Weekly Update – 24 January 2022 – NewYork-Presbyterian Emergency Medicine

January 22, 2022

Message from GME: Please upload proof of Booster by January 31st

Dear Residents,

Please note that the GME office has asked that all residents to upload proof of your COVID-19 booster vaccine information via NYP Vax App by Monday, January 31^st. If your vaccine information is not completed by the deadline, you may experience issues accessing campus buildings as part of the NYP COVID PASS daily symptom attestation.

For your convenience, I’ve attached instructions for accessing and using VaxApp.

If you uploaded your booster documentation into NYP Vax App, you can check to confirm your booster was approved. If you received your booster at an NYP WHS space, it will be recorded in Epic. If you received your vaccine outside of NYP, please upload a photo of your booster to VaxApp. Your vaccine documentation should include your name, date(s) of vaccination, and the manufacturer of the vaccine received.

If you have difficulty accessing NYP Vax App or uploading your information, please visit WHS or call the WHS hotline at 646-697-9470.

Feel free to contact the Residency program if you have any questions.

Meals provided courtesy of the Deans from Columbia and Cornell

Cornell meals are located in the ED break room at the following times:

ED Break Room

Lunch delivery 12-1pm

Dinner delivery 7-8pm

Columbia meals are located in the EM Faculty Lounge, CHONY-116, and will be delivered at 11:30AM.

From the Residency Leadership: Interview Season

Dear EM family,

Faculty and residents, if free we ask that you try and make it anytime from 9am to 11:15am (east coast interview days) on

January:

18th, 24th

Faculty and residents, if free we ask that you try and make it anytime from 11:45am to 2:00pm (non-east coast interview days) on

January:

10th, 11th

Here is the zoom link for every interview day:

Interview Day Zoom:

https://weillcornell.zoom.us/j/8641139634

Meeting ID: 864 113 9634

Passcode: 741852

One of the most positive pieces of feedback we receive from applicants is an acknowledgment of how many faculty and residents show up on interview day. So even if you can be present for 15 minutes, it would be greatly appreciated. Your shared experience, advocacy, and passion for EM truly demonstrate the essence of our remarkable NYP Columbia and Cornell residency.

Thank you for your care and commitment,

With gratitude,

The EM Residency Program Leadership

Reminder: Documenting Disposition Notes

A reminder that all patients being discharged should have a progress note documented and to use the “.resdispo” smartphrase as a template. This is important for documenting what was done in the ER and that the patient was reassessed. This should be done for all patients at both campuses.

Furthermore, all admitted patients must have a resident hanoff note.

Campus Announcements

Update on CHONY Notes:

Here’s the workflow to add the macropem speed button.

They can also just use .macropem within in a blank note.

Select the wrench within the provider note section

Type in macropem then accept and close

Macropem not available as a speed button

COVID Updates 1/19 (Dr. Tedeschi)

Good afternoon: The good covid news today is that cases and hospitalizations are decreasing throughout the region. As you’ve probably noticed, ED boarding and patient volume remain high, as does the inpatient census (throughout NYP, there are nearly 200 more covid positive inpatients now than there were at this time last year).

Nonetheless, we may have turned a corner. Thanks for your persistence and, in particular, for making it this far in my email. Read on for a few important updates, including the upcoming NYP and Columbia requirement to receive a vaccine booster and upload documentation to the CU website.

Booster Requirement

NY State has indicated that the booster requirement for health care workers will likely be enforced as of January 26. That’s next week! This is earlier than the previously announced University deadline of 1/31. Either way, please upload your documentation as soon as possible as described below (Columbia University affiliates only).
To upload proof of booster, go to the Upload Your Vaccination Documentation page and scroll down to the new Booster Information section.
There are two options—you are eligible, or you are not eligible (due to insufficient time since the last dose of your primary vaccination).
If you check the “ineligible” option, you are done (and are not required to upload any documentation at this time), but will need to return to upload evidence of booster vaccination once you are eligible to, and you must upload documentation within 31 days of becoming eligible for the booster. If you check the “eligible” option, you will be able to upload your booster documentation directly.
It’s not yet possible to upload booster information using the ReopenCU app.
Stop here. Do this now!

Debriefing resources attached

Thanks to Janice Shin-Kim and Dave Kessler for putting together the attached Clinical Debriefing Guide — this is a great resource that offers some structure and meaning for debriefing significant events in the ED. Please take a look and think about incorporating this into your own practice.
My two cents: debriefing isn’t only for big events or bad outcomes – think about checking in with your team, formally or informally, during a shift.

Clarification of home testing guidance

Symptomatic individuals who test positive on a home antigen test DO NOT require confirmatory PCR testing as per NYP WHS. This was corrected from a prior communication – you should have received updated guidelines via email yesterday.

Masks

Effective Tuesday, January 18, cloth masks will not be acceptable protection in indoor Columbia University settings. Surgical masks will be provided by Columbia in multiple locations on campus and in associated buildings.
Remember – an N95 mask PLUS eye protection is the best bet for any patient encounter in the ED. And also, the best way to avoid being tagged as ‘exposed’ if a contact later tests positive.

Please send along any questions as always — I’ll plan on another update at the end of the week.