September 28: 8th Annual SSVMS Joy of Medicine Summit
October 1: Patient Dismissal – The Last Resort (CMA Webinar)
October 3: Paranormal Investigations at the Museum of Medical History
October 3: Editorial Committee Meeting
October 8: Virtual Grand Rounds: Caring for Youth at Risk for Suicide (CMA Webinar)
October 9: Shaping Your Future: A Social for Residents & Fellows
October 9: Physician Peer Group – El Dorado Hills
October 9: Physician Peer Group – Newcastle
October 14: SSVMS Board of Directors Meeting
October 15: Public and Environmental Health Committee Meeting
October 23: Violence in Healthcare: Problem, Preparation, Response – Webinar by ProAssurance
October 24: Paranormal Investigations at the Museum of Medical History
October 26-27: CMA House of Delegates
November 7: Editorial Committee Meeting
November 12: Virtual Grand Rounds: From Avian Flu to COVID-19 – How the “One Health” Approach Improves Human, Animal and Environmental Health (CMA Webinar)
November 13: Physician Peer Group – El Dorado Hills
November 13: Physician Peer Group – Newcastle
In addition to our efforts to work toward passage of Proposition 35, which you can read about in more detail in Aileen Wetzel’s article here, CMA and SSVMS were active in the state Legislature. Here’s a quick highlight of where things stood at the end of the legislative session.
The following bills supported by SSVMS and CMA passed both houses of the state Legislature and were advanced to Governor Gavin Newsom to either sign or veto.
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 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 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 following bills supported by SSVMS and CMA did not advance out of the State Legislature. SSVMS and CMA will continue to push for solutions to address these issues.
AB 815 would have simplified physician credentialing by developing a standardized credentialing form to be used by all health care service plans and health insurers.
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.
The Editorial Committee is responsible for planning, soliciting articles, editing, and publishing SSV Medicine. The Committee met in August and in September to discuss articles planned for the September/October edition.
The Historical Committee maintains and collects historical artifacts relative to the history of medicine, researches local and regional medical history, and its members serve as docents for school tours of the Museum of Medical History. The Committee met in September to discuss volunteer recruitment, museum marketing, extending museum hours, and improving and better organizing collections.
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 August to discuss SMART Medical Clearance expansion nationally and internationally as well as local emergency department updates.
The Nominating Committee vets and nominates candidates for the SSVMS elected offices and the SSVMS Delegation to CMA’s House of Delegates. This Committee met to recommend nominations to vacancies on the Board of Directors and Delegation to the CMA House of Delegates.
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 September to speak with Slow Down Sacramento on the importance of quick improvements to dangerous roadways and to pass a resolution on reducing salt-to-potassium ratios in food.
The Scholarship and Awards Committee administers the Medical Student Scholarship Fund and recommends special awards for members such as the Golden Stethoscope, Community Impact, Excellence in Advocacy, and Outstanding Medical Society Volunteer Awards. This Committee met to review and select recipients for a Medical Student Scholarship.
