Medical Staff Voice

JW Moore- Tuesday, December 6th, 2022, CME Conference –”Active Shooter: The Threat is Real- Healthcare Specific Workplace Violence Prevention.”

Mark Mooring, MPH, Safety and Security Consultant with Proper Authorities, will present a lecture on “Active Shooter: The Threat is Real – Healthcare Specific Workplace Violence Prevention.” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Identify the warning signs of aggression and violence, 2) Employ pre-planned responses to an act of potential or actual violence, 3) Be prepared for armed “Active Assailant” events, and 4) Develop heightened awareness of their surroundings in relation to preventing violent events.

We will hold the conference on December 6th, 2022 via ZOOM , from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invite with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

Save The Dates

Vitalant Blood Drive at Community Memorial Hospital – December 14, 7 am – 12:30 pm

Give the gift of blood this holiday season and support CMHS in our mission of healing, comforting, and promoting health in the communities we serve. The Vitalant bloodmobile will be conveniently located outside the Brent Street Cafe for team members and the public to donate blood. They encourage appointments. Click here for more information.

Hanukkah Candle Lighting – December 19, 12 pm

Join us in front of the Ocean Tower as we kick off Hanukah with celebratory candle lighting. All are welcome! Stay tuned for additional details.

Employee Town Hall & Gary Wilde’s Final Address – December 20, 12 pm

As the year comes to a close and we prepare to say goodbye to CEO Gary Wilde, we invite everyone to attend the last Town Hall of 2022. Gary will give us an update on the state of the health system, answer your questions, and share some parting words. Let’s ease Gary into retirement with our biggest Town Hall yet – we hope to see you there! If you would like to add this event to your calendar and have not yet received an invitation, please contact Ruth Pool at repool@cmhshealth.org.

CMHS Medical Staff Holiday Appreciation Event

New Law Requires Notice to Patients About Open Payments Database

This is the verbiage recommended by the Medical Board as cited above:

The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physician and teaching hospitals. It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

COVID/RSV/Influenza – Time for Reawakening & Renewed Vigilance

Making the rounds at various restaurants and shopping venues in Ventura, it’s pretty apparent that a self-inflicting life-threatening malaise has arisen in our community. Very few people are wearing masks. I am seeing and treating more COVID in the office than I did at the peak of Alpha or Delta surges. Fortunately, the cases are not as severe or lethal. This revealing and compelling article addresses our current US and global COVID danger and our ominous trajectory. The new Covid wave – by Eric Topol PDF

Please wear your masks and conduct yourself as we did at the peak of the COVID epidemic and tragic deaths. Get your COVID Bi-valent vaccine and your Flu vaccine!

Daily US Hospitalizations and Positivity Acceleration (Click on any of the Graphs to Enlarge them)

Daily New US Hospital Admissions by age

Global New Hospital COVID Admissions increase

New daily cases in South America

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – December 5 – 9

Final Thoughts

JW Moore- Tuesday, November 29th, 2022, CME Conference –”Past, Present and Future of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.”

Anthony Bossis, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Center for Psychedelic Medicine & NYU Grossman School of Medicine, will present a lecture on “Past, Present, and Future of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.”

At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Describe the features of a psychedelic-generated mystical experience which are shown to be correlated with enhanced outcomes, 2) Identify the compounds known as classic hallucinogens, and 3) Describe features of demoralization syndrome observed in patients with a life-threatening illness or near the end of life.

We will hold the conference on November 29th, 2022 via ZOOM, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 PM. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

MSV – LIVE! Season 3, Episode 15, Dr. Sahil Vohra | Orthopedic Surgery

In this week’s Medical Staff Voice LIVE, Dr. Stan is joined by Dr. Sahil Vohra, orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Vohra was born and raised in central California. He completed his undergraduate training at UC San Diego, followed by medical school at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. Following medical school, Dr. Vohra attended his orthopedic residency at the Community Memorial Health System, where he says he fell in love with Ventura. After completing his residency, Dr. Vohra attended Virginia Tech for a hand and upper extremity fellowship. Following fellowship,

Dr. Vohra returned to Ventura County where he splits his time between Ocean Orthopedics and Midtown Medical Group Specialty Clinic, teaching and mentoring our residents. In his free time, he enjoys golf, guitar, and maintaining his bonsai garden!

