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Front Desk/Billing Staff

Please save the date for our next front desk/billing call on Thursday, August 13 from 9-10 am. In preparation for the meeting, please fill out the survey to let me know what questions you might have. As always, a representative from Ahlers will be on the call.

Please complete the survey by Friday, August 7:

Announcement: Additional Guidance Online for Providers Regarding 9-Valent HPV Vaccine Use Among Persons Who Previously Received HPV Vaccination

A 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (Gardasil 9, Merck and Co., Inc.) was licensed for use in females and males in the United States in December 2014 (1,2). This is the third HPV vaccine licensed by the Food and Drug Administration; the other vaccines are the bivalent HPV vaccine, licensed for use in females, and the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, licensed for use in females and males (3).

In February 2015, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended 9-valent HPV vaccine as one of three HPV vaccines that can be used for routine vaccination of females and one of two HPV vaccines for routine vaccination of males. ACIP recommendations were published in a March 2015 report (4). Additional information has been posted on the CDC website to provide guidance on issues that were not addressed in the March report but are likely to arise during the transition to 9-valent HPV vaccine, including questions about use of 9-valent HPV vaccine among persons who previously received bivalent or quadrivalent HPV vaccine.

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Impact of Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines on Screening for Chlamydia

In 2009, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended against cervical cancer screening before the age of 21, regardless of sexual activity. According to a new small study, this change may be causing some young women to miss out on screening for chlamydia. Researchers looked at young women aged 15 to 21 years old who made visits to five family medicine clinics at the University of Michigan. From 2008 to 2009, more than 500 young women were screened for chlamydia. But from 2011 to 2012, after the guideline change, only 37 were screened for chlamydia. Yet, the number of visits per patient were roughly the same. Researchers believe that one reason women aren't getting screened for chlamydia is the lack of knowledge about noninvasive screening methods, including a urine sample or vaginal swab. Chlamydia and cervical cancer screening need to be uncoupled and new screening opportunities should be identified.

2015 STD Treatment Guidelines Materials Now Available

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its updated Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. CDC has developed several resources for clinicians based on the Guidelines, including:

*Wall Chart-This poster-sized chart provides an overview of CDC's 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines. The wall chart is ideal for use in doctors' offices, nurses' stations, and other clinical settings.

*Pocket Guide-A booklet that includes a summary of CDC's 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines. It is printed at a size that can fit in a lab coat, pocket, or desk drawer. Limited quantities are now available to order through CDC-INFO on Demand Publications.

*Apple STD Tx Guide 2015 App -This easy-to-use mobile reference features a streamlined interface so that providers can quickly and easily access STD treatment and diagnostic information. The free app is currently available for Apple devices.

*Evidence Tables-These background documents provide a basis for the STD screening, diagnostic, and treatment recommendations included in the 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines.

Additionally, CDC hosted a webinar to provide an overview of the updates in the Guidelines and answer questions. The webinar, slides, and continuing education (CE) information are now available.

New Study on Alcohol Use and Unintended Sexual Events

A new study in Women's Health Issues shows a demonstrated link between alcohol use and unintended sexual events. Researchers interviewed 20 women who visited an STD clinic in Baltimore and reported either recent binge drinking or sex while under the influence of alcohol. The authors' identified five major unintended sexual events that occurred while the women were under the influence of alcohol: (1) sex with new partners, often strangers, (2) engaging in sexual activities that they would not normally engage in while sober, (3) unprotected sex, (4) sex that occurred when they had "blacked-out," and (5) rape. This study highlights the link between alcohol use and sexual victimization, and the need for interventions to reduce the emotional and physical harms resulting from the unintended consequences of alcohol use.