Wednesday, November 25, 8 am - 12 pm
Thursday, November 26, CLOSED
Friday, November 27, CLOSED
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Happy Thanksgiving week!
In spite of everything that we are all facing right now, it still is a beautiful world and we all have much to be grateful for. Please join us at LWI in taking a nice breath, exhaling out any negative emotions, and focusing for a minute on the most meaningful and positive blessings in each of our lives - and our family's lives. Breathe those thoughts in and hold them gently as we go through these coming Holiday weeks.
As most of you know by now, we are almost a year into our new association with my old colleagues at San Diego Sports Medicine and Family Health Center. We're proud to be back with the "mother ship" and appreciative of the many benefits and strengths that this affiliation provides for us and our patient-family.
While every change like this necessitates some accommodations and unforeseen problems to solve, there have been an even greater number of unexpected benefits that we are experiencing. I'd like to share with you one of these that will be important for us all going forward.
Early in the inception of our practice, most small medical clinics were still using paper patient charts and doing most documentation by hand-written notes and charts. Twenty years ago, the electronic health record (EHR) was just being developed and none were very slick or practical for our purposes. We became an early-adopter and worked with a medical software developer to refine a new computer platform specifically for the needs of our CWO patient practice, called Elation. It has been a very useful and efficient tool for us all. As the advancement of medical technology has exploded, especially in the last decade, one EHR has become the quality standard above all others - the Epic EHR. Epic is a cloud-based EHR solution with a strong focus on patient engagement and facilitating remote care. Communications between patients, providers, labs and imaging centers are simplified, mutually shared in real time and all are HIPPA compliant for protection of privacy. It allows for instant access and sharing of all needed medical information between all the clinical providers involved in a patient's care. What a concept!
Benefits of Epic and MyChart:
- Epic allows for better clinical decision making by centralizing health information, integrating records from multiple sources including UCSD Health, Scripps, Kaiser, and other healthcare providers throughout San Diego County.
- Shared electronic records through Epic allows for faster and thorough communication between healthcare providers, helps to eliminate redundant diagnostic tests and reduces healthcare expenses.
- Epic’s MyChart patient portal allows for patients to communicate with their healthcare team through a HIPAA-secure channel.
- MyChart allows patients to request refills, access their test results, view details of past and upcoming appointments and view detailed statements and make payments, all online.
Due to the magnitude and importance of these shared benefits, LWI will begin utilizing Epic in the next month in place of Elation. Once we all get accustomed to its use, our ability to communicate with and care for you will be significantly enhanced. We will be able to access your records directly and immediately from most providers that we refer you to or whom you've seen previously. Many of you are already in the Epic system due to your care at another hospital or clinic and we've already experienced the many benefits that this system's quality access can provide.
We will announce the "go live" date of this EMR upgrade in advance and our staff will be happy to assist you in any way necessary to allow you to utilize your personalized MyChart for your benefit. We are currently transferring all patient information in Elation over to Epic, so there will be no loss of continuity. This transition will be as seamless as possible from the patient's perspective. Due to the cost of this improvement, we would not have been able to take advantage of it if not for the existing relationship between San Diego Sports Medicine and the UCSD Healthcare system. We look forward to enjoying and utilizing the benefits of Epic with you as we continue along our journey towards always greater health: "Weller than well"!
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Our love goes out to you and your families as we approach this week of appreciating our infinite blessings. We're always here for you!
Lee
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 With Gratitude
Research shows that practicing gratitude, completing acts of kindness, and embracing all the good things in our lives can improve our health. Gratitude not only makes us happier, but can improve our immune function and even longevity. Gratitude starts with taking a look at our attitudes. You can view one of Lee's talks on the Power of Attitude here.
We have found much to be grateful for at Lifewellness during the pandemic. We are here not just for you, but because of you. In addition, we are grateful for our community. You may not know how your team stays involved and contributes beyond the walls of Lifewellness. Here are just a few places where we share our resources and support various communities with wellness:
Meghan: Pairing her love of movement with helping others, Meghan has volunteered with Life Rolls On. Founded by Jesse Billauer, a 2X World Adaptive Surfing Champion, Life Rolls On helps people with physical limitations get back to the beach using beach wheelchairs, and out on the water on surfboards and modified boards. Meghan has also spent many years with The Challenged Athletes Foundation playing and assisting with wheelchair soccer.
Shannon: Aside from her work with her daughter Kelsie and the National Charity League, Shannon and her family have helped prepare meals for homeless families with Jewish Family Services. She also always enjoys the annual Stocking Project at SDSM, where the staff decorate and fill huge stockings with needed clothes, toys, and hygiene products for families in Mexico. In addition, in the last year, she has become more closely connected with the ALS Chapter of San Diego. At the age of 15, Shannon watched her Aunt “Red” succumb to this devastating disease and now she donates as much as she can to spreading the word of the incredible services and no-cost medical supplies that this Chapter is providing patients and families who are affected by ALS.
