January 31, 2023

NEED TO KNOW

Premium Pay for Workforce Recruitment and Retention Grants Open to Primary Care  - Kick-off Webinar on Thursday, February 2

In March 2022, Governor Scott authorized $60 million for certain health care and social service employers to provide premium pay for workforce recruitment and retention. These funds have been made available to the State of Vermont through the Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act.  The Agency of Human Services (AHS) is administering this program.   A second round of funding is now available to applicants, including primary care practices.  Applications will be open between February 8 and February 27, 2023.  Practices can receive up to $2000 per FTE, which can then be distributed in a flexible manner, up to the equivalent of $13/hr additional pay per eligible employee. 

Potential applicants are encouraged to start by reviewing:  Program Guidance

The online application itself doesn't take long to fill out.  The process will go more smoothly if applicants take the two lengthier steps in advance:

  1. Register for a unique entity identifier at sam.gov, if your organization doesn't already have one, and ensure the account is set to public.
  2. Fill out the “FTE Summary Spreadsheet.” Applicants have two options to choose from:

Potential applicants are also invited to join a Round 2 Kick-off Webinar on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 12 noon to ask questions about the Program Guidance and FTE Summary Spreadsheet.  Click here to join the webinar.

A recording of the webinar will be posted at Premium Pay for Workforce Recruitment and Retention | Agency of Human Services (vermont.gov) and additional sessions will be held in the coming weeks.

Vermont Legislature Begins Work on Priority Health Care Legislation

The legislature is moving quickly from introductions to action on a number of Vermont Medical Society priority bills. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee took up H.89, the "shield law" bill that aims to provide protection for clinicians who provide abortion services and gender-affirming care. Jessa Barnard voiced broad support from VMS, along with Erica Gibson, MD. Today, Lauren MacAfee, MD, provided the OB/GYN perspective and stressed current need for the law. The Committee hopes to vote the bill out by early next week. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee began work on S.37 today, the Senate-version of the "shield law" bill that addresses disciplinary board action and access to health care service. Tomorrow, VMS will join the Vermont Association of Hospital and Health Systems (VAHHS) in a joint hearing on S.36, a bill regarding workplace violence in health care facilities that would allow for warrantless arrest of anyone who threatens or harms health care workers at a health care facility. VMS President Ryan Sexton, MD, from NVRH, Ben Smith, MD, from CVMC, and Allison Smith, MD, from RRMC will all testify. For anyone who would like to participate in these discussions, there will be a "Workplace Violence Legislative Breakfast" on February 21, 2023. Click here for more information. 


Vermont Board of Medical Practice – Physician Opening


Currently there is an opening for a physician (MD) member on the Vermont Board of Medical Practice from Washington, Lamoille, Orange, Caledonia, and all but the southern part of Windsor County.


Board members attend two meetings per month, usually on the first Wednesday and second Friday of the month. Meetings typically last about two to three hours and now most meetings take place virtually.  Members are appointed by the Governor for 5-year terms. Most members request to be reappointed for a second term.  Physician members must have an active Vermont medical license. 

 

More information about serving is available online here and a full description of the opening can be found here.  Anyone with questions about serving is encouraged to contact the Board by calling 802-457-4220 or emailing ahs.vdhmedicalboard@vermont.gov. For anyone ready to apply, you can access the application by visiting the Governor’s website at:  https://governor.vermont.gov/boards-commissions.

MISC.

Vermont Vaccine Program Update Jan / Feb 2023

The Vermont Vaccine Program has released a January/February Update with important news regarding Vaccine Program reenrollments and site visits; updates to COVID-19 vaccination including the wind down of state EMS vaccination clinics by the end of January and more.  See the latest update here.

Commissioner of Health Public Health Update on February 2nd and Notes from VAHHS Call on January 27, 2023

The next Public Health Update call with Commissioner of Health Mark Levine, MD will be on Thursday, February 2nd at 12:30 pm. Hear about the the most pressing public health information affecting the state and nation and have the opportunity to submit questions to Dr. Levine who will answer them, time-permitting.

You can join the zoom meetings here.

Commissioner of Health Mark Levine, MD, gave a public health update on January 27, 2023 to the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. Notes from the call can be found here.

 

EVENTS


The UVM CORA Clinician Office Hours

Weekly on Thursdays from 12pm to 1pm ET


This program offers free and confidential consultation from addiction medicine-certified physicians focusing on substance use evaluation and management. Information shared will be general in nature and should not be considered as case-specific medical care.

The UVM CORA Clinician Office Hours program is intended only for healthcare providers or others directly serving people with substance use disorders in HRSA-designated rural areas.


