A new study about routine laboratory testing for psychiatric admissions, presented by ICSI collaborative member Kurt M. Isenberger, MD, was recently published. Common practice for psychiatric admissions in hospitals usually includes conducting laboratory testing.
Representatives from ICSI announced they have wrapped their first series of live, interactive sessions focused on sharing ways to proactively support the mental and emotional health of the healthcare workforce during the pandemic. The sessions began on April 14, 2020 and continued on a bi-weekly basis through September of this year. Each session featured healthcare leaders presenting implementation strategies including models for intervention, peer support, stress reduction and other factors impacting the wellbeing of healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.
ICSI announced the introduction of two new tools to help identify and support safer opioid prescribing when pain management is required. The Opioid Prescribing Improvement Guide addresses opioid prescribing for patients with acute, subacute, and chronic pain and is accompanied by the Postoperative Prescribing Toolkit, focused specifically on the initial postoperative discharge and post-acute phase of opioid prescribing.
ICSI is proud to announce the creation of a joint commitment across health service providers and healthcare stakeholders throughout Minnesota to eliminate systemic racism and its negative impact on health and well-being.
Representatives from ICSI announced that Nathan Chomilo, MD, has been named to its Board of Directors. Dr. Chomilo, a pediatrician and internist who sees patients at Health Partners Park Nicollet Clinic – Brookdale, is also a well-known equity advocate working to reduce racial disparities in education and healthcare. Dr. Chomilo was hired by Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS) as its Medicaid Medical Director in December of 2019.
When it comes to COVID-19, there is still much we don’t know. On the other hand, there is a lot that we DO know. As a healthcare provider and a leader, it’s disappointing how little that knowledge is being applied.
Earlier this month Sanford Health Chief Medical Officer Allison Suttle, MD, recently wrote an insightful article for NEJM Catalyst on the impact of COVID-19 in South Dakota. While hospitals in that state have not come close to filling the capacity prepared for the pandemic, the region, like many other rural areas across the country, is anticipating different kinds of surges as preventative health visits and vaccination rates plummet, unemployment rises, and many residents lose their healthcare.
As we move toward resuming activities during the time of COVID-19, naturally the question arises as to whether or not our children should be back in school this fall. In a nutshell we need to determine – is school safe?It’s not a question that has a definitive answer. Like so many topics surrounding the pandemic, we need to consider many different factors and perhaps rephrase the question in several different ways.
ICSI announced that the first edition of a new Mental Health Playbook is now available. The Playbook was created to provide planning and implementation strategies to support the current and long-term mental and emotional wellbeing of the healthcare workforce.
