COVID-19 Vaccinations Available to All Utahns 16+ March 24
During his monthly press conference on Thursday, Governor Spencer Cox announced that beginning Wednesday, March 24, all Utahns 16 and older can sign up to receive a vaccine. The governor expects that for the first few weeks of open eligibility it may be difficult
to schedule an appointment, but their strategy is to keep demand higher than availability initially in an effort to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible before the statewide mask mandate ends on April 10th. Cox asks that people who will be newly eligible to receive the vaccine wait until March 24 to begin scheduling appointments. Encourage your patients, family, and friends who are eligible now to sign up as soon as possible to avoid possible difficulty of scheduling starting next week.
How Likely Are Utahns to Get Vaccinated Against COVID?
According to a recent survey conducted by Envision Utah, 55% of Utahns say they will either definitely or probably get the vaccine, 12% are unsure, and 23% say they are not willing to get the vaccine. Those who reject the vaccine don't trust it and believe the vaccine might not be safe and cause side effects. The survey found that stated likelihood of getting vaccinated went up with messages that focused on "protecting" and "getting back to normal." While the internet is still the top-rated source of information-gathering about the vaccine, 36% state that their doctor/primary care provider is among their top-rated sources. UAFP will be providing more messaging advice for family doctors as it is developed by immunization partners over the next several months.
Will counties be allowed to enact mask mandates after April 10? It depends
Salt Lake Tribune - All pandemic public health orders will end in Utah after caseload, ICU and vaccine benchmarks are met. HB294 lifts the statewide mask mandate on April 10. Counties have some leeway to enact their own pandemic policies — but only if the entire state falls short of three thresholds. Under HB294, which Gov. Spencer Cox indicated he will sign into law, county commissions or councils can extend their mask mandates, subject to benchmarks set in the law.
Once the entire state has a 14-day COVID-19 caseload of less than 191 per 100,000 people, coronavirus patients occupy less than 15% of intensive care unit beds, and the state obtains 1.63 million doses of vaccine — regardless of whether they’ve be shot into arms — any pandemic-related public health order goes away, including local mask-wearing requirements. Read more...
Increased COVID-19 Vaccine Medicare Payment Rates Will Improve Access for Patients
AAFP President Dr. Ada Stewart - “The American Academy of Family Physicians is pleased that CMS has increased Medicare payment rates for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines – a change that will improve patients’ access to the vaccine. The increased rates more accurately reflect the unique costs associated with storing and administering vaccine products, as well as the time primary care physicians spend counseling patients and answering their questions about the vaccine. We urge state Medicaid programs and private payers to similarly increase their payment rates in order to improve equitable access for all patients." Read more...
FREE for UAFP/AAFP Members:*
Getting Back on Track - Catching up on Care During COVID
Saturday, April 17
8:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Some patients have been delaying preventative care and treatment for chronic conditions during the COVID pandemic. This valuable CME event will cover important updates for crucial prevention and treatment that your patients may be behind on.
Courses:
- HPV Vaccine- Practical Ways to Significantly Increase Vaccine Rates |Neal Davis, MD, MS
- Unmet Meeds and the Evolving Landscape in Acute Treatment of Migraine: Primary Care Professional on the Front Line | Susan Hutchinson, MD and Steward J. Tepper, MD
- Community Based Fall Prevention….One Hip At A Time! | Liz Joy, MD, MPH, FACSM, FAMSSM
- Preventing Type 2 Diabetes….Now More Than Ever | Liz Joy, MD, MPH, FACSM, FAMSSM
- To Normoglycemia and Beyond: Updates in Diabetes Therapy | Elizabeth Bald, PharmD, BCACP and Hanna Raber, PharmD
- What Family Physicians Should Know About Vaping | Thomas Ylioja, PhD
*Nominal tuition fee for non-members
Thank you to Haymarket Medical Education for providing migraine education supported by an educational grant from Allergan and AAFP’s Family Medicine Philanthropic Consortium for educational grants, helping to fund our continuing education.
Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is pending.
AAFP Member Satisfaction Survey Closes March 31
Thank you for being a member of the AAFP! You want up-to-date information, substantial support, and essential resources to help you in your day-to-day practice. The AAFP wants to provide all of that and more.
Tell us what’s important to you and how we can better meet your needs as a family physician by completing the 2021 Member Satisfaction Survey.
A drawing will be held this year for five $100 gift cards for those that also complete the additional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion survey found at the end of the member satisfaction survey.
Resident Leadership Award Nominations
Due March 31
Know a resident who promotes family medicine, possesses leadership skills, and serves as a role model to peers? Nominate them today!
Help UAFP recognize the outstanding leadership and accomplishments of graduating residents from our four Utah family medicine residency by nominating a deserving individual. Nominations may be made by individuals who have knowledge of the nominee's accomplishments including faculty, residency staff, fellow residents, and medical students. A nominee must be a resident member of UAFP and a current third year resident at a family medicine residency in Utah. Nominations due March 31, 2021. Winner will be announced in April. Learn more here.
SAVE THE DATES - UAFP Summer and Fall Events
UAFP staff and board hope to begin hosting in-person events, as conditions allow, throughout the summer and fall. We will be posting additional information as we get closer to the events.
- August 2021: Family Medicine Night with the Salt Lake Bees
- Friday, September 17: Student & Resident Poster Session
- Friday, September 17: UAFP Annual Member Meeting
- Saturday, September 18: Implicit Bias in Medicine CME
Upcoming CME & Events
Engaging Patients in Diabetes Care ECHO Series
Wednesdays from April 7 - May 5, 2021 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM
Hosted by Comagine
Learn more and register here
AAFP Physician Health & Well-being Conference Livestream
Wednesday, April 7 – Friday, April 9
Hosted by AAFP
Common Problems in Pediatrics
June 6 - 9, 2021
Hosted by the Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Utah Certificate of Palliative Care Education (UCoPE) at the University of Utah
June 15-19, 2021
Hosted by the University of Utah
Learn more and register here
