Medication Management: Save Time by Simplifying Your Prescribing and Refill Process Introduction Chronic conditions that require long-term medication therapy affect more than 133 million Americans.1 More than half of all Americans take four prescription medications each day and get their prescriptions from several health care providers.2 75% of patients also regularly take at least one over-the-counter (OTC) medication.2 Managing the care of patients who take multiple medications creates a conundrum for the already overburdened clinician: During a brief visit, how do you reconcile all medications, ensure that patients are taking them as prescribed, and fill or refill medications efficiently? This module details STEPS you ... June 6, 2023 Drug Prescribing/Dispensing, General, Healthcare, Patient Care AMA Steps Forward, improved patient care, improving medication adherence, saving time and money 0 0 Comment Read More »
HEALTH UPDATE: PREVENT MPOX TRANSMISSION IN SUMMER 2023 While cases of mpox (formerly called monkeypox) have declined in Santa Clara County and the United States, the outbreak is not over. Recently, Chicago has reported 23 mpox cases since April 2023. As noted in a health alert from Chicago, which reported the first 12 confirmed and one probable cases from this cluster, nine out the first 13 (69%) cases were fully vaccinated. For the nine out of 13 cases for which travel history was available, four had traveled recently (three traveled within the US, one traveled out of the country). None ... May 22, 2023 Advocacy, General, Healthcare, Patient Care, Public Health CDC Guidelines, JYNNEOS, MPOX, STI Prevention, STI Treatment, vaccination 0 0 Comment Read More »
Grassroots call to action requested by CMA Today, CMA launched a grassroots campaign in opposition to SB 784. The SB 784 bill would allow permanent exemptions to the Corporate Bar for health care districts which would set a dangerous precedent for physicians and patients across the state. This bill will be heard in the Senate Appropriation Committee on May 8th at 10 am. The bill so far has had no “No” votes in any policy committee. We know that expressed concern from physicians in their district will help Senators understand why this bill must be stopped. Please go to ... May 3, 2023 Advocacy, CMA, General, Healthcare, legislation, Patient Care, Physician Workforce, Public Health rural communities, safeguarding patients 0 0 Comment Read More »
SCCMA BioEthics Committee Share a Model Policy on Health Care Decisions for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates (Update to SCCMA 2001 Policy) The SCCMA Bioethics Committee updated a policy written in 2001. The new document, Health Care Decisions for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates: Revisions to the 2001 SCCMA Model Policy, is intended as guidance to provide procedural mechanisms whereby ethically and medically appropriate health care decisions can be made on behalf of adult persons who lack health care decision-making capacity and for whom no willing and able surrogate decision-maker can be identified. The original policy was written in 2001. Because the previous policy was over 20 years old, it was felt by the Bioethics Committee that a revised ... May 1, 2023 General, Healthcare, Patient Care incapacitated patient, treatment guidelines 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Launches Initiative to Improve Quality of Life for People with Dementia CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA New Cognitive Health Assessment and Warmline Help Practitioners Identify Dementia Primary care providers in California have a new dementia screening tool, the cognitive health assessment, available to help identify cognitive decline in their patients (age 65 and older) and determine next steps. Dementia Care Aware, a statewide initiative led by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), provides training on this new assessment and support through a warmline to help primary care providers successfully screen for dementia in ... April 12, 2023 General, Healthcare, Patient Care DHCS, HCS 0 0 Comment Read More »
