Happy Tuesday! Enjoy today’s NCMS Morning Rounds.Dec. 8, 2020Get Some Answers on the COVID-19 VaccineThe NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is planning a statewide physician update on the COVID-19 vaccine that will be hosted by NC AHEC on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. Be sure to mark your calendar and watch your NCMS Morning Rounds in the coming days for updates on agenda and registration links. Distribution of the vaccine will begin with health systems and physician practices likely will be able to register to administer the vaccine later this month. NCDHHS has provided a list of basic FAQs about the vaccine on its website including some information about proper storage of the various vaccines. Access that information here. Volunteer to Help at MedAssistThe NCMS has a long history with NC MedAssist, the only statewide non-profit pharmacy in North Carolina. Founders of the program in 1997 included NCMS members in Mecklenburg County, and, more recently, NCMS staff have participated in a variety of fundraising and volunteer activities for the organization, which provides prescription and over-the-counter medications to those in need at no cost. If you are looking for a safe volunteer activity this holiday season, NC MedAssist is holding two Mobile Free Pharmacy events. The first is this Saturday, Dec. 12 in Wake County and the second is next Saturday, Dec. 19 in Mecklenburg County. The Mobile Free Pharmacy provides individuals and families who are low-income with free over-the-counter medicine such as pain relief, cold and cough medicine, allergy, digestive, vitamins and even children’s medicines. The primary purpose for this event is to identify participants that may qualify for the free prescription pharmacy program. Learn more about NC MedAssist and how you can help here. NCMS at the AMA’s Campaign SchoolNCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, a graduate of the AMA’s Campaign School, is returning to the program this January to share her experiences with the program from the perspective of medical society staff involved with advocacy and health policy. Kudos! The extremely popular Campaign School, which will be held virtually this year due to the pandemic, is recognized as one of the top programs in the country in helping develop winning political strategies with the idea of helping to elect friends of medicine or offering physicians the tools needed to run successful campaigns for public office. The Campaign School is renowned for its use of a simulated campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, complete with demographics, voting statistics and candidate biographies. This year’s class is full, but if you’re interested in what it takes to run for office watch for announcements when applications open for next year’s program. In the NewsWhat Happened When the Only ER Doctor in a Rural Town Got COVID, Kaiser Health News, 12-4-20 Learning OpportunityThe Families USA Health Action Conference will take place virtually Jan. 26-28. January 2021 will be a critical time for advocates to mobilize and continue to address the persistent health inequities and health system failures laid bare by the COVID-19 crisis. Join Families USA to learn from colleagues and speakers across the country, network with fellow advocates and gain the skills needed to secure profound policy change. Learn more and register. If you have policies you’d like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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