August 20, 2024

NEED TO KNOW

2024 Collaborative Meeting Registration is OPEN!

Please plan to attend the 2024 Collaborative Meeting of the Vermont Medical Society, American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, Vermont Academy of Pediatrics, and the Vermont Psychiatric Association. 

The meeting will be held Friday November 1^st through Saturday November 2^nd at Topnotch Resort and Spa in Stowe, Vt.  While the agenda is still being finalized, we are excited to share some of the topics including; Eliminating Race Based Medicine, Primary and Specialty Care Collaboration, Vermont’s Health Reform Future, Artificial Intelligence in Health care and MORE! 

This event also features the awards banquet on Friday evening, which recognizes and honors individuals who have greatly contributed to the advancement of health in Vermont and beyond.  Nominations are still being accepted for leadership awards - nominate someone today!.

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to come together to learn, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues around the state.

VMS Participates in Legislative Directed Advisory Groups

As part of legislation from this past session, VMS participated in multiple advisory/workgroups last week on psychedelics for therapy, naturopathic practice and cannabis.  These meetings are ongoing and we will keep you updated on actions and areas of feedback.

• Therapeutic Use of Psychedelics in Vermont
  The purpose of this group is to review the latest research and evidence on the public health benefits and risks of clinical psychedelic-assisted treatments, examine laws and programs in other states authorizing psychedelic use by healthcare providers, and discuss necessary components if Vermont were to pursue such a program.  Two meetings have been held to date and have been focused on education and evidence and is largely focused on psylocibin.
  
  
• Inclusion of Naturopathic Physicians in End of Life Care
  At the end of the last legislative session the Vermont Association of Naturopathic Physicians brought a proposal forward to allow them to sign DNR & COLST forms as well as participate in Act 39 (Medical Aid in Dying).  VMS was asked to participate in an advisory group with other interested parties to research and come forward with a position.  In order to form our position, VMS has asked for more information on naturopathic education and training. Including the following:
  
  What education is obtained (and how standardized/mandatory) in acute care & end of life care/interventions that must be discussed with a patient when completing a DNR/COLST form and/or medical aid in dying including:
• Clinical rotations in in-patient settings, emergency medicine, urgent care, and/or critical care settings
• Resuscitation (chest compressions, intubation, advanced airway interventions, mechanical ventilation, defibrillation and transfer to hospital)
• Artificially administered nutrition and hydration to treat acute illness or at the end of life?

• CCB Begins Act 166 Studies on Cannabis Advertising Restrictions and Medical Efficacy
  The Vermont Medical Society and Prevention Works VT! met with Cannabis Control Board (CCB) member Julie Hulburd in the last month to discuss upcoming CCB rule changes as passed in H. 612 which is now ACT 166.

• The CCB will be proposing changes to the Vermont Legislature on:
• Cannabis advertising regulations
• Medical endorsement rule-making process
• Medical efficacy of cannabis
• Retail siting (density) 

Hulburd has already met with the cannabis retail community, who wants to remove all  current cannabis advertising restrictions, specifically the advertisement pre-approval  process. They claim this is a violation of their constitutional rights and want advertising rules  for cannabis to mimic alcohol advertising, which is far less onerous. Julie Hulburd will be  taking comments on advertising regulations for cannabis until September 30th and will also  be putting together a survey for the medical efficacy report that will include questions for  Vermont’s medical community. There will be an opportunity for public comment as well but if you have thoughts and answers to these questions please send them to Jill at jsudhoffguerin@vtmd.org.

Green Mountain Care Board Approves Double-Digit Increase in VT 2025 Insurance Rates

Last week, the Green Mountain Care Board approved double-digit insurance rate increases for both the Small Group and Individual market for 2025. In the Board press release, they announced the average increase for Small Group rates from 2024 for MVP is 11.1%, while for BCBSVT it is a whopping 22.8%. The average increases for the Individual rates for BCBSVT are 19.1%, while for MVP they are 14.2%. Vermont carriers said without the spike in increases they could go bankrupt. In the press release, the Board points out that the Federal premium assistance is expected to be larger than previous years, so Vermonters who buy Individual plans on Vermont’s Exchange may actually see a decrease in their premium rates. Board Chair Owen Foster acknowledged that these rate increases are “unacceptably high” and underscored the importance of the Act 167 hospital transformation process currently underway. Click here for the Vermont Edition show from Monday, August 19^th focused on the 2025 insurance rate increases.

