On-Demand Webinars

On this page, you'll find archived sessions from WSMA's Continuing Professional Development webinar series, among other educational sessions targeted to physicians. These on-demand webinars, except where indicated, are a benefit of membership. Learn more about membership and join us today.

Building Relationships of Trust

Establishing trust with patients is critical when making health care plans and decisions. But how can physicians build trust with patients when systemic racism and implicit bias are pervasive barriers? The WSMA Foundation identified the need to mitigate the harm of racism perpetuated throughout medicine and set a goal to help physicians and PAs build authentic relationships of trust with diverse communities through mentorship, education, and community support programs. In this webinar, which is free for members, participants hear several perspectives on how to establish trust with patients from diverse communities and come away with tools to start using right away in practice using toolkits provided in the Building Relationships of Trust resource page.

Presenters

• Shaline John, MHA, and Danny Sargent, MHA, share effective strategies they identified in their UW MHA capstone project that WSMA members can use to build trust with marginalized communities.
• Kate McLean, MD, chief medical officer at Quilted Health, and Maggie Bolton, CNM, Clinical Director at Quilted Health, share their experience delivering culturally congruent care for pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care using diversity, equity, and inclusion as driving principles.
• Mark Del Beccaro, MD, assistant deputy chief at Public Health – Seattle & King County, and Francisco Arias-Reyes, MD, regional health services administrator at Public Health – Seattle & King County, share their experiences determining the needs of diverse communities to deliver culturally sensitive, timely care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Originally recorded on October 28, 2022)

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COVID-19 Vaccines Webinar Series

Maintaining a patient population immunized against the COVID-19 virus is a large-scale challenge requiring a coordinated effort, one where primary care physicians play a crucial role—more so now that mass vaccination clinics are becoming a thing of the past. Physicians are ideally suited to educate people about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, communicate the safety and efficacy in an understandable way, address individual concerns and create a culture of confidence around the vaccines. By leveraging the trust patients have in their physicians, you can help ensure Washingtonians are receiving guidance based on sound science and good medical practice—and help counter the increasing barrage of misinformation circulating on- and offline.

If you haven’t already, it’s time to embed the COVID-19 vaccine into routine preventive care in your practice. The WSMA has joined the Washington State Department of Health to help physician practices and clinics access the tools and information they need to incorporate the COVID-19 vaccines into their practice workflows and employ effective strategies to engage patients in conversations about the vaccine.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Release date: September 8, 2022
Expiration date: September 7, 2025

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Commercial Independence in CME

Kendra Peterson, CHCP, Associate Director of Education and Accreditation at WSMA, guides learners through the process and best practices for maintaining commercial independence in accredited continuing education. Using the WSMA’s process, learners will be able to go through each step necessary to gather disclosure information and ensure that accredited education is free from commercial bias, in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. People who want to complete a CME application through WSMA should complete this training. For questions, please contact cme@wsma.org.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Release date: July 28, 2022
Expiration date: July 27, 2025

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Assessing and Planning for Your Financial Future

Jonathan Medverd, MD, focuses on financial health and building a strong foundation for your financial future in a webinar tailored to our young physician, resident, fellow, and medical student members. Dr. Medverd pays particular focus to approaching debt as a medical student, resident or fellow, and young physician.

During his presentation, Dr. Medverd discusses:

• How to assess and plan for your financial future.
• How to deal with high debt.
• Developing investing strategies.
• And more.

(Originally recorded on July 18, 2022)

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Recognizing Inequities in Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care

Physicians, health care professionals, and members of the public join together for a webinar on enhancing communication and connection about serious illness, end-of-life, and after-death issues—presented by the Washington Serious Illness Care Coalition.

Hope Wechkin, MD, FAAHPM, HMDC—WSICC chair and medical director of EvergreenHealth Hospice— re-introduces the coalition and its new mission, vision, values, and strategic goals.

Keynote speaker, Edwin Lindo, JD—assistant dean for social and health justice in the Office of Healthcare Equity and faculty member within the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine—explores our biases and identify ways racism impacts the care patients receive. You will develop tools to advocate for people from marginalized communities, provide culturally sensitive care that honors people’s values and beliefs, and deliver high quality, compassionate care during serious illness and at the end of life.

We close the webinar with a panel of physicians, health care professionals, and advocates who share their unique expertise and discuss how to ensure that people of every background, culture, and identity can have their needs met and their wishes explored and honored.

Panelists

• Mabel Bodell, MD, Nephrologist/Transplant Nephrologist, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine/University of Washington; Medical Director, Acute Dialysis Unit, Confluence Health, Wenatchee
• Raleigh Bowden, MD, Director, Okanogan Palliative Care Initiative; Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, 2019-2022
• Eze Oluo, Projects Manager, Permanente Medicine; Member, BIPOC Health Careers Ecosystem
• Moderator: Devyani Chandran, PhD, Director, Palliative Care Institute; Associate Professor, Health and Community Studies, Western Washington University

WSICC, formerly known as the Washington End-of-Life Coalition, was formed in the early 1990s, and is jointly sponsored by the WSMA Foundation and the Washington State Hospital Association. The coalition is a broad-based group of individuals and organizations dedicated to helping patients, physicians, clinicians, and caregivers improve the way we prepare for and treat serious illness and end-of-life care. This free webinar serves as part of our mission to promote education and conversations about living and dying in Washington state.

(Originally recorded April 29, 2022)

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COVID-19 Q&A Session - December 21, 2021

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This webinar addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic. An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals answers questions about the Omicron variant, testing, treatment, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, and vaccines.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Scott Lindquist, MD MPH, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director, anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded December 21, 2021)

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Operationalizing Racial Justice and Equity in Health Care

Karthik Sivashanker, MD, MPH, CPPS facilitates an interactive session covering 1) foundational concepts on health equity, including the various types of bias and discrimination commonly seen in healthcare; and 2) a new framework for advancing racial justice and equity in the health care arena by leveraging high-performance quality and safety practices to systematically make inequities visible and to address and resolve them as an integral part of health care practice.

(Originally recorded December 13, 2021)

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OSMAP Video Program on Physician Wellness

The Organization of State Medical Association Presidents partnered with the Physicians Foundation to present a program on physician wellness, which features J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA, the co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation. Corey also serves as the CEO of the University of Virginia Physicians Group, the medical group practice of UVA Health. Hear their story about Lorna and how they are using the Foundation to help physicians and other health care workers recognize and manage the symptoms and impact of burnout, depression, anxiety, and other stressors that can lead to suicide. Also featured are two state medical society programs that are facing these issues head on. The program is moderated by Madelyn E. Butler, MD, OSMAP President, and a past president of the Florida Medical Association.

(Originally recorded July 20, 2021)

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Washington POLST: Best Practices and Practical Tips for Conversation

Sharmon Figenshaw, ARNP, WA POLST Task Force co-chair and Honoring Choices PNW clinical advisor, outlines best practices for effective use of POLST and provides communication techniques and a framework for holding goals of care conversations. Participants will be able to guide an individual in treatment options that match their stated goals, values, and preferences and ultimately complete a POLST form that accurately and consistently reflects a patient’s choices for end-of-life care.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. 

