Monday Rx: Omicron Update, Grant Winners, Town Hall, Women Physicians Day, MD/DO Lifeline and 150th Book January 31, 2022 Assembly Bill 1400, California, California Health Care Foundation, California Medical Associations, COVID-19, Endemic, Expanding Healthcare Coverage Town Hall, GME Webinar, LACMA 150th Book, LACMA MD/DO Lifeline, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Medical Practice Makeover, National Women Physicians Day, Omicron, Pandemic, Physician Wellness, Public Health, Virtual Grand Rounds 1215 Omicron Update On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) reported 40 new deaths from COVID-19, as well as 16,835 new positive cases. The number of deaths and confirmed cases relayed today may reflect delays in weekend reporting. But today’s data brings the County to a total of 28,923 deaths and 2,648,751 positive cases. 3,852 County residents are hospitalized with COVID-19 at time of reporting. COVID test results have now been made available to more than 11,053,000 people, with 22% testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 9.1%. DPH noted that over the course of the past week, all COVID metrics apart from deaths—including cases, hospitalizations and the daily test positivity rate—have been on the decline. Cases are down by 45% from one week ago, when 39,117 were reported, with the number of hospitalizations falling below 4,000 for the first time in more than two weeks, and the daily positivity rate falling below 10% for the first time since December 23. First Five Medical Practices Receiving Grants Announced! The first five medical practices to receive a $5,000 LACMA grant and free practice assessment have been announced. As part of the LACMA Medical Practice Makeover initiative, the medical practices applied in late 2021 and to share the challenges they experienced during the pandemic. In addition to the grants, each practice will get a free practice assessment to help identify ways to improve practice efficiency, billing, collections, marketing and operations. The second round of grants and free assessments will kick off in March. Expanding Healthcare Coverage Town Hall #2 Featuring Dr. Sandra Hernandez Assembly Bill 1400 (Kalra) which would implement a single-payer system in California, passed out of Assembly Appropriations Committee and is headed to the Assembly Floor. This bill is eligible to be heard today. We’ve invited California Health Care Foundation CEO, Dr. Sandra Hernandez to be our guest on February 8th to discuss AB 1400 and other options. To register, click here. If you missed the last town hall on Expanding Coverage in California with CMA CEO Dustin Corcoran, click here to watch now. Women in Medicine On February 3rd, LACMA honors the difference female physicians have had on medicine since 1849 as we recognize National Women Physicians Day. This day marks the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. Dr. Blackwell initiated the movement that helped women gain entry and equality in the field of medicine. “The day strives to bring improvements to the workplace for the growing number of women physicians entering the field of medicine," according to National Today. "While the number of women doctors gradually increased in the last two decades, 2016 statistics show 35% of physicians are women. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine last year revealed that women doctors earn on average 8% less than their male counterparts. That discrepancy along with nearly a third of women physicians reporting sexual harassment in the workplace and large majority experiencing gender bias. Clearly, there is still work to be done. National Women Physicians Day recognizes not only the strides that have been made by generations of women doctors but that a balance must be struck that allows women to succeed professionally while balancing family. Join National Women Physicians Day in celebrating these accomplishments and supporting women physicians as colleagues, friends, family and doctors." LACMA MD/DO Lifeline Designed to Support Physician Wellness LACMA has a robust portfolio of services, resources and programs to help physicians. Click here to learn more. LACMA’s 150th Commemorative Books Are Here In celebration of LACMA’s 150th Anniversary, we have published a book that examines LACMA’s complicated and impactful past from the late 1800s to the riots of 1992 to the social unrest and public health crisis of 2020 and 2021 and the incredible progress the organization has made over 150years serving the needs of independent physicians, medical practices, groups, hospitals, health systems and community clinics. If you are interested in picking up a complimentary copy of the book at our downtown LA offices, please email Noemi Corona at noemi@lacmanet.org. GME Webinar Part 1: Is Becoming a Teaching Hospital Right for Your Organization? Examining the Feasibility of GME Participation Part 1 of this webinar series will outline the key components needed to determine whether GME is appropriate and feasible for your organization. In addition, this session will discuss the critical elements for building a strong case for GME participation, including value proposition, financial impact, and others. Part 1: Is Becoming a Teaching Hospital Right for Your Organization? Examining the Feasibility of GME Participation After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to: Define the rationale and value proposition for GME participation Evaluate key cultural, strategic, operational and financial considerations for developing GME programs Understand the steps needed to assess program feasibility Build a case for GME participation to key stakeholders Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2022 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm To register, click here. Virtual Grand Rounds: COVID-19 and Omicron Pandemic to Endemic? The pace of change in this pandemic is fast and furious! For February, the California Medical Associations will host Dr. Erica Pan, our California State Epidemiologist, to help us catch up on current epidemiology, vaccination progress, medication updates, school updates, and more. Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm To register, click here. #MondayMotivation "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is a progress. Working together is a success." Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association “If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me.”