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December 2024

Welcome to Corewell Health MedLines — a provider-focused newsletter that includes high-level updates, recognition, wellness programs, educational opportunities and more.

Corewell Health System Updates

New Find a Doctor directory is live
Corewell Health is introducing an upgraded Find a Doctor platform with several enhanced features, including expanded clinical keyword search, improved filtering options and more direct data feeds to help make sure profile information is accurate. Corewell Health West and South were integrated onto the platform this month, and East will be integrated on Wednesday, Jan. 8. To request a profile change, contact findadoc@corewellhealth.org. 

HIPAA: Reproductive Health Care Privacy Final Rule
Beginning Monday, Dec. 23, Corewell Health must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA, Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Information to ensure our patients’ privacy remains protected. 

New key leadership appointments
Because every patient deserves high-quality, safe and excellent health care every time they interact with us, James Moses, M.D., has been appointed to the new role of chief clinical officer (on The Well) and will partner with physician and clinical leaders across the system. Following the departures of Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., and Ale Quiroga, M.D., Chad Tuttle has been named interim chief operating officer for Corewell Health, and Josh Kooistra, D.O., will serve as interim president of Corewell Health West.

Willow: Preadmission medication history and reconciliation
The medication history team is aligning documentation practices, adopting standard protocol for documenting nonadherence with home medications (on The Well). During admission medication reconciliation, providers will see medication nonadherence highlighted in yellow and are encouraged to consider this information during prescribing.

Policy update: No endorsement policy 
The No Endorsement Policy (on PolicyTech) clarifies that Corewell Health does not provide implicit or explicit endorsements to outside parties unless an exception approval has been granted. This policy clarifies Corewell Health’s position around promoting or publicizing supplier products, services and relationships.

Clinical Practice Executive Council updates: Clinical Summary (on The Well)

• Number of open patient charts: The number of charts allowed open at a time is four.
• Sepsis OrderSet update: Antibiotic duration will be extended to 24 hours for suspected sepsis patients who present to Corewell Health East EDs.
• Insulin 0200 blood sugar checks: Update in January will allow providers to deselect the 0200 and easily allow orders of before meals and bedtime to align with lispro insulin order.
• Double contrast barium enema discontinuation at Corewell Imaging: Bracco Diagnostics ceased the sale of Liquid Polibar Plus® Barium Sulfate Suspension.

Pharmacy updates:

• Selective antibiotics will move from intravenous piggyback to IV push; Aztreonam, Cefoxitin, Daptomycin, Ertapenem and Meropenem
• Fidaxomicin medication record in Epic will reflect approved system criteria including Vancomycin allergy requiring infectious diseases consult and continuation from home regardless of the prescribing provider.
• How Corewell Health is fighting antibiotic resistance

More news around the system:

• New “Providers” tab in the Patient Communications Portal: Add phonetic spelling 
• Change: Leading you to incredible heights and opportunities (on The Well); A message from Candace Smith-King, M.D., vice president, academic affairs
• Due Tuesday, Dec. 31: Annual Compliance Education for all team members (on The Well)

Corewell Health East

Applications open: Oakland University Physician’s Leadership Academy 
Physicians are invited to join a structured executive program to learn key theories and approaches to leadership. With a health care focus, cohorts will develop individual leadership skills and learn about the role leadership plays in organizational effectiveness. 

Advanced life support: New providers trained in cardiac surgery unit 
Corewell Health East Cardiac Surgery Unit-Advanced Life Support (on The Well) trainers successfully certified 20 additional cardiac surgery providers in a simulation-based course on how to respond to cardiac arrest after surgery. The next training program will be Thursday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, at the Troy hospital campus. Contact your leader for more information. 

