COVID-19 Basics:

• Symptoms of COVID-19 primarily include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms appear 2 to 14 days after exposure AND are very similar to common respiratory illnesses typically found in the community
• COVID-19 spreads between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) via coughs or sneezes. It may also spread by touching a surface or object with the virus on it.
• People are thought to be most contagious when they are the sickest, though some spread is possible before people show symptoms.
• Preventionstarts with practicing good personal health habits: stay home when you’re sick, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, wash your hands often with soap and water, and clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
• Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids, eating healthy foods, and managing your stress may help you prevent getting COVID-19 and recover from it if you do.

Protecting yourself from COVID-19

There are steps people should take to reduce their risk of getting and spreading any viral respiratory infections including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
• Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill.

If you feel ill, please contact your local primary care provider for further guidance

SCMS FEBRUARY 2020 NEWSLETTER

February Newsletter 2020

Members of the Snohomish County Medical Society,

We’re pleased to announce the first Resident Grant Recipient: Kirstin Hansen, MD of the Sea Mar Family Medicine Residency.

Her community project is Walk with a Doc. Join us Saturday, February 29th at 1:00 pm at Jennings Memorial Park in Marysville.

Walk with a Doc was started in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. Frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park on a spring Saturday morning. To his surprise, over 100 people showed up, energized and ready to move. Since that first event in 2005, Walk with a Doc has grown as a grassroots effort, with a model based on sustainability and simplicity. A doctor gives a brief presentation on a health topic and then leads participants on a walk at their own pace.

Our kick- off walk is planned for Saturday February 29^th at 1:00 pm, at Jennings Memorial Park in Marysville. We will meet by the main entrance (where the Marysville Parks and Recreation office is).

We hope to see everyone from Snohomish County Medical Society and other organizations at our walk along with your patients! We plan to have monthly walks hosted at Jennings Memorial Park.

The Snohomish County Medical Society trustees have created a scholarship/grant for residents in Snohomish county. SCMS will award a scholarship recipient up to $2,500.00 to go towards a residents community project.

The guidelines for the scholarship and grant are that the resident be in good standing within their program and a SCMS resident member. The essay portion of the scholarship asks each resident “Why they chose to be a physician” and then explain their residency community project. The grant is for up to $2,500.00 and due January 29, 2021.

The recipient for 2020 was selected. Congratulations Dr. Kirstin Hansen of Sea  Mar for her Walk with a Doc Community Project.

Below are the grant guidelines for the community project each resident must discuss:

Residency Community Project Grant Guidelines for 2021:

1. Improve community Health Literacy and patient advocacy
2. Increase the use of telemedicine for community medical practices
3. Improve physician participation in the Accountable Communities of Health
4. Address community and health care priority for public health
5. Strengthen the doctor-patient relationship in health care delivery
6. Review the needs and opportunities for charitable care.
7. Define the health care needs of the non-citizen component of our population

If you are a resident and member of SCMS, click here to fill out the online application: click here.

Join the Snohomish County Medical Society as a Trustee

The Snohomish County Medical Society (SCMS) Board of Trustees is the governing body for the SCMS. The Board supervises the Executive Director, elect’s officers, establishes a budget, sets strategic direction, approves new members, and assures that SCMS activities further the interests of the membership.

The Board may have up to twelve members elected by the SCMS membership. All SCMS members in good standing are eligible to stand for election to the Board. We encourage all members to join the Board. If you are interested in serving on the SCMS Board, please submit a bio-sketch to admin@snohomishmedical.org by December 4, 2020 for the 2021 fiscal year. If you have any questions, please contact us at: admin@snohomishmedical.org

The trustees meet four times a year. We meet twice, in-person in Snohomish county and we have 2 conference call meetings. ALL SCMS Members are welcome to attend any Trustee meeting. Please RSVP to: LMK@wsma.org if you would like to attend in-person or call into our conference call.

The 2020 meeting dates are:

February 11, 2020 Tuesday evening; 6:00 pm start time. Location: China City in Mill Creek Towne Center.
May 12, 2020 Tuesday evening; 6:00 pm start time. Conference call.
September 8, 2020 Tuesday evening; 6:00 pm start time. Location: China City in Mill Creek Towne Center.
December 8, 2020 Tuesday evening; 6:00 pm start time. Conference call