Tuesday Rx: LAMCA, Expanding Healthcare Coverage, Medical Practice Makeover and Health Care Providers Survey February 22, 2022 Affordable Care Act, California Department of Public Health, COVID-19, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, Expanding Healthcare Coverage, Healthcare Workers, HIPAA Privacy, LAMCA, Legislation, Long COVID, Los Angeles Multi Specialty Cosmetic Academy, Medical Practice Makeover, Mental Health, SB 974, survey, Virtual Grand Rounds 1583 Los Angeles Multi-Specialty Cosmetic Academy March 10-13 In this special Tuesday edition of Monday Rx, I wanted to share some exciting news about the upcoming Los Angeles Multi Specialty Cosmetic Academy (LAMCA) held on March 10-13 and hosted by LACMA member, Dr. Kian Karimi. Four days of workshops, 60 guest speakers and an opportunity for those medical providers who want to explore a highly interactive, diverse multi-specialty educational didactic and hands-on learning experience. Click here to register. Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation Legislation Passes Senate: Protecting Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health Historic Legislation Now Heads to President for Signature LACMA provider wellness partner, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, announced late last week that the U.S. Senate passed the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. The legislation is named after Dr. Lorna Breen, a New York City emergency room physician who tragically died by suicide in Spring 2020 after treating confirmed COVID-19 patients, aims to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health assistance among health care professionals. Jennifer Breen Feist and Corey Feist, co-founders of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation released a video praising the bill’s passage. “We want to take a moment with you to pause and let all those health care professionals know that we heard you and we have been working diligently to support you,” said Jennifer Breen Feist, co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. “We owe each of you our deepest gratitude for all you’ve done for us and for this country.” Backed by more than 70 organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians, the comprehensive legislation is the first of its kind to allocate specific funds towards grants for training health profession students, residents, or health care professionals in evidence-informed strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. The provider wellness platform developed by the foundation, is central to the LACMA MD Lifeline program dedicated to medical provider wellness. Click here to learn more. Expanding Healthcare Coverage: One Story As LACMA continues to share the latest news on expanding healthcare coverage in California and local options, kudos to state Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) introduced Senate Bill 974, a measure that would expand health care coverage for diagnostic breast imaging following an abnormal mammography. The idea for the bill was suggested by 25th district resident Gayaneh Pezeshkian Avanes, wife of LACMA member Dr. Emil Avanes. “When I found out that I needed further imaging after my preventative mammogram visit, I was so scared. I quickly booked my ultrasound but was shocked when I received a bill from my insurance company and was told that the ultrasound was not considered part of a preventative visit. I did some research and realized that in the Affordable Care Act, this additional imaging was not listed and the states needed to add their own legislation,” stated Pezeshkian Avanes. SB 974 would require that a health insurance policy, which is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, must provide coverage for a medically necessary diagnostic breast imaging, including diagnostic breast imaging following an abnormal mammography result. Diagnostic breast imaging includes breast magnetic resonance imaging and breast ultrasound. To learn more about this success click here to review the press release. Medical Practice Makeover Update: Help is on the way! We recently announced the winners for quarter 1 and are now accepting applications for quarter 2. If you haven’t already, please check out the Practice Makeover Initiative and apply for a grant + practice assessment today. The deadline to register is March 16, 2022. Register here. Dietary Supplement Adulteration; Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of CA Health Care Providers Survey Dear California Physician, Approximately 23,005 emergency room visits are associated with dietary supplement use in the U.S. each year, including acute liver and kidney injury, severe hypoglycemia, psychosis, invasive fungal infection, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and selenium toxicity - yet many consumers consider dietary supplements as safe. Many of these adverse events have occurred among people under the age of 25 years old, including at least 22 deaths. The California Department of Public Health’s Food and Drug Branch is requesting your help to reduce the number of adverse effects related to dietary supplements in 2022. Please consider taking our anonymous, 5-minute survey to help us combat this important issue. Your participation will contribute to the development of educational materials that may benefit your practice and your patients. We value your expertise and participation in our survey. We look forward to your contribution to help us ring in a happier and healthier 2022! Webinar: HIPAA Privacy and Security: Still a Challenge After All These Years The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was first enacted in 1996. Although 25 years have passed since the enactment of the regulations, many challenges to compliance still exist. This webinar will discuss both the privacy and security measures required by HIPAA. You will learn how to assess your clinic for risks of privacy and security incidents and what steps to take to minimize those risks. Lastly, the webinar will provide an overview of a HIPAA breach and the required steps of a breach analysis. Date: February 24, 2022 Time: 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm Register here. Virtual Grand Rounds: Long COVID - What is it and What are the Symptoms? Join CMA's Virtual Grand Rounds: Long COVID-19 - What is it and what are the symptoms? on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, from12:00 p.m. PT to 1:00 p.m. PT As we continue to wrestle with the ongoing day-to-day of the pandemic, a large outstanding question is: what are the long-term effects of contracting COVID-19? In this next edition of Virtual Grand Rounds, CMA welcomes clinical experts who will discuss post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV2, otherwise known as Long COVID. CMA also welcomes back Erica Pan, M.D., California State Epidemiologist, who will give us updates on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in California including emerging variants and vaccines. Date: March 8, 2022 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Register here. #MondayMotivation "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association “If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me.”