January 18th, 2022

NEED TO KNOW

COVID-19 Updates: Free At-Home Tests Now Available from COVIDTests.Gov

The Scott Administration did not hold a weekly COVID-19 press conference today due to the Governor’s budget address to the legislature.  COVID-19 continues to receive significant attention from the legislature, including a draft bill currently under consideration by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee to require all individuals two years of age and older to wear a mask or cloth face covering in public indoor spaces, subject to limited exceptions, until all counties statewide have a community transmission level below “substantial” as determined by the 8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The Department of Education released their updated guidance on COVID-19 testing in schools and the House and Senate Education Committees are taking testimony on the state of COVID-19 mitigation in schools later this week.   Notes from last Friday’s VAHHS Call with Commissioner of Health Mark Levine, MD, can be found here.

Other COVID-19 updates include:

• Ordering opened today, January 18, for the federal program to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests per household.  Visit https://www.covidtests.gov/ to place an order.
• Last week, the Biden Administration renewed the Federal Public Health Emergency Declaration for an additional 90 days, at least until April 16, 2022.  A number of regulatory waivers and flexibilities are attached to the federal declaration, including telehealth billing flexibilities, prescribing buprenorphine remotely and increased coverage by and federal match for Medicaid.   
• The US Supreme Court on Thursday struck down President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large businesses but said a similar one for healthcare workers may continue while challenges to the rules move through lower courts. Read more from Medscape here.
• The White House announced last Wednesday more support for school COVID-19 testing and response, including providing 5 million free rapid tests and 5 million PCR tests per month to schools. 
• Last Wednesday at 10 am, Vermont launched a new system to help ‘test’ ordering and delivering rapid COVID-19 tests via SayYesCovidHomeTest.org, which provided 2 QuickVue rapid test kits (4 tests) to each household that placed an order.  The tests were all ordered by mid-afternoon. 

Scope Expansion for Optometrists to Perform Surgery Once Again on the Agenda

Last week the Senate Government Operations Committee started discussion S.158, a bill that would expand the scope of procedures optometrist may perform to include injections, lasers and surgeries to the eye and adjacent structures.  Unlike past years, this bill is more expansive with a list of only 17 procedures that would not be allowed.

You may recall that this has now been on the agenda for multiple legislative sessions and that in 2019, the legislature asked OPR to conduct a study to determine whether optometric advanced procedures, included certain eye surgeries, could be conducted safely and whether an expanded scope of practice was necessary to increase patient access to care. After consulting with stakeholders and conducting extensive and thorough research, in January 2020, OPR submitted the study to the legislature. The study concluded that optometrists are not properly trained in and cannot safely perform the proposed advanced procedures. Further, OPR found that there is little need for, and minimal cost savings associated with, expanding the optometric scope of practice to include advanced procedures. For these reasons, OPR recommended against expanding the optometric scope of practice to include the proposed advanced procedures.

Given the risk to public safety, VMS continues to support the Vermont Ophthalmological Society in its opposition to this expansion and we will need you in the coming days, weeks and months to contact your legislators and public officials to express your opposition to this bill.

Contact the Senate Government Operations Committee and Senate President today and urge them to rely on the OPR report which recommended against expanding the optometric scope of practice to include the proposed advanced procedures.

• Optometrists are not properly trained in the proposed advanced procedures, and therefore OPR cannot ensure that optometrists can safely perform the proposed advanced procedures.
• It’s not clear that proper training is available.
• There is little need for, and minimal cost savings associated with, expanding the optometric scope of practice to include advanced procedures.

Please send messages to the following: jwhite@leg.state.vt.us; apollina@leg.state.vt.us; bcollamore@leg.state.vt.us; AClarkson@leg.state.vt.us; kram@leg.state.vt.us; bbalint@leg.state.vt.us

Public Hearing Jan. 26, Proposal 5: Proposed Constitutional Amendment Regarding the Right to Personal Reproductive Freedom

The House Committee on Human Services is holding a public hearing on Proposal 5, the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Vermont regarding the right to personal reproductive freedom, on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the House Chamber and on Zoom.  Members of the public are invited to testify and may do so in person or by Zoom. Please register to testify at https://legislature.vermont.gov/links/proposition-5-public-hearing. You must specify if you intend to testify in person or by Zoom.  Remarks are limited to two minutes.  Written testimony can be submitted via e-mail to testimony@leg.state.vt.us. Please indicate in the subject line Proposal 5 Public Comment.   VMS supports Proposition 5.  Additional background and talking points can be found here and here.

