PSG
Rumblings SPRING 2020
PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY / NEWSLETTER
President’s Message / Ravi K. Ghanta, MD, PSG President
www.pasg.org
Dear Colleagues,
@RAVIGHANTA5
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! OOK L NEW AT DOK? WH THIN U O Y
Spring is finally here! For most of us in the state, it has been a fairly mild winter. While it is refreshing to see the vibrant changes of spring, we are currently facing one of the greatest challenges of a lifetime. As of this writing, we are facing a global pandemic from SARS-CoVCoronavirus 2 which manifests with a disease state known as COVID-19. This is currently affecting the patients, friends, family and our own peers that reside here in our own great state of Pennsylvania. There has been a significant impact on the global community from both a healthcare and economic perspective. This public health nemesis is no longer a world away. It is now in our home state and the unanswered question is not whether it’s going to affect us, but how and to what extent. As a medical community we must be prepared for the potential detrimental effects on our local populations and develop strategies to help provide care while maintaining safety for all. Predictably, the ensuing uncertainty of its
PSG/SOCIAL: @PAGastroSoc
INSIDE: 2 President’s Message
continued effects has led to fear. Whether you are part of a private medical practice or an employed physician of a hospital system, the impact is very deep. Due to mandated shutdown of various areas of the economy, this has resulted in negative consequences for our patients as well as the financial health of the entire system. The shut downs seen are not limited to nonmedical facilities. As many of you are aware, many medical practices have now limited access to patients to their offices as well as their endoscopy centers to try to limit the spread of this aggressive virus. The effects of this cannot be understated. Closures such as what we are seeing can result in overburdening emergency departments and acute care facilities. The economic impact can also not be understated. Many of these private practices have provided stable jobs for many employees. However, with limiting access of patients to the practices, the practice revenue will plummet and there will be inadequate reserves to sustain incomes for salaried employees. The potential for bankruptcies of certain medical practices is a very possible continued on page 2
8 S oMe Ambassadors
12 Practice Mgmt Update
4 FIT Update
10 Legal Corner
16 COVID-19 Resources
6 Clinical Case
11 Legislative Update
18 Q&A Milestones