CMHS IT Server Maintenance Schedule

11/29 at 2 am with a 3-hour downtime.
Affected Systems: Pyxis, FormFast, DRFirst, Picis, PeriWatch, RX30, and Sentry7.

12/1 at 11 pm with a 3-hour downtime:
Affected Systems: Allscripts, dbMotion, Contract Assistant, Precision BI, and Citrix CMHS IS Department.

12/2 at 12:05 am with a 3-hour downtime.
Affected System: Patient Keeper.

IT will continue to work with CMHS leadership to evaluate the census and determine if alteration of the above schedule is required. CMHS IS Department.

CMH Direct Admits

Whenever you are planning a direct admission to the Hospital from your office or a transfer from another Hospital, always contact the Nurse Supervisor first to verify that a bed is available for the patient to assure a safe patient admission.

VCMA Annual Gala Celebration

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – November 28 – December 2

Final Thoughts

JW Moore Tuesday Noon CME Conference – CANCELLED this Week

MSV – LIVE! Season 3, Episode 14, Dr. Ashley Lamb | Orthopedic Surgery

In this week’s Medical Staff Voice LIVE, Dr. Stan Frochtzwajg sits down with Dr. Ashley Lamb, an orthopedic surgeon. In her interview, Dr. Lamb shares more about her journey into orthopedic surgery and her love for the musculoskeletal system. Did you know? Dr. Lamb is also a graduate of the Orthopedic Surgery residency program at Community Memorial Health System, having spent 5 years here before completing a trauma fellowship at USC. Today, you can find Dr. Lamb in Ventura and Ojai at our Midtown Medical Group Specialty Clinics.
Link to YouTube video interview

Save The Dates

Vitalant Blood Drive at Community Memorial Hospital – December 14, 7 am – 12:30 pm

Give the gift of blood this holiday season and support CMHS in our mission of healing, comforting, and promoting health in the communities we serve. The Vitalant bloodmobile will be conveniently located outside the Brent Street Cafe for team members and the public to donate blood. They encourage appointments. Click here for more information.

Hanukkah Candle Lighting – December 19, 12 pm

Join us in front of the Ocean Tower as we kick off Hanukah with celebratory candle lighting. All are welcome! Stay tuned for additional details.

Employee Town Hall & Gary Wilde’s Final Address – December 20, 12 pm

As the year comes to a close and we prepare to say goodbye to CEO Gary Wilde, we invite everyone to attend the last Town Hall of 2022. Gary will give us an update on the state of the health system, answer your questions, and share some parting words. Let’s ease Gary into retirement with our biggest Town Hall yet – we hope to see you there! If you would like to add this event to your calendar and have not yet received an invitation, please contact Ruth Pool at repool@cmhshealth.org.

Parking placard for Physician Parking

Whenever you park in the physician-designated parking locations: the 20 spaces in the West Parking Structure on the 2nd floor or the open lot on Loma Vista at Brent, please display your physician parking placard so our security guards can easily see it.

If you do not have a Physician Placard, please go to the Medical Staff Office on the 8th Floor of the Mountain Tower, and the staff will provide you with one.

CMH Hits da Vinci Milestone

The surgical team at CMH recently hit a major milestone with the completion of their 5000th da Vinci robotic procedure. Since its launch in 2005, our da Vinci robotics program has been the most robust non-academic program between Los Angeles and San Jose. A huge congratulations go out to everyone involved in this thriving program!

November Drug Shortage update

Good news– We now have 1 supplier of Dextrose 50% abbojects and have accumulated enough to restock pyxis machines.
Similarly, the Lorazepam shortage has eased with 2 manufacturers now supplying. Would still encourage the PO/SL route in anxiety and alcohol withdrawal.

Bad news– Medications associated with the current Flu/RSV surge are shorted (Oseltamivir, Amoxicillin suspension, APAP & IBU children’s suspensions). We expect more Tamiflu in stock by end of the week.

VCMA Annual Gala Celebration

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – November 21 – 25

Final Thoughts

JW Moore- Tuesday, Noon, CME Conference –”Preventing Firearm Injury & Death: What Healthcare Providers Can Do.”

Amy Barnhorst, MD, Associate Director, California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis, will present a lecture on “Preventing Firearm Injury & Death: What Healthcare Providers Can Do.” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Identify risk for firearm-related harm and ways to engage with patients to reduce that risk, 2) Discuss how to have culturally appropriate and respectful conversations with patients and their families to reduce risk, and 3) Describe available interventions for patients at risk of firearm-related harm.

