| covid_19_vaccines_how_to_embed_them_into_routine_preventive_care | COVID-19 Vaccines: How to Embed Them Into Routine Preventive Care | COVID-19 Vaccine | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/July_8/covid_19_vaccines_how_to_embed_them_into_routine_preventive_care | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2022/july/covid-vaccines-doh-webinars-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="COVID-19 Vaccines Webinar Series graphic" /></div>
<h5>July 8, 2022</h5>
<h2>COVID-19 Vaccines: How to Embed Them Into Routine Preventive Care</h2>
<p>The WSMA has joined the Washington State Department of Health to host a new two-part CME webinar series to help physician practices and clinics access the tools and information they need to incorporate the COVID-19 vaccines into their practice workflows. This first session held on July 29 will cover the logistics of delivering COVID-19 vaccines in a practice or clinic setting.</p>
<p>Join us for this free session where you'll learn how to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bill for COVID-19 vaccine counseling and administration.</li>
<li>Access small, more manageable quantities of COVID-19 vaccines from vaccine depots across the state.</li>
<li>Join the more than 65,000 Washington physicians, PAs, and health care professionals who have already committed to educating and empowering their patients to vaccinate.</li>
</ul>
<p>Leverage the DOH's physician toolkit and public-facing resources to help protect the health and well-being of your community. This activity has been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢. <a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HC9jY0RkSSq5y_ZkR4Coqg">Register for the free session online</a>. And save the date for part two of the series, COVID-19 Vaccines: Strategies to Discuss the COVID-19 Vaccine with Your Most Reluctant Patients, on Friday, Aug. 26, from noon-1 p.m. (only one registration is required to attend both webinars).</p>
</div> | 7/7/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| wsmas_covid_19_vaccination_confidence_campaign_receives_national_recognition | WSMA’s COVID-19 Vaccination Confidence Campaign Receives National Recognition | COVID-19 Vaccine | Shared_Content/News/Press_Release/2022/wsmas_covid_19_vaccination_confidence_campaign_receives_national_recognition | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right"><img src="/images/Logos/Press-Release-Graphic-2019-Branding.png" class="pull-right" alt="WSMA press release logo" /></div>
<h5>July 6, 2022</h5>
<h2>WSMA's COVID-19 Vaccination Confidence Campaign Receives National Recognition</h2>
<p>
Seattle, Wash. (June 28, 2022) - The Washington State Medical Association's "Talk to Your Doctor" COVID-19 vaccine confidence campaign has received the Association Media and Publishing (AM&amp;P) Network's 2022 Silver EXCEL Award in the "Pandemic Response Campaign" category. The EXCEL Awards are the largest and most prestigious program in the U.S. recognizing excellence and leadership in association media, publishing, marketing, and communication.
</p>
<p>
Produced in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health, the WSMA introduced the "Talk to Your Doctor" COVID-19 vaccine confidence campaign in the fall of 2021 to reach vaccine-hesitant people and encourage vaccine uptake in rural and disadvantaged communities in Washington state. The campaign targeted the Northeast Tri County Health District, which includes Pend Oreille, Ferry, and Stevens counties, where COVID-19 vaccine use was significantly lower compared to the state average, based on data from the Department of Health's COVID-19 data dashboard.
</p>
<p>
With grant monies from the DOH and using the social marketing services of the Cox Media Group, the WSMA communications team designed and implemented a three-month, multiplatform, data-driven marketing campaign featuring 15- and 30-second videos targeting adults in the Tri County area across all devices on Facebook/Instagram, YouTube, and Google-approved websites. (See the videos here: <a href="https://vimeo.com/user/6809798/folder/5498609">vimeo.com/user/6809798/folder/5498609</a>)
</p>
<p>
The videos featured community physicians in familiar local environments delivering key messages to encourage vaccination and to encourage residents to start a dialogue with their clinicians to air their health care concerns or to ask questions. The videos were supplemented with traditional media outreach and print resources.
</p>
<p>
Participating Northeast Tri County physicians included: Curtis Gill, DO, Newport; Geoff Jones, MD, Newport; Lisa Matelich, MD, Newport; Shannon Radke, MD, Newport; Kal Kelley, MD, Republic; Ramon Canto, MD, Colville; Caleb Holtzer, MD, Chewelah; and Edward Johnson, MD, Kettle Falls. Strategic planning for the initiative was conducted with input from the Department of Health and with the assistance of Sam Artzis, MD, health officer for the Northeast Tri County Health District.
</p>
<p>
According to Department of Health data covering the period of the three-month campaign (October-December 2021), of those 16 years or older, the percentage increase of those initiating a COVID-19 vaccination compared favorably to the state's average increase over the same period. Vaccine doses given by date also show a cumulative uptick in each county over those three months when compared to the three months preceding the campaign. Additionally, the social marketing campaign performed well above industry benchmarks for reaching target audiences on Facebook/Instagram, YouTube and on Google-approved websites.
