E-Newsletter

September-October 2009

In this Issue

Chapter News

• Chapter Hires Assistant
  This month, the Chapter hired an additional staff member. Kathryn Engel has come on board as the Assistant. Kathryn has worked on pediatric projects for the Ah! Asthma program, Let's Go! Program, and Allergy and Asthma Associates in Portland. She also coaches swimming at Bowdoin College. Kathryn will be assisting the Executive Director with administrative tasks as well as tasks for the Chapter's CME programs and various projects.

• Pediatric Job Board Now Live!
  The Chapter's Pediatric Job Board is now live on our website. This resources is for job seekers and employers and will connect people to pediatric positions inside and outside of Maine. The Chapter receives a 50% revenue share with the job board company for each job that is posted. Job Seekers may search for jobs and post their resumes for free! Visit the Job Board at http://careers.maineaap.org. Please let your HR departments know about this valuable resource!

• Interested in Being a Preceptor for Medical Students?
  The Chapter has received a grant to connect medical students at UNE with practicing pediatricians for 1/2 day career shadowing opportunities. There are also opportunities to host a medical student during their 4-week rural rotations. If you are interested in participating in either of these, contact Aubrie at 782-0856 or agridleyentwood@aap.net.

• Chapter Awards First Mini-CATCH Resident Grant
  This summer the Chapter awarded it's first Mini-CATCH Grant of $500 to Central Maine Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program resident, Dr. Terry Ann Scriven. Dr. Scriven will be using the funds to reduce the high prevalence of dental caries and decay in the residency clinic population by educating family practice residents on preventive oral care and providing oral care assessments, fluoride varnish application, and oral health education to patients.
  
• Vote in National AAP Election!
  

  The national Academy election for President-elect and district offices is currently ongoing. Two bylaw amendments are also on the ballot for membership consideration.  You may find additional information on the candidates, including short videoclips, on the National Academy Election Center on the Member Center of the AAP Web site. Please remember to vote for the candidate(s) of your choice by October 1.  The election is only being conducted on-line, and the link to the ballot is:  https://www.directvote.net/aap. To login, voting members (Fellows, Specialty Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, and Retired Fellows) only need AAP ID and last name.    Please exercise your membership privilege, and vote in the 2009 AAP Election.

Children with Special Health Needs

Childhood Epilepsy Care Updates for Clinicians: Febrile Seizures

The Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth is offering a series of brief ( ~10 minute) updates for primary care health professionals provided by pediatric neurologists of the region. They can be viwed as a video on the web or downloaded as an audio or video podcast by subscribing on itunes. Each month for the next 6 months they will have a new topic. This activity is supported by a Maternal and Child Health Grant in Maine and New Hampshire. If you have any questions please contact program administrator Rebecca Oliver (603-653-3173, Rebecca.Oliver@dartmouth.edu).

Febrile Seizures
An excellent presentation by Dr. Richard Morse, the director of the pediatric epilepsy program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon NH. Access the video here: www.dhvideo.org/epilepsy.htm

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Immunizations

Join us at the Immunization Congress on September 29th!

The Chapter will be holding an afternoon workgroup session on addressing Immunization issue in the state including:
1) increasing the number of children who are adequately immunized?
2) ensuring there is funding to adequately immunize all children in Maine
3) ensuring Maine has a system for tracking the number of children who are adequately immunized
4) reaffirming the public health necessity of the Maine Immunization Program

The afternoon Congress will follow a morning CME program on helping providers respond to patients' questions on immunization.

For more information and to register visit the Conferences section of our website.

Maine Childhood Vaccine Coverage Rate Graph: 1995-2008

Graph showing the changes in vaccine coverage for children in Maine from 1995-2008.

Sound Advice: Pediatricians Answer Vaccine Questions

Parents who are doing their homework on their child’s vaccines can go directly to the experts for answers – without leaving home. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers a series of audio interviews with pediatricians, researchers, advocates and other parents at http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/soundadvice.html.

Click here for entire press release.

