Optimizing Care for People Experiencing Homelessness

CME Webinar
January 18, 2024
12:00 PM PST

In this webinar, Dr. Enzian will identify current trends in behavioral and physical health for people living with homelessness. Optimizing care for people experiencing homelessness requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the unique challenges faced by this population.?The Federation of State Medical Boards designates this internet enduring?activity for a maximum of?1.0?AMA PRA Category 1 Credit?.?More information and registration

Emergency Rules Adopted: Postgraduate Medical Training

The WMC has amended?WAC 246-919-330(4)?Postgraduate medical training via emergency rulemaking. The amendment eliminates the outdated requirement for consecutive years of training in no more than two programs. The CR-103E was filed with the Code Reviser on November 9, 2023, under WSR 23-23-071. This rule continues the initial emergency rule filed on July 13, 2023, under WSR 23-15-056. The WMC will continue this emergency rule until the post graduate medical training standards are adopted through the permanent rule making process.

The immediate amendment of WAC 246-919-330 was necessary for the preservation of public health, safety, and general welfare. Continued demand for health care professionals, especially qualified physicians, make it essential that qualified applicants are able to obtain licensure. This action will result in increasing the quantity of health care professionals able to respond to current and ongoing staffing demands.?Learn More

Health Equity Continuing Education

The department has implemented Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5229. ESSB 5229 requires that health care professionals, subject to continuing education requirements, complete health equity continuing education training. This training must be taken at least once every four years. The department, in consultation with health care boards and commissions, was required to adopt model rules. These model rules establish the minimum standards for health equity continuing education training courses. Learn More

Communication and Resolution Programs

CRPs promote a patient-centered response to adverse events. When a patient is harmed by medical care, the patient should be informed of exactly what happened, the steps that will be taken to address the event, and ensure that it will not happen again. The use of CRP is a significantly different approach to handling medical error than the traditional procedure of secrecy, denial, and defensiveness.

After an adverse event, the primary things patients want are an honest explanation of what happened and a compassionate apology. Reflecting Just Culture, CRPs are characterized by transparent and prompt communication; apologizing; meeting the needs of involved patients, families, and providers; a rapid investigation of what led to the adverse event; proactive resolution; collaboration across all involved stakeholders; and system-level changes to prevent the error from happening again. In this process, CRPs save space for these important conversations to occur in order for patients to maintain a positive relationship with their provider and for organizations to improve their quality of care.

The WMC and the Foundation for Health Care Quality will be hosting a webinar to talk more about CRPs and how they can benefit the practice of medicine and the patient. Learn more and register here.