By Parag Mehta, MD, President Medical Society of the State of New York
Not very long ago, New York’s physicians and other health care workers were cheered as heroes for their efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.They risked their lives for their patients. They risked the lives of their loved ones as they provided this care.
Many physicians were sickened, and some died. Countless physicians continue to wear the emotional scars from these overwhelming circumstances.
However, the cheers are long forgotten.
Now, the physicians of New York face a potential new disaster, due to a well-intentioned—but egregiously harmful—bill recently passed by the New York State Legislature.
The recent legislation would exponentially increase the damages that are awardable under New York’s wrongful death statute. One actuarial study concluded the increased damages and the new lawsuits this bill would trigger would increase liability insurance costs for New York’s doctors and hospitals by nearly 40%.
Yes, 40%.
Liability costs are already an overwhelming component of the operating costs of your local hospital and doctor’s office. Can you imagine how hard it would be to manage if your mortgage or rent payment went up 40%?
Even if the liability cost increases necessitated by this bill amounted to half of what has been predicted, such cost increases are untenable.
If Governor Hochul does not veto this bill, patient access and continuity of care could be threatened across the state as physicians move to other states with more physician-friendly environments or retire early to avoid the staggering new costs this bill would impose.
New York physicians already pay among the highest liability premiums in the country. Many already pay tens of thousands of dollars a year for their coverage. Those who provide the most critical emergency care essential to our safety net—including neurosurgeons, cardiac surgeons and OB-GYNs—often face costs of $100-200,000 per year to provide this care.
Even before COVID, New York has long received the dubious designation as one of the worst states in the country to provide care, according to wallethub.com. In addition to New York’s excessive regulations, it has by far and away the highest liability costs and insurance premiums in the country.
For example, a report from Diederich Healthcare showed that in 2019, New York once again had the highest cumulative medical liability payouts of any state in the country, a whopping 68% more than the state with the second highest amount, Pennsylvania.
This is not just because of New York’s size. It also had the highest per capita liability payment of all the State, exceeding the second highest state Massachusetts by nearly 10%.
Some in support of this legislation have argued that New York’s existing wrongful death recovery law is an outlier compared to other states’ laws. However, what is not mentioned is that many of these other states—more than 30—have also enacted comprehensive provisions to contain excessive medical liability insurance costs, including limits on damages.
It is certainly appropriate to evaluate and determine the most responsible way to address gaps in New York’s liability laws. But it must be done in a responsible manner that controls the explosive increase in costs that such new lawsuits would inevitably cause.
To preserve access to our healthcare safety net, the Governor must veto this legislation and bring together various parties to discuss how best such lawsuit expansion can be achieved responsibly.
The citizens of New York need their physicians. The Governor must veto this bill so our physicians can continue to provide care to their patients.
A Time to Act. A Time to Remember. A Time to Recover.
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S.O.A.R.S. invites your organization to participate in The 7th Annual Scotty B. Overdose Awareness Day which will be held on Thursday, September 1, 2022 returning to Martin Luther King Jr Park, 353 Court Street, Rochester, NY 14607.
2:00 - 3:00 pm booth set up
3:00 - 7:00 pm recovery fair
7:00 - 8:00 pm candlelight vigil
S.O.A.R.S., Inc (Substance Overdose Awareness Recovery Services) is a non-profit organization whose primary goal is to reduce the number of overdoses and overdose-related deaths in Monroe and its surrounding counties.
We would like your organization to participate this year by having an informational table/booth/tent. A $25.00 fee is requested for each table to be registered. If your organization cannot participate as a vendor, please consider a monetary or in-kind donation.
S.O.A.R.S. has a 501(3)(c) non-profit status, which means that donations are fully tax-deductible (depending upon your individual status). Please return this form via email along with your organization’s logo no later than July 22, 2022 in order to be listed as a participant on all posters and flyers. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at overdoseday2017@gmail.com.
Payment may be made to S.O.A.R.S., Inc. and mailed in advance to the address below, or paid at the registration table the day of the event.
Rebecca K. Baker, Executive Director
Overdoseday2017@gmail.com
S.O.A.R.S., Inc
Substance Overdose Awareness Recovery Services, Inc
21 Park Acre Road, Pittsford, NY 14534
585-359-2975
ORGANIZATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPLYING ALL TABLES, CHAIRS, POP-UPS AND WRITTEN MATERIALS.