More Corewell Health East news:

• Corewell Health partners with PANDA One for pediatric critical care transportation
• Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital is the first hospital in Michigan to acquire the da Vinci 5 surgical robot
• Free on-demand resource for families: Raising resilient children with The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program
• Welcome Rakesh Suri, M.D., cardiac surgeon to Corewell Health East Heart and Vascular
• In Loving Memory of Carmen Emily Leon-Armin, PA (on The Well)

Corewell Health South

Corewell Health South news:

• Focused on patient-centered care and new pharmacy hours: A message from Natalie Baggio, president, Corewell Health South (on The Well)
• Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals and Lincoln Township library launch book program to new families.
• Then vs. now: How patient experience scores compare to five years ago (on The Well)

Corewell Health West

Grand Rapids Kids announces 2024 Best Doctors in Grand Rapids
Congratulations to Ted Kelber, M.D., and Lisa Heyboer, PA-C, at Corewell Health Allergy and Immunology; Sarah Kent, CNM, Maryanne George, CNM, and Ruth Mulder, CNM, at Corewell Health Midwifery OBGYN; and Rosalie Pilbeam, D.O., at Corewell Health Women’s Health OB-GYN for being recognized as top providers to Grand Rapids families.

More Corewell Health West news:

• The new Corewell Health Orthopedic Center has opened on East Beltline Avenue.
• Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital is the first in state to use pineapples for innovative burn treatment (on The Well).
• Corewell Health and MSU mark 17-year partnership with $27 million total investment in exploratory research; another $1 million slated for 2025.
• Congratulations to Ronald Ford, M.D., program director for the plastic surgery residency, on being inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (on The Well).

Recognition: Doctors of Corewell Health

Research and Education

CME:     Corewell Health East     Corewell Health South      Corewell Health West

Clinical trials:   Corewell Health East       Corewell Health South       Corewell Health West

Well-being

Maximize your personal and professional potential with coaching 
Research shows coaching to be an effective strategy to reduce burnout and improve well-being for physicians and APPs. The professional development coaching program is free, confidential and transformative. Employed providers can sign-up now for the next six-month program beginning in March. 

Physicians and APPs, how do you want to be recognized?
Corporate communications requests your feedback on how you’d like to be recognized for your work. Please take this four-minute survey to share your thoughts. 

Click-worthy

This newsletter is owned by Corewell Health Corporate Communications and is intended for all Corewell Health physicians, APPs, residents and all other providers. To add recipients, submit news or make suggestions, please email chcliniciancommunications@corewellhealth.org.

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November 2024

Corewell Health System Updates

The latest on the national IV fluids shortage and how it impacts Corewell Health 
Keep an eye out for all provider messages in your email, including targeted emails for certain specialists. The Command Center's response to this situation will change as details evolve. The current focus is on conserving fluids and encouraging oral hydration for patients. We ask all providers to read the updates via email or check the most up-to-date information on The Well. 

Congress to consider extending telehealth waiver
Congress is considering renewing a temporary telehealth waiver (information on The Well), initially introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, for Medicare fee-for-service. This waiver was renewed Dec. 29, 2022, and expires Dec. 31, 2024. Until Congress makes a final decision, please avoid prematurely winding down telehealth/virtual health workflows.

Pharmacy updates:

• Medication frequencies update: Duplicate-dose and missed-dose intervals (on The Well)
• Important formula additions: Pemivibart (Pemgarda), Efgartigimod Alfa (Vyvgart) (on The Well)

More news around the system:

• Surgeons: The Procedure Card Management, PCM, team requests you take a brief survey on surgical procedure card picklist accuracy and sustainment.
• Epic upgrade on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 1:30-2:30 a.m.: Downtime resources available here. (on The Well).
• New External Data Transfer Policy (on The Well) requires digital services approval before sending sensitive data.
• Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment: Free financial counseling to help patients choose and enroll in an affordable health insurance plan.
• New iPhone release: Refresher (on ServiceNow) on common mobile apps and how to reinstall them.
• October 2024 Physician and APP EHR Newsletter (on The Well).
• Due Sunday, Dec. 1: Team member flu vaccine requirement (on The Well).

