 |
[ADVOCACY] [CME] [PUBLIC HEALTH] [QUALITY INITIATIVES] [RESIDENTS & STUDENTS] [OTHER NEWS]
INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE:
--FREE TELECONFERENCE ON NEW IMMUNIZATION CODES
--VIDEO CME EVENT ON CARDIO CARE (FROM JOHNS HOPKINS)
--ANNUAL DEPRESSION SCREENING COVERED BY MEDICARE IN 2011
--MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION PART IV CREDIT AVAILABLE
--ARCHIVE GOOD RESOURCE FOR FPs
--CALL FOR RESEARCH DAY ABSTRACTS |
|
|
SGR UPDATE
On Monday, November 29, the U.S. House of Representatives concurred with a previous decision by the Senate and approved legislation to extend the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) until December 31. President Obama signed the legislation, preventing any disruption in payments until the end of the year. Discussions are in the works for a one-year extension of the SGR with a possible increase of one percent. AAFP is working on appropriate member response information and PAFP will distribute this as soon as it is available.
GOVERNOR VETO
Governor Rendell vetoed three bills last week including legislation that would have established cancer as an “occupational disease” in some cases for firefighters. House Bill 1231 would have amended the Workers' Compensation Act further defining "occupational disease" to include cancer suffered by a firefighter that is caused by exposure to a known carcinogen which is recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
FREE TELECONFERENCE ON NEW IMMUNIZATION CODES
A teleconference on New Immunization Administration Codes for 2011 will be held at 12:15 pm on Tuesday, December 7, 2010. The teleconference, which is co-sponsored by the PAFP, is free to family physicians and their staff. During the call, the speaker will outline new immunization administration coding for 2011, state factors underlying the 2011 coding changes and identify resources to assist in resolving coding questions. Click here for more information and the registration form.
DEADLINE FOR FILING 2009 MEDICARE FFS CLAIMS TIGHTENS
The time period for filing claims for Medicare Fee-For-Service reimbursement has tightened to meet the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The deadline for filing claims for services rendered in 2009 is December 31, 2010. Additionally, claims for services on or after January 1, 2010, must be filed within one year of the date of service. Failure to do so will result in denial of the claim. Click here for more in CMS’ MLN Matters newsletter.
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
|
|
PRESENTATION HANDOUTS AVAILABLE
If you attended the Southcentral Component Assembly CME program in Hershey (Oct. 16) the handouts are available online under “Education” at www.pafp.com. Also, if you attended the recent Pittsburgh Breakaway (Nov. 5-7), the handouts are available on the PAFP site, too.
UPCOMING PAFP CME OPPORTUNITIES IN 2011
State College Breakaway, March 11 – 13
Clinical sessions, SAM Study Group (Diabetes) & Research Day
Click here for more information and online registration
SAM Study Group (Hypertension), May 12, Heritage Hills Golf Resort, York, PA
Just prior to PAFP’s Annual Business Meeting and Golf Benefit
Click here for more program information
Summer Escape 2011, July 14 – 17, Ocean Place, Long Branch Beach, NJ
Clinical sessions
Click here for more on Ocean Place
Nemacolin Breakaway, November 4 – 6, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Clinical sessions & SAM Study Group (Diabetes)
Click here for more on Nemacolin
OTHER PAFP EVENTS
FORE! Family Medicine Golf Benefit, May 14, Heritage Hills Golf Resort, York PA
Enjoy a wonderful day of golf at Heritage Hills Golf Resort while supporting Family Medicine students who will become tomorrow’s Family Physicians. In the last three tournaments, PAFP Foundation has raised more than $25,000 for student programs. Held in conjunction with PAFP’s Annual Business Meeting. Click here for more information
OTHER CME OPPORTUNITIES
Video CME Event--CardioCareLive: Advancing Patient Care
(presented by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
Advancing Cardiac Patient Care in the 21st Century: Recent Developments. A Complimentary VIRTUAL CONGRESS on Wednesday, December 8, and Thursday, December 9, from 2-10 p.m. For more information and to register online go to www.CardioCareLive.com
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
|
|
ANNUAL DEPRESSION SCREENING COVERED BY MEDICARE IN 2011
Beginning in 2011, Medicare will cover preventive screenings for depression as part of Welcome and annual exams. Included is a review of functional ability and level of safety, including an assessment of any cognitive impairment and screening for depression.
