UH Med Weekly
May 29, 2020 Eyes Smile in a Sea of Masks.
COVID-19: Survey Indicates that most Hawai‘i residents recognize the pandemic as a serious concern
According to a statewide survey recently commissioned by the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) the majority of Hawai‘i residents—93 percent—consider COVID-19 to be a very serious or somewhat serious health concern. As many as 75% believe it poses a real danger or threat to themselves or others living in their household. However, only 44% of respondents say they are practicing social distancing guidelines “all of the time” suggested by government officials and healthcare professionals.
The DOH contracted Anthology Research to conduct a quantitative study in the form of a mixed-mode survey of Hawaii residents. From April 17, 2020, through April 23, 2020, there were 545 surveys conducted of which 517 were online, and 28 were conducted via telephone.
The 25% of respondents who say they do not feel threatened by COVID-19 cited reasons for their belief: They’re following CDC guidelines, believe they are healthy and unlikely to get sick, do not venture outside their homes much, or do not trust reports about the severity of the disease.
There were notable differences in perceptions between the neighbor islands and O‘ahu, with 81% of neighbor islanders saying they consider COVID-19 to be a very serious concern, versus 69% of O‘ahu residents surveyed.
“The findings provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of our efforts to educate our community about the disease. This is especially important as we begin to reopen parks, businesses and other places where people congregate,” said Bruce Anderson, Director of Health. “For our state to fully reopen and start the road to economic recovery, all of our residents must recognize the seriousness of the pandemic and be willing to make necessary lifestyle changes to prevent a second wave of increased cases.”
Public service announcements can be viewed at HawaiiCOVID19.com/Resources.
View the Executive Summary of the Survey here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ckrxq0qjtfcxefn/Executive%20Summary_DOH%20COVID%20Survey.pdf?dl=0
COVID-19: Med-QUEST rescinds contracts to managed care organizations; new RFP set for Fall 2020
The Hawaii Department of Human Services announced today that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Med-QUEST is rescinding the contract awards made to managed care organizations in January, and canceling the request for proposal (RFP) released in August 2019. A new RFP will be issued this fall to address the evolving needs of the community amid this public health crisis.
“The needs of our community have dramatically changed just within the past few months. The impact of the coronavirus caused us to take a new look at how to address the emerging needs of our growing Medicaid population and modify the requirements of the RFP to reflect this new reality we are all facing, said Judy Mohr Peterson, administrator of the Department of Human Service’s Med-QUEST Division. "We are grateful to the health plans who submitted proposals in 2019 and look forward to receiving new proposals that respond to this new environment.”
Since March 4, 2020, Med-QUEST enrolled over 24,000 additional beneficiaries, an increase of over 7.5 percent in total enrollment in less than three full months. The number of new applicants is expected to climb even higher as many face unemployment. The resulting Medicaid enrollment numbers are likely to remain high until Hawaiʻi’s economic recovery begins and there is a return to pre-pandemic employment levels.
Based on the RFP issued last August, Med-QUEST announced in late January that it had awarded contracts to Hawaii Medical Service Association and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to serve Medicaid beneficiaries on all of islands, and to AlohaCare and ‘Ohana Health Plan to serve Medicaid beneficiaries on O‘ahu. Those contracts were scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2020. However, Med-QUEST previously announced postponement of the effective contract date to devote internal resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to avoid placing any added stress and confusion on the part of beneficiaries during a challenging time. Existing contracts with all health plans shall be extended until the new contract awards are made.
COVID-19: UHP Provides Speech and Hearing Services Through Telepractice
Evidence insufficient regarding interventions to prevent illicit drug use in children, teens, and young adults
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has concluded that current evidence is insufficient to make a recommendation regarding primary care-based behavioral counseling interventions to prevent illicit drug use (including non-medical use of prescription drugs) in children, adolescents and young adults. JABSOM's Chien-Wen Tseng, MD, MS, MPH, is a member of the USPSTF, which routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services.
