Partnership to Bring COVID-19 Pandemic Educational Resources to SC Physicians
SCHA, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and South Carolina Medical Association have partnered with Knowledge to Practice (K2P) to help doctors across the state battle the COVID-19 epidemic. Current MD COVID—a groundbreaking, subscription-based educational platform from K2P—will be provided to all physicians in the state at no charge as part of a larger effort to help stem the spread of the disease and ensure medical professionals statewide keep up on the latest medical information related to the pandemic and improve continuity of care for their patients. The program will meet the South Carolina mandatory education requirements for physicians at a time when many live classes are being canceled due to COVID-19.
CurrentMD COVID allows doctors to access the latest emerging COVID content in micro-learning modules of about 5 to 20 minutes each, downloadable to mobile devices, and available in multiple formats to provide learning whenever a busy physician has time and in a format to suit their needs.
According to Matt Bartels, chief medical officer of BlueCross, the partnership came together because of a desire among the three organizations to collaborate on efforts to support physicians and other medical staff in their treatment of patients, as well as to raise awareness, create a common language, and contribute to public discussion around COVID-19.
“Our organizations share a common endpoint: COVID-19 is an issue that touches the entire community, and in many cases, affected patients are our members,” said Bartels. “BlueCross believes that as leaders in the health care community, our respective organizations each have an important role to play in communicating forthrightly about the pandemic and helping educate clinicians as well as the community at large. Now, working in partnership, we have the opportunity to align and amplify our messaging as well as to ensure that our collective messages to the public are consistent and helpful.”
Thornton Kirby, SCHA president and chief executive officer, said, “We are proud to partner with the provider and physician community to educate South Carolinians on COVID-19. This alignment of the state’s health care community signifies the collaborative efforts underway in South Carolina to improve public health and battle the COVID-19 crisis that is negatively impacting our patients and communities.”
According to South Carolina Medical Association President Michael T. Finch, Jr. M.D., this collective effort highlights the value of physician education and its important role in combating the virus.
“As the leader of the health care delivery team, physicians play a critical role in the effort to decrease the spread of COVID-19,” said Finch. “The South Carolina Medical Association will be rolling out the Current MD COVID product to physician members, but also to non-members so that all physicians have the opportunity to obtain up-to-date COVID-19 information. Through this new partnership, we will continue to expand our efforts to address this unprecedented public health crisis.”
Mary Ellen Believeau, founder and chief executive officer, Knowledge to Practice said, “We are honored to be a partner with all three of these essential South Carolina healthcare organizations to help in the fight against COVID-19. Our mission is to help improve healthcare by providing world-class education to physicians and advanced practice providers. CurrentMD COVID is the first of its kind, and we look forward to helping as many clinicians as possible stay on top of this rapidly evolving disease.”
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About BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Headquartered in Columbia and operating in South Carolina for more than 70 years, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The only South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina comprises more than 20 companies involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health program and Medicare contracts, other insurance and employee benefits services, and a philanthropic foundation that funds programs to improve health care and access to health care for South Carolinians.
About the South Carolina Medical Association
Founded in 1848, the SCMA is comprised of nearly 6,000 physicians and is the voice of the medical profession in South Carolina. Its purpose is to support the efforts of South Carolina physicians and to advocate for quality medical care and good health for the citizens of South Carolina.
About Knowledge to Practice
Knowledge to Practice delivers practice-changing, healthcare education solutions that help transform patient care, enable continuity of care, and mitigate risks across hospitals and healthcare systems. Knowledge to Practice’s personalized curriculum and proprietary learning system embeds the best adult learning practices to result in better retention and more effective learning on the go. To learn more about Knowledge to Practice please visit: www.KnowledgeToPractice.com.