Corewell Health East

Welcome Peter Charvat, M.D., as Corewell Health East’s new chief medical officer
After an extensive nationwide search, Dr. Peter Charvat started in his new role this month as CMO for Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan. Dr. Charvat joins us from the Bon Secours health system in Virginia where he built programs and teams designed to standardize quality, grow service lines, reduce length of stay and expand the medical group.

New Corewell Health Medical Group East page on The Well
A “digital home” for Corewell Health Medical Group East (on The Well) has launched as the go-to for news and resources you need most. We invite you to bookmark the page.

More Corewell Health East news:

• Drs. Schoichet, Franklin and Haines honored at the Royal Oak Physician Awards dinner.
• Beverly Hills Endocrine Clinic recognized with the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Diabetes A1c control.
• Corewell Health Medical Group East selects Shannon Ranella, PA-C as vice president for advanced practice providers.

Corewell Health South

Center for Wellness receives American Heart Association Hypertension Award
High blood pressure is the major driver of health disparities for Black Americans. Health equity cannot be achieved unless we do a better job of managing hypertension. In partnership with the American Medical Association, American Heart Association, Medtronic and other clinical programs at Corewell Health, we are making progress to improve hypertension management and are proud to achieve 70% blood pressure control at the Center for Wellness in Benton Harbor. This is the highest level of recognition in the Target BP program and the only Corewell Health clinic to receive this recognition thus far.

More Corewell Health South news:

• WMU School of Medicine partners with Corewell Health Lakeland to complete core and advance clinical rotations. 

Corewell Health West

Palliative care in the ED reduces costs and improves patient outcomes 
A Corewell Health pilot program where a palliative physician was embedded in the emergency department effectively resulted in reduced inpatient mortality, readmissions, intensive care unit utilization and the total cost of care, while also boosting team member satisfaction. 

Winter Provider Engagement Grants accepting applications now to Thursday, Dec. 5
The Office of Physician & APP Fulfillment and the Corewell Health West Medical Group’s Provider Advisory Sub-Committee, PAC, has opened applications for the Provider Engagement Grants (on The Well). They are available to all Corewell Health West Medical Group physicians and APPs. The program awards up to $5,000 for innovative ideas that improve clinician well-being and engagement.  

More Corewell Health West news:

• November APP Updates (on The Well) from Keith Hustak, vice president, APP services and operations
• Michael Knox, M.D., receives Dr. Ralph N. Rogers Physician Excellence Award (on The Well)
• In loving memory of Dr. Justin Singer (on The Well) 

Recognition: Doctors of Corewell Health

Research and Education

CME:     Corewell Health East     Corewell Health South      Corewell Health West

Clinical trials:   Corewell Health East       Corewell Health South       Corewell Health West

Well-being

MED+UP: Community and camaraderie
MED+UP brings small groups of physicians and APPs together monthly for six months. Beginning in January, in-person and virtual options are available with up to six CME credits available. Sign up today.

Physicians and APPs, how do you want to be recognized?
Corporate communications requests your feedback on how you’d like to be recognized for your work. Please take this four-minute survey to share your thoughts.

Click-worthy

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October 2024

Corewell Health System Updates

We need your help to preserve IV fluids

Regional damage from Hurricane Helene has impacted our supply of large volume IV fluids and it is critical to take action to conserve our current inventory (on The Well). Areas of current concern, i.e., less than 20 days on hand, include lactated ringers and D10%. To ensure safe patient care and prevent future impacts, please urgently implement the following:

• Carefully evaluate the need for IV fluids for hydration if patients can tolerate oral. Avoid maintenance IV fluids when possible.
• When possible, consider use of one-time IV fluid bolus vs. a continuous infusion using the lowest possible volume needed.
• When possible, consider oral electrolyte replacement over IV.
• Utilize enteral feeding whenever possible. Limit use of TPN to only when no other alternative available.