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Legislative News

Chapter Seeks Members' Interst in Pediatric Topics for Legislative Testimony

Is there a specific pediatric topic that you are an expert on or have a passion for? If so, we want to know! The Chapter will be updating its key contacts listing and would like you to be on it. Also, if you are willing to provide legislative testimony on a specific topic we would like to know. Please contact Aubrie at agridleyentwood@aap.net if you want to be on our internal key contacts listing.

Chapter Opposes Ballot Question 1on New Same-Sex Marriage Law; Individual Pediatrician Sign-On Sought

The Chapter opposes Question 1 on the November ballot, which asks whether voters want to repeal the law allowing same sex couples to marry, on child welfare grounds.  As physicians who care for children and their families, we are committed to supporting what is best for children.  And there is no question that when their parents can marry, children are more protected legally and socially.  Click here for full Opposition Statement.

The No on 1 Campaign seeks individual pediatricians to sign on to an Opposition Statement. If you are interested, please visit www.protectmaineequality.org/Pediatricians to sign-on.

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Member Spotlight

Laura Blaisdell MD noted in Morning Sentinel and AP Articles on August Swine Flu Preparedness Conference

Link to AP Article

Link to Morning Sentinel Article

Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative and 5-2-1-0 cited in Chicago's Daily Herald

Link to Daily Herald Article

Emeritus Member, Paul LaMarche Sr., noted in BDN Article on "Investing in the next generation"

Link to BDN Article

Stephen Meister MD MHSA FAAP will present Foster Care poster at Peds-21 at AAP's October NCE

Dr. Meister will be presenting a poster at the Peds-21 session of the AAP's National Conference and Exibits on the Pediatric Rapid Evaluation Program (PREP). PREP addresses the medical, behavioral, dental, developmental and educational needs of children in temporary state care for one DHHS district.

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Oral Health

Billing Medicaid for Fluoride Varnish Applications

Some practices have been having success using the following codes:

Use one, two or all of these codes when a patient has a physical and varnish, depending on whether or not the doctor notes dental caries.

V20.2- physical exam up to 17 yrs

V72.2- dental exam with or with out physical exam

521.09 dental caries unspecified (use this only if caries is noted)

Physical exam with dental exam no caries would be the V20.2 and V72.2.

These dental exams are not always done in tandem with a physical exam. They may be noted on a follow up for something else, but the charge for varnish must have a dental code reference.

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Public Health

 H1N1 Information from Dora Mills MD, Maine CDC

The Maine CDC continues to provide timely and up-to-date information on H1N1. Visit the H1N1 Resources section of their website for the most recent information. Some recent information is linked below:

H1N1 Truth V. Fiction (Word Document)

H1N1 Pediatric Clinician Letter (Word document)

September 17 Notice of Registration for H1N1 Vaccine (website)

H1N1 School-located Flu Vaccine Clinic Info (Word Document)

Tamiflu Fact Sheet (Adobe PDF)

Relenza Fact Sheet (Adobe PDF)

H1N1 Vaccine Priority Groups (Word document)

September 2nd Update from Dora Mills MD (Word document)

Letter to Clinicians Who Care for Pregnant Women (Word document)

Updated Recommendations for H1N1 Treatment for Pregnant Women (website)

Early Childhood Provider Letter (Word document)

Updated Interim Recommendations for the Use of Antiviral Medications in the Treatment and Prevention of Influenza for the 2009-2010 Season
(website)

 IOM: Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers in the Workplace Against Novel H1N1 Influenza A

The Institute of Medicine issued its report to US CDC and OSHA with their recommendations for the use of PPE in clinical settings.  Their recommendations confirmed the current US CDC guidance that N95 respirators be used in clinical settings by health care workers in close contact with those with nH1N1 or influenza-like-illness.  Links to the report are below.

The IOM report can be found on this link:  http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/71769/72967.aspx

The report brief is attached in PDF.  The full report is also available for free download (even though it says 'read and purchase') at: http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/71769/72967.aspx

Changes to the Women, Infants, and Children Food Packages

The Maine WIC Nutrition Program is required by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) to implement changes to food benefits provided to WIC participants beginning on October 1, 2009.  This is the first significant change to WIC benefits in over 30 years and the changes will bring WIC food benefits in line with nutrition guidance provided by Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics.  Benefits will also reinforce nutrition and health education as well as promote and support breastfeeding.

