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Hurricane relief efforts

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Note to physicians: The AMA has worked with David J. Brailer, MD, PhD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and numerous other groups to expand KatrinaHealth.org to provide physicians access to prescription records of patients displaced by Hurricane Rita in addition to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. If you are a licensed physician and are treating a Hurricane Katrina or Rita evacuee, you may be eligible to use the medications network. To complete the process necessary to obtain a login and password, please contact the AMA's Unified Service Center at (800) 262-3211.

AMA Foundation grants help affected physicians

The AMA Foundation is offering grants of up to $2,500 to physicians to help them rebuild their medical practices in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma through the newly established Health Care Recovery Fund.

Physicians whose practices were damaged or destroyed in areas declared disaster zones by FEMA were eligible to apply. The deadline for receipt of applications was Dec. 31, 2005. Donations to the fund are being accepted by credit card or by check. Checks should be mailed to AMA Foundation, 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60610.

The fund was started with a $100,000 grant from the AMA. The Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) recently donated an additional $100,000 to the fund. FAMRI is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to sponsor scientific and medical research for the early detection, prevention, treatment and cure of diseases and medical conditions caused from exposure to tobacco smoke.

In other efforts to help physicians affected by the hurricanes, the AMA has distributed $100,000 between Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas medical societies. The donation represents the solidarity the AMA and state medical societies share as medical professionals during times of need.

AMA participates in KatrinaHealth.org prescription medication records network

KatrinaHealth.org, a Web site whose development was facilitated by Dr. David Brailer, MD, PhD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, allows physicians and pharmacists to electronically access the prescription records of patients affected by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The Web site was officially launched on Sept. 22, 2005.The AMA will use its Physician Masterfile, a comprehensive source containing data on all physicians in the country, to issue user names and passwords to physicians seeking access to the KatrinaHealth medications network. Read AMA President J. Edward Hill's statement on the AMA's involvement. View a press release on the official launch.

The AMA is providing confirmation of the identity of physicians seeking access to the network, and ensuring that such physicians hold a current unrestricted license to practice medicine in at least one state.

If you are a licensed physician and are treating a Hurricane Katrina or Rita evacuee, you may be eligible to use the medications network. To complete the process necessary to obtain a login and password, please contact the AMA's Unified Service Center at (800) 262-3211, which is available 24 hours a day. Physicians will be asked specific questions to validate their identity and credentials.

Physicians: Your input needed

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is compiling information about the resources that will be needed for recovery and rebuilding the health care infrastructure and delivery system in the states where Secretary Leavitt has determined that a public health emergency exists following Hurricane Katrina. The agency has asked the AMA to seek input from the medical community about what your needs are.

It is imperative that physicians respond as soon as possible.

Please provide information on this via e-mail or via fax (202) 789-4581. The AMA will pass this information along to CMS as soon as possible.

Federal assistance

Hospitals that temporarily host medical residents who are displaced from training programs due to natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be able to receive graduate medical education (GME) payments from Medicare, under and interim final rule announced April 7, 2006. For hospitals affected by natural disasters, past and future, the interim final rule allows hospitals to enter into emergency Medicare GME "affiliation agreements" that provide the following increased flexibility: (i) the agreements may be retroactive to the date of the disaster; (ii) the agreements may apply even if the home hospital only closes part of its residency program; (iii) the hospital that hosts another hospital's medical residents may be anywhere in the country and does not have to be under common ownership with the home hospital; (iv) for purposes of hospitals affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the host hospitals will receive payment in full for the displaced medical residents that they host in the first year; and, (v) hospitals affected by natural disasters will receive partial payments for displaced medical residents for the year in which the disaster occurred. The interim final rule is effective immediately.

Nov. 10, 2005, federal health officials announced emergency help for Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana that includes payment by government health care programs for victims' care. The Department of Health and Human Services, in a release, said storm victims from other states who may now be in Louisiana will be able to enroll immediately in the Louisiana Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs "under rules temporarily eased because of Katrina." In the November 10th announcement, HHS said the care fund will include coverage for services not included in Louisiana's standard Medicaid benefit package, such as additional mental health services offered by providers who do not usually participate in the program.

