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DJP Update 9-7-2005 More on
volunteers and how to get involved in
aftermath of Katrina
ITEM ONE: UPDATE ON VOLUNTEER INFO
ITEM TWO: LSMS cancels annual meeting
ITEM THREE: LAGNIAPPE
ITEM ONE: UPDATE ON VOLUNTEER INFO
Here is more information on being an out of state medical volunteer.
I have given you information my DJP 9-2-2005 past update on the
Louisiana Governor's Executive Order of September 2, 2005.
I will repeat an excerpt from that DJP Update and then put new
information below it.
Emails continue to flow in to me asking how physicians can volunteer.
Please forward this email to your colleagues. As I explained
previously, some of my megalist was incapacitated by the hurricane and I
am reconstructing it now. Some of you may have fallen off of the list.
If you were on list and you get this forwarded to you, drop me a note
and I will put you back on.
Remember, my goal is to be a source of reliable information so that we
in Medicine can effectively help Americans in distress from this
destructive hurricane.
This personal effort is a staff of one, namely me, and I apologize for
not answering each email immediately. In addition, there is significant
damage to our home and Robin and I are striving to get the roof covered
so more rain won't get in after the roof tiles and tar paper were torn
off by Katrina and the driving rain caused multiple ceilings in our home
to collapse with a resulting true mess.
I am in touch with AMA and LSMS and my goal is for these great
organizations to lead the way and be in sync with Federal and State
authorities. I forward information to LSMS and communicate also with
AMA. LSMS can get directly to Louisiana Health and Hospitals. Only by
organized effort can we be most effective. There is no need to mention
what happens with failure to communicate and failure to coordination.
If you still have trouble reaching the posted numbers at state or the
federal government or do not get a satisfactory response, let me know
and I will pass it on with the goal of getting action.
Go here to read pertinent parts of the Executive Order
http://www.lsms.org/News/Katrina%20Order%20pertintent%20sections.htm
EXECUTIVE ORDER KBB 05-26
Declaration of Public Health Emergency
To Suspend Out-of-State
Licensure for Medical Professionals and Personnel
SECTION 2 The Louisiana state licensure laws, rules, and regulations for
medical professionals and personnel are hereby suspended for those
medical professionals and personnel from other states offering medical
services in Louisiana to those needing medical services as a result of
this disaster provided that said out-of-state medical professionals and
personnel possess current state medical licenses in good standing in
their respective states of licensure and that they practice in good
faith and within the reasonable scope of his or her skills, training or
ability.
SECTION 3: All out-of-state medical professionals and personnel offering
services to the state of Louisiana by authority of this Order shall be
covered by La. R.S. 40:1299.39, et seq ., and shall thus be considered
agents of the state of Louisiana for tort liability purposes contingent
upon said out-of-state medical professional and personnel possessing
current state medical licenses in good standing in their respective
states of licensure and that they practice in good faith and within the
reasonable scope of his or her skills, training or ability.
SECTION 4: All out-of-state medical professionals and personnel offering
services to the state of Louisiana by authority of this Order shall
submit to the state health officer, or his designee at the Office of
Public Health within the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, a
copy of their respective licenses and photo identification.
SECTION 5: The suspension of these rules, regulations, and laws shall
extend through Sunday, September 25, 2005.
Go here to read the entire order.
http://gov.louisiana.gov/2005%20Executive%20orders/PublicHealthEmergencyDeclaration.pdf
September 2, 2005 3:26 pm
NEW INFORMATION
Now here is the new information located at Louisiana State Medical
Society web site. I pasted the links into this email rather than copy
and paste the "click here" so that you could print and share links via
hard copy too.
www.lsms.org
September 7, 2005 12:12 pm
US Health and Human Services releases bulletin on HIPAA Privacy and
Disclosures in Emergency Situations.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/KATRINAnHIPAA.pdf
September 7, 2005 12:05 pm
US Health and Human Services announces website and toll free number for
registration and information on deployment of health care professionals:
https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/
toll free number: 1-866-KAT-MEDI
Read the full press release from HHS.
