For many months, Colorado has been ramping up its COVID-19 vaccine equity efforts. As we move away from a time of vaccine scarcity, that effort becomes more important than ever. From both inside and outside state government, organizations large and small across the state of Colorado have been focused on vaccine equity, both in access…
After a robust legislative session, changes to Colorado’s school entry immunization process will take effect when students return for the 2021-2022 school year, beginning July 1. The changes, approved by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis on June 26, 2020 and further codified by the Colorado Board of Health in November…
Dear Governor Polis, On behalf of the undersigned healthcare professionals and organizations, we urge you to maintain the existing Executive Order requiring masks in indoor public spaces. While there will be a time in the near future when masking can be eased, relaxing the mandate now would be premature and could undermine our progress against…
The Winter 2021 issue of Colorado Family Physician is out. In this issue, we focus on a theme of Health Equity and explore it from some unexpected angles, such as disability rights and environmental justice. We also discuss important vaccine news, updates on COVID-19, and the care benefits of sympathy. And don’t forget the CME!
COVID-19 vaccination has been challenging for both seasoned vaccinators and those newer to vaccine administration. The following resources may be especially useful to those who do not have a lot of vaccine administration experience but are involved in the COVID-19 vaccination response. These resources may also be useful to vaccinators with more experience: Understanding How…
Having worked with providers over the last several years to develop quality improvement strategies to improve vaccination rates, one thing has become clear… immunization reminder/recall systems work, and you can’t use one without the other. Reminder and recall, although two separate activities, must exist together to raise immunization rates and remind patients and parents how…
The Summer 2020 issue of Colorado Family Physician is out. Inside, we discuss the latest approaches and education for family physicians. We also discuss the power of legacy giving, how you can nurture a culture of security at your practice, and best practices for being active on social media. Finally, we have posted the Annual Report for 2019….
Ensuring immunization services are maintained (or reinitiated) is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Influenza vaccination will be doubly important this 2020-2021 influenza season by reducing: The impact of respiratory illnesses in the population, and The burden on an already strained healthcare system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the overall…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DENVER, COLORADO – The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) and American Academy of Pediatrics – Colorado Chapter (AAP-CO) support and fully endorse the order issued today by Governor Jared Polis requiring the use of cloth masks in Colorado. This order comes as Colorado is facing a rise in new COVID-19 infections….
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta and Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton are among 506 institutions that are honored by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). The Honor Roll recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that have achieved coverage rates of 90% or more for administering hepatitis B vaccine at birth. There are 9…
The last few months have seen a tremendous upheaval in our society, from the COVID-19 pandemic to, more recently, a mass movement to demand action in response to police brutality toward people of color. We as doctors are not immune from this upheaval. I am so proud of how all of you have responded to…
This is a story from the Spring 2020 Issue of our magazine, written by Glenn Kotz, MD, and Jarrid Rollins, LCSW. Few things are as frustrating as when a chronic pain sufferer comes into the office for an early refill on their main medication. The negotiation over how much medication to refill needs to be…