July 30: CMA Webinar: Workplace Violence Prevention in Ambulatory Care Settings
August 8: Editorial Committee Meeting
August 8: Medical Group Advocacy Symposium
August 14: Physician Peer Group – El Dorado Hills
August 14: Physician Peer Group – Newcastle
August 15: 2024 Fentanyl Awareness & Action Summit
August 15: Museum Lecture Series: Quackery with Doctor R. Snick
August 20: Virtual Grand Rounds: Rising Valley Fever in California – Understanding Coccidioidomycosis
August 27: CMA Webinar: Prescription for Success – Why Physicians Need Attorneys
September 5: Editorial Committee Meeting
September 9: SSVMS Board of Directors Meeting
September 10: Virtual Grand Rounds: California’s Surgeon General on the Women’s Health Initiative
September 11: Physician Peer Group – El Dorado Hills
September 11: Physician Peer Group – Newcastle
September 12: Planning for the Future: A Legacy Planning Approach for Your Whole FamilyPresented by Crumley and Associates – An Ameriprise Company: RSVP to Ronnie Hammond here
September 17: Public and Environmental Health Committee Meeting
September 28: 8th Annual SSVMS Joy of Medicine Summit
October 3: Editorial Committee Meeting
October 9: Shaping Your Future: A Social for Residents & Fellows
October 9: Physician Peer Group – El Dorado Hills
October 9: Physician Peer Group – Newcastle
Beyond Proposition 35, which you can learn more about in the executive director’s message this month, CMA and SSVMS have been active in the state Legislature. Here are a few priority items that have been moving through the Legislature.
SB 1120 requires that physicians be the ones to make final decisions on what kind of treatments patients should receive, rather than artificial intelligence (AI). The “Physicians Make Decisions Act” acknowledges that algorithms cannot replicate the nuanced decision-making process of a physician, ensuring that patients receive fair and appropriate coverage decisions. By reintroducing human oversight, SB 1120 would uphold the integrity of the health care system and prioritize patients' well-being above all else.
The Medical Board of California licensure application for physicians and surgeons, including postgraduate training licensees, may inadvertently discourage physicians from seeking mental health services. This application process perpetuates stigma around mental health and may inadvertently discourage physicians from seeking mental health services and exacerbate issues of burnout and depression within the medical community. AB 2164 would remove this barrier by eliminating the obligation for physicians to disclose personal medical information that does not impact their ability to practice medicine.
SB 963 requires the implementation of human trafficking and domestic violence programs allowing self-identification in emergency departments. The bill would require the system to meet certain minimum requirements, including, providing patient confidentiality, facilitating immediate interviews with medical personnel, and providing referrals to human trafficking and domestic violence services.
SB 516 reforms the prior authorization process to address the administrative burden and delay of care caused by the current prior authorization process. The bill removes unnecessary prior authorizations; streamlines and modernizes the process for submitting and appealing a prior authorization request; provides transparency and data on health plan actions; and requires a physician of the same or similar specialty to conduct appeals of a prior authorization denial.
AB 977 provides parity for penalties of violence committed against all health care workers who provide services within emergency departments. Under current law, violence against health care workers inside an emergency department is penalized differently depending on the category of health care worker and location of the attack. Health care workers should be provided the same protections, whether they are inside a hospital emergency department or elsewhere.
The Editorial Committee is responsible for planning, soliciting articles, editing, and publishing SSV Medicine. The Committee met in June to discuss articles for the July/August edition as well as in July for status updates.
The Emergency Care Committee studies issues related to emergency care services, trauma, patient transport and triage, disaster preparedness, and on-call issues within the region. The Committee also serves as liaison with government agencies responsible for emergency services, transport, and disaster planning, while providing quality improvement oversight to SSMVS’s SMART Medical Clearance Protocol. The Committee met in June to discuss the high patient volumes and steps they can take to increase bed space.
The Joy of Medicine Advisory Committee works to mitigate physician burnout by treating the effects on physicians and by advocating for systemic changes to prevent burnout at the source. The Committee also performs original research and plans the Annual Joy of Medicine Summit. This Committee met in March to review 2024 program data to-date, the status of the anti-violence project, and the 2024 Joy of Medicine Summit.
The Public and Environmental Health Committee studies and makes recommendations regarding public and environmental health issues affecting the health and well-being of our community. The Committee met in May to hear from Edie E. Zusman, MD, MBA, FAANS on the links between traumatic brain injuries and domestic violence. The Committee met in June to discuss possible next steps SSVMS could take regarding those links, as well as updates on resolutions on gun violence and salt-to-potassium ratios in foods.