Join VMS for Virtual Advocacy Town Hall on Monday, February 14th, 12pm

Please join the VMS on Monday, February 14th from 12-1pm for our 2022 VMS Health Care Policy Townhall with Vermont legislative leaders:  

• Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint, 
• House Speaker Jill Krowinski, 
• Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chair Ginny Lyons, D- Chittenden,
• House Human Services Committee Chair Ann Pugh, D- So. Burlington,
• House Health Care Committee Chair Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg.

Do you have insight to share on being a practitioner in health care as we approach the second year of the pandemic? Are you passionate about a current health policy issue? Your medical expertise makes you uniquely qualified to be a health advocate and help lead evidence-based health care policy change in Vermont. This February, 14th, 2022, VMS will host a virtual conversation with health care policy decision-makers as part of our 2022 VMS Advocacy Month. Join us, as your voice is critical to improving care for Vermonters, Vermont’s health care system and the practice environment. 

No registration is required. Simply log on this Zoom link.

MISC.

AAPVT Chapter Still Accepting Grant Applications for Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines

The American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, in collaboration with the Department of Health’s Immunization Program, is providing funding to support expanded influenza and/or COVID vaccination by healthcare practitioners or organizations. The deadline for applications has been extended pending availability of funds. In an effort to decrease the incidence of disease throughout the state of Vermont, healthcare practitioners are encouraged to offer expanded services to increase influenza and/or COVID vaccine coverage, including, but not limited to, longer or designated hours, off-site clinics, or additional staffing.

Health Care Practices/Organizations may receive $1,000 per clinic held (up to a maximum of $5,000 total). Applications may include clinics held retrospectively starting September 1^st.  Applications will be reviewed on receipt and funds will be distributed upon receipt of final project report. Immunization clinics that are part of this grant must be held/have been held and reported on by March 31, 2022.

If would like to apply for the grant, please complete the application (either in word or pdf form) and email back to Birdie Pauley at BPauley@vtmd.org.

Public Hearing, Proposal 5: Proposed Amendment to the Vermont Constitution Regarding the Right to Personal Reproductive Freedom

The House Committee on Human Services will hold a public hearing on Proposal 5, proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Vermont regarding the right to personal reproductive freedom, on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the House Chamber and on Zoom.

Members of the public are invited to testify regarding the Legislature’s work on Proposal 5. Individuals wishing to testify may do so in person or by Zoom. Please register to testify at https://legislature.vermont.gov/links/proposition-5-public-hearing. You must specify if you intend to testify in person or by Zoom.

To ensure there is enough time for everyone to speak, we are asking that remarks be no longer than two minutes. We welcome people to submit testimony via e-mail to testimony@leg.state.vt.us. Please indicate in the subject line Proposal 5 Public Comment.
If you plan to attend and need accommodations to participate, please contact the Sergeant at Arms at 802-828-2228 by January 21.

Do You Know a Health Care Worker Who Needs Help with Student Loans?

Because of a historic investment in the American Rescue Plan, help is on the way for many. Today, health care workers in Vermont can apply now to participate in the National Health Service Corps and receive student loan repayment by working at specific health care facilities throughout our state that provide care for underserved populations. But the deadline for applying is February 3rd. 

So, if you know a nurse, doctor, dentist, or other medical professional with student loans who might benefit from this information, I’d ask that you please forward this email to them. This is the largest ever federal loan repayment and scholarship program and we want to make sure everyone knows about it.

For information on eligible sites, including those in Vermont, use National Health Service Corp’s Health Workforce Connector.

To apply by February 3rd, please see below: 

• National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program Apply here.
• National Health Service Corps Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program Apply here.
• National Health Service Corps Rural Community Loan Repayment Program Apply here.
• For more information about these programs, read here.

EVENTS

Join us every 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of the month from 12:30pm to 1pm as Commissioner of Health, Mark Levine provides us with the most pressing COVID-19 information affecting the state and nation. You will have the opportunity to submit questions to Dr. Levine who will answer them, time-permitting.

