Tuesday -
Aegis Corporate
Office
Recorded By:
Becky Heinicke
PARTICIPATING
MEMBERS:
Stephen Day.............
Bill Lidikay................
Susan Fisher............
Patricia Rainer..........
Alex DeLaRosa..........
Adrian F. Zavala........
Romero Romero.........
INVITEES:
Whitney Taylor..........
PR Consultant
Bill Shilley................
Ombudsman
Michael Seifert..........
Director of Operations
Peter C. Petit............
Director of Quality Assurance and Licensing
Udi Barkai................
President and CEO
Becky Heinicke.........
Assistant Director, Department Medical & Clinical Services
The following matters were presented, discussed and
concluded:
1) Introduction of PAAG Board Members, Ombudsman, and Corporate Staff: Introduction of participating members and invitees have included the following:
a)
Professor
Shilley presented the Ombudsman office and the scope of his responsibilities.
b)
Whitney
Taylor presented her future position and the scope of her involvement.
c)
Pete Petit
presented his department and the upcoming changes in regulations (i.e., the
removal of 180mg. daily dose and the extension of the detox days up to 180 days
as well as the upcoming accreditation and certification of counselors).
d)
Udi
presented the role of Aegis Institute, Aegis Medical Systems and the
organizational structure.
By the proposal of Bill Lidikay, it was agreed that Aegis
will provide the PAAG board members with the names and contact information of
Aegis key personnel (see attachment “A”)
2) Procedural
Matters: The Board members were
provided with a copy of the PAAG policies, protocol & procedures
(PP&Ps), reviewed and agreed to the following:
a) By the
proposal of Steve Day it was concluded that the future PAAG Board Meetings will
be scheduled for the first Wednesday every other month, the next meeting was
tentative scheduled for
b) The
members have reached a consensus to seek fair representation to all Aegis
regions on the PAAG Board. Udi in behalf
of Aegis Institute has committed to provide and arrange for the flights of
Starvel Junious from the
c) On behalf
of Aegis Institute, Udi has committed to reimburse the Board Members for their
travel expenses in an amount of $50.00 per meeting. Aegis Medical Systems (“AMS”) has committed
to provide meeting facility for the PAAG Board meetings and other secretarial
services, including the recording and distribution of the meeting minutes
d) Upon the
request of Steve Day, AMS has agreed to provide a box in each clinic for
communication and suggestion cards to the local PAAG members.
e) AMS will
post the PAAG Board resolutions on the billboards in the waiting area of each
clinic for the attention of all patients.
f) The
clinics with the appointed PPAG Board Members will also post a sign announcing
the PAAG Board Member on their billboards as well as the best way for patients
to contact him and/or forward their ideas and opinions.
g) The
Board Members have agreed to leave their e-mail addresses (if available). Udi took upon himself to discuss with Tushar
(I.T. Department) the possibility of providing computers to Board Members who
do not have computers.
3) Board Resolutions:
The following matters were discussed and resolved:
a) Upon the proposal of
Steve Day it was agreed that:
“We,
the board members of PAAG highly recommend that Aegis - in general, and it’s
dispensing nurses - in particular, will allow patients to observe their dose
and confirm dosing accuracy on a day-to-day basis”.
“We
believe that full disclosure is essential to maintain trust and respect between
Aegis’ patients and their staff members”.
Pete has expressed the regulatory
constraints as it relates to security of the medication inventory and patient
confidentiality (42CFR and HIPAA).
On behalf of Aegis Medical Systems,
Udi has represented that this policy is already in place and he promised to ask
the Corporate Directors for their assistance in the implementation of the
policy throughout Aegis.
b) Upon the proposal of Steve Day, it was agreed
that:
“We,
the board members of PAAG highly recommend that Aegis staff members - in
general, clinic managers and counselors - in particular, will support and
endorse participation of their patients in 12-Steps and other support groups. Although we believe that methadone and LAAM
are very powerful medications that can help Aegis’ patients in their recovery
efforts, however, these important medications are not enough to resolve the
patient’s other problems including social “peer pressure” that recovery addicts
are facing on a day-to-day basis by their previous social contacts”.
“12-Steps
and other support groups are playing a key role in the support system which
sustains the patient’s change of lifestyle”.
“Aegis
counselors should also acknowledge that some of its patients are not welcomed
in NA and AA groups, and in such cases they should encourage their patients to
establish and develop 12-Step Support Groups to methadone and LAAM patients in
proximity to the clinic (accessibility, etc.)”.
The
members also expressed their opinion that the name which was used so far
(“Methadone Anonymous”) is not acceptable to them because it has a negative
connotation, the members had discussed other optional names (“Steps To
Recovery”) and have decided to continue their discussion in their next meeting.
Pete,
Becky and Udi have welcomed the resolution and promised to promote it among
clinic managers and counselors
c) Upon the request of Udi, it was agreed that
the PAAG members will review the NAMA “Watchdog” website and reports. They will also use this important outlet for
education of the general public and other addicts as it relates to Aegis,
treatment options, PAAG mission and activity, etc.
Sharon Fuentes (Department of Operations)
will send an electronic link of the watchdog website to all members.
d) The Forum had extensive discussion on the
preferred policy regarding the handling of take-home bottles, the members had
debated the potential risk it represents for both drug diversion as well as a
breach in patient confidentiality.
It
was agreed that:
It
should be required that patients bring back their empty take-home bottles upon
the next day of dispensing and that they will cross their names out using a
marker which will be provided to them by the dispensary. However, patients who do not bring their
empty take-home bottle will not be denied their dose for that day (only) and
they will be asked to come again the next day with their empty take-home bottles.
Both Pete and Udi have endorsed the Resolution, they have stated that most clinics are already implemented it and that additional steps will be taken to enforce the policy in the other clinics in the near future. They promised to include the PAAG Resolution in one of the upcoming Aegis Management Meeting.