MSSNY eNews: October 28, 2020 – Be Aware of Email Spoofing from MSSNY.org Addresses

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MSSNY Joins Medical Societies to Urge Delay of Info Blocking Rule on Nov. 2; New Resources from the AMA
As noted in previous MSSNY e-news, MSSNY has joined with the medical societies of California, Florida and Texas in a letter to the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology requesting that they delay implementation of the information blocking provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule for at least one year.  Though there remains the possibility of the rule being delayed with a proposed rule before the federal Office of Management & Budget. the rule is scheduled to go into effect on November 2.

The MSSNY/state medical associations’ letter notes that “We remain completely committed to the goals of the Final Rule – ensuring that robust health care data is accessible to both clinicians and patients…however, physician practices are spending their time and effort battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians are also preparing for flu season, as well as a resurgence of the coronavirus. Physicians are struggling to maintain the financial viability of their practices during the pandemic and do not have the additional resources to dedicate to hiring consultants to develop compliance plans. Asking physicians at this moment to come into compliance with a rule set to take effect on November 2nd is simply too much to ask”.

This week, the American Medical Association developed the following materials to assist physicians to comply with these new requirements when they become applicable

Part 1: What is Information Blocking

Part 2: How do I comply with Information Blocking and where do I start?

Early Voting Underway – Look for These Helpful MSSNY Tools
With early voting already underway in New York State, please check out the bi-partisan list of 24 members of the New York State Assembly, New York State Senate and New York Congressional delegation who received the endorsement of MSSNYPAC for re-election. .  Each has demonstrated themselves to be champions of issues to preserve the ability of patients to continue to receive needed and timely physician care.

Moreover, MSSNYPAC members may receive a copy of MSSNY’s “Legislator Scorecard” with provides physicians with voting and co-sponsorship records of state legislators on 10 key bills that were strongly supported or strongly opposed by MSSNY.  Please contact jwilks@mssny.org to request a copy.

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President’s Claim Physicians Inflated COVID-19 Death Count Provokes Backlash
President Trump’s claim that physicians inflated the COVID-19 death count for financial gain sparked backlash from medical organizations and doctors who called his assertions a smear on the medical profession. Responses came after Trump commented at a Wisconsin campaign rally last weekend that doctors in the U.S. were attributing deaths to COVID-19 when they were actually due to preexisting conditions such as heart disease or cancer, because it increases their reimbursements.

“You know some countries, they report differently,” Trump said in a speech. “If somebody’s sick with a heart problem, and they die of COVID they say they die of a heart problem. If somebody’s terminally ill with cancer and they have COVID, we report them [as COVID-19].”He added that “doctors get more money and hospitals get more money,” telling the audience to “think about this incentive.”

The accusation provoked an immediate response from healthcare professionals. Among those protesting: the American Medical Association (AMA), the American College of Physicians (ACP), the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the Society for Hospital Medicine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

“Let’s be clear physicians are not inflating the number of COVID-19 patients,” the American Medical Association said in its statement. The tweet highlighted a study published in JAMA that showed there were 220,000 excess deaths in the U.S. this year, more than two-thirds of which were COVID-related.

Referring to the president’s statements as “junk news,” Ashish Jha, MD, dean of Brown University School of Public Health, said on Twitter that the federal CARES Act did provide some additional funding for patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis so that hospitals could buy more PPE. However, he added that false coding could get physicians “fined or jailed…Doctors aren’t taking random deaths, calling them COVID deaths,” Jha said. “That’s fraud.”

However, some physicians stated that there has been confusion about which deaths are from COVID, or from underlying conditions, with many erroneously recorded as having been caused by the coronavirus. (Medpage, Oct. 28)

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Members: Be Aware of Email Spoofing from MSSNY.org Addresses
Some MSSNY members may have received an email “spoof” in the last day or two requesting donations to a GoFundMe page. Please be aware that MSSNY does not send GoFundMe pages. This is a scam, and the email should be immediately deleted.  

