Resource spotlight
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Also available
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July 16, 2015
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In this issue:
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CMS releases proposed 2016 physician payment rule
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Last week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its
proposed rule for the physician fee schedule for calendar year 2016. CMS proposes a payment increase of 0.5 percent, as required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. CMS also proposes to pay for advanced care planning services, which include explanation and discussion of advance directives by a physician or other qualified health professional, and requests comment on certain provisions of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System to be implemented in 2019 under MACRA. Other provisions in the proposed rule include a proposal to expand required reporting of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey to group practices of 25 or more eligible professionals (EPs); the use of star ratings on Physician Compare; and the proposed application of the value-based payment modifier to groups consisting of only non-physician EPs, such as physician assistants. The proposed rule was published in the July 15 Federal Register, and comments are due Sept. 8.
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Online palliative care curriculum for physicians
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Back in January, the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) launched a 26-course, online curriculum for members to enhance their clinical skills in palliative care. Clinicians can receive continuing education credits by completing the courses. Course topics include pain management, communication skills, and operational training courses on establishing and maintaining a palliative care program. To date, more than 850 health care professionals and 5,000 courses have been completed. To learn more, visit CAPC’s website at
www.capc.org.
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Still time to register for our complimentary program on the governance of physician organizations
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The transformation of health care toward more integrated and accountable delivery systems has brought physicians and hospitals together as collaborators in ever increasing numbers. With this shift has come a need to rethink and engage physician leaders in new roles, including governance.
To understand how the governance of physician-led organizations is different, and similar, to that of health care systems, the AHA’s Center for Healthcare Governance and Physician Leadership Forum, with generous support from Hospira, Inc., undertook a study to examine governance structures and functions in a diverse set of physician organizations.
Join your physician and hospital executive colleagues on
Saturday, July 25 from 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco for this half-day complimentary program, in conjunction with the Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit, to hear the highlights of the study, including case study presentations from three leading-edge physician organizations. Attendance is limited to ensure opportunity for dialogue.
To learn more or register for this complimentary program,
click here.
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Physician leadership education the focus of next PLF webinar
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Physicians are being called upon to bring their clinical expertise to bear on the management of the health care system in collaboration with other hospital leaders. Ensuring they are prepared to participate in that leadership requires an understanding of today’s complex systems of care and the education and training essential for success.
Please join the AHA’s Physician Leadership Forum and the American Association for Physician Leadership on
Tuesday, Aug. 11 beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET to hear about two innovative programs that are developing physician leaders. In this 90-minute webinar, Peter Angood, MD, president and CEO, will share his thoughts on the key elements for physician leadership development and then feature two best practices. Emily Porter, vice president, People Excellence from Unity Point Health, will share the successes and lessons learned from their more than decade-long journey into physician leadership education. The webinar will also feature, Mark C. Lester, MD, MBA, FACS, FACPE, executive vice president and Southeast Zone clinical leader from Texas Health Resources, where they have designed and are delivering an innovative leadership development program that brings together a system-wide cohort of physicians.
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Helping physicians re-enter the workforce
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For physicians who have taken a break from medicine, the road back may not be an easy one, according to a recent
article from
Kaiser Health News. Rapid changes in medicine and just plain old rust are two of the reasons inhibiting physicians from jumping right back into practice. Over the last few years, a number of programs around the country have been created to address this situation, including ones at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, and the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Professional societies, such as the Federation of State Medical Boards, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association are working to set standards and remove obstacles for re-entry, the article says.
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Improving patient blood management
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Could blood transfusions become a thing of the past? The answer may be yes, according to a recent
article from
The Atlantic. The article explores the concept of patient blood management (PBM), which seeks to minimize blood loss and the use of transfusions. AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks, is leading the charge. They have plans to launch a new blood management accreditation program for hospitals soon. The article also looks at two groups where blood management is critical — soldiers and Jehovah’s Witnesses. According to the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, implementing a blood management program can save on costs, reduce the risk of infection and improve patient recovery times. It can also help prevent medically unnecessary transfusions, the article says.
As part of its appropriate use of medical resources initiative, the AHA’s Physician Leadership Forum last year partnered with AABB on a PBM toolkit to encourage appropriate blood management in inpatient service. To access the toolkit,
click here.
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Apply now for the AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize
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U.S. hospitals can apply through
Oct. 11 for the 2016 AHA-McKesson
Quest for Quality Prize
®. The annual award honors hospitals pursuing excellence through leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety. The 2016 award will:
- raise awareness of the value of a hospital-wide commitment to better health and better care at a lower cost that can be achieved through the relentless pursuit of highly reliable, exceptional quality, safe, patient-centered care
- reward successful efforts to develop and promote a systems-based approach toward improvements in quality of care
- inspire hospitals to be leaders in improving the health of their communities while enhancing outcomes and the experience of care for patients and reducing costs of care
- provide models of successful programs and strategies for the hospital field to use in addressing challenging issues, including reducing disparities in care
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Survey looks to evaluate the effectiveness of transitional care
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The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) are collaborating with the
Project ACHIEVE team, which is evaluating the effectiveness of transitional care.
An important part of the project is surveying hospitals across the United States to catalog efforts at improving hospital discharge transitions. AHA/HRET strongly support the efforts of Project ACHIEVE and believe the findings from it have the potential to help us, patients, caregivers, and providers.
Below is a link to the survey, which is housed on a secure server.
The survey should take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, and someone at your hospital in case management, quality improvement, or administration would likely be the best person to do this, with help from clinicians (i.e., nurses, pharmacists, physicians). AHA/HRET ask that you complete the survey by
July 31, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Marie Cleary-Fishman at
[email protected].
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ABMS/AAMC call for MOC activities
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The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in partnership with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is developing the ABMS Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Directory powered by MedEdPORTAL (ABMS MOC Directory), an online repository of competency-based MOC activities.
Phase One of this partnership is the ABMS/AAMC Call for MOC Activities. All members of the continuing professional development and continuing medical education communities are invited to submit relevant educational activities for review and inclusion in the ABMS MOC Directory by
July 31, 2015. This is an opportunity for all stakeholders to engage in the development of Lifelong Learning and Self–Assessment (Part II) and Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) activities designed to improve the quality of patient care.
To submit an activity for review and inclusion in the ABMS MOC Directory, fill out the Common MOC Activity Submission Form at
www.mededportal.org/abms.
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