Letter to Pediatricians from Maine WIC Program (Word document)

Chart of Changes to Maine WIC Program (Word document)

Updated Maine WIC Prescription Form (Word document)

Letter from AAP President, David Tayloe Jr. MD FAAP (Adobe PDF)


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CME and Education Opportunities

Update on Pediatric Surgery and Acute Care for the Primary Care Physician: MAAP Fall Conference

Saturday, November 7, 2009
Central Maine Medical Center, Lewiston

Co-Sponsored by CMMC, St. Mary's, and MMC

Topics to include:
* Lump in the Groin: what is it? what to do? when?
*Stabilization and Transport of the Critically Ill child with Surgical Problems--trauma, volvulus, congenital anomaly
*Remote Diagnosis and Management of Common Surgical Conditions: Appendicitis, Intususception, Pyloric Stenosis
*Bariatric Surgery in childhood
*Comanagement of Surgical Patients by community Pediatricians and General Surgeons
*Long term managment of pediatric GI conditions
*E Burn Management: what can you do yourself, what should you transfer: locally/to Portland/to Shriners Boston
*Routine Office Procedures: removal of sutures/drains, glue, burn dressings, abscess I+D, wound surveillance, skin bx, etc.

And MUCH MUCH MORE!!!
S.T.A.B.L.E. Course and PALS Refresher offered on Friday, November 6th.

Look for a brochure soon and get more details on our website!

14th Annual Northern New England Conference on Child Maltreatment

September 24-25
Wyndham Hotel South Portland

Topics: Medical and law enforcement investigations in child abuse cases, toxicology issues in child abuse, ethics, working with non-offending parents

Visit Spurwink.org for more information and to register.

Psychopharmacology Course from MassGeneral Hospital: $1000 Sponsorship for Chapter Member!

October 16-18
Westin Copley Place Hotel -- Boston, MA

The Chapter offers one member a $1000 stipend to attend this conference. Contact Aubrie at agridleyentwood@aap.net if you are interested.

The course directors have offered a $50 discount to all Chapter Members!

This course features a premier teaching faculty of clinician-researchers who present a comprehensive three-day curriculum on best practices for treating an array of psychiatric disorders. Emphasis is placed on the practical translation of advances in psychopharmacology to the everyday care of patients.

Course directors:

Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, MD, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Massachusetts General Hospital; Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School

Maurizio Fava, MD, Executive Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Director, Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital; Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

For more information and to register, American Academy of Pediatrics -- ME Chapter members should visit http://www.mghcme.org/events/details/?eventid=266 and use Registration Code PP1 to receive their $50 discount.

2009 Owen W. Wells Annual Pediatric Conference  "Taking Care of Children: Topics in Pediatric Acute Care"

Friday, November 13th
sponsored by The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center

The keynote speaker will be Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH, the Children's Guild Association endowed Chair in Pediatrics, Professor of Pediatrics, and adjunct Professor of  Epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Rivara's involvement in injury prevention and control has spanned 30 years.

Click here for Save the Date!

Navigating the Mental Health System from the Pediatrician’s Office: AAP District 1 CME

November 13-14
Providence, Rhode Island

Early Bird Registration extended until September 28th

More information: http://www.ct-aap.org/ct-aap-meetings.html

Free Online CME on Pediatric Environmental Health

Physicians, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and other health professionals can earn 1.5 Credit Hours for taking a new online course on environmental health history-taking, anticipatory guidance, and integration of PSR's Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit into clinical practice. The self-guided course is available online and can be completed in one sitting or in multiple sessions. It takes about 90 minutes to complete and another 20 minutes to take the post-course test to qualify for credits.

Developed by the CDC, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the University of Caifornia, the course uses case studies to explore the unique biological factors and exposure patterns that make children especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals. Providers who complete the course will be able to identify possible environmental causes of illnesses and symptoms in their pediatric patients and will become more aware of environmental hazards in the home and elsewhere.

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This is a bi-monthly posting of relevant pediatric news and events, including CMEs.  If you have news or events you would like added to the September-October E-Newsletter, please email Aubrie at agridleyentwood@aap.net by August 1st.