Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $10 billion multi-year investment in healthcare, to rebuild and grow the healthcare workforce and strengthen the healthcare system as part of the 2022 State of the State. The plan will invest $10 billion in New York State’s healthcare sector, including more than $4 billion to support wages and bonuses for healthcare workers, and will invest in the healthcare workforce development pipeline to meet the current and increasing demand for medical professionals.  > Learn more

 Preventing cuts to Medicare physician payment continues to be a top ACS advocacy priority as significant cuts (nearly 9%) to physician payment for most surgical services delivered to Medicare patients are slated to take effect January 1, 2022.

As evidenced by record-breaking 2020 efforts, grassroots advocacy works and remains essential to stopping the cuts. Therefore, it is imperative to amplify surgery’s voice once again in Washington by urging House and Senate leadership to stop the cuts.

ACS chapter involvement over the next month is critical. Participate today by calling and writing your lawmakers and letting them know how the cuts will impact you and your patients. For questions or assistance, contact DAHP staff at ahp@facs.org.

Surgery is a specialized service that requires extensive training and expertise and should be viewed by Congress as an essential element to health care delivery across the country. Congress’ support of surgery must be demonstrated by prioritizing a year-end fix to stop the cuts.

Please utilize tools provided by the ACS DAHP to take action early and often to elevate this important advocacy priority while protecting patients in the process.

Mini relaxation exercises are focused breathing techniques which help reduce anxiety and tension immediately. You can do them with your eyes open or closed (but make sure that your eyes are open when you are driving!). You can do them any place, at any time; no one will know that you are doing them.

Start with Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing):

• Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth
• You should feel your stomach rising about an inch as you breathe in, and falling about an inch as you breathe out
• If this is difficult for you, try laying on your back or stomach—you will be more aware of your breath
• Remember, it is impossible to practice belly breathing if you are holding your stomach in. Be sure to relax your stomach muscles

When to Use Mini Relaxation Techniques

• While being stuck in traffic or at a red light
• When put on hold" during an important phone call
• While waiting in your doctor's waiting room
• When someone says something which bothers you
• When you feel overwhelmed by what you need to accomplish in the near future
• While standing in line
• When you are in pain

Four Mini Relaxation Exercises

Option One: Count Backward from 10

• Count very slowly to yourself from ten down to zero, one number for each out breath. (For instance, with the first diaphragmatic breath, you say "ten" to yourself,; with the next breath, you say "nine", etc.)
• If you start feeling light-headed or dizzy, slow down the counting
• When you get to "zero", see how you are feeling
• If you are feeling better, great! If not, try doing it again

Option Two: Inhale, Count to Four; Exhale, Count Back to One

• As you inhale, count very slowly up to four; as you exhale, count slowly back down to one
• Do this several times (for instance, as you inhale, you say to yourself "one, two, three, four," as you exhale, you say to yourself "four, three, two, one.")

Option Three: Inhale, Count to Three; Exhale, Count to Three

• After each inhalation, pause and count 1,2,3 (breath is held in)
• After you exhale, pause and count 1,2,3
• Do this for several breaths

Option Four: Inhale "I Am;" Exhale "At Peace" 

• On the IN breath, you think “I am”
• On the OUT breath, you think, "at peace”

David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company, and for the TDC Group of Companies

Medical malpractice data can focus the search for ways to succeed at: (1) preventing adverse events, (2) preventing lawsuits if adverse events do occur, and (3) prevailing in lawsuits when all else fails.

Read the complete article

By an Order dated August 18, 2021, the New York State Commissioner of Health is requiring that healthcare workers in general hospitals (e., hospitals that provide inpatient care 24 hours a day) and nursing homes be vaccinated against COVID-19, except for those with bona fide religious or medical exemptions.

These healthcare workers, including employees, students, volunteers and medical staff, are required to have at least one dose of an approved vaccine by September 27, 2021. 

It does not appear that applicable health care workers will be permitted to undergo regular testing in lieu of vaccination.  

On September 2, 2021, there is an opportunity for health care facilities impacted by the announcement to present evidence that failure to comply will not constitute a danger to the health of the people of the State of New York.

Learn more

As surgeons, having difficult conversations with our patients is part of the job. Now we need your help in starting a new conversation: speaking with your patients about being vaccinated against COVID-19.

The American College of Surgeons has considered some frequently asked questions you may be getting from your patients. We realize that due to local issues, giving a uniform answer to these questions is not entirely possible. However, we hope you use this document as a guide and verify the information on a state and local level as well as with your hospital as you prepare to Talk It Up! with your patients.

#TalkItUp | It's very important.

The American College of Surgeons has developed the following resources to help prepare you to Talk It Up! with your patients.

• Surgeon Guide
• Patient Guide
• #TalkItUp Social Toolkit

Last week, the CDC released new guidance on mask wearing. The state is  reviewing the CDC's new recommendations closely in consultation with federal and state health experts.

As NY observes a rise in COVID cases and across the country, driven by the Delta variant, the State is taking new action to curb the spread.

To that end, by Labor Day, all state employees will be required to either get vaccinated or get tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis. This includes patient-facing healthcare workers at state-run hospitals - they will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor Day.

ACS, Other Health Care Organizations Release Joint Statement on Recommending Mandatory Vaccines for Health Care Workers Registration Open for the Virtual Clinical Congress 2021: Plan to Take Part in Outstanding Postgraduate Courses ACS and Other Health Care Organizations Ask Congress to Continue Medicare Relief ACS Releases Two Statements on PPE for Residents and Workplace Accommodations for Pregnancy, Parental Leave, and Lactation Support for Practicing Surgeons New in JACS: What Surgeons Can Learn from Aviation Experts about Crisis Management ACS Quality and Safety Conference VIRTUAL Content Available through August 16 for Free

The Governor's office reported yesterday that 75 percent of adult New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine and the state has  administered over 22 million vaccine doses across the state.

A quarter of New York adults are still unvaccinated, which equals roughly 3.5 million unvaccinated individuals. With the highly transmissible Delta variant in New York, COVID will spread.

The number of new cases is about five times more than it was just a month ago. Of the new cases in New York, about 72 percent are the Delta variant. 

The State is allocating $15 million to community organizations to bolster vaccination efforts in ZIP codes with low vaccination rates. Some of the groups receiving funding include the Hispanic Federation, the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Asian American Federation, the Charles B. Wang Community Center, and the APICHA Community Health Center.

Clinical Congress 2021 to Explore the Theme of Resilience in Pursuit of Excellence

Access to 2021 ACS Quality and Safety Conference VIRTUAL Content Extended to August 16

New in JACS: Time from Admission to Operation is Strongly Predictive of Mortality in Trauma Laparotomy

Dr. Electron Kebebew Discusses Incorporating DEI into Practice in Profiles in Diversity Series

How Specialty Societies Support Surgeon-Scientists: Update from an ACS Advisory Council

ACS Strongly Opposes Cuts to Surgical Care in 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule