Important changes in New Jersey during COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Governor Issues Executive Order 112 – Immunity for health care providers/facilities

Governor Murphy issued Executive Order 112 , relieving physicians, hospitals and front line healthcare workers from liability during the declared state of emergency in New Jersey.   See paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 in link for specifics related to health care professionals, facilities and volunteers and APNs/PAs providing care without supervision/collaboration as provide under the Executive Order, as well.

https://nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-112.pdf

Governor Issues Executive Order 112 – relaxation of supervision/collaboration APNs and PAs.

Executive order 112 also allows APNs and PAs to provide care without limitations on their license, but not an expansion of their scope of practice.  This relaxation will also relieve physicians from the requirements of supervision/collaboration, including any chart review or consultation for prescribing . . . otherwise required.  See paragraphs 3 and 4 in https://nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-112.pdf

Basic Life Support Services:  EMS Transport of mild, non-life-threatening COVID-19 Patients to the ED

The NJ DOH has issued waiver/modification to the rule requiring EMTs to transport patients to the nearest Emergency Department for non-critical patients to alleviate the volume of non-critical patients in the Eds.  The attached outlines the COVID-19 Triage Protocol for EMS and consultation with medical director or hospital medical command.

Hydroxychloroquine/Chloroquine

There are concerns of shortages caused by the inappropriate prescribing and hoarding of these medications. Attorney General Grewal and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced statewide restrictions for prescribing and dispensing of these drugs.  For more detail: https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/20200330c.shtml

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program – registration relaxation

Any requirement to hold a CDS registration as a precondition for registering with the NJPDMP is suspended and waived for any healthcare professional with prescribing authority who is granted an expedited temporary license by the Director of the NJ DCA and who holds a current valid registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  See paragraph 5.

https://nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-112.pdf

Waiver of certain licensing rules

The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs have outlined the waiver of professional licenses during this public health emergency:

https://www.njco

You know you work with the best!

Why not recognize them?

Distinguished Service, EMS, Academic Achievement, Good Government, Clinical Expertise, Resident of the Year, and Medical Student of the Year

Submit your 2020 Award Nominations, download the form here

Award winners to be announced at the 2020 Scientific Assemblu on September 30, 2020 at The Crowne Plaza Princeton Conference Center- Plainsboro, NJ

 The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) named Mark S.   Rosenberg, DO, MBA, FACEP as the new president-elect   during ACEP19 in Denver Colorado. ACEP's Council votes on the   president-elect, who will serve a one-year term and will assume the   presidency at  the organization's annual meeting in 2020.

"Emergency physicians are at the center of some of the biggest challenges in health care today, with respect to both clinical practice and public  policy," said Dr. Rosenberg. "I look forward to working with emergency physicians and health stakeholders nationwide to address the opioid epidemic and improve our approach to mental health care in this country. As sentinels of America's health care safety net, emergency physicians have a duty to protect access to emergency care for the millions of people we treat each year."

Congratulations to Dr. Kyrillos E. Attaalla of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School for receiving the 1st Annual Residents Cup for his presentation titled, "SIM WARS: ATTACK OF THE 3D PRINTS"

NJ-ACEP Leadership has suggested Bylaws changes that reflect the following:

1. Allowing an expired Board member to run again following a one-year hiatus (currently required to sit out a 3-year term)
2. Separating the Secretary/Treasurer position to separate officer roles
3. Limiting the President’s term to one year only

The suggested changes are included in the ballot sent to all Regular members.  You can view the marked up version of changes here.  The final version can be viewed here (if accepted by the membership).