COVID-19 Professional Resources
WSMA professional resources to help Washington's physician community respond to COVID-19. For questions on COVID-19 clinical issues not covered here, contact your local public health officer. For information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit our dedicated COVID-19 Vaccines webpage.
WSMA Guidance and Checklist for Non-Urgent Procedures
On Nov. 25, 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee issued updated guidance for the continued performance of non-urgent health care services, procedures, and surgeries. Proclamation 20-24.2 amends and extends proclamations 20-05 and 20-24, and applies to all health care facilities, practices, and practitioners. It is effective Dec. 3, through the end of the state of emergency, or until it is rescinded or updated.
The WSMA has updated two resources for our members:
Thank you to the Washington State Medical Group Management Association for their assistance developing the practice guidance. If you have questions on these new WSMA resources or what the proclamation means for you and your practice, contact the WSMA policy department at policy@wsma.org
Health System Reactivation
COVID-19 Risk Assessment "Dial Dashboard"
- A high-level overview, updated weekly, of the main data points discussed among state leaders and the level of risk experts
perceive around the current numbers. This data informs decisions related to the governor's Safe Start reopening plan for the state.
Washington Healthcare Forum Recommendations for Health System Reactivation
- Recommendations developed by the Washington Healthcare Forum, with input from the WSMA, delivered to Gov. Inslee and Washington's
COVID-19 health systems response director V. Admiral Bono, MD. The recommendations outlines steps to increasing elective patient
care in Washington in a manner that comprehensively addresses the foundational concerns of the March 19 gubernatorial proclamation
on nonurgent procedures. The recommendations are for all hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient care facilities, and
dental practices. (April 15, 2020)
Other Professional Guidance
COVID-19 Discussion Forum
The WSMA offers a private discussion forum dedicated to issues related to the pandemic for physicians and PAs in Washington state,
regardless of membership status.
Visit the forum.
Continuing Medical Education on COVID-19
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The CDC holds regular Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Calls.
More information.
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Honoring Choices PNW is holding a series of free webinars on communication skills and tools that physicians, advanced
practitioners, and other members of the health care team can use as you respond to the COVID-19 crisis. This activity has been
approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Click here for session details and to register online.
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The WSMA hosts a bi-weekly call on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. for critical care physicians and advanced practitioners to discuss patient
cases and develop recommendations for care. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. To
join the calls, please email brendan@wsma.org with your name, credentials,
specialty/title, and organization.
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The PNW Chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine hosts a weekly webinar on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. intended for hospitalists to
provide updates regarding COVID19 related illness, including diagnosis, treatment and other operational concerns. This activity
has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. For more information, visit:
https://www.hospitalmedicine.org/clinical-topics/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-resources-for-hospitalists/media/
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The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education has an
extensive listing of online COVID-19 CME activities.
On-Demand COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds webinars
Visit the WSMA
On-Demand Webinars page
for archived presentations from our COVID-19 Virtual Grand Rounds series featuring physician experts on a variety of clinical
topics. These on-demand sessions are for WSMA members only.
VitalTalk crowdsourced the
COVID-ready communication playbook, which provides
practical advice on how to talk about difficult topics related to COVID-19.
Respecting Choices® is offering an open-source toolkit for
those caring for high-risk COVID-19 patients. The toolkit includes guidance for conversations about treatment preferences before a
medical crisis, as well as resources to support specific treatment decisions in high-risk individuals. Washington Health Care
Authority certified Respecting
Choices' patient decision aids on "Help with Breathing" and "CPR"; both of
which are included in Respecting Choices' open-source toolkit,
along with many other resources.
Honoring Choices® Pacific Northwest, jointly sponsored by the WSMA Foundation and the Washington State Hospital Association,
has partnered with Respecting Choices to offer an online course to physicians and advanced practitioners in Washington state.
Three-module online course are free of charge and will enhance your ability to effectively introduce and motivate patients to
participate in basic advance care planning (ACP); guide and document basic ACP conversations with patients and families; and
successfully integrate and bill for basic ACP in everyday practice. Get started at:
wsma.org/BasicACPModules.
Caring for High-Risk COVID-19 Patients
Respecting Choices® has just announced it is offering an
open-source toolkit for those caring for high-risk COVID-19
patients. These patients are feeling especially vulnerable, as are their loved ones. The toolkit includes guidance for
conversations about treatment preferences before a medical crisis, as well as resources to support specific treatment decisions in
high-risk individuals.
Washington Health Care Authority
certified Respecting Choices'
patient decision aids on "Help with Breathing" and "CPR"; both of
which are included in Respecting Choices' open-source toolkit,
along with many other resources.
Additionally, Honoring Choices® Pacific Northwest, jointly sponsored by the WSMA Foundation and the Washington State
Hospital Association, has partnered with Respecting Choices to offer an online course to physicians and advanced practitioners in
Washington state. Through a grant from The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the online modules are
free of charge for WSMA members and members of the Honoring Choices PNW initiative (use discount code:
HCPNWPartner) until February 2021. Designed for physicians and advanced practitioners, the three-module online course will enhance
your ability to effectively introduce and motivate patients to participate in basic advance care planning (ACP); guide and document
basic ACP conversations with patients and families; and successfully integrate and bill for basic ACP in everyday practice. This
activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Get started at:
wsma.org/BasicACPModules.