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/news.asp?ID=145&Detail=596
September 7, 2005 12:00 pm
DHH gets overwhelming response to call for physician volunteers.
Coordination of efforts continues.
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/news.asp?ID=145&Detail=596
Hurricane Katrina # 26 --- Health Department Gets Overwhelming Medical
Professionals Response; Coordination of Volunteers in Progress
The Department of Health and Hospitals is grateful for the overwhelming
response to the call for medical professionals to assist in Louisiana's
recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina.
DHH's goal is to have a coordinated effort so that state health workers
can use volunteer help in the most effective and efficient way. If you
are a licensed medical professional who wishes to assist in this effort,
please send an e-mail with your name, contact information and area of
experience, as well as dates you would be available, to
eocpio@dhh.la.gov.
DHH officials ask that anyone who volunteers his or her services waits
for a return phone call from a department representative coordinating
the medical relief effort before coming to Louisiana. A DHH official can
speak with volunteers and coordinate their travel so that everyone can
be assigned to an area where their medical skills will be of the most
use.
Health department representatives wish to assign formal responsibilities
to each person who volunteers rather than having people travel long
distances and arrive in state with no direct assignment.
For more health and safety information for cleanup after Hurricane
Katrina, visit
www.dhhemergencynews.com
ITEM TWO: LSMS cancels annual meeting. See
www.lsms.org
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ITEM THREE: LAGNIAPPE
1- All of my family members now evacuated and safe. My 91 year old Mom
stayed with us for a couple of days in Baton Rouge and then left for
Austin with my sister and brother-in-law. All will be liviing with my
sister's son who is an attorney in Austin. Kids and grandkids evacuated
to various parts of USA.
2- Tabasco, our wonderful dog, is safe and follows Robin around like a
shadow. Robin is working relentlessly to get our lives and home back to
normal. She and I got to see our home in Metairie on her birthday, Sept
3. I am lucky to have her.
3- Robin and I need advice on mobile home or mobile home trailer as we
have been advised to consider this option and put it in our driveway.
We can then be there cleaning up and working with any workman we can
find to hire and do repairs. Getting gasoline remains a problem but
diesel fuel is available as is LP fuel for generator use. I met a man
today who advised getting a pickup truck and a "fifth wheel" type home
trailer. I have a lot to learn.
Suggestions appreciated.
4- Thanks to all who offered us living quarters out of state. Greatly
appreciated. Trying our best to stay in Louisiana with ready access to
home.
5- Many of you know of my love of gadgets and how they help communicate.
BlackBerry, portable computer with wireless data card -Verizon
broadband (not Wi-Fi), handcrank powered radio, flashlight, portable
GPS, etc. have been fantastic help. Cell phone most reliable for data
message as voice is usually not available due to "congestion" but text
messaging or email to phone or BlackBerry works great.
Stay well.
Americans always rise to the challenge and this catastrophe will be no
different.
Your friend,
Donald
Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Donald.Palmisano@ama-assn.org
DJP@intrepidresources.com
cell 312-560-0180
Temporary mail and FedEx etc.
A long time friend of mine, an outstanding medical malpractice defense
attorney, has made arrangements for me to use the facilities at his new
office in Baton Rouge until Metairie is restored.
Additional Contact Information:
Mail and Federal Express etc.
Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
C/O Herbert J. Mang, Jr, JD
8281 Goodwood Blvd.
Suite B
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Cell phone is best phone contact for me at this time:
Use 312-560-0180
Office phone: 504-455-5895 (I converted this number to cell phone also.)
FAX: 225-932-9313
Email works great and I carry a BlackBerry and get copy of email on
BlackBerry.
Email:
DJP@intrepidresources.com
Backup email if any problem:
Donald.Palmisano@ama-assn.org
This backup email goes directly to my BlackBerry.
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