The most common method for spammers and scammers to get your attention is now e-mail impersonation.  It is a low-tech approach that is easy to implement and takes advantage of the fact that many users check e-mail primarily on a mobile device.  The senders forge the name of the e-mail address they are using, substituting a familiar name to the sender.

Because mobile e-mail clients are constrained by the size of the screen of the device, they will omit the e-mail address and just show the name of the sender.  Depending on the OS of the phone in question, there are methods to display the sender’s e-mail address.  Most of them just require you to tap on the sender’s name and you will see more info about the sender.  Once you do that, it’s easy to tell that this is not genuine, especially if you are familiar with the alleged sender.

The second type of name spoofing is to use the actual e-mail address of the sender to further add legitimacy.  These attacks are more uncommon because they are narrower in focus and targeted against a single person.  Security professionals call this spear phishing.

Methods of Protection Against Becoming a Victim

Most spam and scam e-mails fail the simple test of, “Why is so and so sending me this?” Ask that question.  If still unsure, contact the suspect sender directly.  Do not hit reply on the suspicious e-mail. Most of these emails imply some sort of exigent circumstance.  Don’t be in a hurry to respond.

Do your due diligence and examine the e-mail.  Once you click on the sender’s name and see that it is overwhelmingly suspicious, the scam is almost over.

Always be generally suspicious of anything sent in an e-mail.  MSSNY, your credit card company, the local police, the FBI, your bank, etc. will never contact you via e-mail about an emergency and will never request restitution or resolution in the form of an iTunes gift card.

All SUNY Students Required to Test Negative Before Leaving for Thanksgiving
All on-campus SUNY students will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before leaving campus for Thanksgiving break, State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced.

Chancellor Malatras says students must test negative within 10 days prior to returning to their hometowns.to help prevent community spread.  “As in-person classes and instruction come to a close next month, tens of thousands of students will travel across the state and country to be with their families and complete their fall courses remotely.”

The colleges must work with their county health department to isolate or quarantine any residential student who tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to COVID-19 within 14 days of the closing of the fall semester.

The decision means SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities will test about 140,000 students over a 10-day period preceding Thanksgiving break.  All campuses will shift to remote learning after Thanksgiving and resident halls will be closed, with a few exceptions.

Colleges and universities must submit a plan to test all of their on-campus students within that 10-day window no later than Nov. 5. Background: SUNY colleges and universities have tested more than 270,000 students since the beginning of the fall semester, reporting 1,410 positive cases for a positivity rate of 0.52 percent.

What Are the Most Popular COVID-19 Tests?
The FDA has authorized nearly 230 diagnostic tests for COVID-19, but which ones are most commonly used? Through interviews with companies, lab directors and pathologists, MedPage Today has compiled a list of key players. We’ve grouped them by molecular versus antigen tests. Molecular tests identify viral RNA (frequently, but not always, through PCR testing), while antigen tests detect viral surface proteins. Either type can yield “rapid” tests, but antigen tests are inherently faster.

However, antigen tests are not as sensitive as molecular tests, carrying a greater chance of false negatives. Indeed, the emergency use authorization for each of the antigen tests indicates use in symptomatic patients only. Still, antigen tests are driving the point-of-care testing that many experts have urged. Most of these tests require the purchase of an instrument, but the machines are generally much smaller than PCR analyzers. Only the self-contained BinaxNOW, which is the size of a credit card, does not require instrumentation.

The Trump administration has purchased 150 million Binax NOW tests from Abbott and is distributing them to schools and nursing homes.

A key to the information below: EUA = emergency use authorization; IFU = instructions for use. All sensitivity/specificity figures are manufacturer-reported and based on strict adherence to protocols for sample collection and handling. Note that result turnaround times specify only how long it takes to obtain results after a sample is placed in the analyzer; it does not account for sample transportation, in-lab backlogs in processing samples, or reporting of results, which often make for significant delay. Serology tests for anti-coronavirus antibodies are not covered here.

