The Show-Me-State Update is your source for the latest news and information impacting the medical community. Time-sensitive information and requests related to healthcare, advocacy issues, and professional development opportunities from MAFP are included.

May 2024 – MAFP News & Events

MAFP Virtual CME

Members are encouraged to visit https://www.mo-afp.org/cme-events/virtual-cme/ to register for upcoming Virtual CME sessions and view information from the Virtual CME sessions that have already been delivered.  

Upcoming sessions cover topics such as Family Medicine Advocacy, Breastfeeding, Artificial Intelligence, Value-Based Care, and Dermatology. Recorded sessions with videos and informational slides are available on Harm Reduction Strategies for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder, Coronary CT in Chest Pain: A Paradigm Shift, A Comprehensive Guide to STD Management, and How Sick Are Your Patients? Reflecting Patient Disease Burden Using the HCC Risk Adjustment Model.

Please be aware CME can only be claimed by those who pre-register and view these sessions Live.

FTC Announces Rule Banning Non-Compete Clauses

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule on April 23 to promote competition by banning non-competes nationwide, protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.

Under the FTC’s new rule, existing non-competes for most workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule’s effective date. Existing non-competes for senior executives – who represent less than 0.75% of workers – can remain in force under the FTC’s final rule, but employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new non-competes, even if they involve senior executives. Employers will be required to provide notice to workers other than senior executives who are bound by an existing non-compete that they will not be enforcing any non-competes against them.

In January 2023, the FTC issued a proposed rule which was subject to a 90-day public comment period. The FTC received more than 26,000 comments on the proposed rule, including comments from the MAFP, with over 25,000 comments in support of the FTC’s proposed ban on non-competes.

Under the final rule, existing non-competes for senior executives can remain in force. Employers, however, are prohibited from entering into or enforcing new non-competes with senior executives. The final rule defines senior executives as workers earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions.  Employers will have to provide notice to workers bound to an existing non-compete that the non-compete agreement will not be enforced against them in the future. To aid employers’ compliance with this requirement, the Commission has included model language in the final rule that employers can use to communicate to workers. 

The final rule will become effective 120 days (on or around August 23) after publication in the Federal Register.  Once the rule is effective, market participants can report information about a suspected violation of the rule to the Bureau of Competition by emailing noncompete@ftc.gov. 

More details can be found here: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-announces-rule-banning-noncompetes.

Pediatric Mental Health Grant and Initiatives

The MAFP was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics to provide continuing medical education on pediatric mental health and support members in providing care to their patients.  The July-September issue of the Missouri Family Physician magazine will have an article on pediatric depression, and we will host a FREE two-hour virtual CME session on pediatric mental health (final focus area TBA).  We have created a page on our website with important resources related to various pediatric mental health issues for you to access.

Did you know that May 5-11, 2024, is Children’s Mental Health Week?  Here is a link to a flyer that you can display in your clinic and promote an activity for all to ring bells for hope and share on social media.  Let’s ring some bells for hope! #Ring4Hope

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3,700,000 with no percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the US government.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Resources Available from AAFP

Excessive alcohol use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and is associated with negative health consequences. Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a range of lifelong conditions that include physical and behavioral problems, as well as intellectual disabilities. Alcohol misuse resources are available for you to recognize and provide care for patients who need help.  These resources include a practice manual, CME, training, reimbursement and coding, and much more. 

Transition to Practice Conference for Medical Students and Residents

All Missouri family medicine residents and medical students interested in family medicine are encouraged to attend the Transition to Practice Conference for Medical Students and Residents, June 21-22, 2024 at The Oasis Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, MO. 

With topics such as Practical Finance Tips, Contract Negotiations, Insights from Residency Directors, Exploring Various Practice Settings, a Procedures Workshop on Joint Injections and Implantable Contraception, and more, every participant will leave the conference armed with resources, ideas, and best practices to become a Missouri family physician.  Attendees will also have a chance to meet with residency programs and recruiters during the Missouri Mingle.

Registration for this conference is supported by the Family Health Foundation of Missouri and complimentary for MAFP members. More information and registration can be found at https://www.mo-afp.org/transition-to-practice/.

DHSS Announces Awards for New Physician Residency Training Slots to Increase Access to Health Care Service

$2.2 million in grants spur public-private partnerships to grow Missouri’s physician workforce

Five Missouri Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs will expand due to a new state-funded grant program implemented by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). These grant awards will help hospitals, health systems and educational entities train more medical school graduates to address health care access challenges and workforce shortages in Missouri’s highest-need areas.  Fifty-six percent of students from Missouri who attend a medical school and do their residency training in Missouri ultimately stay here to practice. Missouri loses at least one-third of its medical school graduates to other states due to a lack of residency slots.

DHSS awarded five grants to support nine new residency slots for the duration of the resident’s training period (three to four years) to the following Missouri programs:

• Mercy Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program, St. Louis
• Mercy Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, St. Louis
• University of Missouri School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program, Columbia
• SSM Health Care Psychiatry Residency Program, St. Louis
• SSM Health Care Internal Medicine Residency Program, St. Louis

This grant program will support the training of at least 90 new physicians through funding over the next 10 years. Missouri needs an additional 1,000 physicians to address workforce shortages in Missouri’s highest-need areas.

The awarded GME programs are required to provide additional funds or in-kind resources to supplement the newly created residency positions, increasing the public and private investment for GME in Missouri to advance the state’s goal of providing high-quality care to all Missourians.

Visit Health.Mo.Gov/GME to learn more about Missouri’s GME Grant Program.

ABFM’s New KSA Platform Update

​In 2019, ABFM leadership created the ABFM five-year strategic plan that outlined several initiatives, including a new KSA platform, which was made available to family medicine physicians and residents on March 15, 2023.  This new KSA platform introduced an enhanced modern KSA user interface, a more intuitive experience, and offers enhanced features inside the KSA.  Among these changes include instant feedback on each question, the ability to review item critiques immediately after answering a KSA question, the option to submit comments on each question as the physician progresses through the KSA activity, and the ability to customize a reference list for additional personal learning.   Some deadlines may apply depending on what activities you have in progress.  Log into your MyABFM Portfolio for more information.

ABFM National Journal Club Articles Released

​ABFM is excited to announce that the ABFM National Journal Club added a new set of articles in March 2024. All article assessments completed will earn 1 certification point and 1 CME credit, complete 10 article assessments to fulfill your minimum KSA requirement for your stage.  Each article assessment activity will require the learner to demonstrate mastery by correctly answering all four questions for each article.  The aim of the ABFM National Journal Club is to help family physicians to keep up to date, support shared decision-making with patients and families, and empower family physicians to advocate for their patients with subspecialists, health systems, and payers.   ABFM’s approach builds on that of other Certification Boards and seeks to advance the methodology of journal article activities with structured literature searches, emphasis on methodologic rigor, and a requirement of mastery.