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Renew Your SCMS/MSMS Membership for 2022
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Blunt talk for sure. But maybe, after 600,000 deaths, and 100,000,000 in denial, it’s time for blunt talk. There are over 600,000 of us physicians in our country. We could deliver the message. We could break through the denial and motivate the change that is needed. We commonly use prescriptions and scalpels, but we should never forget that words may be our most powerful tool of all. Words have moved people to do amazing things…to go on crusades and start revolutions. And words have moved people to do the most amazing thing of all - to change their behavior. Powerful words - like DEATH - and other blunt, shocking words get people’s attention then they can focus and change their behavior. Perhaps even create a society of mask-wearing, vaccinated, socially-distanced people. Let’s try it! Reader, If you’ve enjoyed my columns over the years, you may enjoy my book,” Two Minds, Your Body” available at Amazon Books: https://www.amazon.com/Two-Minds-Your-Body-
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www.SaginawCountyMS.com
All statements or comments in The Bulletin are those of the writer, and not necessarily the opinion of the Saginaw County Medical Society (SCMS). The Bulletin is made available electronically for members as an informational service. Reliance on any such information is at the user's own judgment. The SCMS, its officers and employees, cannot guarantee the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of any information, and may not be held liable for any individual’s reliance on our web or print publications. For questions or the latest information, please contact Joan Cramer of the SCMS at (989) 284-8884 or jmcramer@sbcglobal.net.
Free CME for Your SCMS/MSMS Membership Renewal by November 30
Invoices for SCMS/MSMS are now available. As a thank you for your loyalty as a member of the SCMS/MSMS and for paying early all physicians who pay their 2022 dues in full by November 30 will receive a $100 coupon towards a CME course at an MSMS educational session. Installment payments are available for membership dues.
HOW TO PAY
• Click on www.msms.org/renew, and follow the prompts • Call your MSMS Account Specialist, Heather Foster, at 517-231-0738 • Print the invoice from your account record and fax it to 517-481-3976 • Mail to: MSMS Membership Department PO Box 950 | East Lansing, MI 48823
Tax Information
SCMS/MSMS dues are not deductible as a charitable contribution but may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense (check with your tax specialist). SCMS dues are 100 percent deductible, and 87.4 percent of MSMS dues are deductible because a portion of dues is attributable to lobbying activities. The SCMS and MSMS are non-profit organizations focused on improving the lives of physicians so they may best care for the people they serve. Benefits of SCMS and MSMS
Membership can be found in this issue of The Bulletin on
pages 16-17. The strength and effectiveness of SCMS/MSMS as your professional association is predicated on strong membership. The free CME course is just a small token of appreciation for your continued support of organized medicine. For questions about membership or if you have not yet received your 2022 dues invoice, please contact Joan Cramer, SCMS Executive Director at jmcramer@sbcglobal.net.
WHY PAY DUES?
• Because all physicians need to “fund their voice.” • National polls show physicians as one of the most respected professions. Sadly, they don’t use their clout often enough to preserve their profession and protect their patients. • There is strength in numbers. Together we are stronger.
On August 8, we had another VERY successful Walk for Hope at Saginaw Valley State University! We brought 1,200 people together and raised over $115,000 to go towards our mission to prevent suicide through education and support those impacted by suicide.
THANK YOU to everyone who attended, raised/donated funds, set up a vendor booth and volunteered. We could have never been this successful without each and every one of you!
Click on the photo to see all of our Walk photos from Kenzie Carr Photography. We are also finalizing the video from the event and will be sharing it with you soon!
Thank you to the following Bronze Sponsors
The Andersons, Inc. Bayne's Apple Valley Farm Nash Dermatology Saginaw Bay Underwriters The Mayan Agency Garber Automotive Group Thelen Auto Group Walmart of Midland The Children's Grief Center of the Great Lakes Bay Region Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational
We spent the week of July 12th at the Midland Country Club for the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, following LPGA golfers Emma Talley and Jodi Ewart-Shadoff. Team #Precious ended the week in 31st place. As one of the chosen non-profits to #TeamUp with golfers, we will be awarded $4,500. It was a great week of networking, raising awareness, team building and fun in the sun!
Survivors of Suicide Support Group
Survivors of Suicide is now back in person! If you or someone you know has been impacted by suicide, call us at (989) 781-5260 ext. 2 to learn more about our support group.
Consider Adding Survivors of Suicide, Inc., As Your Charity of Choice on Amazon Smile!
Are you in a crisis? Call 800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741
Anyone who needs help can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-273-TALK. Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. Anyone under age 21 can ask to talk to a peer at Teen Link, 1-866-833-6546. TTY users can use their preferred relay services or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.
COVID-19 Booster Shots Available Starting September 20
Christina Harrington, MPH, Health Officer Delicia Pruitt, MD, Medical Director
COVID-19 “booster” shots will be available to vaccinated residents in Michigan starting September 20, pending recommendation from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The CDC, U.S. Surgeon General and the FDA have concluded that booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines will be needed to maximize the protection these mRNA vaccines provide against the virus. In mid-August, we began providing third doses to vaccinated residents who are moderately to severely immunocompromised such as those who have received organ or stem cell transplants, have advanced HIV or are in active treatment for cancer. Those who are immunocompromised don't appear to have the same robust immune response to the vaccine as healthy individuals. Therefore, they can receive a third dose at least 28 days after their second dose. Planning is now underway for booster shots for other vaccinated residents. They will be eligible to receive a
booster shot at least eight months after their second
dose. For example, anyone who received a second dose on February 4, 2021, will be eligible for a booster shot in October 2021. The SCHD is planning to offer a wide range of opportunities for boosters, including clinics in locations around the county. These will be walk-in clinics with no appointment scheduling. We will be posting our schedule on Facebook soon and recommend that those attending vaccination clinics plan accordingly to avoid the busy rush at the beginning and end of clinics. In addition, other vaccine providers are also planning to offer booster shots including: • Great Lakes Bay Health Centers – at Lapeer location and Bagley UAW Hall • Covenant HealthCare – at MedExpress locations and physician offices • Ascension St. Mary’s – at physician offices and other clinics • Local pharmacies – at their facilities
We are reminding folks that they may or may not get notification about third doses from the provider who gave them doses one and two. It is up to individuals to seek out a third dose at least eight months after their second dose at any convenient location and time. While many experts recommend sticking with the same “brand” (Pfizer or Moderna) as their first two doses, it is acceptable to take whichever mRNA vaccine is available. Those receiving Johnson & Johnson are not yet cleared for additional doses.
If you are unsure of the date of your second dose, you can now look it up in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR). The portal can be found online at www.michigan. gov/immunize and is available on computers or smart devices.
The state plans to focus their initial booster shot response on long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and adult foster care facilities. Here in Saginaw County, healthcare workers and first responders are likely to receive boosters first as most will be eligible based on receiving second doses in January.
We are encouraging everyone who is vaccinated to seek out a booster shot when eligible. We also want to reassure you that there is no need to be anxious about limited supplies (like this winter). According to a recent announcement from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan has an ample supply of the COVID-19 vaccine to meet the projected demand.
Third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. Zion Lutheran Church 454 7th Street, Freeland, Michigan
(Behind Pat’s Grocery Store on Midland Road in Freeland) Caduceus meetings are available to health care industry professionals, and have adopted many of the principles of 12-Step programs. Caduceus meetings are “closed” meetings for recovering health care professionals including, but not limited to, nurses, doctors, dentists and pharmacists. We engage in group discussions where members may want to speak up, ask questions or share thoughts with fellow members.
