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Michigan Health Organizations Unite for Expedited Partner Therapy

Posted on May 14, 2013 14:16

STD Treatment Method Reduces Health Care Costs 

Lansing, MI. (May 14)—Prominent Michigan health organizations will host a press conference on Thursday, May 16 at 10:15 a.m. on the STD treatment practice known as Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT). EPT is the practice of treating the sex partners of persons with the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) chlamydia and gonorrhea without an intervening medical evaluation. 

Representative George T. Darany, Minority Vice Chair, House Health Policy Committee, and Representative Gail Haines, Chair, House Health Policy Committee will begin the press conference at 10:15 a.m. in the Speaker's Library at the Michigan State Capitol.

EPT allows health care professionals to provide patients with antibiotics or prescriptions for their partners without requiring a visit by that partner. Treatment of the partner is critical to preventing reinfection as well as further transmission from untreated partners. While the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of EPT has been proven by the majority of states, however Michigan law does not currently permit the practice. 

"Moving Michigan in the column of states that have EPT will provide Michigan’s physicians with a proven tool to fight these preventable infections. Supporting EPT is a crucial step for Michigan to take," said Representative George T. Darany. 

"With the rise of chlamydia cases in Michigan, we need to find ways to curb the growth of this preventable infection. In states that have implemented the policy, EPT has proven not only to inhibit the increase, but also to decrease the overall number of cases,” said Kenneth Elmassian, DO, President of the Michigan State Medical Society.

Nationally, an estimated $850 million is spent annually treating chlamydia and gonorrhea. EPT can decrease these costs by reducing the spread of infections and reliance on public services to treat STDs.

The Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan State Medical Society, Michigan Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Michigan Pharmacists Association, and the Michigan Association for Local Public Health have all expressed support for the practice of EPT. Nationally, EPT is supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Bar Association, the American Medical Association, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. 
 
The press conference is also hosted by the National Coalition of STD Directors, a partnership of public health professionals dedicated to promoting sexual health through the prevention of STDs. 
 
Contacts: 
 
Hannah Green 
National Coalition of STD Directors 
hgreen@ncsddc.org 
202-842-4660 
 
Angela Minicuci 
Michigan Department of Community Health 
minicucia@michigan.gov 
517-373-0860 

Andrew Schepers
Michigan State Medical Society 
aschepers@msms.org 
517-336-7579 
 
Bill Drake 
Office of Rep. George Darany 
bdrake@house.mi.gov 
517-373-0847 

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AMA
As part of CCB, and having become known in the HOD as a trusted and respected parliamentarian and advisor, he has been actively sought out by sections and delegations for his expertise and counsel, to ensure their concerns are met and can be adopted by the House. His commitment to open, fair and unbiased discussion and debate empowers colleagues wherever he leads, including in our House of Delegates.

ACEP
In addition to his commitments to MSMS, the AMA and CCB, Pino participates in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Section Council. This allows him to stay informed about the latest issues facing their specialty and the broader medical landscape across the country. The council comprises representatives from all over the US, who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table, and gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing emergency medicine in different regions, and work collaboratively to develop solutions and best practices. This also allows him to build relationships across the country, which are key to getting the House to “yes.”

MSMS
Dr. Colone has been an active member of the AMA since his first year of medical school. He served as Chair of the Medical Student Section, Resident and Fellows Section, and the Young Physician Section of the Michigan State Medical Society, as well as representing each of those sections as delegate from MSMS to the AMA. He has served on the Michigan Delegation to the AMA for almost 30 years, and on the MSMS Board of Directors for 11 years during that time. He is also a recipient of the AMA Foundation Leadership Award.

In addition to influencing the national debate, Dr. Colone served as president of his county and state medical societies during times of crisis. He led his county medical society during the Flint water crisis and MSMS during the COVID pandemic from 2021-2022, standing up to outside efforts by lay persons and legislators and standing by science for the safety and betterment of the public. During his presidency he led a coalition of 50 patient and health care organizations to achieve comprehensive prior authorization reform removing barriers and improving the health of all Michiganders.

President of MSMS: Pino took the helm of MSMS as President during a tumultuous time. The COVID pandemic was entering its second year. Effective and, more importantly, ineffective treatments, were becoming better known, better understood, as physicians were learning every day how to best save lives. He stood by science and resisted pressures and endorsed science based treatments based on what we’d learned, over unproven, and even dangerous, treatments.

Health Can’t Wait Initiative: Pino advanced the Health Can’t Wait Initiative as President of MSMS, a coalition of over 50 health-focused groups that saw the successful passage of comprehensive prior authorization reform into law.

Read more about the coalition here

Organizations involved in the coalition 

PA Reform Signed into Law

“Today is a wonderful day for Michigan patients who can now rest easy knowing insurance company prior authorization practices will no longer prove to be an impassable roadblock between them and the timely care and treatment they too often desperately need," said MSMS President Pino Colone, MD. “Speaking on behalf of providers, patient advocacy groups and patients across the state, I want to thank Governor Whitmer and Michigan’s lawmakers for recognizing the need for reform in this area and then working to craft and enact legislation that delivers. In signing SB 247, Governor Whitmer has ushered in a new era where transparency, clinical validity and fairness to patients will all be factored into the prior authorization process, protecting Michigan patients from costly and dangerous delays in access to health care. Officially signing this bill into law is a tremendous—and much needed—win for countless Michigan patients and the providers who serve them.”

Scope of Practice: He has testified on scope of practice helping legislators understand that nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) do not have the training or education to safely care for our families, and that medical school matters. (include the graphic from the article) and link the article: https://www.mha.org/newsroom/tag/pino-colone/

Pino spent six years as chair of the MSMS Task Force on Opioid Stewardship, advocating for naloxone to be available to residents of Michigan without a prescription, collaborating with colleagues and state officials, and disseminating timely and accurate information to MSMS members. In this role, he was pivotal in shaping MSMS’s strategic plan to reduce opioid-related overdose, eliminate stigma, and support harm reduction efforts by fighting to make naloxone available over the counter.

He was also a member of the MSMS Executive Task Force on Health Care Disparities. 

Genesee County Medical Society
Pino was also president of the GCMS during the water crisis of its largest city, Flint. He led efforts by the Society to disseminate accurate information about lead in drinking water and its effects on health. With the city and state in the national spotlight, Pino stood firm against pressure from government officials to endorse what would later prove to be flawed information, putting the expertise of his physician colleagues and the safety of local residents first.
Read more about Pino’s service as county medical society president below: 

§  November 2020 GCMS Bulletin 

§  December 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  January 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  February 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  March 2020 GCMS Bulletin 

§  April 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  May 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  June 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  July 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  August 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  September 2020 GCMS Bulletin

§  October 2020 GCMS Bulletin

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