In response to the events of Hurricane Wilma, on Oct. 24, 2005, President Bush issued a major disaster declaration for the State of Florida. Various forms of federal disaster aid are to be made available through FEMA. The assistance includes grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs, and other serious disaster related expenses. Low interest loans from the US Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance." Visit the FEMA Web site.

How to make a donation

AMA Foundation grants for physicians

The AMA Foundation is accepting donations for its Health Care Recovery Fund, which is offering grants to help physicians rebuild their medical practices in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This ongoing fund will also be available to physicians affected by future natural or man-made disasters. Donations are being accepted by credit card or by check. Checks should be mailed to AMA Foundation, 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60610.

AMA Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) sponsoring supply drive

The RFS has received numerous calls from physicians in Louisiana who have lost their medical supplies in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The RFS will be accepting donations of new and used medical supplies from physicians at the AMA Interim Meeting in Dallas on Nov. 3-5, 2005.  Find out how you can make a donation (PDF, 17KB).

Note: Some medical specialty societies have set up disaster relief activities. Interested physicians should check with their medical specialty society to check to see if a disaster relief program has been organized by that society.

The following is a list of just some of the organizations accepting donations:

  • The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) has established the "LSMS Hurricane Katrina Physician Relief Fund," to help its physician members re-establish their practices. Donations may be made online or by mail to: 402 N. 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

  • Mississippi State Medical Society (MSMS) Foundation helps physicians who lost homes and practices in the disaster — (800) 898-0251 and (601) 853-6733. The Foundation provides disaster grants to physicians who have been affected by disasters with restoring their medical practices. Applicants are not required to be members of MSMS in order to be eligible for receipt of grant monies.

  • Florida Medical Foundation — (800) 762-0233 and (850) 224-6496

  • Texas Medical Association Foundation — (512) 370-1382

  • The Arnold P. Gold Foundation has established a Katrina Assistance Fund to support medical students, residents and faculty who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.

  • American Red Cross (800) HELP NOW (435-7669) in English, (800) 257-7575 in Spanish

  • CDC Foundation Emergency Preparedness & Response Fund, (888) 880-4232

  • The Foundation of the American Association of Medical Society Executives, 555 E. Wells St., 11th Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

  • Greater New Orleans Medical Foundation (GNOMF)(organized in 2004 by the Orleans Parish Medical Society and its Alliance). Contributions should be directed to GNOMF, c/o Hibernia Bank Main Office - Baton Rouge, 440 Third St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. The following information should be included on the memo line of the check or in a separate note: Deposit to Greater New Orleans Medical Foundation. Either of the following two numbers should also be indicated: Tax ID # 20-1650323 or Bank Account # 2080558964.

Volunteer opportunities

At this time, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is NO longer accepting Katrina-related individual medical and relief worker applications. More than 33,000 health care professionals and relief personnel have registered with the HHS for possible deployment in affected areas.

For other volunteer opportunities, visit the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Web page.

In addition, several states affected by the disaster have set up ways for physicians to volunteer:

Alabama: Visit the state of Alabama's Web site to sign up to volunteer.

Florida: View information on the Florida Good Samaritan Statute (PDF, 12KB)

Louisiana: The Dept. of Health and Hospitals has a Web site with volunteering information, as does the Lousiana State Medical Society. Physicians also may call any of the following numbers: (225) 219-0821, (225) 578-0377 or (225) 765-8871 to volunteer. Physicians also may volunteer via this Web site or by calling (225) 763-5766 or (225) 763-5740.

Mississippi: The state of Mississippi has information for physicians willing to volunteer there on its Web site. Physicians interested in volunteering should e-mail or fax their name, contact information, specialty, state where they are licensed and license numbers to reliefefforts@msbml.state.ms.us or (601) 987-4159 or (601) 987-6822.

Tennessee: The state Department of Health has set up a Web site with a fax back form for Tennessee health care professionals who want to volunteer. Visit this site to fill out the form (PDF, 7KB; requires Adobe® Reader®).

Texas: The Texas Medical Association has information for Texas physicians interested in volunteering on its Web site.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is asking doctors, nurses, and other health care workers licensed or certified in Texas to volunteer to assist in treating evacuees of Hurrican Rita. Individuals with internet access can volunteer online.

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Last updated:Mar 18, 2008
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