(Originally recorded on October 22, 2021)

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COVID-19 Q&A Session - August 30, 2021

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This webinar addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals answers questions about the Delta variant, testing, treatment, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, and vaccines.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Lisa Jackson, MD, MPH, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
• Scott Lindquist, MD MPH, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director, anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on August 30, 2021)

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The Washington POLST Clinician Toolkit: Best Practices to Ensure Person-Centered Care

Honoring Choices PNW is pleased to present the Washington POLST Clinician Toolkit. This toolkit guides clinicians on the purpose, intended use, and completion of the POLST.

Sharmon Figenshaw, ARNP, palliative care nurse practitioner and co-chair of the Washington POLST Task Force, and Kelsey Stufflebeam, MHA, assistant director at Honoring Choices PNW, review new resources that physicians, advanced practitioners, and other members of the health care team can use to promote advance care planning, hold goals-of-care conversations, and complete POLST. They outline who should be offered a POLST, how to apply clinical decision-making to know when and how to offer POLST, how to avoid pitfalls in the clinical use of POLST, and how to ensure a POLST reflects a person’s goals. They explain how to use a goals-of-care conversation in conjunction with the POLST Completion Guide to provide whole-person care and ensure people with serious illness receive care that is consistent with their values and goals.>/p>

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. 

(Originally recorded on August 5, 2021)

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Strategies for Physician Well-being

Co-sponsored by the American Medical Association and the Washington State Medical Association, this webinar showcases the proactive strategies EvergreenHealth enacted to ensure the well-being of their workforce throughout the pandemic. Highlighting their transition to a virtual environment, cohorting patients to reduce widespread transmission, and their ongoing communications strategy, this case study provides several successful strategies to support physicians during times of crisis.

Speakers

• Betsy Hail, executive director of primary care, EvergreenHealth
• Pratima Sharma, MD, executive medical director of primary care, EvergreenHealth

(Originally recorded on July 20, 2021)

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Fundamentals of Diagnostic Error in Imaging

Jason N. Itri, MD, PhD, president of Itri Consulting Group, LLC, and director of quality and associate medical director at Nines Radiology PA, identify the components of a comprehensive process to learn from diagnostic error in radiology. He describes the different approaches to identifying cases with diagnostic errors and discusses educational and systematic interventions that can reduce diagnostic errors.

This webinar is part of a series co-sponsored by the Washington State Hospital Association and Washington State Medical Association on diagnostic excellence. The Northwest Safety and Quality Partnership along with the Medical Officer Collaborative have both underscored the priority of diagnostic excellence as a quality and patient safety measure. The effects of diagnostic errors are currently estimated to affect upwards of 12 million Americans each year, causing more harm to patients than all other hospital errors combined. These errors also have a marked impact on health care providers; the emotional effects of diagnostic error can be long-lasting and harmful. Patients identify the ramifications of diagnostic errors as emotional distress, prolonged illness and medical complications, impairment in activities of daily living, and decreased confidence in the health care system. Given the prevalence and impacts of diagnostic errors, health care leaders must address them as part of their quality improvement and patient safety programs.

(Originally recorded on June 22, 2021)

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New Physician Assistant Practice Laws and Regulations: Putting HB2378 into Practice

A key priority for the WSMA and the Washington Academy of Physician Assistants, House Bill 2378 from 2020 made important changes to the state’s physician assistant practice act, modernizing the profession and facilitating employment of these valued clinical partners. Major provisions of this important legislation take effect July 1. Speakers outline how to implement the changes in your practice and discuss how to create practice agreements, which are taking the place of the current delegation agreements.

Speakers

• Billie Dickinson, WSMA Policy Analyst
• Gabrielle Zecha, PA-C, MHA, Washington Academy of PAs President

(Originally recorded on June 8, 2021)

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Journey to Diagnostic Excellence - Engaging the Patient and Family in the Process

The Washington Patient Safety Coalition, Washington State Hospital Association, and Washington State Medical Association co-sponsored a diagnostic excellence webinar series on the content, development, and rollout of an educational program developed by Kaiser Permanente for providers: Getting the Right Diagnosis at the Right Time. The program promotes awareness on the factors that lead to diagnostic errors and how to achieve diagnostic excellence.

Guest speakers will demonstrate the value of partnering with patients to develop systems to achieve diagnostic excellence and examine collaboration strategies between healthcare organizations and patient partners to develop interventions that address diagnostic errors. They will explain the importance of patient collaboration in the development of patient engagement guides – from design of the guide to testing its utility—and share their experience of patient participation in the development of an educational video to increase clinician awareness of diagnostic errors and how to reduce them.

Guest speakers

• Kerry Litman MD, CPPS, Physician Lead for Patient and Family Centered Care, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Permanente Medical Group and Assistant Professor, Clinical Sciences, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
• Susie Becken, Patient Advisor, Regional Patient Advisory Council, Kaiser Permanente Southern California
• David Breitstein, Patient Advisor, Kaiser Permanente Southern California
• Maricruz Arteaga Garavito, Consultant, Kaiser Permanente Southern California

(Originally recorded on May 27, 2021)

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COVID-19 Q&A Session

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals answers questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, long-term follow-up, and vaccines. 

Panelists

• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Scott Lindquist, MD MPH, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, Washington State Department of Health
• Francis Riedo, MD, medical director, infection control, EvergreenHealth
• Michele Roberts, MPH, MCHES, acting assistant secretary, prevention and community health division, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director, anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on April 30, 2021)

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Are You Comfortable That All of Your Patients’ Abnormal Test Results Are Followed Up – The Role of Electronic Surveillance

Guest speaker, Tracy Imley, MD, director of Complete Care at Kaiser Permanente, Rancho Palos Verdes, California describes the Complete Care philosophy that uses an evidence based, person-focused approach to provide care and concentrate on an individual’s health care needs, from wellness and prevention to acute, chronic, and end-of-life care. She also reviews opportunities to provide necessary preventive, risk related, and chronic disease care, and shares an example of existing systems that prevent patient harm. Dr. Imley outlines the importance of team-based model of care in an integrated care delivery system.

(Originally recorded on April 29, 2021)

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Successfully Navigating the Washington State MD/PA Licensure and Renewal Process: What You Need to Know

The Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) hosts experts from the Washington Medical Commission’s licensing department to provide insight on the licensing and renewal process, share advice, and offer tips on how to get your application approved as quickly as possible. The webinar covers utilization of the online portal, accessing the online application checklist, requesting documents through the original entity, and when and how to complete the fingerprinting process, among other important topics. Licensing questions were answered by the WMC representatives.

Guest speakers

• Marisa Courtney, licensing manager, Washington Medical Commission
• Emma Marienthal, licensing lead, Washington Medical Commission
• Jeb Shepard, policy director, Washington State Medical Association

(Originally recorded on April 16, 2021)

View the webinar WSMA members and their administrative staff only (e.g. clinic managers)—sign-in required

Advance Care Planning Documents – Get to Know the New Advance Directive and WA POLST

The new and improved Advance Directive and Washington POLST forms will be released in early April. Honoring people’s values, goals, and preferences is the cornerstone of our work. The purpose of Advance Directive and Washington POLST documents is to ensure people’s future medical decisions are accurately reflected in enforceable documents. Speakers will review key changes that streamline, clarify, and modernize the documents.

