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INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE:
ADVOCACY AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
-- IMPORTANT TORT REFORM LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
-- PROPOSED RULE ON ACOs RELEASED TO PUBLIC
-- AAFP SHARES INFORMATION ON MEDICARE E-PRESCRIBING INITIATIVE
CME
-- PAUL GRUNDY, MD, PCPCC FOUNDER, COMING TO HERSHEY
PUBLIC HEALTH
-- NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK: SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT
-- SOUTH CENTRAL PA: FREE DINNER EVENT
-- FREE CME - PATIENT SAFETY
-- SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONERS
QUALITY INITIATIVES
-- PA REACH EAST PROJECT
RESIDENTS & STUDENTS
-- STUDENT ASSEMBLY
-- RESIDENT ASSEMBLY
-- PAFP TEACHING AWARD NOMINATIONS DEADLINE APRIL 12!
-- PAFP MEDICAL STUDENT LEADERS INTERVIEWED ON CNN.COM!
OTHER NEWS
-- 2011 PAFP MEMBER NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY
-- 2011 ANNUAL "FORE" FAMILY MEDICINE GOLF TOURNAMENT
-- PAFP 2011 HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETS MAY 13 IN YORK
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IMPORTANT TORT REFORM LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Tort reform legislation that would establish the Fair Share Act and abolish the doctrine of joint and several liability was introduced by Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) in late March.
House Bill 1 will amend Section 7102 of Title 42 (relating to comparative negligence) to abolish the doctrine of joint and several liability in most instances. The legislation states that a defendant found negligent or strictly liable for an injury will be responsible for his or her share, and only his or her share, of the total damages awarded to compensate the plaintiff.
Under the current law, defendants in a multi-defendant civil liability lawsuit may be required to pay damages associated with the actions of their co-defendants. That is, a defendant may be found liable for only five percent of damages, but may be required to pay 100 percent of the damages awarded if his or her co-defendants are unable to pay.
The legislation has been referred to the House Judiciary committee. Click here to read a copy of House Bill 1 and visit the PAFP facebook page to read a news article posted by Representative Schroder.
PROPOSED RULE ON ACOs RELEASED TO PUBLIC
On March 31, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the much-anticipated proposed rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which outlines the framework for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in Medicare. The proposed rule, mandated by the Affordable Care Act, will support doctors, hospitals and other providers in their efforts to form ACOs.
According to HHS, ACOs would coordinate and improve care for patients with Original Medicare (those not in Medicare Advantage private health plans). The Medicare Shared Savings Program, scheduled to begin on January 1, 2012, will reward ACOs that lower health care costs while meeting performance standards on quality of care and putting patients first.
The public comment period on the proposed rule will be open for 60 days. A final rule is expected later this year. Patient and provider participation in an ACO is entirely voluntary. For more information and to read the proposed rule visit the HHS website.
AAFP SHARES INFORMATION ON MEDICARE E-PRESCRIBING INITIATIVE
According to an article in AAFP News Now, family physicians who participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) e-prescribing incentive program, must meet two different sets of criteria in order to avoid a penalty and earn an incentive payment. Participating physicians must submit ten Medicare claims in the first half of 2011 to avoid a one percent penalty on 2012 Medicare payments. In order to earn the 2011 one percent incentive for using a qualified e-prescribing method, and avoid a penalty in 2013, physicians must submit 25 Medicare claims by the end of 2011.
The AAFP has created a resource for state chapters that contains detailed information and Q&A’s on the 2011 Medicare Electronic Prescribing Initiative. Click here to view the AAFP document online.
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CME & EVENTS CALENDAR
Click here for Live CME conferences and SAM Study Groups.
PAUL GRUNDY, MD, PCPCC FOUNDER, COMING TO HERSHEY
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Dr. Grundy, nationally renowned physician and business leader, founder of PCPCC, is headlining two events May 3rd in Hershey, PA. All family physicians and medical students welcome.