Changes to emergency sepsis order set
Important upgrades to the emergency department and inpatient sepsis and septic shock order sets have been made to further improve care for sepsis patients across the system.

New record of agreement for behavior expectations
A written behavior agreement (on The Well) will be available to clinicians for patients or visitors/support persons displaying inappropriate or undesired behaviors. 

Adding duplicate and missed dose intervals to medication frequencies
Safety reports have identified concerns with medication default timing for initial and subsequent dosing. To address this issue, the Epic build will be adjusted to add duplicate dose intervals and missed dose intervals (on The Well) to scheduled medication frequencies. This will reduce unintentional delays in starting therapy and minimize the need to manually select “Include Now” at the point of order entry.

Corewell Health is participating in National Lung Cancer Screening Day, Nov. 9
Eligible patients can schedule a 15-minute screening available in several locations across the system. A physician’s order is required to schedule a low-dose CT scan.

Physician and APP feedback is key to positive change at Corewell Health
Open now through Sunday, Oct. 27, the Listening Survey is a confidential survey to measure questions around engagement, belonging, well-being, safety culture and more. A personalized link from Glint has been sent directly to your work email or you can also access your survey on any device using your network ID by clicking on the following links: 
Employed physicians, APPs, residents and fellows
Independent physicians and APPs

 More news:

• Workplace violence: Adding visual cues to help prevent harm (on The Well).
• Oct. 25-26: OnBase downtime/read-only (on the Well).
• September 2024 Physician and APP EHR Newsletter (on The Well).
• Due Sunday, Dec. 1: Team member flu vaccine requirement (on The Well).

Corewell Health East

Corewell Health liver transplant program nationally recognized
Corewell Health East's liver transplant program has tallied the best one-year survival rates in the state and second best one-year graft survival rates in the nation. With over 320 transplants since 2010, the program consistently ranks among the highest quality liver transplant programs in Michigan and the U.S., according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

News:

• BPA for hybrid charging (on The Well): Hybrid physicians must indicate if they intend to charge as an employed physician or independent physician to correctly receive revenue for the encounter.
• How my life was saved by our physician on staff, Dr. Amanda-Lynn Marshall.
• Donald Clark, PA-C, receives prestigious PA Foundation Fellowship honoring commitment to service.

Corewell Health South

Corewell Health West

Physicians Teaching Credits: Applications accepted starting Sunday, Dec. 1
The CME Team will begin accepting applications (under Important Links) for 2024 teaching credits for Corewell Health West physicians engaged in clinical teaching, including community physicians who teach Corewell Health West residents and fellows. 

Pop Health Minute: Integrated practice unit 
Rima Shah, M.D., describes how the innovative, holistic integrated practice unit model (on The Well) can support patients through lower costs, improved health outcomes and a seamless transition between care settings.

Corewell Health West New Hire Dinner
Thursday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m., Bistro Bella Vita, Grand Rapids
Corewell Health West employed and independent attending physicians and APPs who have joined the medical staff in the last 12 months are invited to attend the welcome dinner. RSVP by Friday, Nov. 8.

More news:

• Congratulations to the Corewell Health West APPSYs Award Winners: View photos from the event (on The Well).
• Managing aggressive visitors: Violent visitor response algorithms (on The Well) have been created for inpatient and ambulatory spaces at Corewell Health West.
• 'Can you hit the Griddy?': Pediatric cancer patient interviews Allison Close, M.D. (on The Well).
• Clinical Service Desk new menu prompts: Call 616.391.6000, press 2 for a service desk technician; press 3 if you are a physician experiencing a clinical issue 

Recognition: Doctors of Corewell Health

More recognition:

• Priority Health Quality Awards: recognizing top physician offices that improve health care outcomes for patients across Michigan.
• Learn how we are teaming up to improve the odds for Michigan kids.
  

