The Commission on Cancer (CoC) is pleased to announce that its new accreditation standards, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards), are now available for download.

Download Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards)

The CoC hosted a high-level introductory webinar on the 2020 Standards on November 18. Links to the webinar recording and slides are available below.

CoC Overview 2020 Standards Webinar Recording

CoC Overview 2020 Standards Webinar PowerPoint

Upcoming Education Opportunities

Workshops

• April 22–24, 2020—Rosemont, IL (CoC/NAPBC joint workshop)
• August 27–29, 2020—Denver, CO

Online Education

• Online series with tips for each standard—To be released early 2020
• CAnswer Forum LIVE 2020—Six webinars beginning in February 2020

National Meeting Presentations

• Association of Cancer Executives—January 22–24, 2020, New Orleans, LA
• National Cancer Registrars Association—May 31–June 3, 2020, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Governor Cuomo has signed into law legislation (S.1092-E/A.6325-C) that prohibits the performance of a pelvic examination without consent on an anesthetized or unconscious patient, except when clinically warranted.   The law takes effect on April 4, 2020.

The law was designed to respond to reports of medical students being asked to perform such exams, without express patient consent, as part of their medical training in teaching hospitals. 

Specifically, the legislation provides that “No person shall perform a pelvic examination or supervise the performance  of  a  pelvic examination on an anesthetized or unconscious patient unless the person performing the pelvic examination is legally authorized  to do so and the person supervising the performance of the pelvic examination is legally authorized to do so and:

• The patient or the patient’s authorized representative gives prior oral or written informed consent specific to the pelvic examination;
  
  
• The performance of a pelvic examination is within the scope of care for the surgical procedure or diagnostic examination scheduled to be performed on the patient and to which the patient has  already given oral or written consent; or
  
  
• The patient is unconscious and the pelvic examination is medically necessary for diagnostic or treatment purposes, and the patient is in immediate need of medical attention and an attempt to secure consent would result in a delay of treatment which would increase the risk to the patient’s life or health.”

This bill also makes violation of such provision an element of physician misconduct.

Several other states have passed similar laws expressly banning this practice without clinical justification.

The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists have issued an ethical opinion that “Pelvic examinations on an anesthetized woman that offer her no personal benefit and are performed solely for teaching purposes should be performed only with her specific informed consent obtained before her surgery”.

The New York Workers’ Compensation Board Drug Formulary (NY WC Formulary) becomes effective on December 5, 2019.

All new prescriptions for injured workers in New York State must be listed within the NY WC Formulary unless an alternative medication has been approved through the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board’s new prior authorization process.

The new electronic prior authorization process will soon be available through the Board’s Medical Portal; please watch for the notification.

Please visit the Board’s Drug Formulary Overview webpage for:

• An overview of the NY WC Formulary and the prior authorization process
• The latest version of the NY WC Formulary (effective 11/5/19)
• A video overview for Medical Providers
• A Quick Guide to the NY WC Formulary
• An NY WC Formulary Dashboard Guide for Medical Providers

Information and resources related to requesting prior authorization through the Board’s Medical Portal, can be found on the Board’s Medical Portal Overview webpage.

For more information or assistance: http://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/main/hcpp/DrugFormulary/overview.jsp

The NY Chapter of the ACS has worked with MSSNY and numerous physician advocacy groups in support of multiple pieces of legislation to reduce physicians’ administrative burden to ensure that their patients can receive the medications they need. Recent successes  include a law that gives physicians greater authority to override a health insurer “step therapy” or “fail first” prescription medication protocol in certain circumstances. 

However, there is still work to do to  reduce the need for unnecessary and repetitive prior authorizations that take time away from your patient care delivery.  During its annual advocacy day event, the NY Chapter advocated in support for prior authorization reform > read more

MSSNY has developed a survey to obtain data regarding the extent of your  prior authorization hassles.

We encourage you to take part in this survey and to help us educate the legislature on the necessity for reform!  Complete the survey

On Tuesday, November 19th, State Attorney General Letitia James announced a lawsuit aimed at JUUL Labs.  In it, the company is accused of using deceptive and misleading marketing in the sale of its e-cigarettes. The suit alleges the practice contributed to the youth vaping epidemic in New York.

According to James’ office, JUUL illegally sold its products to minors though its website and third-party retail stores throughout the state resulting in  a large number of young people to become addicted to nicotine. In addition, the suit alleges the company misrepresented its products as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.

“There can be no doubt that JUUL’s aggressive advertising has significantly contributed to the public health crisis that has left youth in New York and across the country addicted to its products,” James said in a statement. “By glamorizing vaping, while at the same time downplaying the nicotine found in vaping products, JUUL is putting countless New Yorkers at risk.”

