Western States Pact

Colorado & Nevada will join WA, OR & CA in Western States Pact
Gov. Jay Inslee announced yesterday that Colorado and Nevada are joining Washington, Oregon, and California in the Western States Pact -- a working group of Western state governors with a shared vision for modifying stay at home orders and fighting COVID-19.
"In Washington state, our decisions are guided by public health data and science and this is a principle we share up and down the West Coast (which) will strengthen this regional partnership and save lives," Inslee said. This Pact's efforts will be guided by scientific data; there needs to be a decline in the rate of the virus' spread before large-scale reopening. 
Western States Pact

Elective Surgical Care Updates

by Dr. Charles A. Peterson II
Proliance Surgeons, Inc. is working to increase elective surgical care in Western Washington and the need arises to proactively define operational plans to safely bring patients, providers, and surgical teams back to the care space. When given approval by appropriate regulatory agencies to proceed with elective surgical care, we will accomplish these goals through:
  • Enterprise-wide definition and standardization of criteria for resuming certain subsets of
    elective surgery and procedures;
  • Maintenance of established, effective safety procedures and protocols;
  • Robust engagement of patients to maintain proper perioperative social distancing and
    safety measures;
  • Enterprise-wide follow-up data collection, collation, monitoring, and reporting.
More detailed information is provided as a “supplemental” document below.
Proliance Surgeons, Inc.

ImmuID Alliance

Pharmefex, Sync.MD and X-CELLSYSTEM Form ImmuID Alliance
The ImmuID Alliance program was designed in an effort to accelerate the speed at which large numbers of employees can safely return to work, and is dependant on individual testing for the presence of antibodies to Covid-19.  ImmuID provides a secure, HIPAA-compliant, user-friendly platform for storing and sharing test results and a certificate indicating immunity is embedded in the platform. The Alliance hypothesis assumes that individuals who have been exposed to the virus and have developed full immunity can safely return to work. 
ImmuID Alliance Businesswire Story

Illicit Fentanyl Use is Rising

Public Health – Seattle & King County reminds our community that pills purchased off the street or online without a prescription likely contain illicit fentanyl—the drug that can lead to overdose and death. In just the past two weeks, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified 14 people whose lives were lost to drug overdose involving fentanyl. Read more below.  
Public Health Seattle King County Statement

Field Hospital in Shoreline for Homeless 

King County Public Health opened a field hospital in Shoreline called ACRC (Assessment Center/Recovery Center). They are accepting stable COVID+ homeless patients for the duration of their quarantine period.
ACRC is staffed with onsite RNs, an ARNP 24/7 plus MD. The goal is to keep actively infected homeless individuals out of shelters/encampments. Call King County COVID:  206-477-3977

Volunteering for Tracing Corps

Tracing Corps are being created in order to identify who a Covid-19 positive person interacted with. If you are interested in registering for possible contact tracing corps email Aley.Joseph@kingcounty.gov

Embracing Today, Sprinting Towards the Future

As a member of the Washington State Health Alliance (Alliance), King County Medical Society was able to join over 130 people on a webinar featuring a broad spectrum of perspectives from statewide leaders and offering a real-time picture as to what’s happening across our state.
We are pleased to be able to share this Alliance webinar  “Embracing Today, Sprinting Towards the Future” with you and hope you find it as helpful and informative as we did. When you open the link, you will be asked for your name and your e-mail address.
Embracing Today, Sprinting Towards the Future

Physician Wellness Committee 

Chair Dr. Elisabeth Poorman
Dr. Poorman, recommends ways to help improve our physical and mental wellness during these trying times and links to share with patients. Below is a list identifying low to no-cost therapy. In addition to Dr. Poorman's recommendations, we have included others from members. Thank you for all you do!

I. Home Workout List

Specific for beginners

1. Cardio for beginners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0c-4nZjIWQ

2. Zwift

https://zwift.com/get-zwifting

3. Yoga for beginners

https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

II. Mental Health Resources

Free, open resources

1. Online Daily Meetups for Doctors 

https://www.physiciancoachingalliance.com/calendar

2. Project Parachute

Matches pro-bono therapists & frontline health care workers affected by COVID-19 through telehealth.
https://www.project-parachute.org/

3.  Headspace

A meditation app is free to providers through 2020. 
http://www.headspace.com/health-covid-19

4. Guided meditation podcasts

https://www.meditationoasis.com/podcast

5. The Washington COVID-19 Mental Health Network

A growing body of licensed therapists is providing short term, no-fee therapy to frontline healthcare and first responders (doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, paramedics, etc). Therapy by video or phone. https://www.wacovid19therapists.com/home

6. The EMDR Trauma Recovery Network of Western WA

A no-fee, short term EMDR informed therapy to frontline healthcare and EMS workers. http://www.traumarecoverywa.org

7. Talkspace

An online therapy platform is donating free therapy to frontline healthcare workers https://www.talkspace.com/blog/coronavirus-talkspace-donation-healthcare-workers/

8. Physician Support Line

Psychiatrists provide "Free and confidential support to physician colleagues on the COVID-19 frontline." https://www.physiciansupportline.com/

9. The COVID-19 Free Virtual Therapy Support

A new initiative sponsored by the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to provide 5 free therapy sessions for members of the African American community who "experienced life-changing events related to COVID-19."  https://borislhensonfoundation.org/covid-19-free-virtual-therapy-support-campaign/

10. Seattle COVID Care Worker Network

A network that provides therapy, among other services, free of charge for essential workers in Seattle and surrounding areas.
https://www.seattlecovidcare.org/

Final Loss of Face

By Dr. Donald J. Ross
What Everyone Needs to Know About the Psychology of Masking and Distancing 
Final Loss of Face

Members in the Media

Dr. Mark Vossler’s Seattle Times op-ed re the pandemic and the upcoming special legislative session.
Member Seattle Times Op-Ed

Virtual Classical Concerts

If you are interested in participating in some live virtual concerts there groupmuse! These are live-streamed classical concerts, with an artist + audience community video chat before and after the music.
Groupmuse - Virtual Concerts

The FCC Covid-19 Telehealth Program

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a funding opportunity related to its COVID-19 Telehealth and Connected Care Pilot Programs.

About the COVID-19 Telehealth Program: This $200M Program supports health care providers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing eligible health care providers support to purchase telecommunications and information services. Selected applicants will gain full funding for telehealth services and devices. To receive funding, eligible health care providers must submit an application.
Apply for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program

CARES Act Provider Relief Fund

The Department of Health and Human Services has provided additional information about the allocation of the $100 billion CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.
  1. HHS has added an additional $20B for “general allocation”, and distribution will be based on 2018 net patient revenue, not just Medicare fee-for-service,
  2. $10B allocated in areas that have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak based on the number of ICU beds and admissions of Covid-19 patients,
  3. $10B is being allocated to rural hospitals/clinics based on their operating expenses,  
  4. $400M is being directed to Indian Health Service facilities,
  5. A  portion of the remaining funds will cover the costs for uninsured COVID-19 patients.
Updated CARES Information

Invictus


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley
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