Molecular Tests

Antigen Tests

Last Updated October 27, 2020 (Medpage)

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CME

Veterans Matters: TBI in Returning Veterans Webinar
The Medical Society of the State of New York and Nassau County Medical Society are hosting a CME live webinar entitled Veterans Matters: TBI in Returning Veterans on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at 7:30 am.
Click HERE to view the flyer and register for the program!
When:   November 3, 2020 at 7:30 am
Faculty:  David Podwall, MD
.Educational Objectives:

  • Identify signs and symptoms indicative of the spectrum from concussion/mild TBI to severe TBI
  • Examine evidence-based treatment modalities and when to refer to a specialist
  • Identify red flags that indicate alternate or more severe pathology
  • Outline an appropriate management plan for a patient presenting with concussion/TBI including a return to “normal life” protocol
  • For more information, contact Jangmu Sherpa at jsherpa@mssny.org or call (518) 465-8085

The Medical Society of the State of New York is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Medical Society of the State of New York designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

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Elegant, Custom Built Home with Unparalleled Craftsmanship – Rhinebeck, NY
Set on 10.6 acres in one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Rhinebeck, this stunning home borders Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill (a conservation land and the highest point in Rhinebeck). Features beautifully landscaped gardens with sweeping hilltop views and a well established vegetable garden and barn. This handsome home is generously proportioned throughout, with an inviting foyer entry with tastefully designed staircase, millwork, high ceilings, cherry wood floors and custom windows.Rhinebeck Estate for Sale A world class kitchen with a marble counter-topped island, enjoys both a cozy fireside seating area perfect for winter evenings, and glass doors in the hexagonal eat-in-kitchen opening onto the expansive stone terrace for three season enjoyment and entertaining.A luxurious Master suite, with high vaulted ceiling design, his and hers walk-in closets and a gorgeous master bath with cast iron clawfoot tub. The second floor also includes two spacious bedrooms with generous closets and 2 full bathrooms, An additional large sitting room/office could easily make a lovely fourth bedroom. Lower level features a media room, exercise room, bar, wine cellar and full bathroom. Additionally there is a two story barn equipped with water and electricity.
The house is located 7 minutes to the charming center of Rhinebeck village with its many superb restaurants, boutiques & shops. The highly rated Northern Dutchess Hospital, the excellent Rhinebeck schools and the County Fairgrounds, a most desirable venue destination throughout the year, are all nearby. Rhinecliff train station is a mile beyond with Amtrak service south to NYC(1hour 40 minutes) and north to Hudson, Albany, Niagara Falls and Montreal. View full listing Contact Nader Kayal, MD, 845-518-7780 / entdoc53@aol.com or Joshua M. Briggs at Heather Croner RE-Sotheby’s 917 213-9042 / jmb@jmbfineart.com.

UES Park Avenue Medical Office Space for Rent – One or Two Days a Week
Elegant office space on UES, in Park Avenue doorman building.  Enormous furnished windowed consult room, large exam room and private secretarial area.  Private elevator to office, huge waiting room and all shared office space. One – two days available; ideal for low volume Practitioner of any specialty. Please contact office manager Theresa – 212-288-2171 or via email at drfox.903parkave@gmail.com.

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Dermatology Practice for Sale – Staten Island, NY
Building includes 3 exam rooms, waiting area. Please respond by calling 718-987-3300 or email enbmd@aol.com

OBGYN Physician for Our Upper East Side Practice
Gynecology office setting only – No Obstetrics. Please contact the office at 212-772-3722 Email: olarugabriela@aol.com. Office Location: VCARE OBGYN 328 East 75th St. Suite 4 New York NY 10021 REQUIREMENTS: Doctor of Medicine degree. New York Medical License. DEA Board Certified OBGYN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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