12:00 – 1:00pm: PCMH: The Model, the Challenges and the Opportunities. Lunch will be served.
5:00 – 8:30pm: Healthcare Transformation: Meeting Healthcare Needs with Patient-Centered Medical Homes and Accountable Care Organizations, Dinner will be served from 5:00-6:00 p.m. followed by presentations and panel discussion from 6:00-8:30 p.m.
More details available online: http://www.pafp.com/pafpcom.aspx?id=383
Please register to reserve your spot by email: PCMHEvent@hmc.psu.edu or call Wendy: 717- 531-4660.
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NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK: SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT
AprilApril 4 – 10 is National Public Health Week and this year’s theme is safety. Accidental and intentional injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Pennsylvania and across the country(1). In fact, injury is the leading cause of death for people 1-44 and the leading cause of hospitalizations for people 40 and younger. The American Public Health Association will feature injury prevention tips all week at www.nphw.org.
Related CME and resources from the PAFP Foundation:
• Avoiding accidental overdose tip sheet: Fall 2009
• Fall prevention tip sheet: Fall 2009
• Child abuse (FAQs for mandated reporters): Fall 2010 Keystone Physician magazine
• Safe medication disposal: Spring 2010 Keystone Physician magazine
• Using PDSA cycles to implement better care (CME!): Summer 2010 Keystone Physician magazine (use this
article to implement best practices from these other articles into your practice)
• Adolescent depression webcast: www.pafp.com/onlineCME
(1) PA Injury Prevention and Control Plan, 2006-2010, PA Department of Health, Bureau of Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
SOUTH CENTRAL PA: FREE DINNER EVENT
Topic: Improving Quality/Reducing Costs
Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2011; Time: 6 – 8:30pm (Reg@ 5:30pm)
Aligning Forces For Quality – South Central Pennsylvania Physician Clinician Learning Network invites physicians and their management staff, hospital executives, health plans, community leaders and employers to our next dinner meeting!
Speaker: Harold Miller, Executive Director of the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform and President & CEO of NRHI will present and lead a discussion that will help attendees:
• Learn how alternative ways of paying for health care can reduce costs and improve quality, • Learn about the kinds of changes physician practices, hospitals, health plans, employers and consumers will need to make to support higher-quality, more affordable health care, and • Learn about payment and delivery reform approaches being used in other communities to improve health care value.
Location: Holiday Inn Conference Center , 2000 Loucks Road, York, PA 17408, 717-846-9500
* Free but you must RSVP by April 15 • Contact Joyce Ortiz at (717) 801-4830 or jortiz@wellspan.org
FREE CME – PATIENT SAFETY
Topic: Vaccine Safety - Why Isn’t Good Science Good Enough?
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011; Time: 12:15 – 1:15 PM
Speaker: Michael J. Harkness, MD, FAAP, Chief, General Pediatrics, Main Line Health; Pediatrician, Wade-Townend Pediatrics, Paoli, PA
*Free but you need to RSVP. Download the registration form at http://www.paaap.org/calendar.php.
(for more vaccine CME (online), please go to www.pafp.com/vaccines)
PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION AND CME IN KEYSTONE PHYSICIAN
NEW! Child sexual abuse patient information: Winter 2011
HPV immunization tip sheet: Fall/Winter 2010
Child sexual abuse tip sheet: Fall/Winter 2010
Adult immunization tip sheet: Summer 2010
Child abuse (FAQs for mandated reporters): Fall 2010
Clinical Scenario Series on Immunization (CME!): Summer/Fall 2010
Colorectal cancer screening tip sheets: Summer 2010
Health care worker immunization: Summer 2010
Safe medication disposal: Spring 2010
Snus and dissolvable tobacco: Summer/Fall 2010
Using PDSA cycles to implement better care (CME!): Summer 2010
PUBLIC HEALTH CME WEBCASTS
Lots of free CME at www.pafp.com/onlineCME, most of which qualifies as patient safety. Topics such as rheumatoid arthritis and colorectal cancer.