The conference will be held on November 15th, 2022 via ZOOM, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please get in touch with CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

CMHS Quarterly General Medical Staff Meeting

MSV – LIVE! Season 3, Episode 14, Dr. Katherine Wagner | Neurosurgery

In today’s Medical Staff Voice LIVE, Dr. Stan sits down with Dr. Katherine Wagner, a neurosurgeon at Community Memorial Health System.

Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Wagner attended her undergrad and medical school on the east coast, in Massachusetts and Long Island. She made her way to the west coast for a fellowship at Stanford, where she says she fell in love with California. Upon completing her fellowship, Dr. Wagner moved to Ventura County, where she joined Ventura Neurosurgery Medical Group with Dr. David Westra.
Link to YouTube video interview

Dietary Supplement Orders by Physicians

With the recent changes to ordering Diets, please note that physicians must enter any Oral Supplements ordered each time you change a patient’s diet–they no longer carry over from one diet to another. Dietary instituted this change to prevent Oral Supplements from unintentionally being ordered.

We realize that resurrecting the prior supplement/diet orders is not as user-friendly as we’d like it to be. But Dr. Iwancyzk, IT, and Dietary are working together to make it more user-friendly. Until we achieve the improvement, please do your best to assure that our patients have the optimal diet for their recovery.

Blood Drive at CMH

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – November 14 – 18

Final Thoughts

JW Moore- Tuesday, Noon, CME Conference – “Why We Matter and Where Do We Go From Here?”

Diane Birnbaumer, MD, Senior faculty member in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Harbor-UCLA, will present a lecture on “Why We Matter and Where Do We Go From Here?” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Discuss the issues facing medical practitioners in 2022, 2) Explain the Ikigai approach to determining a path forward, 3) Discuss the pyramid of needs and how to prioritize the basics.

The conference will be held on November 8th, 2022 via ZOOM, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

CMHS Quarterly General Medical Staff Meeting

National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week on November 6 – 12, 2022

Join our staff in observing National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week on November 6 – 12, 2022.

In 1992, President George Bush issued a proclamation designating the first week of November as “National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week,” to acknowledge and thank medical services professionals (MSPs) for playing “an important role in our nation’s healthcare system.”

What Exactly Do MSPs Do?

MSPs are an essential part of any healthcare organization. MSPs are primarily accountable for the administrative and medical-legal structure of the medical staff organization. What role do these professionals play?

· MSP’s are the people behind the scenes who make certain the credentials of all practitioners who are caring for patients are correct and have been verified.

· MSPs are experts in provider credentialing and privileging medical staff organization, accreditation and regulatory compliance, and provider relations in the diverse healthcare industry.

· MSP’s credential and monitor the ongoing competence of the physicians and other practitioners who provide patient care services in hospitals, managed care organizations, and other healthcare settings.

· MSP’s establish systems to facilitate meetings and communication between physicians, both within and outside their specialties, as well as with a hospital’s administration

· MSP’s assist in developing, establishing, and enforcing medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, and policies that govern the activities of the medical staff.

The American Medical Association-Organized Medical Staff Section also recognizes the medical services profession in a resolution that formally acknowledges “the importance and value of medical services professionals to the healthcare organization and its physician members, and recognizes their contribution and dedication in preserving quality patient care.”

Please recognize Community Memorial Health System’s dedicated MSP’s:

· Erin Davis, CPCS, Credentials Coordinator

· Martina Longobardi, Medical Staff Coordinator

· Angelica Ramirez, CPCS, Medical Staff Coordinator

· Kannie Valdovinos, Credentials Coordinator

· Carol Welle, Medical Staff Coordinator

· Vicki van der Toorn, CPHQ, CPMSM, CPCS, Director, Medical Staff Services

For more information about MSPs and the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS), visit www.namss.org.

CMH Facility Entrance Update

Effective November 1, the Mountain Tower west entrance located on the first floor near the laboratory is officially CLOSED. Patients and visitors should park in the Ocean Tower parking structure and access all services in the Mountain Tower through the main hospital entrance. Staff who need to access the Mountain Tower are encouraged to use the bridge from the second floor of the Mountain Tower parking structure.