Speakers

• Sue Bergmann, MBA, BSN, senior director of Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest
• Sharmon Figenshaw, ARNP, co-chair of the WA POLST Task Force
• Jessica Martinson, director of continuing professional development at the WSMA and faculty at Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest
• Bruce Smith, MD, co-chair of the WA POLST Task Force
• Lynn Wittwer, MD, medical program director of Clark county EMS division at the Washington State Department of Health

(Originally recorded on April 7, 2021)

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COVID-19 Q&A Session

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals answered questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, long-term follow-up, and vaccines.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Scott Lindquist, MD MPH, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director. Anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on March 24, 2021)

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Diagnostic Excellence Webinar Series – Lessons from Kaiser Permanente's Health Innovation Team

Diagnosis is among the most critical and complex challenges clinicians face every day, and diagnostic errors are a significant patient safety concern. Misdiagnoses take a toll on all involved - patients and their families, and also on health care practitioners and their colleagues. Making the case and raising awareness is often challenging.

The Washington Patient Safety Coalition, Washington State Hospital Association, and Washington State Medical Association are co-sponsoring a diagnostic excellence webinar series on the content, development and rollout of an educational program developed by Kaiser Permanente for providers: Getting the Right Diagnosis at the Right Time. The program promotes awareness on the factors that lead to diagnostic errors and how to achieve diagnostic excellence. Using research-based content, consultation with internal subject matter experts, leaders and patient advisors for content KP produced an educational video that yielded high acceptance and thoughtful reflections of clinical practice.

Dr. Ronald Loo and Mimi Hugh outlined strategies to identify why and how diagnostic errors are made and how to avoid them, implement processes and practices to reduce diagnostic errors, and access resources to enhance the diagnostic process.

Guest speakers:

• Ronald K Loo, MD is a practicing urologist, currently with an appointment at the Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center. Dr. Loo has regional oversight of the Kaiser Permanente Diagnostic Excellence Program, focused on a multi-disciplinary approach to reducing diagnostic errors. Professional activities in Innovation include oversight of next generation healthcare delivery models.
• Mimi Hugh, MA, MPH is the Director of SCPMG Performance Assessment. Ms. Hugh has been leading SCPMG’s initiatives to achieve diagnostic excellence, by identifying applicable measurement, developing educational materials for clinicians, and identifying methods for engaging patients.

(Originally recorded on March 23, 2021)

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From Chaos to Calm, Cool, and Collected: Strategies to Transform Your Health, Happiness, and Practice

Keira L. Barr, MD, founder and chief wellness officer of the Resilient Health Institute, supports physicians, their institutions, and their patients by making mindfulness and mind/body medicine accessible, practical and implementable to not only help heal the healer, but also heal the healthcare systems. Dr. Barr shares evidence-based mindfulness techniques you can perform in seconds to improve your patients’ experiences, diffuse difficult encounters, and increase your own productivity and sense of wellbeing. You will walk away from this talk with tools that will take self-care off your to do list, and put it on the for you list.

(Originally recorded on March 10, 2021)

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COVID-19 Q&A Session

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar series addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals will be on-hand to answer your questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, long-term follow-up, and vaccines.

Panelists

• Francis Riedo, MD, medical director of infection control, EvergreenHealth
• Michele Roberts, MPH, MCHES, Acting Assistant Secretary, Prevention and Community Health Division, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director. Anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on February 24, 2021)

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COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds Q&A Session

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds Webinar Series

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar series addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians and public health professionals answers questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, long-term follow-up, and vaccines.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Lisa Jackson, MD, MPH, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
• Scott Lindquist, MD MPH, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, Washington State Department of Health
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director. Anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on Jan. 27, 2021)

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Complying with State Opioid Regulations through Improved Prescribing Practices

Continuing Professional Development Webinar Series

Dr. Nathan Schlicher, president of the WSMA, and Jeb Shepard, director of policy at the WSMA review the Washington state opioid prescribing requirement and outline strategies to comply with specific requirements of opioid prescribing rules. They detail additional resources available for up-to-date evidence-based information on opioid prescribing.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. This training meets the state’s one-time, one-hour opioid prescribing requirement for MDs, DOs, and PAs.

(Originally recorded on Jan. 14, 2021)

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COVID-19 Testing, Treatment, Lasting Impact, and Vaccines Q&A Session

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds Webinar Series

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar series addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, vaccines, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians answers questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, long-term follow-up, and vaccines.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Lisa Jackson, MD, MPH, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
• Kathy Lofy, MD, state health officer and chief science officer, Washington State Department of Health
• Francis Riedo, MD, medical director of infection control, EvergreenHealth
• Mark Tonelli, MD, MA, section head of division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, UW Medical Center
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director. Anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on Dec. 16, 2020)

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COVID-19 Testing, Treatment, Vaccines, and Lasting Impact: A Panel Discussion

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds Webinar Series

With a focus on what front-line physicians need to know about the virus, the WSMA brings together Washington state's public health leaders and leading experts for free sessions that offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice, and your patients. This members-only webinar series addresses the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, and our state's response to the pandemic.

An expert panel of physicians answers your questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment options, vaccines, long-term follow-up, lasting impact, and reinfection.

Panelists

• SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 vaccine director and deputy PCH response director, Office of Immunization and Child Profile, Washington State Department of Health
• Jason Goldman, MD, MPH, infectious disease and organ transplant, Swedish Medical Center
• Lisa Jackson, MD, MPH, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
• Kathy Lofy, MD, state health officer and chief science officer, Washington State Department of Health
• Francis Riedo, MD, medical director of infection control, EvergreenHealth
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, medical director. Anticoagulation clinic, Epic provider efficiency, and flu services, The Everett Clinic

(Originally recorded on Nov. 18, 2020)

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Health Equity Strategies in Practice: Learnings from the Field

Health Equity Mini-Series (Part 3)

Co-sponsored by the Washington Patient Safety Coalition and the WSMA

Health equity professionals from CHI Franciscan, MultiCare, Seattle Children’s, and the University of Washington share their experiences creating and implementing a health equity strategic plan, determining how to measure health equity in data, partnering with faith-based organizations to address health needs with a community, and delivering educational programs to faculty and staff.

(Originally recorded on Nov. 13, 2020)

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Staying Open, Staying Safe: Washington State’s COVID-19 Playbook

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds (Part 5)

Given that COVID-19 will impact the medical community for the foreseeable future, this mini-series focuses on the evolution of the disease, management of COVID-19 patients, and our state's response to the pandemic—with an emphasis on what frontline physicians need to know. WSMA brings you the state's public health leaders—Dr. Kathy Lofy and Dr. Charisse Fotinos—for free sessions that will offer the latest information on COVID-19 that directly impacts you, your practice and your patients. Guest speakers will share their expertise as well. The format will include 45 minutes of content and 30 minutes for a Q&A discussion with the speakers.