You can join the zoom meetings beginning in January here or add to your calendar by following this link and clicking download (you will then need to open the downloaded file and click save to add to your calendar).

Project ECHO: Aging, Community, and Equity (PEACE)

2nd Wednesday of Every Month from February to September

12pm to 1:30pm, EST

Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is an evidence-based method developed by researchers at the University of New Mexico. During teleECHO™ sessions, expert mentors share their expertise across a virtual network via case-based learning.

In this Older Adult ECHO program, we will explore:       

• Pandemic-related social isolation
• Methods to support formal & informal caregivers
• Impacts of the pandemic on cognitive decline
• Effects of isolation on physical & mental health
• Solutions for rural communities

Intended audience: Medical, mental health, and community social service individuals working to support older adults in rural settings of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Northern New York

Implementing the No Surprises Act

January 20th - 1pm ET

The No Surprises Act (NSA), which aims to protect patients from the financial impact of surprise medical billing, became law on Jan. 1. Learn what physicians need to do immediately to comply with the new law. Our experts will also address enforcement challenges and the interaction between state and federal surprise billing requirements.

Register here.

AMA to Host Webinar on Strategies to Make Virtual Visits Successful

January 26th - 1pm ET

The AMA will host a live webinar, “Web-side” Manner: Strategies to make the virtual visit a success,” at noon CST on January 26. The webinar will provide suggested strategies to improve patient connection and communication when delivering care remotely. Participants will learn about pre-visit strategies to smoothly onboard patients to their first virtual visit, ways to conduct a virtual physical exam, and best practices for patient communication over video.

Register here.

Hospital Medicine 2022 and Optional POCUS Workshop

January 30th - February 1st, 2022, ET

Originally planned as an in-person event in Stowe, the course directors have switched to an all-virtual format. The course will provide practical approaches to common problems in hospital medicine, informed by experts and the latest evidence. All provider types practicing Hospital Medicine are welcome, including administrators, resident physicians and medical students. 

Recordings of most talks will be available to registrants for 30 days following the course to view and claim credit for lectures that may have been missed during live presentation.

An optional Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) workshop will take place at the UVM SIM Lab in Burlington on Sunday morning, January 30, but is currently full.

For registration information, full agenda & accreditation details, click here. 

Questions: Contact Michele Morin at: Michele.Morin@med.uvm.edu or 802-922-3594

The 33^rd Annual Eastern Winter Dermatology Conference

February 5th - 7th, 2022, ET

Dr. Glenn Goldman invites you to attend this year’s dermatology conference which is returning to Stowe for its 33^rd year. The conference is divided into morning and late afternoon sessions, with a large mid-day break to allow for recreation. Although the course is designed for dermatologists, medical professionals with an interest in dermatology are welcome to attend.

Topics: Locoregional and in-transit metastatic melanoma, skin reactions to immunotherapy, testing and imaging for SCC, MCC, and MM, cosmetic dermatology, challenging cases, medical pearls, Dermatology Jeopardy, and more!

For registration information, full agenda & accreditation details, click here.

Questions: Contact Michele Morin at: Michele.Morin@med.uvm.edu or 802-922-3594

The 27th Annual Vermont Perspectives in Anesthesia Conference

March 2nd - March 4th, ET

Drs. Matt Fisher and Bob Williams invite you to join them for this year’s Live VIRTUAL Conference, with practical reviews and timely informative clinical updates on a variety of topics of current interest in Anesthesia. Registered participants will have access to On-Demand Recordings to view and claim credit for any sessions that are missed during the live conference - for up to 12 months following the conference.

Topics: The Difficult Airway, Obstructive Breathing Patterns in the PACU, Perioperative EEG, Patients with Opioid Use Disorder, NORA emergencies, Non-Cardiac Surgery: Myocardial Injury and Preoperative Assessment, The Value of Women on Teams, The Anesthesia Department on the Other Side of COVID, and more!

For registration information, full agenda & accreditation details, click here.

Questions: Contact Michele Morin at: Michele.Morin@med.uvm.edu or 802-922-3594

Vermont Medical Society

134 Main Street

Montpelier, VT 05602

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