When Texans renew their drivers licenses online, they now can donate $1 to help educate Texans about organ donation. The program is not available at Department of Public Safety offices yet, but is online.

The $1 donation will be used to create a statewide education program that supports the individual efforts of the organ donation agencies (school programs, community programs, perhaps an advertising program).

People can go to the DPS website (http://dps.texasonline.state.tx.us/) to renew their licenses, and choose to donate $1 to the Anatomical Gift Education Fund if they'd like to support this statewide educational effort.

As of Jan. 1, Texas physicians must report all cases of varicella (chickenpox) to the Texas Department of Health. All cases with onset date on or after Jan. 1 should be reported by name, address, date of birth, sex, race, and ethnicity--just as is done for other reportable conditions. The Texas Board of Health approved named-reporting of varicella because the vaccine is now a requirement for children entering school and day care, plus chickenpox morbidity has significantly declined since the vaccine was licensed in March 1995.

The diagnosis does not have to be made by a health professional. If Grandma says it's chickenpox, then it's chickenpox.

Print the form and then fax or mail it on a weekly basis to Dallas County Health & Human Services Department, Communicable Disease Division, 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207-2710. Or fax to 214-819-6095.

Every physician has a different reason for giving back to the community, but another good reason is to complete the yearly Texas State Board of Medical Examiners' CME requirements. Physicians can meet six of the twelve hours required for informal continuing medical education by volunteering time at a community indigent care clinic. For more information, contact the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners at 800-248-4062.

There are three laws that protect physicians in volunteer capacities: the Texas "Charitable Immunity and Liability Act," the federal "Good Samaritan Law," and the federal "Volunteer Protection Act."

The Texas Charitable Immunity and Liability Act, a doctrine designed to encourage volunteerism, provides immunity from civil liability for physician volunteers who provide non-emergency medical services. Immunity relies on the following criteria:

• Work is for a charitable organization and the physician is not being compensated;
• The physician acts in good faith within the scope of his or her license;
• Written consent is obtained from the patient.

The Good Samaritan Law provides immunity from civil liability to physicians who provide uncompensated emergency care when the need arises so long as:

• Their actions are in good faith;
• They are not compensated;
• Their actions did not cause the emergency;
• They are not the admitting physician or associated physician with treating the patient.

The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers from liability abuses in order to promote the interests of nonprofit organizations.

Check with your malpractice carrier on their coverage for volunteer physicians and make your New Year's resolution to become a physician volunteer.

Do you have patients who can't afford to purchase the medicine you prescribe for their conditions? Volunteers in Health Care has developed RxAssist to help healthcare providers identify programs offering free pharmaceuticals for their eligible, low-income patients who have no insurance coverage to help pay for the cost of the drug and who are ineligible for any public assistance funding. The procedures and paperwork involved in applying for pharmaceutical patient assistance programs can be daunting. RxAssist is designed to save providers time and frustration by making it easier to identify appropriate programs for their patients, and submit applications, which conform to the company's latest procedures and requirements. The database can be searched by brand name, generic name, drug class, or company name. The program is designed for healthcare providers, not patients. For more information call 877-844-8442 or pull up their web site at www.volunteersinhealthcare.org

Other Pharmacy Assistance Programs: