The CMS Committee on Wellness is deeply concerned that burnout and work-life balance satisfaction among U.S. physicians is getting worse. The latest study shows that more than half of U.S. physicians experience professional burnout symptoms. Given the extensive evidence that burnout affects quality of care, safety and patient satisfaction, CMS is dedicated to addressing systemic contributing factors in the practice environment and helping physicians to care for themselves. We recommend that you:

1. Prioritize what you value, and plan for it.
2. Give yourself time to "just be" and feel rooted in the moment.
3. Learn to say "no" to certain tasks, particularly when they are misaligned with your own values.
4. Practice self-care, focusing on small, actionable steps.
5. Encourage your employer to measure workplace satisfaction.
6. Learn concrete ways in which to slow the digital fire hose.
7. On a yearly basis, review volunteer, charity or community service obligations that are taking up time.

Access the full 7 Strategies document here.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced its largest-ever initiative to transform and improve how primary care is delivered and paid for in America. The effort, the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, will be implemented in up to 20 regions and can accommodate up to 5,000 practices, which would encompass more than 20,000 doctors and clinicians and the 25 million people they serve. The agency hopes the initiative will provide doctors the freedom to care for their patients the way they think will deliver the best outcomes by paying them for achieving results and improving care.

Building on the Comprehensive Primary Care initiative launched in late 2012, the five-year CPC+ model aims to help primary care practices support patients with serious or chronic diseases, give patients 24-hour access to care and health information, deliver preventive care, engage patients and their families in their care, and work with hospitals and other clinicians to provide better coordinated care.

Read more on CMS.org.

While many patients know that type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern, far fewer know about prediabetes. Prediabetes is a serious but reversible condition that affects 86 million American adults, more than one in three in the population. Current research estimates that 15 to 30 percent of patients with prediabetes could develop type 2 diabetes within five years and 90 percent of patients with prediabetes don't know they have it.

The key is for patients to work with their physicians to determine risk early and work to reverse the condition. To help in this, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have partnered with the Ad Council to launch a campaign to raise awareness of prediabetes to help your patients take the steps to prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) is an evidence-based lifestyle change program that can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. Ask your patients to visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org to take the diabetes risk test, find healthy lifestyle tips and resources and find local NDPP locations. If you have questions or would like to learn more about the NDPP in Colorado, contact Becky DiOrio, chronic disease coordinator at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, at [email protected].

Colorado Medical Society members are invited to attend the 2016 Western Health Care Leadership Academy in San Francisco, CA, May 13-15. CMS-member registrants will have access to special pricing by using the promotional code COMED16 when registering.

The Western Health Care Leadership Academy was created to bring together current and future leaders to examine leading-edge trends in the rapidly evolving health care environment; to explore innovative and collaborative solutions to the problems and challenges of that environment; and to promote the development of physician leaders - leaders of not only organizational entities, but also of change itself.

The featured keynote speaker is Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship winner, a New Yorker columnist and an author. Most of all, he is a physician with an understanding of the everyday challenges of health care delivery. This year's event also features keynote sessions with deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush Karl Rove; Al Gore campaign manager and Democratic National Committee vice chair Donna Brazile; and internist, founder of Turntable Health and comedian ZDoggMD (also known as Zubin Damania, MD).

Register before May 5 and save up to $500. For more information and to register, visit www.westernleadershipacademy.com.

Peer Assistance Services has teamed up with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to provide no-cost training and technical assistance for Colorado Medicaid providers on screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT). SBIRT is an effective preventive health service to identify, reduce and prevent problematic substance use. The Medicaid project goals are to increase the statewide adoption of SBIRT to help prevent substance use disorder, to detect risky use and offer support, and to refer patients to substance use treatment who need it.

View the remaining dates through June 14 and access the registration link on CMS.org.