This recommendation is consistent with its 2014 statement, although it now includes young adults ages 18-25. Illicit drug use, defined as the use of substances (not including alcohol or tobacco products) that are illegally obtained or involve non-medical use of prescription medications, contributes to the leading causes of death among young people ages 10-24.
Take a deep dive into JABSOM's Global Health and International Medicine Department
The Committee on Global Health and International Medicine, within the Dean’s Office at JABSOM, is tasked with coordinating the school’s efforts in the global health arena. The Director of Global Health and International Medicine and Chair of its standing committee is Dr. Gregory G. Maskarinec.
Read more about Dr. Maskarinec.
JABSOM’s Global Health and International Medicine programs include the following:
• NON-CREDIT ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMS
• CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
• INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS
Dr. Gregory G. Maskarinec
COVID-19: #WeAreUHPHawaii: Aloha in the Time of Covid-19
Medical Laboratory Science Program Has its Accreditation Renewed
The Board of Directors of the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) has approved a ten-year Continuing Accreditation to the Medical Laboratory Science Program (Medical Technology) at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). The decision was in part based on a site visit, a peer-review process, in the Fall of 2019 with Program Director Dick Y. Teshima, MPH, MT(ASCP).
“I am proud of our students and graduates who serve in the medical labs in our community, and beyond. They continue to mark very high certification pass rates and employment rates, and earn praises from their employers, Teshima said. “Even during this Covid chaos, several students are volunteering with the JABSOM HOME project to help the homeless population in Honolulu.”
The Medical Laboratory Science Program at the University of Hawaii produces healthcare professionals who perform complex medical lab procedures that are necessary for a clinician to make appropriate and timely medical decisions for their patients. Federal rules require that Medical Laboratory Scientists possess valid national certification; in Hawaii, a state licensure is also required. This program is JABSOM’s only undergraduate curriculum. Teshima has a small staff of faculty scientists who worked diligently in preparation for the Fall 2019 site visit by the NAACLS. Students first earn a Medical Lab Technician (MLT) associate degree from Kapiolani Community College or other community colleges with appropriate curriculum, before pursuing the final two years to become a Medical Lab Scientist at JABSOM. A second-degree admission route is also available for those who possess a bachelor’s degree and the appropriate pre-requisite preparations.
In order to achieve the continuing accreditation, the program must satisfy the NAACLS standards: program structure and administrative support from UHM and JABSOM, relationship with clinical affiliates, up-to-date curriculum and qualifications of faculty members, adequate resources, admission procedures and other student issues, evidence of systematic assessment, and others. Many programs on the mainland have closed in the past few years, contributing to the national shortage of workforce. JABSOM Medical Laboratory Science program continues to thrive.
Recent updates to the JABSOM COVID-19 Resources Page
- (05/18/2020) Kakaako Wellness Update
- (05/08/2020) JABSOM Technology Resources page
(password protected)
- (05/04/2020) New Research Support Resources
- (04/23/2020) Frequently Asked Questions for medical students.
- (04/23/2020)How to don and doff a mask refresher in anticipation of returning to school and clinicals
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funding
Funding Opportunities Specific to COVID-19
The NIH is deeply concerned for the health and safety of people involved in NIH research, and about the effects on the biomedical enterprise in the areas affected by the HHS declared public health emergency for COVID-19. Due to the potential exceptional impact, we want to assure our recipient community that NIH will be doing our part to help you continue your research.
This is a rapidly evolving situation and we will provide updated guidance and information as it becomes available.
Click the link above to register for 2020 Ola Hawaii Virtual Mentoring Bootcamp
Schedule and speakers for Ola Hawaii can be found in the table below
Coping During COVID-19 Focus: Positive Psychology
Such positive messages! Share far and wide! For PDFs, email pbender@hawaii.edu.
Modified Hours at the John A. Burns School of Medicine MEB
Please be aware that the hours of operation for the
Medical Education Building have been modified until further notice:
Monday-Friday: 6:00 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday and Holidays: closed
The John A. Burns School of Medicine
Email: pbender@hawaii.edu
Website: https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/news-media/uh-med-now/
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Phone: (808) 692-0897
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