Vermont Department of Health – Health Alerts

• Mosquito- and Tickborne Virus Detections in Vermont - Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a mosquito-transmitted arbovirus that can cause serious and potentially fatal disease in humans and animals, was detected in mosquitoes collected in Alburgh and Swanton on July 22. West Nile virus has also been detected this year in Alburgh, Hardwick, St. Albans and Vergennes.

Requested Actions

• Test for arbovirus infections in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of meningitis or encephalitis.
• Report all suspect or confirmed arbovirus infections to the Vermont Department of Health by calling 802-863-7240.

Read full alert here

• Updates to Vermont’s Reportable Diseases Rule - Vermont’s Reportable and Communicable Diseases Rule has been updated effective August 10, 2024. Please review the updated rule and report to the Health Department as required. Epidemiologists are available 24/7 at 802-863-7240 option 2.

Key Updates to the Rule:

• The updated rule changes the required reporting period for positive SARS-CoV-2 results and COVID-19 from "immediately" to "within 24 hours.”
• Diseases have been added to the list of reportable diseases/laboratory findings in humans
• Diseases have been removed from the list of reportable diseases/laboratory findings in humans
• Diseases have been added to the list of specimens or isolates from humans that shall be sent to the Health Department Laboratory
• Susceptibility results shall now be reported for these laboratory findings

MISC.

VMS Fall 2024 Legislative Candidate Meet & Greet Series 

Relax with colleagues while getting to know the candidates running for the Vermont legislature from your district. VMS is inviting all Vermont State House and Senate legislative candidates from Bennington, Chittenden, Essex-Orleans, Rutland and Washington counties to these member-led receptions. All physicians and PAs who work or practice in the county are invited.  The receptions run from 6-8 pm at the following dates/locations: Bennington (September 10^th), Burlington (September 17^th); Rutland (October 1^st); Essex/Orleans County (October 3^rd); and Montpelier (October 16^th). 

Register here for all events. For questions, please email Birdie at bpauley@vtmd.org. 

VMS Announces Physician Wellness Retreat, Jan 25-28^th

Join the Vermont Medical Society from Sunday, January 25th at 3pm through Tuesday, January 28th at 12pm for deep rest and a reprieve from the busy-ness of medicine.  Experience the benefits of mindfulness, restorative yoga practices and culinary medicine. Cultivate relationships with other physicians while you re-connect with what matters most to you in a grounding, natural environment. Instructors include Dr. Anna Benvenuto, a practicing OBGYN hospitalist, and Doug Wysockey-Johnson, the Program Director of Lumunos. Included with registration are all meals, overnight accommodations at Setu Retreat Center in Brattleboro, 1 massage, and all yoga/meditation/ group sessions & activities. Registration is open until October 18th.  Learn more and register here.

The Drug Utilization Review Board is Seeking Board Members

The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) manages the publicly funded benefit programs for the State of Vermont, including the pharmacy benefit programs, and oversees the activities of the Drug Utilization Review Board (DURB). The DURB is composed of prescribers, pharmacists, and other qualified medical professionals that meet approximately every six weeks with a total of seven meetings per year. The meetings are held via a hybrid model consisting of virtual or in-person attendance options.

The meetings typically review:

• Drug utilization review and analyses
• Review of new drugs, new indications, and dosage forms
• Therapeutic class review including recently published treatment guidelines and best practices that may influence clinical criteria
• Safety information
• Drug information pertinent to managing the drug benefit programs of DVHA for the State of Vermont

The DURB description, meeting schedule and location, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, current members, and contact information can be found at: https://dvha.vermont.gov/advisory-boards/drug-utilization-review-board

For additional information about the Drug Utilization Review Board and recruitment opportunities please email Taylor Robichaud at Taylor.A.Robichaud@Vermont.gov 

Next Commissioner Call Thursday, October 3rd - September Call Cancelled

The Commissioner of Health, Mark Levine, MD, will hold his next Public Health Update with VMS Members Thursday, October 3rd at 12:30 pm. You can join the zoom meetings here.

He held his most recent VMS member call on August 1st. Notes from the call are here.

EVENTS

Reproductive and Gender Affirming Health Data Webinar

August 21, 12pm to 1pm EST

Webinar

VITL is offering a webinar on the new federal and state Reproductive Health Data regulations featuring health care attorney John Wallace of Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer, in partnership with Vermont Medical Society, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS), and Bi-State Primary Care Association.  

Learn more and register here.

Vermont Opioid Response Network Xylazine Webinar Series

August 28, September 10 at 6:30 pm

Please join Vermont Department of Health in collaboration with the Opioid Response Network for a webinar series on xylazine and wound care.  The curriculum will include an overview of the risks associated with xylazine use, best practices for identifying and treating wounds, conversational strategies for enhancing engagement in wound care among PWUDs, as well as harm reduction focused resources and recommendations for improving the health of this population. 

Vermont: Xylazine & Overdose Prevention Webinar Series – Registration Link for all Sessions

1. August 28- Additional Resources and Strategies by Michael Chaple
2. September 10 Compassion Fatigue Conversation by Paul Warren 

Birth Certificate Quality Improvement Initiative Learning Series

September 9, October 7, 2024

Virtual

In collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health Division of Family and Child Health and the Division of Health Statistics and Informatics, the Perinatal Quality Collaborative - Vermont (PQC-VT) is embarking on a vital statistics birth certificate quality improvement initiative (BCQII).

The project aim is to improve the accuracy of key birth certificate variables to support public health and quality improvement efforts. The objective is to increase birth certificate data quality in Vermont by providing education opportunities, technical assistance, and shared learning to Vermont hospital teams involved in birth certificate data collection.

Register here for the learning series.

Save the date: 2024 Vermont Suicide Prevention Symposium

September 13, 2024

Join the Vermont Collaborative for Practice Improvement & Innovation in-person on September 13, 2024 at the Vermont State University Randolph campus for a day-long conference that will include presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities featuring leading voices in the field from Vermont, New England, and beyond. Our focus is on equitable, sustainable, and comprehensive suicide prevention with sessions designed for mental health clinicians, peer support workers, advocates & families, individuals with lived experience, healthcare providers, educators, and community members.  This event is presented by the nonprofit Vermont Collaborative for Practice Improvement & Innovation in partnership with the Vermont Department of Mental Health and United Way of Northwest Vermont.

Saving Time: Practice Innovation Boot Camp

September 23 - 24 AMA Plaza, Chicago

This two-day, interactive boot camp from the AMA STEPS Forward® Innovation Academy equips attendees with the time-saving tools and strategies needed to reform their organizations and enhance professional satisfaction. CME eligible.

Learn more here.

2024 Clinical Quality Symposium - Comprehensive Care Nourishing Minds, Bodies, and Communities

October 16th Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT

Registration coming soon!

Vermont ACP Chapter Annual Scientific Meeting

October 18, 2024

Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

The Vermont ACP Chapter's Annual Scientific Meeting will occur on

Friday, October 18, 2024.

This will be an in person meeting. We will

again host a poster competition for resident and student members.

Update your medical knowledge, engage with colleagues.

Meeting details and agenda forthcoming.

Learning Collaboratives on In-Basket Reduction and Reducing Regulatory Burden

October 2024 – March 2025

AMA STEPS Forward^® Innovation Academy is launching two new, six-month learning collaboratives on optimizing the in-basket to reduce work burden and rethinking how organizations apply regulatory rules to clinical practice. Each collaborative will convene dyads or triads of leadership representatives from multiple organizations to engage in a longitudinal shared learning experience. Limited space available. Learn more.

For more information about offerings from UVM CMIE, visit here.

Vermont Medical Society

134 Main Street

Montpelier, VT 05602

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