Bill Robertson, president and CEO of MultiCare, discusses the statewide collaboration to address Staying Open, Staying Safe issues identified in Governor Inslee’s Healthcare Reopening Proclamation 20-24.1. The goal is for the Washington healthcare system to remain 1) fully open and operating at all levels for all types of care, and 2) safe for both care givers and consumers of care. Mr. Robertson outlines the work products of the PPE strategic sourcing and distribution workgroup and the COVID-19 testing, tracking, tracing, and data management workgroup.

(Originally recorded on Oct. 14, 2020)

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LGBTQ Health Care

Health Equity Mini-Series (Part 2)

Co-sponsored by the Washington Patient Safety Coalition and the WSMA

Amish Dave, MD, MPH, a rheumatologist at Virginia Mason, and Amy Etzel, the implementation manager at the Bree Collaborative, outline strategies to align care delivery with existing evidence-based, culturally sensitive standards of care for LGBTQ people in Washington state to decrease health disparities. The three focus areas include communication, language, and inclusive environments; screening and taking a social and sexual history; and LGBTQ-specific standards and systems of care.

(Originally recorded on Oct. 9, 2020)

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COVID-19 Vaccines: Clinical Trials and the Response Plan

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds (Part 4)

Lisa Jackson, MD, MPH, Senior Investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, provides the latest information on the race for a COVID-19 vaccine. She describes how new messenger RNA technology allowed for fast development of a vaccine that her research team is now testing for safety and effectiveness. Dr. Jackson provides an overview of the COVID-19 vaccine frontrunners and how our country's scientific infrastructure is helping to ensure their careful development. SheAnne Allen, MPH, MCHES, COVID-19 Vaccine Director and Deputy PCH Response Director in the Office of Immunization and Child Profile at the Washington State Department of Health, outlines the federal and state COVID-19 vaccine response plan, including distribution and storage considerations and vaccine administration prioritization guidelines. Dr. Kathy Lofy and Dr. Charisse Fotinos join the guest speakers for a Q&A discussion.

(Originally recorded on Sept. 16, 2020)

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Cultural Agility: Creating Sustained Systemic Change in Health Care

Health Equity Mini-Series (Part 1)

Co-sponsored by the Washington Patient Safety Coalition and the WSMA

This Continuing Professional Development webinar will educate physicians and physician assistants on the current state of health inequity, describe how the systems that were created impact patient care, and outline strategies to create lasting change within health care organizations.

Guest Speaker

Bryon Lambert
Equity and Inclusion Program Director
Cross Cultural Health Care Program

(Originally recorded on Sept. 1, 2020)

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Inpatient Management of COVID-19 Patients

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds (Part 3)

Jason D. Goldman, MD, MPH (Swedish) and Mark R. Tonelli, MD, MA (University of Washington) discuss best-known-practices for admitting patients with COVID-19, managing their inpatient care, and ensuring infection control. ICU physicians share the latest strategies for providing intensive/critical care, including an overview of emerging treatments. Vice Admiral Bono will discusses surge capacity planning and the state's plan for transferring patients when needed. Dr. Kathy Lofy joins Vice Admiral Bono and the guest speakers for a Q&A discussion.

(Originally recorded on Aug. 19, 2020)

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Outpatient Testing of Patients for COVID-19: Who, How, and When to Test and What to Do with the Results

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds (Part 2)

Yuan-Po Tu, MD, from The Everett Clinic, outlines best-known-practices for pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic stages of COVID-19 testing, including who and when to test, how to obtain samples, what tests to run, and how to interpret and implement the results. Vice Admiral Bono, Dr. Lofy, and Dr. Fotinos join Dr. Tu for a Q&A discussion.

(Originally recorded on Aug. 5, 2020)

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Coaching: An Effective Tool to Improve Wellbeing and Optimize Professional Fulfillment

This Continuing Professional Development webinar introduces physicians and physician assistants to the value of coaching. Speakers define coaching and highlight top modalities; review the evidence demonstrating that coaching reduces burnout; describe the breadth of topics addressed in coaching; outline expected outcomes; and discuss the logistics of finding and working with a coach.

Presenters

• Tinsley Coble, MD FACP, Professional Development Coach, Coble Coaching and Consulting, LLC
• Sahana D'Silva, MD MS MPH, Integrative Psychiatrist, Life and Leadership Coach, Tree of Life Soul-Centered Wellness, LLC
• Kathy Stepien, MD, Director and CEO, Institute for Physician Wellness

(Originally recorded on July 27, 2020)

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The COVID-19 Population Health Approach

COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds (Part 1)

Kathy Lofy, MD (DOH) and Charissa Fotinos, MD (HCA) provide the latest epidemiologic overview of COVID-19 and discuss health disparities, high-risk populations, testing equity application, contact investigations and case management, as well as special considerations for patients with substance use disorder and mental illness. Tiffani Buck, RN, MSN; Michele Roberts, MPH, MCHES; and Kathy Bay, RN, CENP from the DOH discuss special considerations for pregnant patients, as well as the need for strong flu and childhood vaccination rates. All speakers, along with Vice Admiral Bono, participate in the Q&A discussion.

(Originally recorded on July 22, 2020)

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Communicating Effectively During Times of Stress

This Continuing Professional Development webinar will help physicians and physician assistants to describe a general framework of an effective communication process; detail the advantages and disadvantages of five different communication modes; and give three examples of how communication style, mode, and content might be adjusted to account for the needs of the message recipient.

Presenter

Edward A. Walker, MD, MHA
Professor Emeritus
Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Health Services
University of Washington, Seattle

Senior Physician Advisor
Center for Leadership Development
Washington State Medical Association

(Originally recorded on July 17, 2020)

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Telehealth - The Rapid Evolution to Full-Scale Implementation

This webinar will help physicians and physician assistants implement a lasting telehealth program in their clinic. Speakers will review the unique clinical aspects of delivering digital health care, as well as vetting and selecting a vendor, contracting, designing workflow, preparing the team and patients, coding and billing, and managing liability and risk.

Presenters

• Russell Libby, MD, board member, The Physicians Foundation
• Stacy L. Lloyd, MPH, director, Digital Health & Operations, American Medical Association, Professional Satisfaction and Practice Sustainability
• Ankur Rana, MD, MMM, Telehealth Steering Committee, WIC Physician Lead, Facility Medical Director, Walk in/Urgent Care Services, The Everett Clinic
• Jeb Shepard, director of policy, Washington State Medical Association

(Originally recorded on June 19, 2020)

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Opioids and Telehealth in a Pandemic

This one-hour Continuing Professional Development webinar, originally presented May 15, will help physicians and advanced practitioners care for chronic pain patients with opioid prescriptions via telemedicine during the pandemic. The webinar covers: strategies to provide remote care for patients that you usually need to see in person, how to bill for telemedicine, regulatory changes to opioid prescribing and telemedicine policies, and the key features of the Better Prescribing, Better Treatment acute opioid reports.