Many practices use the PHQ-9, but the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare recommends these two screening tools:
* The short form Geriatric Depression Scale, which is self-administered, easy to score, and is as reliable as the long form. Click here to download.
* Paykel Suicide Scale, though not specific to older adults, it is also self-administered, easy to score and short. Click here to download. (NOTE: The highest incidence of suicide occurs in men in their 80s.)
PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION AND CME IN KEYSTONE PHYSICIAN (PAFP MAGAZINE)
Adult immunization tip sheet. Go to Summer 2010
Child abuse (FAQs for mandated reporters). Go to Fall 2010Colorectal cancer screening tip sheets. Go to Summer 2010Using PDSA cycles to implement better care (CME). Go to Summer 2010Coming in Fall/Winter 2010--tip sheets on adolescent immunization and child sexual abuse
PUBLIC HEALTH CME WEBCASTS
Lots of free CME at www.pafp.com/onlineCME, most of which qualifies as patient safety. Topics include rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and colorectal cancer.
NEW! CME WEBCAST
IMPLEMENTING CHANGE: Best Practices For Continuous Quality Improvement
1.25 Prescribed Credits, qualifies as risk management CME for PA licensure. Watch this program to answer these questions: How do you make small changes that lead to big improvements? What changes should you focus on? What kind of changes can your practice team make? How do you engage patients in making changes?
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
|
PA REACH TURNING "MEANINGFUL USE" INTO "MEANINGFUL" FINANCIAL GAINS
Physicians who adopt or upgrade their existing EHRs to a CCHIT-certified product/version can earn up to $44,000 per provider from Medicare over a 5-year span or up to $63,000 from Medicaid over a 6-year span. To get the maximum incentive payment, Medicare eligible professionals must begin participation by 2012. Do NOT miss out on this opportunity! Sign up now for the PA REACH Project! Contact PAFP REACH coordindator Tracy Koval at tkoval@pafp.com or call 717-635-7589.
MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION (MOC) PART IV CREDIT AVAILABLE
Looking for a MOC Part IV activity? The PAFP Colorectal Cancer Screening (CRCS) Collaborative is an activity that qualifies as part of the performance improvement module for MOC Part IV. It’s a way to learn how to do performance measurement in a fully supported program that will not only improve your CRCS rates but also teach you skills to make improvements in other clinical areas (diabetes, for example). To get started or to receive more information, please visit www.pafp.com/IPIP and click the CRC Screening Collaborative icon, or email Michelle Seitz at mseitz@pafp.com.
ONLINE WEBCAST AND FREE CME
Click here to watch CME webcasts on Colorectal Cancer Screening (CRCS). Learn about the Guidelines for Care, Using Systems Change to Improve your Rates and Using the ACS toolkit on Increasing CRC screenings. These CME webcasts qualify for patient-safety credits.
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
|
|
|
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS!
Research Day is March 12, 2011, in State College. Posters & live presentations accepted. Compete with your peers for cash prizes and network with researchers and practicing family physicians from across Pennsylvania. Added bonus: Participate in live CME sessions while you’re there – State College Breakaway + Research Day = great opportunities for residents & students! Click here for more information.
COMING IN EARLY 2011--CAREER FAIR FOR PRIMARY CARE
Pennsylvania’s statewide career fair for primary care is coming and it is just for you! Intended audience includes residents, medical students, medical school and residency faculty and mentors, as well as employers and organizations that promote and support primary care in PA. The fair promotes opportunities to practice primary care in underserved communities and is a great place to learn more about practicing in FQHCs and CHCs, loan repayment opportunities and so much more. Look for more information in future issues of Progress Notes.
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
|
 PROGRESS NOTES ARCHIVE GOOD RESOURCE FOR FPs
So you saw something in a recent issue of Progress Notes and you really wanted to look at it more closely, but you can’t recall when you received the newsletter. You didn’t bookmark it. Or put it in a special email folder to look at later. In fact, you’re not sure you even still have the email at all.
For you and many other members like you, PAFP has developed an archive of Progress Notes featuring links to all of the issues, as well as links to individual items that are of special interest like announcements from CMS or DPW that just might affect you and your practice.
Check it out at http://www.pafp.com/pafpcom.aspx?id=309.
Coming soon: A similar issue-driven archive of Keystone Physician since it launched as a digital magazine in Feb. 2009. Articles in printed KPs will be added as soon as possible.
(Back to top of newsletter)
|
 |
|
.png) |
 |
.gif) |