The New York State Department of Health says there have been 42 deaths and 2,172 cases of severe vaping-related illnesses across the country, including 146 cases in New York.

The New York Chapter ACS strongly recommends that every effort be made to prevent the initiation of e-cigarettes by youth and adults. The use of products containing nicotine in any form is unsafe and in youth can harm brain development. Furthermore, evidence indicates that young e-cigarette users are at increased risk for both starting to smoke and becoming long-term users of combustible tobacco products. > Read our statement on e-Cigarette, Cannabis and Tobacco Use

The American College of Surgeons Young Fellows Association (ACS YFA) Communications Committee is developing a series of short, animated videos to explain how to establish and maintain an online presence as a surgeon.

The first video, available on the ACS website, discusses the three types of websites: canned databases, personal websites, and professional society profiles. Watch the first video in the series and make sure to check back soon as more are added.

The NY Chapter of the ACS encourages interested surgeons and associate members to apply for ACS Fellowship before the December 1 deadline. If you are eligible to become a Fellow, applications received by December 1 will be considered for conferral of Fellowship at the 2020 Clinical Congress, October 4–8, in Chicago, IL. 

 The letters FACS (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after a surgeon’s name mean that the surgeon’s education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College. Take this opportunity to become a Fellow and add this important designation to your credentials.  

 In addition to the many benefits outlined in the FACS brochure, Fellows of the ACS have the opportunity to engage with other surgeons in their community by joining one of the College’s 114 local chapters. At the chapter level, surgeons can network and build strong relationships with surgical peers, participate in advocacy and educational activities, take on leadership roles, give back to the profession through volunteerism, and mentor young surgeons.

The U.S. House of Representatives October 28 passed the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), H.R. 647/S. 2080.

A priority of the 2019 ACS Advocacy Summit and At Home Program, the bill would improve the training of health professionals in palliative care by creating Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers to provide short-term, intensive courses focused on palliative care and establishing traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced degrees as nurses, social workers, or physician assistants who focus their studies in palliative care. In addition, the legislation expands palliative care research to strengthen clinical practice and improve care delivery for patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses.

H.R. 647/S. 2080 was introduced by Reps. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Tom Reed (R-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Greg Walden (R-OR) and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will continue its advocacy on this important issue to ensure swift passage of the bill in the U.S. Senate.

For more information about PCHETA, contact Amelia Suermann, ACS Congressional Lobbyist, at asuermann@facs.org

The NYS Workers Compensation Board Drug Formulary (NY WC Formulary) becomes effective in four weeks (12/5/19) for new prescriptions.

Training materials related to the NY WC Formulary, as well as an updated version of the NY WC Formulary (effective 11/5/19), can be found on the NYS Workers Compensation webpage:

Drug Formulary OverviewSystem pages

Information and resources related to the Board's Medical Portal, which is used to access the prior authorization system, can be found on our Medical Portal Overview webpage.

For more information or assistance

Visit http://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/ebiz/drugformulary

General Formulary questions: email WCBFormularyQuestions@wcb.ny.gov

Technical Support questions: email WCBCustomerSupport@wcb.ny.gov

Subscribe for email notifications at http://www.wcb.ny.gov/notify

The CDC has penned a new name for vaping-related illness: EVALI, which stands for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury, according to new healthcare recommendations the agency released Oct. 11.  

The interim guidelines focus on initial assessment, criteria for hospital admission and treatment, patient follow-up, considerations for high-risk groups and public recommendations regarding EVALI. Rapid diagnosis and an understanding of treatment options could reduce EVALI morbidity and mortality, the CDC said. 

Initial assessment recommendations include a respiratory virus panel, especially during flu season, and evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia. Treatment guidelines suggest using corticosteroids. Of 140 patients who received the medication nationwide, 82 percent showed improvement, according to the CDC. However, the agency cautions providers to withhold corticosteroids when evaluating for infectious etiologies, like pneumonia, that could potentially worsen with corticosteroid treatment.  

CDC is currently developing guidelines for EVALI healthcare encounters as new data emerges. While the exact chemicals responsible for the illness are still unknown, CDC recommends people stop or decrease use of products containing THC and/or nicotine.  

As of November 5, 2019, 2,051* cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI) have been reported to CDC from 49 states (all except Alaska), the District of Columbia, and 1 U.S. territory.

• Thirty nine deaths in 24 states and the District of Columbia: Alabama, California (3), Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia (3), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Massachusetts (2), Michigan, Minnesota (3), Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon (2), Pennsylvania, Tennessee (2), Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
  • The median age of deceased patients was 53 years and ranged from 17 to 75 years (as of November 5, 2019).

For EVALI updates from the CDC, click here.