Presenters

• Laura-Mae Baldwin, MD, MPH, University of Washington, Department of Family Medicine
• Michael Parchman, MD, MPH, The MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
• Jessica Schlicher, MD, MBA, medical director, Virtual Hospital & Mission Control; CHI Franciscan, Common Spirit Health
• Hon Nathan Schlicher, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP, president elect, Washington State Medical Association, physician lead, Better Prescribing Better Treatment, regional director of quality assurance, TeamHealth NW
• Jeb Shepard, WSMA Director of Policy

(Originally recorded on May 15, 2020)

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Providing Outpatient Care During COVID-19 and Beyond

This one-hour Continuing Professional Development webinar, originally presented May 13, features a virtual panel discussion on considerations and best practices for providing care during the "new normal." Now that state officials have laid out a plan for the phased re-opening of Washington's economy, and have issued an interpretive statement clarifying Gov. Jay Inslee's proclamation restricting non-urgent medical procedures, it's time to start planning for how to safely and effectively provide care to your patients during COVID-19 and beyond.

Panelists

• James Hudson, MHA, MPH, FACMPE, president of WSMGMA and CEO of Woodcreek Provider Services.
• Marta De La Torre, FACHE, WSMGMA trustee and government liaison and executive director of Clarus Eye Group.
• Garrett Hyman, MD, MPH, FACSM, FABPMR, CAQSM, physician consultant at Lake Washington Sports and Spine.

Discussion will include:

• An overview of the current regulatory environment unique to Washington state.
• Protocols for keeping patients and practice staff safe.
• How to communicate changes, such as masking and social distancing policies, to your patients.
• How to decide which services to provide.
• Financial management, accessing and optimizing PPE, transitioning to telehealth, opportunity for Q&A and more.
• Participants will receive a link to MGMA's comprehensive "COVID-19 Medical Practice Reopening Checklist."

(Originally recorded on May 13, 2020)

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Dealing with ERISA claims; WSMA Advocacy with U.S. Department of Labor

Has your practice received a denial on a submitted ERISA claim? The WSMA can help.

In this free webinar, the WSMA and the Seattle office of the U.S. Department of Labor provide an overview of ERISA Title I, explain fully-insured vs. self-insured health plans, claims procedures and participants' rights, and the role of the Department of Labor in overseeing ERISA arrangements.

ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, affects self-insured health plans. Claims payments and denials with ERISA plans are becoming increasingly problematic for physician practices. In years past, only very large companies took on self-insured health care coverage; now, insurers are marketing third-party administrator/"administrative services only" to companies as small as 50–100 employees. As the employers bear full financial risk, these arrangements are not "insurance" products regulated by the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner, meaning the OIC cannot intervene to protect those patients. However, the U.S. Department of Labor does have oversight of ERISA arrangements.

(Originally recorded on November 28, 2018)

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Mapping Your Path to Value-Based Care

A mix of traditional and value-based payment complicates day-to-day operations. Some processes and services that lead to success under traditional fee-for-service payment arrangements can contribute to failure under value-based incentives.

During this 60-minute webinar, Attune Healthcare Partners, Washington consultants and experts in value-based payment, will explain how to map a path to optimize earnings and simplify daily operations with a mix of traditional and value-based payment methods. You'll also learn about Attune Healthcare Partners' value-based resources available to WSMA members.

(Originally recorded on August 9, 2018)

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Understanding New OIC Prior Authorization Rules

This OnDemand webinar provides an overview of the new OIC prior authorization requirements and how they may impact your practice. Webinar presenter Jeb Shepard also discusses current OIC rules concerning prescription drugs and provides an introduction to the WSMA Prior Authorization Navigator.

(Originally recorded on November 15, 2017)

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Choosing Wisely - Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiatives

Marisa D'Angeli, MD, MPH
Washington Department of Health

Sharon Eloranta, MD
Qualis Health

Learning Objectives

• Outline two current initiatives regarding outpatient antimicrobial stewardship in Washington state.
• Review the state endorsed clinical practice guidelines for five antimicrobial stewardship-related infectious syndromes in the outpatient setting.
• Describe how Choosing Wisely and antimicrobial stewardship priorities align and identify strategies to leverage the multiple efforts to improve your practice.

(Originally recorded on April 26, 2017)

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Choosing Wisely - A Clinical Toolkit for Consumer Engagement

Jill A. Dudik Bross, MD, FAAP
Samaritan Healthcare Clinics

Scott Kronlund, MD, MS
Northwest Physicians Network

Kimberly Wicklund, MPH
Group Health Cooperative

Learning Objectives

• Provide a focused framework for leveraging effective Choosing Wisely resources and strategies.
• Describe how clinics are using the toolkit to implement Choosing Wisely in their practice setting.
• Identify toolkit components to implement in your own clinical setting.

(Originally recorded on Oct. 26, 2016)

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Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest: Implementing a Team-Based Advance Care Planning Program

Dianna Bleasdell; Nicala King, RN; Sarah Paik, RN; Katie Pence, PA-C; Megan Short;
Lynda Tang, DO and Hallie Williams
The Vancouver Clinic

Jessica Martinson, MS
Washington State Medical Association

Carol Wagner, RN, MBA
Washington State Hospital Association

Learning Objectives

• Review the latest progress on implementing a team-based advance care planning program in health care organizations across the state.
• Outline key strategies that The Vancouver Clinic (1 of 32 implementation teams in WA) has used to generate early wins and develop sustainable processes and systems that will serve as the foundation for universal adoption.
• Discuss Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest's 5-year vision and plans and how they can help your practice.

(Originally recorded on September 28, 2016)

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Choosing Wisely at Group Health and Swedish

Chris Dale, MD, MPH
Swedish Medical Group
Matt Handley, MD
Group Health Cooperative

Learning Objectives

• Outline the strategies Group Health and Swedish are using to reduce antibiotic use for viral infections, annual paps and imaging for uncomplicated headaches.
• Describe how data are collected and used to engage physicians in changing their practice to meet the Choosing Wisely goals.

(Originally recorded on June 22, 2016)

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Value Based Purchasing - The Role of the Common Measure Set and the Campaign to Engage Consumers

Susie Dade
Washington Health Alliance
John Gallagher
Washington Health Alliance

Learning Objectives

• Describe how the Common Measure Set is being used in value based purchasing contracts.
• Outline how to engage patients in conversations about value.

(Originally recorded on May 11, 2016)

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The Critical Role of the Leader: Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest

Jessica Martinson, MS
Washington State Medical Association

Carol Wagner, RN, MBA
Washington State Hospital Association

Learning Objectives

• Review the goals and objectives of the Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest advance care planning program.
• Outline the specific roles and responsibilities leaders can play to ensure the success of implementing an advance care planning program within your organization.

The recording of the webinar may only be accessed by staff from organizations participating in the Honoring Choices PNW advance care planning program. Please click "View the Webinar" below to complete an attestation, after which you will be directed to the online archive of the webinar.

(Originally recorded March 29, 2016)

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Introducing the New Community Checkup: A look at the Washington State Common Measure Set for Health Care Quality and Cost

Chris Dale, MD, MPH
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Medical Director, Quality & Value Swedish Medical Group

Teresa Litton, MPH
Washington Health Alliance

Learning Objectives

• Describe the purpose and background of the Washington State Common Measure Set for Health Care Quality and Cost.
• Review the Community Checkup key findings.
• Provide an example of how the Community Checkup can be used as a guide for improvement.