As a reminder, our outpatient lab draw stations and pre-op X-ray services are now located in the Ocean Tower for enhanced patient convenience.

The Brent Street entrance to the Mountain Tower is not scheduled to reopen at this time.

For questions or concerns regarding facility entrances, please contact Robert Hacker at rhacker@cmhshealth.org.

New Transcription Number Correction

It has been brought to our attention that the transcription vendor new phone number was incorrectly conveyed in the original fax. Please see the below transition process.

When utilizing the current (old) dictation number 866-257-1738 on the dates below, you will hear a recorded message.

Effective 10/26 at 6 am PDT/9 am EDT Message will state: “Please note, this number will be retired Wednesday, November 2nd. The new number is, 866-546-4037 or you can dial the internal extension, 5682.  Enter your user id number followed by the pound sign.”

Effective 10/31 6 am PDT/9 am EDT Message will state: “Please call 866-546-4037 to dictate. That number again is 866-546-4037. Thank you.” (it will reject all attempts to enter, loop back, and repeat the greeting.)

Effective 11/02 at 6 am PDT/9 am EDT Message will state: “This is no longer a valid dictation line. Please see your medical records department for further instructions.” (it will reject all attempts to enter, loop back, and repeat the greeting.)

Please feel free to contact the Health Information Management department should you have any questions or concerns. (Tanya) Titinia Rogers, trogers1.con@cmhshealth.org (805) 652-4036.

OVCH Physician Retirement Event

OVCH will be honoring four local retiring physicians on November 30^th, 2022. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ray Sims, Dr. Fred Fauvre, Dr. Ken Hartenstein and Dr. Doug Nelson on their retirement, and extend heartfelt thanks to each for their dedication and compassionate care for the patients of the Ojai Valley.   The event will take place on the OVCH campus front patio area, with light refreshments from 1200-100pm.

Please rsvp to Tracey Shoop at 805-948-5029 or tshoop@cmhshealth.org

CMS releases final payment rules for 2023

CMS has published its annual payment updates for physicians, the Medicare shared savings program, and outpatient and home health services for 2023.

Physician Fee Schedule rule

1. The conversion factor used to calculate physician reimbursement will decline by $1.55 to $33.06 in 2023, representing a 4.48 percent decrease. CMS said the conversion factor accounts for the expiration of the 3 percent increase in physician fee schedule payments for 2022 — as required by the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers From Sequester Cuts Act — and the budget neutrality adjustment for changes in relative value units.

2. The agency finalized several policies related to telehealth, including extending numerous temporarily available telehealth services during the public health emergency through at least 2023. CMS said this will provide more time to collect data that could support their inclusion as permanent additions to its telehealth services list.

3. In response to the increasing demand for behavioral health services, CMS said it will allow these services to be provided under the supervision of a physician or nonphysician practitioner — rather than under direct supervision — when such services are provided by “auxiliary personnel,” such as licensed professional counselors or family and marriage therapists.

4. In an update to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, providers new to the initiative that are not renewing or reentering as an ACO and qualify as low revenue can receive a one-time payment of $250,000 and quarterly payments for the first two years of a five-year period. The advance payments would be recouped once an ACO begins generating shared savings in their current and next agreement periods. CMS said it will not move to recoup money from ACOs that do not generate savings, but those ACOs must remain in the program for the full five years.

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – November 7 – 11

Final Thoughts

JW Moore- Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, CME Conference –”Marijuana in Medicine 2022: Help, Harm, and Hype.”

Joseph Pierre, MD, Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF, will present a lecture on “Marijuana in Medicine 2022: Help, Harm, and Hype.”

At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Identify medical conditions that might benefit from cannabis use, 2) Identify major risks associated with cannabis use, and 3) List FDA-approved cannabinoid medications.

The conference will be held on November 1st, 2022, via ZOOM from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

CMH Firewall Upgrade on 11.3.22 at 4:30 am

The IS department is conducting a firewall upgrade at 4:30 am on 11/3. Access to Citrix Workspace from personal devices will be down intermittently for one hour. The PK iOS app and Mobile Heartbeat (MHB) app will not be affected. Study retrieval of PACS images taken over 3 years ago may also be intermittently delayed during the one-hour time period.

Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Pearls for Physicians
– Provided by Dr. Scott Goodfriend, Physician Advisor for CDI

Mountain Tower West Entrance Closing on November 1st

Effective Nov 1, 2022, the West Entrance (near the Laboratory) will close to staff and the public. The public (Visitors and patients) should park in the Ocean Tower Parking Structure. If staff need to access the Mountain Tower, they should utilize the bridge from the Mountain Tower Parking Structure.

As a reminder, the Laboratory Blood Draw stations and the Pre-Op X-ray (Imaging) are now located in the Ocean Tower for better patient convenience

This is an effort to provide the best possible experience for our patients and visitors.

Please contact Robert Hacker if you have any questions: rhacker@cmhshealth.org.

Nurse-Driven Protocol: Foley Removal

Gender Affirming Primary Care Clinic and Surgical Services resources in our community

Ventura County Medical Association Annual Meeting

CMS Requests Public Input Through the “Make Your Voice Heard” Request for Information

Links cited in the above announcement:
Make Your Voice Heard
CMS Office of Burden Reduction & Health Informatics

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – October 31 – November 4

Final Thoughts

JW Moore- Tuesday, October 25th, 2022, CME Conference–” Climate Change: An Emerging Public Health Crisis.”

Robert Dodge, MD, local Family Practice physician and Board member of Physicians for Social Responsibility, will present a lecture on “Climate Change: An Emerging Public Health Crisis.” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Describe how climate change threatens our patient’s and communities’ health, 2) Identify who is at greatest risk, and 3) Identify healthcare workers’ roles in mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The conference will be held on October 25th, 2022, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, via ZOOM. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

MSV – LIVE! Season 3, Episode 13. – Dr. Christina Desai | Hospitalist

In today’s Medical Staff Voice LIVE, Dr. Stan is joined by Dr. Christina Desai, a hospitalist with Community Memorial Health System. Dr. Desai completed her undergrad at UCLA and went on to attend medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York where she also completed her internal medicine residency.
Link to YouTube video interview

Physician & Employee Flu Vaccine & Fit Test Programs

Please see the October 2022 Flu Vaccination & Fit Test Clinic schedule and associated memos below. For questions or concerns, please contact Employee Occupational Health at x2886 or the Medical Staff Office at 805.948.5662.

Medical Staff has until October 31, 2022, to comply with the flu vaccine requirement.

Respiratory Fit Testing Memo 2022
Influenza Memo 2022
October-2022 Vaccine & Fit Testing
Influenza declination form 2022_2023

Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Pearls for Physicians
– Provided by Dr. Scott Goodfriend, Physician Advisor for CDI

For details related to the above guidance, click on this CDI QUERYING PDF

The 5 most pressing drug shortages in the US

As pharmacies and hospitals struggle with the nationwide dearth of Adderall generics, drug shortage expert Erin Fox, PharmD, spoke with Becker’s on Sept. 28 about frustrations with ongoing shortages, how the issue bleeds into staffing shortages and the “silver lining” to running low on older treatments.

Here’s what Dr. Fox, a pharmacy professor at the Salt Lake City-based University of Utah who helps run the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ drug shortage website, listed as the top five drug shortages:

1. Local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, bupivacaine, and combined products with epinephrine: “These have been short for years, but they have worsened recently, especially the combination products. What makes it hard is it’s not that you can’t get any, it’s just that you maybe can’t get the right size or the right strength. It’s frustrating for clinics and providers to want 1 percent, but you can only have 2 percent or vice versa. People are making do, but when you train people to use certain products, it’s a risk for a potential medication error.”

2. Blood pressure drug dobutamine: “That one has been problematic, [but] it’s getting a little bit better.” Dobutamine, which is in short supply because of manufacturing delays for Baxter and Pfizer, does not have a lot of other alternatives for heart failure patients, Ochsner Health’s vice president of pharmacy services recently told Becker’s. The American College of Cardiology issued guidance in early August for clinicians about the shortage.

3. Oxytocin, a treatment used in childbirth: “It’s not in crisis mode, but people are worried about it.” Some oxytocin injection products are expected to return to normal supply levels in early November, according to the ASHP.

4. Albumin 5%, a drug for low blood volume: The product, which is on back order at four drugmakers as of Sept. 23, “is getting a little tricky.”