Linda: Grandma Lulu's Table provides 100% plant-based meals to at-risk children and their families in San Diego. Grandma Lulu's feeds the whole person with a four-part formula: encouraging movement, providing nutrition education, a smile exchange, and mentorship. Linda provides educational materials and advises the chef on menus and the Board on meeting the special nutritional needs of this high risk population.
Lee: Since my wife Mary is in recovery and has a brain tumor causing epilepsy, and my daughter earned her RN degree from National University, these three are very close to my heart: National University, the McAlister Institute, and The Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County. McAlister Institute is one of San Diego County’s largest alcohol and drug treatment providers, serving more than 13,000 individuals each year. 24 programs representing the complete continuum of care spanning outpatient treatment, short-term residential, long-term residential, and sober living, improve the quality of life in communities through the miracle of recovery.
Ashli: A newer member of our team, Ashli and her family support 50 families in need throughout the year. Providing backpacks and school supplies, and supplying complete Thanksgiving and Christmas meals is a huge blessing to these families who would otherwise go without during the holidays.
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New LWI Team Members
Updated Email Addresses
LWI is please to introduce two new team members, Ashli Amey and Gil Montoya. Please note our email addresses have changed. Use the email addresses below to reach each member of the LWI team.
Lee Rice, DO lrice@sdsm.com
Shannon Cheffet, DO scheffet@sdsm.com
Nathalie (scheduling/billing) plscheduling@sdsm.com
Dawn (labs/rx/patient care) plnursing@sdsm.com
Gil (labs/rx/x-ray/patient care) plnursing@sdsm.com
Linda (nutrition) lillingworth@sdsm.com
Meghan (exercise) mbeck@sdsm.com
Diana (x-ray) dpoirier@sdsm.com
Ashli (MA/LVN) aamey@sdsm.com
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Important Clinic Updates, Travel Restrictions, Vaccines, and COVID-19 Testing Sites:
It is more important than ever to continue to wear your mask and be diligent with social distancing. Small gatherings are now responsible for most of the COVID-19 outbreaks indicating that gatherings with anyone outside of household members continues to pose a challenge to containing this virus.
Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S., Lifewellness has the following policies to reduce the risk of spreading the virus:
- Wearing a mask or face covering at all times in the office
- Taking temperature and completing COVID-19 screening questions on arrival
- Observing a 2 week quarantine prior to in-person appointments and physicals if you are entering California from outside the state. You must be symptom free and have not traveled out of state within 2 weeks of an in-person appointment.
Thank you for helping us keep our patients and staff safe. We understand that your healthcare needs do not stop due to social distancing. Lifewellness can continue to provide excellent care via phone or telehealth appointments if you are not able to come in to the office for any reason.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS:
Many states have enacted travel advisories for out of state travelers, some mandating testing and quarantine periods. As of this publication, California is requesting a 14-day self-quarantine for those arriving from out of state. Please check with individual local and state government websites regarding travel restrictions as policies may change.
VACCINES:
Many of you have asked about the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations. While several promising COVID-19 vaccine trials are entering final stages, we are not close to vaccine sales or distribution. We will keep you informed as we learn more about which vaccines obtains final FDA approval, and when they will be available to our patients. Front line healthcare workers and high-risk populations may be the first to receive the vaccine, with the general population being vaccinated thereafter. We will keep you posted!
COVID-19 TESTING SITES:
Below are the sites we are currently recommending for rapid and PCR testing. It is important to note the limitations of COVID-19 testing. Tests for active COVID-19 have a 30% false negative rate and cannot used as proof of absence of virus, but rather a risk assessment to return to work or travel. Antibody testing has limitations regarding lack of information about the length of time antibodies provide protection and what level of antibodies are required to provide protection.
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Flu Shots Now Available
It's fall and the flu season is upon us. Over burdening the health care system continues to be a concern with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, it is strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against the flu to further protect our health care workers, supplies of PPE's, and availability of facilities to care for sick patients.
Combined with good hand washing, continued social distancing measures, and the use of masks, flu vaccines will further reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the flu.
Lifewellness Institute is now administering the Flucelvax Quadrivalent vaccine for a fee of $30. Lifewellness does not bill insurance for flu vaccines. If you prefer to use insurance coverage, please consult your local pharmacy for vaccine benefits.
Flu shots are available by appointment only, so please call Nathalie to schedule an appointment.
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