(Originally recorded December 16, 2015)

Printable Slides

Integrating Advance Care Planning Documentation into EMRs

Stephanie Anderson, MSN, RN, CHPN
Respecting Choices Faculty and Senior Consultant

Bernard (Bud) Hammes, PhD
Director, Respecting Choices
Gundersen Medical Foundataion

Learning Objectives

• Provide a general orientation to EMR design principles and redesign possibilities to store and retrieve advance care plans, document ACP conversations and leverage the EMR for ACP data collection.
• Outline best-practice examples of how other organizations have successfully integrated advance care planning documentation into their EMRs.

The recording of the webinar may only be accessed by staff from organizations participating in the Honoring Choices PNW advance care planning program. Please click "View the Webinar" below to complete an attestation, after which you will be directed to the online archive of the webinar.

(Originally recorded November 18, 2015)

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The 3 Most Important Benefits of Implementing a Medical Scribe Program

Medical scribes are the best lever to improve physician efficiency and clinic performance, patient satisfaction, physician retention and recruitment, and clinic revenue. Scribes perform EMR documentation and other clerical tasks for the physician. Delegating these tasks to appropriately trained scribes frees doctors to perform higher-level tasks, making them more efficient and improving their job satisfaction. When clinics implement scribe programs, doctors see dramatic reduction in time spent performing documentation and other non-medical tasks, reduced wait times for patient appointments, improved documentation quality, and better relationships with patients.

In this presentation we review:

• The costs and benefits of implementing a scribe program
• The differences between in-house and outsourced solutions
• And real-world results of case studies in which scribes have been deployed

(Originally recorded on October 7, 2015)

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Choosing Wisely: Strategies to Reduce Unnecessary Use of Antibiotics and Enhance Antimicrobial Stewardship

Christopher Dale, MD, MPH
Medical Director, Quality and Value
Swedish Medical Group

Marisa D'Angeli, MD, MPH
Medical Epidemiologist, Preparedness/Healthcare
Associated Infections, Washington State Department of Health

Matt Handley, MD
Chair, WA State Choosing Wisely Task Force
Medical Director of Quality, Group Health

Learning Objectives

• Review the rate of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions for viral infections in Washington state and the pressing need for change
• Outline specific strategies used in local health systems to successfully reduce antibiotic prescriptions for viral infections
• Preview Washington state's antimicrobial stewardship initiative, which officially launches in November and outline President Obama's national action plan, including potential funding opportunities

(Originally recorded September 23, 2015)

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Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest

Joanne Roberts, MD
Chair, Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest Advisory Council
CMO, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

Michelle Lott, CPC, CPMA
Associate Director, Practice Resource Center, Washington State Medical Association

Jessica Martinson, MS
Director, Clinical Education and Professional Development, Washington State Medical Association

Carol Wagner, RN, MBA
Senior Vice President, Patient Safety, Washington State Hospital Association

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the need to improve health care systems' ability to know, record and honor patients' choices about end of life care
• Outline national best-practices for advance care planning programs and describe the goals and deliverables of Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest
• Explain Medicare's new CPT codes for advance care planning conversations

(Originally recorded July 29, 2015)

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Choosing Wisely: Changing Practice to Reduce Harm and Increase Value

Matt Handley, MD
Chair, WA State Choosing Wisely Task Force
Medical Director, Quality, Group Health Cooperative

Norris Kamo, MD
Associate Physician, General Internal Medicine, Virginia Mason

Scott Kronlund, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Northwest Physicians Network

Learning Objectives

• Describe the need to create change across Washington state using the Choosing Wisely recommendations
• Outline the strategies Group Health Cooperative and Virginia Mason used to reduce antibiotic use for viral infections, annual paps and imaging for uncomplicated headaches
• Review the Choosing Wisely Action Manual, which outlines eight steps to create organizational change

(Originally recorded May 27, 2015)

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Washington Health Alliance's Community Checkup: A tool to support health care quality improvement

Teresa Litton, MPH
Washington Health Alliance

Peter McGough, MD
UW Medicine

Learning Objectives

• Identify two areas where Washington has room for improvement
• Identify two areas where Washington is doing well
• Provide one example of how the Community Checkup can be used as a quality improvement tool

(Originally recorded April 22, 2015)

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Medical Records Management: Solutions for Physician Practices

A number of variables affect the length of time a physician practice should keep a medical record. Factors include state/federal laws, medical board policies and the record type (for example, an adult versus a pediatric patient). Managing the medical record is an important responsibility for all practices especially in this changing environment.

This free 90-minute webinar will help you learn about the various rules regarding records retention and solutions for your practice to consider. We'll also introduce you to Spectrum Information Services Northwest, a WSMA-endorsed partner which offers easy and affordable solutions that reduce the expense and liability risks of managing your patients' records. SIS NW can assume custodianship of all records, reducing your risk of HIPAA violations.

This program addresses the following topics:

• Risks and requirements for physicians and practices.
• Records management and retention timeframes for Washington state.
• Typical scenarios and possible solutions to reduce risk and workload.

Presenter
Greg Mennegar has served as vice president of sales for Spectrum Information Services NW, Inc. since 2006. He has over 30 years of experience in the document and records management industry, including management of the imaging program for the Washington State Archives, operations management for one of the largest computer output microfilm service bureaus in the U.S., and extensive sales and consulting experience. SIS NW provides cost-effective imaging services and imaging consulting services with a strong focus on health care. SIS NW provides solutions for medical chart conversions, revenue management, managing patient records and automating paper processes. Greg can be reached at (360) 866-0366 or via email at gmennegar@sisnwinc.com.

(Originally recorded on March 18, 2015)

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End of Life Conversations: How ready is your organization? How ready are you?

Kate Lally, MD
VNA of Care New England

Kelly McCutcheon Agams, LICSW
Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Joanne Roberts, MD
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

Donna Smith, MD
Virginia Mason

Lauge Sokol-Hessner, MD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the critical need to improve the health care delivery system’s ability to know and honor patients’ choices during a serious or life threatening illness
• Describe the goals and deliverables of Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest, a statewide initiative of WSHA and WSMA
• Review the key elements of the Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest website to share with your patients
• Outline the five principles of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Conversation Ready work, and describe how organizations around the country are accomplishing the goals

(Originally recorded November 19, 2014)

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Choosing Wisely: Equipping Physicians to Reduce Low-Value Care

Matt Handley, MD
Chair, WA State Choosing Wisely Task Force
Medical Director, Quality, Group Health Cooperative

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the urgency to create change across Washington state using the Choosing Wisely recommendations
• Share the county-by-county results from the new report, Less Waste, Less Harm: Choosing Wisely in Washington State, and identify areas for improvement
• Review the new Choosing Wisely Action Manual, which includes tools and resources that physician leaders can use to lead organizational change

(Originally recorded September 24, 2014)

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Best Practices in Patient Communication