Research and Education

Neurology for the Primary Care Partner Conference
Friday, Nov. 8, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., MSU Management Education Center, Troy
Primary care providers are invited to learn more about properly identifying neurological symptoms and what treatment options are available. This live activity is worth a maximum of 7.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. RSVP by Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Clinical Teacher Program now condensed
Medical Specialties - Friday, Nov. 15, sign up in Workday
Surgeon & Intensivists - Friday, May 16, 2025, sign up in Workday
In response to participant feedback, the Clinical Teacher Program (on The Well) courses have been redesigned from a two-day course to a shorter, hybrid course that consists of an online module and a four-hour in-person session to practice scenarios in feedback, direct observation and teaching bedside skills.

Medication Access and Training Expansion, MATE, Act Education Requirements
The MATE Act impacts all DEA licensed controlled substance prescribers for first-time licensure and all licensure renewals completed after June 27, 2023, requiring a one-time eight-hour training. Corewell Health has been made aware of third-party vendors offering education, but also has education readily available on the Dependent Drug Stewardship Program site (on The Well) which satisfies the DEA attestation requirement. If you have already completed the training, it is not required to be done annually or for every DEA renewal period.  

More CME:     Corewell Health East     Corewell Health South      Corewell Health West

Clinical trials:   Corewell Health East       Corewell Health South       Corewell Health West

Well-being

MED+UP: Meaningful conversation and connection
MED+UP brings small groups of physicians and APPs together monthly for six months. Beginning in January, in-person and virtual options are available with $20 meal reimbursement and CME available for each session. Sign up today. 

Schwartz Rounds: Humor in the Workplace
Thursday, Nov. 7, at noon, join via Teams
Much has been written about the physical and emotional benefits that come from laughter. Join us as we return to a topic that’s become an annual favorite. Hear from panelists who’ve observed humor’s healing power firsthand.

Your valuable feedback is appreciated
Thank you to our physician and APP colleagues for completing the Well-Being Index. Over the coming weeks, we will be interpreting the data and sharing results with leaders throughout the system. Stay tuned. 

Click-worthy

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September 2024

Corewell Health System Updates

Impact programming and take the Well-being Index now through Friday, Sept. 27
The 2024 Well-being Index is a brief, confidential assessment designed specifically for physicians, APPs, residents and fellows. Get immediate results, individually tailored well-being resources and compare your results to providers across the nation.

Required annual Performance Snapshots due Oct. 13
Team members, including employed physicians and APPs, are required to conduct a self-evaluation in Workday. 

Flu vaccine requirement due Sunday, Dec. 1
Employee Health Services will offer several walk-in flu vaccine clinics September through November at all Corewell Health hospitals. The annual flu vaccine requirement applies to on-site and hybrid team members and is strongly recommended for remote team members.

Lipid and Vitamin D autocancel for Medicare patients
Lipid panels and vitamin D, 25 hydroxy ordered on Medicare patients more than once per 12 months will be canceled due to medical necessity without a properly documented ABN.

Inpatient provider home medication reconciliation
The medication history team has aligned documentation practices (on The Well) for certain medications and situations, such as when a patient is non-adherent with home medications, to better resolve and document medication discrepancies upon admission and discharge. 

CHS & CHW: Heisenberg - The new provider compensation tool is now live  
Heisenberg is now live (on The Well) for Corewell Health South and Corewell Health West physicians and APPs. Heisenberg is an integrated software tool that automates provider compensation calculations and allows complete end-user access to enhance transparency, compliance and confidence in the provider compensation process.

Surgeons: Review your monthly supply lists
To maintain accurate surgical supply pick lists, supply utilization is reviewed each month. To view the item(s) removed from your procedure card(s), please click on the + sign by your name on the August 2024 items removed from procedure card spreadsheet.