501(c)3 Disclaimer S.O.A.R.S., Inc.is a not for profit, charitable organization formed under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue code. Donations to S.O.A.R.S., Inc. are tax-deductible as charitable contributions of U.S. federal income tax purposes. There are no donation limits or restrictions on contributions to S.O.A.R.S., Inc.
Albany, NY - July 5, 2022—The New York State HPV Coalition, the NYS Department of Health and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are united in their commitment to eliminating preventable HPV-related cancers in New York through increased vaccination. At least 30% of adolescents in New York are not fully vaccinated against HPV. To help incentivize vaccine administration, the Coalition has developed an award program to recognize health systems across the state that have excelled in increasing HPV vaccination rates among youth over the past year. The award winners and the award criteria have been posted to the Coalition website at http://www.nyshpv.org/nys-hpv-vaccination-honor-roll-awards/
The HPV Honor Roll Award has been presented to those who achieve HPV vaccination completion rates of 80% to 89% among their patients that have turned 13. Data used to determine the awards are based upon immunization registries which are managed by the State and New York City health departments. “Pediatric and family care practices with the highest HPV vaccination rates in the state deserve to be recognized for their stellar work to prevent HPV infection and save lives from cancer,” says Michael Seserman, MPH, of the American Cancer Society and Chair of the NYS HPV Coalition.
In addition to the statewide Honor Roll Awards, two practices from each region of the state were selected to be HPV Honor Roll Honorees. Regional awards focus on practices with the most improved HPV vaccination rates over the past year. “There is significant variability in HPV vaccination rates across the state. We wanted practices in all regions of the state to have the opportunity to be recognized for their hard work to get more kids vaccinated against HPV,” says Manika Suryadevara, MD of SUNY Upstate Medical University and Co-Chair of the Coalition’s Provider Education Committee.
About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) each year. An estimated 85 percent of people will get HPV during their lives. While most HPV infections go away on their own without lasting health problems, there is no way to know if an infection will lead to cancer. HPV infection is known to cause six different types of cancer: cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and throat cancers. According to the American Cancer Society and the National HPV Roundtable, this 2-shot vaccine series is most effective when administered to children starting at age nine and has the potential to help prevent more than 34,000 cases of HPV-caused cancers in men and women each year.
About the HPV Vaccine
The HPV vaccine, which is recommended for children between 9 and 12 years of age, is highly effective at preventing HPV cancers and genital warts. The vaccine is very safe with more than 300 million doses given worldwide since it was first approved for use in 2006. Unfortunately, only 68% of adolescents between 13 and 17 are fully vaccinated against HPV in New York State, according to a national survey. Some of the reasons are due to misinformation, the lack of a strong provider recommendation, and the HPV vaccine not being required for school entry like other adolescent immunizations. For more information go to www.nyshpv.orgor https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/index.html
About the NYS HPV Coalition
The NYS HPV Coalition was founded by the American Cancer Society and the New York State Department of Health in 2017 to increase HPV vaccination rates and decrease HPV-related disease in New York State through education, coordination, advocacy, and leadership. The Coalition is led by 17 major public health and medical organizations in the state and is one of several action teams under the New York State Cancer Consortium. The NYS HPV Coalition website can be accessed at www.nyshpv.org
In light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, MCMS will continue to advocate for full spectrum of reproductive health care for all patients and to maintain the confidentiality of the patient-physician relationship.
Two COVID-19 vaccine products for young children are nearing the final stages of the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process. Pfizer-BioNTech is submitting data on a THREE-dose primary series for a vaccine for children ages six months through FOUR years of age (6m–4y). Moderna is submitting data on a TWO-dose primary series for children ages six months through FIVE years of age (6m–5 y). The authorization is a multi-step clinical and regulatory process, and no vaccine can be administered until the final recommendation is issued by the CDC Director, Dr. Walensky. In preparation, this guidance includes details about BOTH products.
Click here for details...
This program may be for you if you are:
Adolescent girls (13-17)
Women 18+
Interested in participating in a 10-week program
You can reach out to the University of Rochester Department of Orthopaedics Research Team.
