News

On behalf of the LACMA board of directors, the executive committee and our staff, continued thoughts for those of you serving on the front lines and those of you caring for patients under the most difficult circumstances. In this issue of the Monday Rx, I wanted to share what LACMA has developed the past five weeks to help physicians.

We launched the COVID 19 Rapid Response Initiative and the first action was to provide $100,000 in financial support for solo and small practices. Since March 17th, we have helped almost 320 practices across the county. We built a new web site www.ladocs.org/coronovirus to give providers timely information on the pandemic as well as critical local news. After hearing from many members, we created the LACMA COVID-19 Physician’s Playbook.

We continued to listen to members and found that there wasn’t a site that provides free to discounted products, services and resources for them and their families so we developed the new www.la4docs.org.

As the pandemic continued to impact millions worldwide, 20,000 in Los Angeles County with almost 1,000 fatalities, healthcare workers, physicians and nurses still faced long waits at retail outlets so we kicked off the Frontlines campaign to urge grocery stores to retailers to fast track them. We acquired 9,000 PPEs such as KN95s, shields and hand sanitizers and held one of two distribution events in Los Angeles County. Last week, as an example, we distributed kits to 130 physicians. Much thanks goes to Habitat for Humanity LA for hosting the event, providing ample entrance and exit to physicians, staff and support! We’ve held a successful town hall and several webinars featuring LACMA leaders, knowledgeable legislators and financial experts.  The LACMA Lounge, our virtual happy hour sessions, debuted earlier this month to provide a break for physicians.

As telehealth consistently ranks high for physicians in solo and small practices, LACMA launched the first of its kind “TeleSubsidy Initiative” to help practices institute telehealth programs with minimized financial risk. We partnered with CMA to serve meals to 8,000 staff over three shifts at LA USC Medical Center and late last week, we supported CMA and Vituity Healthcare as they sent 6 local emergency room physicians to New York City to assist their colleagues care for COVID-19 patients.

This Thursday, I will be participating in the Minority Health Institute’s COVID 19: The Battle to Save Black Lives Virtual Town Hall as the pandemic disproportionally impacts communities of color and in particular African Americans. As the pandemic continues, some stark disparities in COVID-19 health outcomes have highlighted socioeconomic inequities between races and unequal access to healthcare. In addition, the pandemic-relates deaths reveal the major role underlying health conditions play in the amplified suffering in the African American and LatinX communities. Black residents (between 18-49) are dying at a rate two and half times as often as their share of the state’s population.

A ballot measure being pushed by a wealthy out-of-state trial attorney is heading to the November 2020 ballot that would substantially raise health care costs for all Californians, reduce access and exploit patients for profit.

The so-called “Fairness for Injured Patients Act” is the latest trial lawyer-funded statewide ballot measure scheme to end California’s long-standing liability reform law — the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA).

This measure will limit patient access to care, vastly increase the number of lawsuits filed in California and further divert resources for patient care to the legal system. It would effectively eliminate the cap on non-economic damages for medical malpractice awards and hold physicians and others personally liable to pay medical malpractice awards.

If it passes, the measure will have a chilling effect on the health care profession and have a trickle-down effect that would be born primarily by low-income patients, who would face higher costs and restricted access to care.

At a time where the future may feel uncertain, its best to speak with experts that can lead you in the right direction. Join us as we hear from experts on the current situation, what to do about tomorrow and how to prepare your practice for beyond.
 

Thursday, April 30, 2020
12:30 PM

RSVP to Lisa Le below:

Next week, Thursday, May 6, 2020, at 6:00 pm we are back for another LACMA Lounge virtual happy hour.

We appreciate your feedback and we will run an open forum event to casually discuss with friends and colleagues, both old and new.
 

For more details and to RSVP, please email Vitelio.