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• Earn up to $44,000 per provider over a 5 year period for Medicare and up to $63,500 per provider over a 6 year period for Medicaid • Free assistance to all Family Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatric, Internal Medicine physicians in Pennsylvania • Assist practices with or without Electronic Health Records • Services include: education, practice workflow redesign, assistance with EHR vendor selection, coordinate vendor demos, access to EHR Vendor Group Purchasing Organization, project and implementation management of your EHR, privacy and security best practices with the ultimate goal being to reach Meaningful Use and qualify for the CMS – Medicare or Medicaid incentives • For more information, please contact Deb Hammaker, PA REACH East Program Manager @ dhammaker@pafp.com or call 717-635-6223.
SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONERS
In partnership with The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Program and The Pennsylvania Department of Health we are pleased to offer continuing medical education program titled, "Survival Skills for Primary Care Practitioners.” This live training program will be held in the areas of Lancaster, State College and Scranton during the months of May and June 2011. This program will be conducted by Thomas Weida, MD and William Bird, DO, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and is offered at no cost to participants. This continuing education activity is accredited through Penn State College of Medicine for 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ and The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for 3 hours of AOA Category 1-A CME credits. The goal of this program is to prepare practitioners to define, describe, and integrate stages of change within their practice environment and meet the standards of care for the new patient centered medical home model of patient care.
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WebEx meeting scheduled Thursday 4/14 8pm. Register by rsvp to Molly Talley (mtalley@pafp.com). Join the web conference from the convenience of your computer! Volunteer to run for a leadership position or commission representative spot; view the list of positions available, responsibilities, details about the Assembly: http://www.pafp.com/pafpcom.aspx?id=145
Don’t miss this great opportunity to get involved!
WebEx meeting scheduled Wednesday 4/13 at 8pm. Register by rsvp to Molly Talley (mtalley@pafp.com). Join the web conference from the convenience of your computer! Volunteer to run for a leadership position or commission representative spot; view the list of available positions, responsibilities, details about the Assembly: http://www.pafp.com/pafpcom.aspx?id=382
Don’t miss this great opportunity to get involved!
In medical school and residency, you've been lucky to learn from teaching physicians who have played an important role in your life - helping you realize your dream of being the best family physician you can be. Honor those wonderful teachers who inspired you most, both by their example and their teaching... You know they deserve it! Learn more & nominate your favorite teacher...
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Please click on the image above and take 5 minutes to complete the Survey. We have had over 300 responses so far - have we heard from you?
Join us on May 14, 2011 for the 4th Annual PAFP Golf Tournament being held in conjunction with this year’s PAFP Annual Meeting event in York, PA. Whether you are serious about hitting the green or just looking for a fun outing with friends and colleagues, this is a great way to enjoy a beautiful course while also supporting the future of family medicine. For here for more information and to register!
PAFP 2011 HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETS MAY 13 IN YORK
The House of Delegates convenes 8:30 am-noon, Friday, May 13, at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York. All PAFP members are invited and encouraged to attend this annual business meeting. Participants will discuss member-submitted resolutions (note: these will be made available to members as soon as possible), as well as proposed bylaws changes (PDF of bylaws with additions highlighted in yellow and deletions crossed out).
In addition, the annual meeting schedule on May 13 includes: (lunch included for participants)
1 - 2:30 pm Commission meetings
2:30 - 4:30 Board of Directors meeting
5:15 - 6:15 Awards and Inauguration of PAFP’s 2011-12 President and officers (hors d'oeuvres)
6:30 - 9:30 Celebration Dinner Dance (note: there is a fee for this event).
On Saturday, May 14 the schedule includes:
8 - 9:30 am Regional Breakfasts followed by the annual Lila Stein Kroser, MD, Lecture
9:45 - 10:30 Reorganizational Board meeting
11:30 - 6 pm Fore! Family Medicine Golf Benefit to support the Foundation’s medical student initiatives at Heritage Hills. (note: there is a fee for this event).
Click here for more information and to register online for the weekend’s events.
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