Phone: 585-341-9304
Email: ortho_research@urmc.rochester.edu
Flyer: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:3d36c813-4301-3d4e-a056-608951bea939
Registration is now open for the Speak Life! 2022 Health Equity Conference – Revive. It will be virtual on April 23rd from 9 am – 12:30 pm featuring a dynamic group of speakers, including Harriet Washington, nationally-acclaimed writer and medical ethicist; Dr. S. Michelle Ogunwole, Johns Hopkins University professor and health disparities researcher; and Denise Smith, executive director of National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW). Emcee, John Rodriguez, award-winning entrepreneur and change agent, will lead us through this invigorating session.
Revive! will challenge disparities and inequalities in our healthcare system, offer a message of renewed hope and energy, and set the stage to create a collective plan of action and path forward as a community. We take a deep dive and tackle issues of racism, discrimination, mental health, and more - while honoring Community Equity Champions. The event is free and open to the public. (Paid ticket option available for CME credit*)
Here is a flyer with the details of the day's events:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:aa8775ef-8642-37eb-8ff4-32f323d803f1
Please go to: www.commongroundhealth.org/speaklife2022 for more information, including registration and nominations for the coalitions’ community equity awards.
Itasca, Illinois— In the wake of updated COVID-19 guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how communities can approach public health measures to reduce the risk of illness, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers considerations for families to inform their decisions.
CDC’s updated recommendations allow communities to relax risk mitigation measures like masking when all three of the following conditions are met: low COVID-19 transmission rates, low hospital admission rates, and adequate hospital capacity. Communities with high levels of immunization also have more protections that make masks less critical, though many children and individuals lack this protection.
“While CDC’s new approach is reasonable, pediatricians urge state and local policymakers to keep in mind the unique needs of children when considering COVID-19 mitigation measures. For some children—including those too young to be immunized and many with special health care needs—masking will still be an important layer of protection for a while longer,” said AAP President Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP. “We encourage each family to make a plan that works best for them, while also modeling empathy and discouraging bullying of any child who chooses to mask to protect themselves and their family even when not required to do so.”
AAP advises families to consider the following factors in making this decision:
If their child is between ages 2 and 5 and currently ineligible for COVID-19 vaccine
If their child is immunocompromised and may not have a protective immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine, or is at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness
If their child is not immunized
If other members of their family are at higher risk of severe disease or are not immunized
If they live in a community with “high” COVID-19 transmission
These factors may lead adults and children to continue wearing face masks in public indoor settings, including schools, even if not required. According to the AAP, children, adolescents, and teachers who choose to continue wearing face masks in school settings should be supported in their decision to do so.
CDC’s guidance calls for public health decision-making on masks based on local conditions. Based on CDC’s new guidance, universal mask policies are still necessary in many parts of the country. In addition, localities will need flexibility to reinstitute masking as local situations warrant. Policies that serve as impediments to this local decision-making are inappropriate and should be eliminated.
“The toll of the pandemic has not been felt equally across racial or economic lines, and we must acknowledge these inequities as we help families navigate the right choices to keep themselves and their children safe and healthy,” said Dr. Szilagyi. “Families of children with special health care needs may also now be forced to stay home from school or other activities if universal masking goes away. One of the best ways to protect our communities is to encourage everyone ages five and older to get vaccinated.”
The AAP strongly recommends that all individuals ages 5 years and older receive the COVID –19 vaccine. Additional layered prevention strategies such as testing, ventilation, and masking can also create a cocooning effect that offers protection for children too young to be vaccinated or who have health conditions, such as immune-compromising or lung conditions, that are more likely to result in severe disease from COVID-19 infection.
“While we are disappointed by new data that may suggest waning efficacy of the vaccine in preventing mild infection with the Omicron variant in children ages 5 to 11, the vaccine is effective in protecting children from severe illness and hospitalization, and pediatricians still recommend every eligible child receive the vaccine,” said Dr. Szilagyi. ###The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds. For Release: 3/1/2022 Media Contact: Jamie Poslosky 202-724-3301 jposlosky@aap.org
https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2022/american-academy-of-pediatrics-offers-new-masking-recommendations-for-families-following-updated-cdc-guidance/
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, 8:30am- 1:00pm.More details below...For program information and to register, please visit
https://cmetracker.net/ROCHESTER/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/EventID/158246/