5. Heparin flushes: “It sounds silly; it’s not a critical, lifesaving product by any means, but it certainly has created a lot of work for our organization this week.” Heparin, which is used to flush or clean out IV catheters, is a “basic product that we need to keep things running,” Dr. Fox said, “and when you’re short on those, it creates a lot of extra work for our staff.”

The difference between 10 percent and 20 percent of local anesthetics will not make a big difference for patient care, Dr. Fox said, but the pharmaceutical workers have to tack on more work before physicians can do surgeries needing anesthetics, stitches and biopsies. The extra workload is not only frustrating, but it can spill over into other ongoing issues such as healthcare hiring and retention rates.

However, there is a “slight bright spot” to some drug shortages, Dr. Fox said.

With older drugs that are not as regularly tested on whether they still work, one question pops up: “Is there truly going to be a clinical benefit for the patient? Sometimes that’s unclear,” she said. “Every once in a while, we’ll have a shortage that can really help us take a step back, look at the literature and understand which patients truly benefit from a product and which patients don’t. That’s the silver lining. These drugs are very cheap and it’s not that patients are having bad outcomes if they receive the drugs, so normally it wouldn’t make sense to take that kind of deep dive. But with shortages, we sometimes get that chance.”

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – October 24 – 28

Final Thoughts

“The wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity.”
– Seneca

Keep the faith,

JW Moore- Tuesday, October 18th, 2022, CME Conference –”Abortion 101.”

Rebecca Stephens, MD, Family Medicine physician, will present a lecture on “Abortion 101.” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Compare popular stereotypes of who seeks abortion care with evidence-based epidemiological data, 2) Reflect on how their own personal values may affect their counseling of patients seeking an abortion, 3) Interpret the basics of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court ruling, 4) Identify the advantages and disadvantages of a medication abortion, and 5) Comfortably counsel a pregnant patient who comes to them with questions about abortion.

The conference will be held on October 18th, 2022, via ZOOM from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invite with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

MSV – LIVE! Season 3, Episode 12, Dr. Laura Levitt | Anesthesiology

In this week’s episode of Medical Staff Voice LIVE, Dr. Laura Levitt sits down with Community Memorial Health System’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stan Frochtzwajg. Born and raised in New York City, Dr. Levitt completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona. After graduating medical school, Dr. Levitt completed three years of a general surgery residency before making the switch to an anesthesiology residency. Dr. Levitt sees patients of all ages at Community Memorial Hospital, from labor & delivery to same day surgery, which is something that she loves about her job.

Click on this link to view the YouTube Video Interview

Corporate Games Recap

CMHS had a great first week of Corporate Games competition. Congratulations to the following CMHS physicians and employees:

Bronze Medal, 8-Ball: Ryan Soldevilla and Lisa Hastings

4th Place, Kickball: Duke Way, Eder Medina, Bret McClure, Jessica Hernandez, Emily Walwood, Anaissa Aceves, Makayla Endo, Jose Arciniega, Luis Juarez, Ary Medina, Michael Alfaro, and Dr. Nick Tarlov

Silver Medal, Dominoes: Alonna Stevenson and Henry Otineru

Silver Medal, Speed Scrabble: Melissa Davidson

Gold Medal, Surfing: Dr. Nick Tarlov, Dr. Josh Gluck, Ary Medina, Dr. Art Flynn, Dr. Todd Barbosa, and Alex Chianese

Silver Medal, 9-Ball: Richard Tan

The Coed Softball team advanced to the championship round: Jeremy Brzozowski, Chris de la Rosa, Michael Alfaro, Betty Rodriguez, Anaissa Aceves, Diego Monasterio Oliver, Shreyash Pradhan, Melissa Davidson, Michelle Torrez, Duke Way, Luis Juarez, Juan Quinonez, and Eric Hendrickson. Come and cheer on the team as they compete for the gold medal on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6:15 pm at the Ventura Toyota Field at Kimball Park!

Upcoming events include softball, axe throwing, and laser tag. Good luck to all our participants!

Socktober!

This October, Community Memorial Health System wants to show that even a small act of kindness, like donating socks, can make a big difference for our local homeless community.
Socks are among the least donated because people often keep them until they wear out. This shortage keeps people without homes at a higher risk of disease and exposure to the cold.
Donate new, unworn socks at the donation bins in the cafes at CMH and OVCH. For questions, please contact Director of Nutrition Services, Kathryn Gill, at kgill.com@cmhshealth.org.

