Sunday, December 12, 2021Join the Arthritis Foundation at the Jingle Bell Run on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at Green Lake for a 5K run/walk, 1 Mile Walk, or a Kids Fun Run!
The 2021 event will be live and in-person this year! Our Jingle Bell Run may have a different look due to COVID safety and health protocols, so check the event information page for the most updated details. But the original festive race for charity is back!
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INFORMATION FROM PHSKC
The CDC is reporting a recent increase of influenza A (H3N2) in many places in the US. Influenza A (H3N2) predominant seasons often are also associated with more severe flu seasons, especially for older adults and young children. Flu vaccination coverage is low nationally, and pediatric flu vaccinations in WA are down about 25% from this time last year. In the coming months, we may have to manage increased cases of COVID-19 and influenza at the same time, posing challenges for patient care, safety, capacity, and infection control. Preventing influenza means fewer preventable hospitalizations and deaths, and fewer people needing to seek medical care and testing. Health care providers play a central role in helping ensure that everyone ages 6 months + receives an annual flu vaccine. Patients may not know they can receive COVID and flu vaccines at the same time, that flu vaccine is important to get every year, or that there are intranasal options for the needle shy among us. Every patient visit is an opportunity to promote and strengthen trust in the flu vaccine and to clear up common misconceptions. Please use these resources to guide conversations with your patients and to boost flu vaccination rates in your community.
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Webinar Recording:What's New with Kids and Covid Vaccines?Click the button below to watch of a recording of regional COVID-19 experts discussing new developments around #COVID19 vaccines for kids & boosters!
Thank you to Punjabi Health Board, Washington Association of of Pakistani Physicians, Public Health-Seattle & King County, Indian American Community Services, and the Pakistan Association of Greater Seattle for putting this discussion together! This recording originally aired on November 3rd, 2021.
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CDC Recommendations on LeadCare II MachinesKCMS has been working on increasing awareness about the need to test for lead (Pb) poisoning. Pb poisoning is an important health equity issue.
Children of color, immigrant and refugee children are much more likely to be lead poisoned, so blood lead testing is very important in addressing this health inequity. Only by testing can we initiate processes to identify and remove lead sources AND refer blood poisoned children to important developmental screenings. Unfortunately, the LeadCare II types of Pb testing machines have been recalled. To read the CDC recommends re: these instruments click below
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Telemedicine — maintaining quality during times of transition
The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, presenting challenges and opportunities for clinicians trying to manage diverse, and not only pandemic-related, health conditions. Here, we consider some limitations of telemedicine and offer a perspective on how clinicians can adapt to working in different health-care delivery systems.
Click the button below to read the full article by KCMS member Dr. Sue Romanick Schmiedl, and also Dr. Ganesh Raghu.
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Washington Workers’ Compensation Presumptive COVID-19 Coverage for Health Care and Frontline Workers
New laws apply to health care and frontline workers during public health emergencies involving infectious or contagious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health care and frontline workers who test positive for COVID-19 are presumed to have been exposed at work and are eligible to file workers’ compensation claims with the Department of Labor and Industries. Health care workers who do not contract the disease but are required (by a medical provider or public health official) to quarantine due to an exposure are also eligible for benefits. Qualified workers are eligible for medical, disability, and temporary wage replacement benefits.
Learn More:
Learn more from Labor and Industries about frontline workers, filing a claim, benefits, and other FAQs at Lni.wa.gov/PresumptiveCovidCoverage. Send questions to L&I directly at HELSA@Lni.wa.gov.
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| Members on the MoveWELCOME, WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST KCMS MEMBERS
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Angad Singh, MD
Angad Singh, M.D. is a board-certified family physician who provides urgent care services at multiple UW Neighborhood Clinic locations. He serves as the Physician Lead for EHR Optimization and Support across UW Medicine and is the Physician Lead for Clinical Informatics at UW Neighborhood Clinics.
Dr. Singh's clinical interests include electronic health record (EHR) optimization and implementation, medical Spanish, and primary care innovation.
Dr. Singh believes in an honest and empathetic approach to patient care. He tries to understand where each person is coming from and the various factors that can affect their health. He and his patients work together to develop a medically sound plan that fits each individual's needs.
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Matt Dellinger, MD
Dr. Dellinger is a Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgeon with an interest in complex airway and esophageal pathology, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and vascular surgery. He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia. He returned home to attend the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC.
Following medical school, Dr. Dellinger completed his General Surgery residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. In 2016, he moved to Seattle to complete a clinical research fellowship followed by his Pediatric Surgery fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Outside of work, Dr. Dellinger enjoys reading, hiking, fishing, skiing, and watching football.
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Are you a physician on the move?Let us know what you are up to! We'd love to share your news.
Email Salem Adisu at: sadisu@kcmsociety.org.
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