Cynthia G. Ferrucci, MD, FACP
Internist, UW Medicine Belltown

Learning Objectives

• Outline the core principles of effective patient communication.
• Discuss the link of optimum communication to improved patient experience outcomes.
• Review questions in the CAHPS Clinician and Group Surveys (CGCAHPS) and the Washington Health Alliance Patient Experience Survey

(Originally recorded June 25, 2014)

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Engaging Patients in Collaborative Care Plans: Self-Management Support to Increase Quality

Kerry Meyer, ARNP, PhD
Primary Care Provider
UW Neighborhood Clinic

Learning Objectives

• Identify five attributes of Self-Management Support (SMS)
• Outline three patient-provider interactions that work and don’t work
• Describe how to incorporate SMS into your office visit

(Originally recorded May 28, 2014)

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Choosing Wisely: Frontline Strategies

Scott Kronlund, MD, MS

Francis Mercado, MD

Kimberly A. Bell, MD, SFHM, FACP

Learning Objectives

• Review the mission and aims of the Choosing Wisely campaign
• Outline strategies to have effective physician-to-patient conversations about the importance of and rational for the Choosing Wisely recommendations
• Describe how to engage the medical team in educating patients, addressing concerns, distributing Consumer Reports materials and appropriately managing patient requests
• Discuss specific strategies that are being piloted around the region to roll out the Choosing Wisely recommendations

(Originally recorded April 23, 2014)

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The Puget Sound Health Alliance Community Checkup Results for 2013

Susie Dade, MPA
Deputy Director
Puget Sound Health Alliance

Learning Objectives

• Review specific quality improvement metrics and how well (or poorly) medical practices in the Puget Sound region have performed on those metrics in 2013
• Identify common barriers to the successful prescribing and use of generic medications and how to overcome those barriers when appropriate
• Describe specific techniques for effectively engaging prescribing physicians in considering generic medications for many initial prescriptions

(Originally recorded January 22, 2014)

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Using Health IT to Improve Quality

Michelle Glatt, MPH, PA-C
Qualis Health, The Cardiac Learning And Action Network

Learning Objectives

• Outline the characteristics of small and medium sized practices that have successfully used health IT for quality improvement.
• Identify the barriers commonly encountered by practices who are attempting to use the report-writing capabilities of the EHR.
• Describe methods of minimizing barriers to develop useful reports for quality improvement and population health.

(Originally recorded September 25, 2013)

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Better Care Practices for Patient-Centered Medical Homes

Sharon I. Eloranta, MD
Medical Director, Quality and Safety Initiatives

George W. Merck
Institute for Healthcare Improvement Fellow
Qualis Health

Learning Objectives

• Identify why implementing Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practices such as empanelment, care coordination, and continuous team-based healing relationships are key to achieving Triple Aim results
• Describe how PCMH practices can be created and sustained in primary-care settings
• Identify the common barriers to successfully implementing PCMH practices and outline how to overcome these barriers in small and medium-sized practices

(Originally recorded September 4, 2013)

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Survey of Local Best Practices for Effective Patient Care

Presenter:
Susie Dade
Deputy Director of the Puget Sound Health Alliance
Principal author of the study.

This webinar presents the results of a 2012 survey of over 40 medical groups in the Puget Sound region regarding their current use of specific tools and processes for effective patient care. Structural elements of best practices surveyed included adoption of electronic medical records, use of registries, strategies for improved access to care, collecting information on health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and health disparities, as well as care coordination resources and patient reminders.

Adoption of Processes and Tools to Advance Effective Patient Care - Medical Group Survey Results, October 2012

A Report from the Alliance Clinical Practice Improvement Network, January 30, 2013

Intensive Care Management Services for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions

The Washington State Department of Health is currently launching a statewide, multi-year program to assist medical practices in their transformation to Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH). This includes assisting practices in developing programs to treat high-risk patients in a more cost-effective manner through targeted care management services and linking to those community-based organizations providing these same services. The webinar presents practical steps on how to create and sustain these programs in a way that significantly improve patient care outcomes by focusing intensive outpatient care on high-risk persons with multiple chronic conditions.

Presenter:
Colette Rush, RN, BSN, CCM, a public health nurse consultant in the practice improvement section of the Department of Health. Colette has an extensive background in quality improvement efforts and collaborative, including experience with the Polyclinic in Seattle and the Puget Sound Health Alliance. She is currently the lead on this new initiative to increase intensive care management for persons with multiple chronic illnesses.

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Introductory slides

Colette Rush presentation

Engaging Patients: The ABIM Foundation Choosing Wisely® Campaign

Evidence-based medicine is more than just using clinically-proven procedures; equally important is using the evidence to decide what not to do. Choosing Wisely® is part of a multi-year effort by the ABIM Foundation, along with many national specialty society partners, to help physicians become better stewards of our limited health care resources. Twenty national organizations representing medical specialists, as well as Consumer Reports, have joined with the ABIM Foundation to help physicians, patients and other health care stakeholders think and talk about the overuse of health care resources. Each specialist organization has identified five tests or procedures commonly used in their field for which the necessity should usually be questioned and discussed. The resulting lists of "Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question" are intended to spark discussion about the need, or lack thereof, for many frequently ordered tests or treatments. This webinar presents an overview of this campaign.

Presenters:
Daniel Wolfson is Executive Vice President and COO of the ABIM Foundation, the national coordinator for the Choosing Wisely campaign. Karla Graue Pratt is Executive Vice President of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. Susan Callahan is Director of Community Engagement for the Washington State Medical Association. John Gallagher is Director of Communications for the Puget Sound Health Alliance. All four presenters each have many years of experience in the effort to improve health care delivery, achieve better outcomes, and reduce health care costs.

Introductory slides

Daniel Wolfson presentation

John Gallagher presentation

Susan Callahan presentation

Karla Graue Pratt presentation

Medication Reconciliation Following Hospital Discharges

Repeated studies have found medication errors following hospital discharge to be a serious problem. One in eight discharged patients has an adverse drug event within three weeks of discharge. Two-thirds of all medication errors occur during patient transitions, and over 1.5 million patients have a medication error annually, at a cost of $3.5 billion. An immediate need post discharge is medication reconciliation. This webinar, originally presented on October 3, 2012, presents why and how to efficiently perform medication reconciliation in primary care settings following a hospital discharge.

Presenters
Jenny Arnold, PharmD, BCPS, is the director of pharmacy practice development for the Washington State Pharmacy Association, assistant clinical professor at the University of Washington, and chair of the Washington Patient Safety Coalitions Medication Reconciliation group. Steve Riddle, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP, is vice president of clinical affairs for Pharmacy OneSource/Wolters Kluwer Health. He is also a clinical affiliate professor at the UW School of Pharmacy, on the Washington State University College of Pharmacy Dean's Advisory Council, and the chair for the Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners for the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists.

