted the EUA for Pfizer authorizing undiluted, thawed Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine vials to be stored in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (35°F to 46°F) for up to 1 month. Previously, thawed, undiluted vaccine vials could be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Here is a link to the media update, click here. Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research provided this information: Making COVID-19 vaccines widely available is key to getting people vaccinated and bringing the pandemic to an end. Pfizer Inc. submitted data to the FDA to support storage of undiluted, thawed vials of its COVID-19 vaccine for up to one month at refrigerator temperatures. This change should make this vaccine more widely available to the American public by facilitating the ability of vaccine providers, such as community doctors’ offices, to receive, store and administer the vaccine. Additional Information: Based on a review of recent data submitted by Pfizer Inc. today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is authorizing undiluted, thawed Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine vials to be stored in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (35°F to 46°F) for up to 1 month. Previously, thawed, undiluted vaccine vials could be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Pfizer Inc. submitted data to the FDA to demonstrate that undiluted, thawed vials of its COVID-19 vaccine are stable at refrigerator temperatures for up to 1 month. The updated Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers) is intended to help frontline workers understand the revised storage time. The Fact Sheet is available on the FDA’s web site. Well Being Index Reminder LACMA rolled out the Well Being Index to help us better understand physician challenges that can lead to burnout. Please take the assessment so you can better manage your wellness and we will continue to strive to deliver solutions and resources. Click here to take the assessment. The invitation code is LACMA WELLNESS. Physicians Facing Hardship LACMA is also partnering with the Physician Aide Association to help physicians facing hardship. If you or a colleague are facing. PAA is a non-profit charitable organization that is dedicated to helping Los Angeles County physicians, their dependent families and physicians-in-training through unanticipated temporary financial hardships. To apply click here. Aledade Joins LACMA Preferred Partner Program As I mentioned in previous Monday Rx’s, LACMA is partnering with Aledade to help private practices and Federally Qualified Health Centers make the shift to value-based care. Some practices want a partner who can provide regulatory expertise, cutting edge technology, data analytics, business transformation services, upfront capital, and other elements to succeed in value-based health care. Aledade currently partners with 108 community health centers in 14 ACO's across 16 states and distributed an average of $204,000 per health center for their success in the Medicare Shared Savings Program for the 2019 performance year. In the 2019 performance year, Aledade's 6 Health Center-specific ACO's saved Medicare $50.8 million. If you would like to learn more about how your practice or FQHC can leverage Aledade’s powerful suite of resources, contact me or Kim Yu, MD, FAAFP, Regional Medical Director of Growth Partnerships at (248) 345 2915 or kyu@aledade.com. Learn more about Aledade by visiting www.aledade.com. Dr. Sion Roy Runs for Assembly As most of you know, LACMA’s immediate past president, Dr. Sion (Shy) Roy is running for state Assembly. If you would like to support Shy’s campaign, there are fundraisers being planned including June 27th at the home of LACMA Executive Committee member Dr. Heather Silverman. This event will be hosted by LACMA President Dr. Diana Shiba, President-Elect Dr. Jeffery Lee and LACPAC. You can donate here or if you would like to attend you can contact Nicole Ward at (213) 605 - 5471 or email Nicole.Ward@gmail.com. Free 2021 HR Manual for Your Medical Practice Whether you employ a staff of one or 100, every medical practice needs an up-to-date human resources manual to stay on top of the latest in HR best practices and legal guidelines. The Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP) is pleased to offer you a free customizable, Word-formatted HR manual adaptable to your practice's specific needs. Written by HR professionals, the 2021 Human Resources Manual has been fully updated to reflect 2021 laws, many of which are new or have changed due to the ongoing pandemic. Download Now Having structured HR policies and procedures in place in your practice can help you avoid employment-related lawsuits and support a positive and productive work environment. CAP’s 2021 Human Resources Manual for medical practices includes: Changes to unpaid leave laws Updates to minimum wage regulations Employee Manual in a customizable Word format Manager's Handbook providing HR best practices and guidelines And more! CAP, a leading provider of medical malpractice coverage for California physicians, offers a wide array of risk management and practice management benefits, such as these free resources. To learn more about becoming a CAP member, please call 800-356-5672 or email MD@CAPphysicians.com. Request an Instant Quote today to see how much you can save on medical malpractice coverage through CAP. Webinar: Providers of Adolescent Services: What to Expect After Enrolling in the CA COVID-19 Vaccination Program Please join the California Department of Public Health and California Medical Association (CMA) for an informational session covering clinical guidance for COVID-19 vaccination of adolescents and provider requirements for participating in the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Program. This webinar is intended for healthcare providers who serve adolescents and are interested in becoming a COVID-19 vaccine provider, in the process of completing enrollment, or enrolled in the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program. For enrollment guidance, please see the enrollment webpage and archived webinar, How to Enroll in the California COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2021 Time: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. PST Format: Zoom Register Here Virtual Grand Rounds: Ethics in a Pandemic and the State of COVID-19 in California In this Virtual Grand Rounds, we will hear from experts on medical ethics and how these ethics relate to the individual and collective experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Key questions will include: How do we evaluate our response to the pandemic as a nation? As a global community? What issues are emerging as a partially vaccinated society that is trying to re-open? What have we learned from this crisis and how can we codify those learnings to be better prepared in the future? Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. PST Format: Zoom Register Here #MondayMotivation "It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it." Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association “If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me.”