CMS Seeks Feedback on Health Care Access, Provider Experience, Health Equity, and PHE Flexibilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a request for information seeking input on accessing health care and related challenges and the impact of CMS policies and requirements on provider well-being and retention. It also seeks input on advancing health equity, and recommendations to improve or make permanent the waivers and flexibilities provided in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency to further reduce the burden and address health disparities.

Comments are due to CMS by 2 p.m. (PT) on Nov. 4 and can be submitted online using the submission form

5 specialties that drive the most revenue to hospitals

Payment models in healthcare are evolving, but physicians still drive revenue to hospitals through patient, procedure, test, and treatment volume, according to an analysis by Merritt Hawkins released July 18.

Physicians generate an average of about $2.4 million each year for their affiliated hospitals. The amount of revenue physicians drive to hospitals varies across specialties.

Below are the five physician specialties that generate the highest average annual net revenue for hospitals:

1. Cardiology (interventional): $3.48 million
2. Orthopedic surgery: $3.29 million
3. Gastroenterology: $2.97 million
4. Family medicine: $2.11 million
5. OB-GYN: $2.02 million

Drug Shortage Update (click on the image to enlarge)

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – October 17 – 21

Final Thoughts

“The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.”
– Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Keep the faith,

JW Moore- Tuesday, Noon, CME Conference –”Medical Aid in Dying: What you Need to Know.”

Ryan Spielvogel, MD, Faculty, Sutter Family Medicine Residency Program and Medical Director, End of Life Option Act services for Sutter Health, will present a lecture on “Medical Aid in Dying: What you Need to Know.” At the end of the conference, the learner should be able to: 1) Describe eligibility criteria for patients seeking Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) and be able to assess patients for eligibility, 2) Perform patient-centered, compassionate counseling of patients at the end of their lives seeking MAID, and 3) Direct patients and providers to appropriate resources when providing MAID.

The conference will be held on October 11th, 2022, via ZOOM from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. This activity qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ & AOA Category 1-A credit.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact CME Coordinator Erin Parker at eparker@cmhshealth.org or 805-948-5638, and an invitation with a link to the meeting will be emailed to you.

MSV–LIVE! Season 3, Episode 11, Dr. Brad Barrows, DO, Pathology

We are back with an all-new Medical Staff Voice LIVE with Dr. Stan Frochtzwajg, Chief Medical Officer at Community Memorial Health System. In today’s episode, Dr. Stan sits down with Dr. Brad Barrows, a pathologist at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura.

Born and raised in California, Dr. Barrows attended his undergrad and master’s program at UC San Diego, before completing his medical degree at Touro University in the Bay Area. Following medical school, Dr. Barrows completed fellowships at Baylor University and Cedars-Sinai.

Watch the interview to learn more about surgical pathology, and how Dr. Barrows spends the majority of his time at the microscope, diagnosing and determining treatment plans for patients.

Link to YouTube video interview

Flu vaccine mandatory for all Health Care Workers

At the request of the Health Officer for the Ventura County Public Health Department, Dr. Robert Levin, please see the attached “2022 Flu Order” regarding Mandatory Influenza Vaccination or Masking of Health Care Workers During Influenza Season.

Full memo of Health Officer Memo: Mandatory Flu Vaccine or Masking HCWs 2022

Physician & Employee Flu Vaccine & Fit Test Programs

Please see the October 2022 Flu Vaccination & Fit Test Clinic schedule and associated memos below. For questions or concerns, please contact Employee Occupational Health at x2886 or the Medical Staff Office at 805.948.5662.

Respiratory Fit Testing Memo 2022
Influenza Memo 2022
October-2022 Vaccine & Fit Testing
Influenza declination form 2022_2023

Merge iConnect PACS Imaging at CMHS

CMHS migrated to the Merge iConnect PACS viewer on October 5th. This migration will provide better image quality and resolve the issues when viewing CINE images. If you would like training or have any questions, please contact Frank Martin at 805-948-5466 or fmartin@cmhshealth.org

Save the Date: Ventura County Medical Association Installation Gala

VCMA Officer Installation Gala
December 14, Wednesday, 6:00 pm
Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo

CMHS Weekly Medical Staff Calendar – October 10 – 14

Final Thoughts

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”
– Dalai Lama

Keep the faith,