</p>
<p>
"Our patients are bombarded with information every day, much of it confusing or conflicting, and unfortunately, some of it misleading," says Mika Sinanan, MD, PhD, WSMA president. "This campaign sought to encourage patients to take action toward understanding their own health care needs by talking with their hometown doctors about the COVID-19 vaccine. Encouraging that connection and talking to a trusted source for health care information were at the heart of this vaccine confidence campaign."
</p>
<p>
"We were privileged to partner with WSMA on this important COVID-19 vaccination outreach campaign," said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Washington state secretary of health. "Vaccination is the best way to prevent serious infection and death from COVID-19 and it is imperative we reach all communities with accurate information so they can make informed choices."
</p>
<p>
The Software &amp; Information Industry Association (SIIA) announced winners of the 42nd Annual AM&amp;P Network EXCEL Awards at the 2022 AM&amp;P Content &amp; Marketing Summit in Washington, D.C., June 22-23.
</p>
<p>
For more information, contact:
</p>
<p>
Cindy Sharpe<br />
WSMA Communications<br />
813.244.2883 (cell/text)<br />
<a href="mailto:cindy@wsma.org">cindy@wsma.org</a>
</p>
<h3>About the WSMA</h3>
<p>
The Washington State Medical Association represents more than 12,000 physicians, physician assistants, resident physicians, and medical students in Washington state. The WSMA has advocated on behalf of the house of medicine more than 125 years. Our vision is to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.
</p>
<h3>About the Washington State Department of Health</h3>
<p>The Washington State Department of Health is proud to serve all people in the great state of Washington. DOH provides comprehensive public health services and programs to the community through a workforce of approximately 2,000 public health professionals, researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses, and other staff – all dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Washingtonians and the communities in which they live, learn, work, worship, and play. DOH will continue to evolve and transform public health activities, taking it to the next level through our cornerstone values of equity, innovation, and engagement. Public health works together and across the health ecosystem for a brighter tomorrow.</p>
</div> | 7/6/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| covid_19_vaccines_approved_for_kids_6_months_to_5_years | COVID-19 Vaccines Approved for Kids 6 Months to 5 Years | COVID-19 Vaccine | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/June_24/covid_19_vaccines_approved_for_kids_6_months_to_5_years | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>June 24, 2022</h5>
<h2>COVID-19 Vaccines Approved for Kids 6 Months to 5 Years</h2>
<p>Following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup on Sunday <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nklm7aMqcyNrOrxZ-19-fGy-8i2wkxp1/view">concluded</a> that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for children as young as 6 months old, making the more than 380,000 children ages 6 months to 5 years in Washington eligible for vaccination. The authorization includes:</p>
<ul>
<li>A 3-dose Pfizer vaccine primary series for children ages 6 months - 4 years</li>
<li>A 2-dose Moderna vaccine primary series for children ages 6 months - 5 years</li>
</ul>
<p>During the rise of the omicron variant in late December 2021, infants and children ages 0-4 in the U.S. were hospitalized at approximately five times the rate of the previous peak resulting from the delta variant. Vaccination has continually shown to be the strongest measure to prevent serious disease and death caused by COVID-19.</p>
<p>While the Washington State Department of Health has indicated delays in initial supply from the federal government, they expect inventory to build over the coming days and weeks. Once you have the Pfizer and Moderna pediatric COVID-19 vaccines in stock, you may begin administering them to children ages 6 months and up.</p>
<p>The following resources are now available for physicians and clinicians vaccinating this age group:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="javascript://[Uploaded files/News and Publications/Newsletters/2022/baby-peds-june-16-update.pdf]">Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for 6 months through 4 years</a> </li>
<li>Moderna <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/159307/download">fact sheet</a></li>
<li>Pfizer <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/159312/download">fact sheet</a> and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/159303/download">Dear Provider letter</a></li>
</ul>
<p>
If your practice is providing the new pediatric vaccine and experiences operational or administrative barriers, please email <a href="mailto:policy@wsma.org">policy@wsma.org</a> so that we may inform the Department of Health and other relevant state agencies.
</p>
<p>If your clinic is not yet enrolled in the federal COVID-19 Vaccination Program (enrollment is required to administer COVID-19 vaccines), learn more and enroll on the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/emergencies/covid-19/healthcare-providers/vaccine-information-health-care-providers/federal-program-enrollment">DOH website</a>, and join the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/emergencies/covid-19/vaccine-information/power-providers-initiative">Power of Providers Initiative</a> to help educate and empower your patients to get vaccinated. If your practice does not offer the vaccine and patients are asking where they can locate the vaccine for their child, direct them to the state's <a href="https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/">vaccine locator</a>.</p>
<h3>WSMA-DOH COVID-19 Vaccines Webinar Series</h3>
<p>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 host a new webinar series 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. The first session, focused on embedding vaccines into preventative care, is scheduled for Friday, July 29 from noon-1 p.m. <a href="[@]WSMA/Education/Upcoming_Webinars/WSMA/education/Upcoming_Webinars/Upcoming_Webinars.aspx?hkey=b760d6bd-1833-412d-b681-babf251792a8">Register online</a>.</p>
</div> | 6/23/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |