I hope you and your families are safe. I know your time is limited, but I wanted to share some important updates from the state and national level. We continue to build and maintain our COVID-19 recommended resources here. That page includes links for AAFP and ABFM updates, state and federal information, provider education resources and more.
Upcoming live events
AAFP Town Hall tonight at 7pm. You can join on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter at 7:00 p.m Central. This session is approved for 1 CME credit. Missing past recordings or information? Learn more here.
COVID-19 Strategies for OB/Neonatal Units Webinar on Friday April 3, 12 to 1pm. Register for the webinar with this Zoom link. Registration is limited to 300 participants, and a recording of the webinar will be available on the ILPQC website www.ilpqc.org. Hosted by IDPH.
IAFP CME Webinar: Update for Family Physicians and their Clinical Colleagues
Tuesday, April 7 at 8:00 PM CDT. Register here. Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD, family physician at University of Wisconsin will provide an update on COVID-19.
Members in the News
We are grateful that so many of our members have been featured in the news, including the creation of the Covid Rapid Response Team-Chicago, which is driven by medical students; and our AAFP Alternate Delegate, Deborah Edberg, MD offers a blog post on KevinMD with amazing words of support for residents and students.
Options to volunteer
* The state has an online system, Emergency Volunteer Management System, to request for volunteers at illinoishelps.net
*Retired or inactive physicians that need to reinstate medical license, click here. The AMA has developed a resource guide to assist senior physicians in considering these options.
* Chicago Resource Center to volunteer Chicago.gov/coronavirus
Message from IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike, MD to IAFP:
Recently, we reached out to IDPH about the desperate need for PPE among community-based physician practices who must still take care of their patients.
I know how essential FP’s are to the covid response. We have issued updated guidance consistent with the CDC on extending the use of existing equipment. We are and will be prioritizing health care workers in their PPE needs. We of course are also strongly promoting measures that providers can take to decrease the need, ie Tele-health and phone triage. We are all in this together. Continue to have clinics put needs through to their local health departments. We are following the State’s inventory multiple times a day. Thanks for all of the service that your members provide.
Latest HFS (Medicaid) Provider Notices: Pharmacy Billing and Telehealth Billing
Federal Action Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
FACT SHEET: EXPANSION OF THE ACCELERATED AND ADVANCE PAYMENTS PROGRAM FOR PROVIDERS AND SUPPLIERS DURING COVID-19 EMERGENCY
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CARES Act FAQs from ISMS
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AAFP summary (login required)
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Link to more resources on financial relief, including the AAFP COVID-19 Related Loss Calculator, which helps members to quantify economic harm to their practices in order to apply for the funding.
Small Business Resources for Practice Owners
We know that the peak for Illinois cases is still to come. We are grateful for everything that you are doing for patients. We are also thankful for everything the broader community is doing to support your practice and you personally. Your own staff and co-workers, your neighbors, your family and friends, our police and fire personnel, the Illinois National Guard, our pharmacies and grocery stores, the restaurants, our elected officials and health departments are all in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Never have we as a state or a nation been as “all hands on deck” as we are now.
Thank you for everything you do.
Michael A. Hanak, MD, FAAFP
Acting President
Stay connected at www.iafp.com and IAFP's Online CME Center
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