Medication Reconciliation Following Hospital Discharges introductory slides

Medication Reconciliation Following Hospital Discharges webinar presentation

Intensive Outpatient Care for Patients with Multiple Chronic Illnesses

Everyone talks about patient engagement and bending the cost curve. This webinar, originally presented on September 19, 2012, presents practical steps on how to actually achieve these goals in a way that significantly improves patient care outcomes by focusing intensive outpatient care on high-risk persons with multiple chronic conditions. While this is not a new concept, widespread adoption of these evidence-based approaches has been slow to catch on until very recently. This webinar spotlights programs underway in California, Oregon and also in Washington that have demonstrated their effectiveness in improving care and reducing costs.

Presenters
Paula Suter is Director of Clinical Care Management; Sutter Care at Home in California, co-developed the Integrated Chronic Care Model (ICCM) and was selected by CMS in their first round of Innovation Advisors. She has trained over 3,500 clinicians across the nation in chronic care management, including training in 2011 for the Home Care Association of Washington. Denise Honzel is Executive Director of the Oregon Health Leadership Council and project sponsor for their High Value Patient Centered Care pilot, a medical home pilot for highest risk patients, with 3,600 patients currently participating across 14 medical groups.

Intensive Outpatient Care for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions Introductory slides

Integrated Chronic Model - A Foundation to Transform PCMH Care Delivery webinar presentation

Oregon Health Leadership Council: High Value Patient Centered Care Model webinar presentation

Using Results from Patient Experience Surveys to Improve Patient Care

This lunchtime webinar, originally presented on May 24, 2012, presents the results of the recent survey of patient experience conducted in the Puget Sound region by the Puget Sound Health Alliance, and explains how those results can be used to improve practice performance to better meet the needs of patients. Patient experience results were released on May 11, 2012 for 40 Puget Sound-area medical groups with 156 clinic locations (clinics with 3 or more primary care providers). Patient experience definitely matters to patients; it's most often how they define "quality." Patients with positive experiences return; patients with negative experiences often find a different physician. Further, positive patient experience has been shown to correlate with improved clinical outcomes.

Presenters
Susie Dade is the deputy director for the Puget Sound Health Alliance, which sponsored the recent survey of patient experience in the Puget Sound region. Larry Morrissey, MD is a pediatrician with the Stillwater Medical Group in Stillwater, Minnesota. Dr. Morrissey has worked with the CAHPS Consortium on measuring patient experience and is a frequent presenter on how to use the results of patient experience surveys to improve practice performance.

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The Washington Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative - Lessons Learned

The Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative was a learning process for medical teams to improve primary care for their patients. From September 2009 through September 2011, 32 teams in Washington created and operated patient-centered medical homes, under a project jointly sponsored by the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. In a medical home, the physician and care team build strong relationships with the patient and the patient's family. The team coordinates care with specialists or other health providers. Patient-centered care makes the patient a partner in health care decisions. This webinar pdf presents the lessons learned from this two year collaborative.

Presenters
Patricia Justis was manager of the Washington Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative, in the Practice Improvement Section of the Washington State Department of Health. Kimbra Wells Metz was director of practice transformation at the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. Both were actively involved in the implementation and evaluation of the Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative.

Washington Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative webinar presentation

End of Life Conversations in Medical Care

Some of the most important, and challenging, conversations physicians can have with their patients involve planning for, and clarifying patients values about, end-of-life care decisions. The timing and structure of these conversations, and the ways to successfully engage the patient (and family members as appropriate) in what are often difficult and emotional decisions, was the subject of this webinar pdf, presented by Linda Wrede-Seaman, MD, FAAFP, FACEP, FAAHPM, a Yakima palliative medicine specialist.

Communication at End of Life Dr. Wrede-Seaman's webinar presentation

Reducing Hospital Readmissions by Engaging Physicians

Improving effective patient handoffs back to community physicians at time of discharge has been identified as a top priority by the National Quality Foundation, Medicare and many other quality improvement organizations. This webinar presented practical tips and strategies that have been successful at local hospitals in engaging community physicians in this critically important transition.

Presenters were Larry Schecter, MD, FACS, chief medical officer at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Amy Hoing, MD, a primary care physician at Evergreen Healthcare in Kirkland, and Carol Wagner, vice president for patient safety at the Washington State Hospital Association and a national leader in the effort to reduce hospital readmissions.

Rehospitalization in Washington Carol Wagner's webinar presentation

Reducing Hospital Readmissions by Engaging Physicians Dr. Schecter's webinar presentation

Clinic Perspective on Reducing Readmissions Dr. Hoing's webinar presentation

Alliance Community Check-up Results and Update

The 2011 Alliance Community Checkup is the fifth annual comprehensive report on health care performance in the Puget Sound region including medical groups, clinics and hospitals in King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston counties. This one-hour lunchtime webinar originally presented on September 29, 2011 summarized how well care is delivered at the medical group level on over twenty measures of quality and appropriateness, and was presented by Peter McGough, MD, UW associate clinical professor of family medicine and chief medical officer of the UW Medicine Neighborhood Health Centers, and Susie Dade, Deputy Director of the Puget Sound Health Alliance.

You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure Puget Sound Health Alliance webinar presentation

An Overview of Care Coordination Essentials

This webinar pdf presented an in-depth overview of the essentials for effective care coordination, giving participants a practical, four-part framework for improving how care is coordinated among clinical partners. Focused on the patient-centered medical home model of care delivery, the framework begins with taking responsibility for the care your patients receive regardless of setting and includes identifying the best practice service partners, building relationships with these partners, providing patient logistical support, and developing formal agreements and connections to improve care coordination. Ed Wagner, MD, MPH, FACP, a general internist/ epidemiologist and Director of the MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation at the Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies presented.

The Patient Centered Medical Home: Care Coordination webinar presentation

Reducing Health Disparities: Collecting Standardized Data

This webinar pdf presented a hands-on, practical approach to collecting and using standardized patient data about race, ethnicity and language to measure and reduce disparities in your practice. Although numerous focused studies have documented persistent differences in outcomes for minority patients, most medical practices are currently unable to quantify if disparities exist in health outcomes for their patients. Marcia Wilson, PhD, and Christina Rowland, MPH, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality Project were co-presenters.

Reducing Disparities: The Importance of Collecting Standardized Data on Patient Race, Ethnicity and Language webinar presentation

Managing Depression in Primary Care

The second CPIN learning session was an hour-long webinar addressing the topic of managing patients with depression in primary care. The presenter was Dr. Jurgen Unutzen, chief of psychiatry, University of Washington Medical Center and director of the UW AIMS Center and the IMPACT Implementation Program.

Managing Patients with Depression in Primary Care seminar presentation

Physician Leadership in Quality Improvement; Using Registries to Improve Patient Care

The first CPIN learning session was a 90-minute in-person seminar. The session featured Ed Walker, MD, MHA, founding director of the UW Healthcare Leadership Development Alliance, speaking on the importance of physician leadership and engagement in quality improvement efforts at the practice level and Susanne Quistgaard, MD, family medicine physician at Edmonds Family Medicine Clinic, who spoke on using disease registries to improve outcomes by tracking patients with chronic conditions over time.

View the Webinar.

Download presentations by each speaker:

• Edward Walker, MD, MHA: "The Case for Physician Leadership"
• Susanne Quistgaard, MD: "Using Registries to Improve Patient Care"