Time for your mid-week
NCMS Morning Rounds.
March 11, 2020
Please note: We are cancelling our Population Health Collaborative meeting tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, as a precaution due to the Covid-19 virus. Registrants will receive a full refund. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Danielle Snyder, [email protected].
Covid-19 News: State of Emergency + Physician/PA Forums
Yesterday, NC Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency to coordinate response and protective action to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Read the Executive Order.
Among its many provisions, the Order seeks to ensure health care professionals have access to the necessary resources and supplies to protect and treat the public. As of yesterday evening, there were seven confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the state.
The Order also makes sure Medicaid patients are covered for any necessary testing or treatment related to Covid-19 and instructs the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the NC Department of Insurance to work with commercial health plans to reduce cost-sharing to zero for Covid-19 screening and testing. It also encourages private labs and universities to help increase testing capacity.
The order was immediately effective and will remain in effect until rescinded.
Updated Covid-19 Mitigation Guidance
Also yesterday, NCDHHS issued updated mitigation guidance to protect and slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The recommendations should be implemented immediately and extend to the end of the month.
Review this comprehensive list of ways NCDHHS recommends mitigating the impact of Covid-19.
NCDHHS and NC AHEC Offer Forum to Answer Your Questions
The NC DHHS, Division of Public Health (DPH) and NC AHEC are partnering to enhance communication about and preparedness for COVID-19 by holding weekly forums for health care providers. The forums will be held on Fridays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm, beginning this Friday, March 13 and will continue until they are no longer needed.
NC DPH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others are providing excellent materials and timely guidance. Access the state’s Covid-19 webpage for health care providers. The forums will feature NC DPH subject matter experts who will help answer questions and offer clarification about the guidance as well as a quick update on any new developments.
If you have questions you would like answered during the forum, please submit them to
[email protected] no later than 5 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the call. For this Friday’s forum, that means TODAY, Wednesday, March 11.
The forum will be structured to allow either webinar access through your computer OR traditional audio dial-in. PLEASE NOTE – Questions during the forum can only be submitted using the Q&A function using the webinar access through your computer.
- Webinar access through your computer:
https://zoom.us/j/705979628 - Traditional audio dial-in:
For audio-only access (mobile)
Dial +16465588656,,705979628# - For audio-only access (office telephone)
Dial (646) 558-8656
Webinar ID: 705 979 628
Podcasts Offer Perspectives on Social Determinants and Health Equity
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors is offering a series of 10 podcasts titled “Socially Determined: Moving Public Health to 3.0.” The series shares practical examples of how those in the state, federal, nonprofit and private chronic disease prevention field can engage with a variety of non-traditional partners and industries to address the social factors influencing health disparities and communities’ chronic disease burden.
Through interviews with national leaders, the series explores social determinants of health, health equity and adverse childhood experiences. Browse the podcasts in the series and listen.
The NCMS Member Marketplace for Employee Benefits
The North Carolina Medical Society Employee Benefit Plan (NCMS Plan), available through Curi Benefits Solutions, provides NCMS members with a value-added plan that is straightforward and specifically customized to meet your practice and employees’ needs. We are proud of what our practices have to say about “the NCMS Plan difference”.
Visit our YouTube Channel to learn more about How to Create a Compliant Wellness Program, Handling Employee Complaints, among other videos.
In the News
Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction, CNN, 3-10-20
Learning Opportunity
Eastern Regional Tobacco Prevention: Tobacco Update 2020 will be held April 6 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Greenville. This “Tobacco Update 2020” workshop is for any health professional or other professional interested in learning about tobacco products, cessation and prevention strategies. This is a free event. Learn more and register.