Please complete the form here to register for the Clinician Office Hours sessions held weekly on Thursdays, 12:00 -1:00 pm ET.


Registration will close weekly on Wednesdays at noon.

Eastern Winter Dermatology Conference

February 2 - 5, 2023

In-person - Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, Stowe, VT


The 34th Annual Eastern Winter Dermatology conference is designed to provide high-level continuing education for dermatologists and medical professionals specializing in dermatology, keeping them abreast of new and exciting findings in basic science, clinical dermatology and dermatologic therapy. Primary care physicians and medical professionals with a special interest in dermatology are also welcome to attend. Topics will include: Acne & rosacea update, innovations in connective tissue disease management, diagnosis of early CTCL, hidradenitis suppurativa, pediatric psoriasis issues, professional development - “how to say no,” erythema migrans pearls, management of high risk skin cancer, medical pearls from the literature and more!

For more information about the speakers, sessions, accreditation and to register please visit: go.uvm.edu/winterderm23

2023 Epilepsy & EEG in Clinical Practice

February 10, 2023

In-person - Main Street Landing, Burlington, VT

Held in Burlington for the first time, the 2023 Epilepsy & EEG course will focus on providing a review of current medical and surgical clinical practices related to seizures and conjunction with adjunctive EEG testing and will address errors that may lead to incorrect diagnosis and treatment. An interactive and didactic format that includes multimedia presentations and allows for audience participation. Target audience: internists, family practice and general practice physicians, pediatricians, neurologists, physician assistants, nurses, allied health professionals and residents involved in the care of patients with seizures and epilepsy are encouraged to attend.

Note: This is being held in conjunction with the EAEEG Annual Meeting. There is a discount for attending both events.

For more information about the speakers, sessions, accreditation and to register please visit: https://go.uvm.edu/epilepsy23

Vermont Pharmacists Association

February 15, 2023, 7pm to 8pm ET

Virtual


This activity has been designed to address the educational needs of neurologists, emergency room physicians, and hospital clinicians (including hospitalists, nurse practitioners, PAs, and clinical pharmacists). It may also benefit other healthcare providers caring for patients at risk for AIS.

Agenda

  • Quick Review: Stroke
  • Thrombolysis: 25 Years of Practice Experience Focused on Time
  • Newer Thrombolytics: Alteplase Compared With Tenecteplase
  • Collaborative Care and Cases
  • Q&A

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participates should be able to:

  • Summarize the latest data from clinical trials of thrombolytic agents used in the treatment of AIS
  • Assess the use of collaborative acute care across care settings as it applies to optimal management of patients with suspected AIS

To learn more, click here.To register here.


Indigenous Historical and Intergenerational Trauma Training

for Health/Mental Health Care Providers

February 15 and 22, 2023

Virtual


This training will provide a general overview of indigenous historical and intergenerational trauma and

how this trauma directly impacts the indigenous community’s overall health and wellness.


The presenters for this training will be Kheya Ganguly, the Director of Trauma Prevention and Resilience

Development for the Agency of Human Services and Dr. Frederick Wiseman, a citizen of the Abenaki

Nation of Missisquoi and Coordinator of the Vermont Indigenous Heritage Center.


This training is for all community health and mental health related providers and first responders


View the flyer here.


Click here to join the February 15, 2023 meeting from 1pm to 4pm.


Click here to join the February 22, 2023 meeting from 1pm to 4pm.



Future Health Best: Practices for Advancing Care

March 31, 2023

Virtual and In-person at Waltham, MA

Join physician leaders and health care experts from the Northeast for a signature event to share knowledge and research that advances equitable, sustainable, patient-centered, and best-in-class health care.

You can view the full flyer here.

For more information about the speakers, program, CME accreditation and to register please visit here.

Note: You can use the discount code of FHB23NE when registering for this event 

Save the Dates - Preparing for and Delivering Value-Based Care in Rural Communities

April 4th, May 2nd, June 6th, and June 27th, 2023


The Northern Border Region Technical Assistance Center (NBR-TAC) is pleased to present a four-part webinar series on the journey to Value-Based Care (VBC) for rural hospitals and primary care providers/facilities (FQHC’s/RHC’s) interested in learning more about operating in a value-based care environment. This webinar is open to organizations or individuals interested in this topic who are welcome to attend.

View the topics of the webinar series here.

Look for more information and registration details in February 2023 

More conferences from UVM CMIE are expected this Spring to include these topics: Anesthesia, Cardiovascular/Vascular Disease, Geriatrics and Family Medicine. Sign-up to get updates via email for topics that are of interest here

VTMD.ORG

Vermont Medical Society

134 Main Street

Montpelier, VT 05602

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