 More news:

• Improve mortality rates, length of stay and readmission: Provider documentation criteria tips for mortality risk variables. 
• Recommended MARCQI standard medication order for post-operative pain protocol (on The Well).
• 2024-2025 influenza vaccine: Options, dosing recommendations and patient qualifications.
• August 2024 Physician and APP EHR Newsletter (on The Well).

Corewell Health East

News:

• Corewell Health East research operation reorganization.
• Samuel T. Bauer, M.D. joins Farmington Hills Hospital leadership.

Corewell Health South

Advanced practice provider recognition event
Friday, Sept. 27, 5:30-8 p.m., Center for Wellness, Benton Harbor 
Join a night of networking, connection and celebration of Corewell Health South APPs. 

More news:

• A message from Robert Nolan, D.O.: Embracing opportunities for growth and improvement (on The Well).
• Corewell Health offers community flu clinics in Southwest Michigan.
  

Corewell Health West

Corewell Health West Annual Model of Care Training
Every year, insurance payers must inform us of their Model of Care, as well as any changes and what we are accountable for. Please review the required 2024 Annual Model of Care Training (on The Well) information by Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

APPSYs nominations 
Congratulations to Corewell Health West advanced practice provider nominees (on The Well) recognized by peers. The top three nominees for each category are decided by the APP Advisory Council and will be announced during the Sept. 27 APPSYs event in Grand Rapids.

More news:

• A message from Josh Kooistra, D.O.: The importance of friendship at work (on The Well).
• Reducing unnecessary inpatient testing (on The Well).
• Unwrapping hope: A birthday bone marrow donation story (on The Well).
• Badge access for Grand Rapids South Ramp (on The Well) on Lyon Street.  

Recognition: Doctors of Corewell Health

Research and Education

You are invited to the annual Corewell Health Research Summit
Friday, Oct. 4, 221 Michigan St., First Floor, Grand Rapids, or join virtually
Join the Corewell Health Research Institute for the third annual Research Summit (on The Well) highlighting innovative and impactful treatments and therapies. This live activity is worth a maximum of 4.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. RSVP by Friday, Sept. 27.

Symposium for Primary Care Medicine
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, MSU Management Education Center, Troy, or join virtually
Grow your practice and knowledge in primary care medicine and earn CME (both allopathic and osteopathic credits provided). Register here.

2024 Community Grand Rounds: Transforming health care to advance health equity
Friday, Oct. 18, 6 p.m., in-person and virtual 
Rishi Manchanda, M.D., MPH, CEO of HealthBegins, will discuss a "balanced portfolio" to advance health equity, including medical interventions, reforms of policies and practices, addressing social determinants of community health, and key policy and legislative issues. This session is approved for one AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Register here.

 More education:

• Hands-on Neuromodulation: Sacral, Pudendal, Tibial, Pelvic Pain, Friday and Saturday Oct. 4-5, William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak.
• 2024 Surgery QSE Symposium: Bringing safety transformation to surgery, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6:30-8:30 a.m., Corewell Health Place, Grand Rapids.
• Advances in Cardiovascular Imaging and Interventions, Thursday, Oct. 17, Detroit Marriott, Troy.

More CME:    CHE    CHS      CHW

Clinical trials:   CHE       CHS       CHW

Well-being

Charting Efficiency Course recordings
Watch video recordings (on The Well) on in-the-moment chart closures, managing backlogs, viewing patient visits and handling interruptions.

Schwartz Rounds: Honored to be at death’s bedside
Thursday, Oct. 3 at noon, join via Teams
Despite the heaviness of end of life, many health care workers consider being at death’s bedside a uniquely special, even sacred, experience. Hear from colleagues who understand that experience and handle their role with sensitivity and compassion.

Protecting provider mental health care
Corewell Health has been recognized as a Well-being First Champion (on The Well) by the Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. This national recognition acknowledges that all credentialing applications and peer review forms for physicians and APPs have been changed to remove any intrusive or stigmatizing language around mental health care and treatment.  

Click-worthy

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August 2024