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October 25, 2007

eVoice^®

Oct. 25, 2007

AMA eVoice is your regular update on the most important health care issues and recent AMA activities.

The AMA is committed to communication. We encourage you to help us spread the word by forwarding AMA eVoice to your colleagues.

Your news interests
Sign up to receive customized AMA eVoice messages.

Faculty practice physician issues
1) Regenstrief Institute at Indiana University receives grant to design nationwide health information network

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician issues
1) AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee encourages all to attend joint AMA function in Honolulu
2) Study of 1,000 gay brothers seeks genetic clues to homosexuality

Group practice physician issues
1) Minnesota restricts drug companies' gifts to doctors
2) Connecting with your patients online?

International medical graduate issues
1) Wanted:Leaders in medicine
2) AMA-IMG Section members invited to DBTS event in Hawaii
3) Register for AMA-IMG Section events at the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates
4) Network with colleagues from AMA sections and special groups

Medical school news
1) In Virtual Mentor: Recruiting for military scholarship programs on medical school campuses
2) In AMNews: Implications of medical school expansion
3) The CDC Experience: Applied Epidemiology Fellowship–call for applications

Medical student issues
1) Now online: 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting handbook and Research Symposium abstract book
2) Submit online testimony for the 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting
3) Take part in AMA-MSS National Service Project at 2007 Interim Assembly Meeting
4) AMA-MSS introduces 2007–2008 Committee on Legislation and Advocacy

Minority health issues and professional concerns of minority physicians
1) AAMC reports enrollment increases—more black and Hispanic males apply
2) Save the date: AMA-MAC Caucus, Nov. 9
3) AMA-MAC members invited to 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates events in Honolulu
4) November DBTS visit aims to inspire middle school students

Organized medical staff issues
1) Register for second part of two-part Joint Commission audio conference on new leadership standards and Standard MS.1.20
2) Attend the Gary F. Krieger, MD, Memorial Lecture at the 2007 AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting

Resident and fellow issues
1) Calling ophthalmology resident leaders
2) Study shows many patients do not know what drugs they are taking
3) In AMNews: Today, patients and family seek more involvement in medical decision-making

Senior physicians issues
1) Report shows escalating health care costs fuel medical identity theft
2) Survey finds seniors becoming more savvy about prescription drug costs

Women physician and women's health issues
1) AMA Foundation seeks leaders in medicine
2) AMA-WPC to host welcome reception and caucus
3) Mark your calendars for these 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates events in Honolulu

Young physician issues
1) Submit testimony on AMA-YPS reports and resolutions before Nov. 1
2) AMA Foundation seeks leaders in medicine
3) In AMNews: Before you moonlight—the ins and outs
4) JCR introduces credentialing and privileging consulting program

General AMA news:
1) Share your concerns about insurers' physician profiling programs
2) Emergency prescription service activated for physicians treating evacuees of California wildfires
3) Students and residents: Keep up pressure on Congress to reinstate 20/200 pathway
4) Check out "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign podcast
5) Early indicators of participation in BCBS settlement encouraging
6) National tour promoting patient safety is under way
7) Join Sermo and take a crack at this diagnostic challenge
8) In JAMA: Nutritional and environmental interventions can help decrease child deaths worldwide

Your news interests
Sign up to receive customized AMA eVoice messages.

Faculty practice physician issues

1) Regenstrief Institute at Indiana University receives grant to design nationwide health information network
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Indiana University School of Medicine a $2.5 million contract to begin designing a nationwide health information network (NHIN). Per an Associated Press article, the Indianapolis group is one of only nine selected by HHS to work on NHIN, and will collaborate to test and demonstrate the exchange of private and secure health information among providers, patients and other health care stakeholders. The funding will be used to help work on a plan for securing health care records that can follow Americans throughout their lives–a goal set by President George W. Bush. The Regenstrief Institute, Inc., is an international informatics and health care research organization, affiliated with Indiana University.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician issues

1) AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee encourages all to attend joint AMA function in Honolulu
The AMA Advisory Committee on GLBT Issues will not be hosting its regular caucus/reception at the upcoming 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Instead, the AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee, along with all other AMA sections and special groups, will be hosting a joint reception from 9 to 11 p.m., Nov. 8 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, as part of the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Members of the AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee will wear ribbons identifying themselves. This event presents an opportunity for guests to both meet members of the advisory committee and network with other friends and colleagues from the AMA sections and special groups. All AMA-GLBT members are encouraged to attend.

Call (312) 464–4335 if you have questions.

2) Study of 1,000 gay brothers seeks genetic clues to homosexuality
Julio and Mauricio Cabrera are gay brothers who are convinced their sexual orientation is as deeply rooted as their Mexican ancestry, according to an article in the Oct. 15 issue of the Chicago Tribune. They are among 1,000 pair of gay brothers taking part in the largest study to date seeking genes that may influence whether people are gay. The Cabreras hope the findings will help silence critics who say homosexuality is an immoral choice.

Read more about the study.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Group practice physician issues

1) Minnesota restricts drug companies' gifts to doctors
Drug company sales representatives in Minnesota are not having an easy time marketing to doctors. Under a Minnesota law passed nearly two years ago, drug companies are allowed to provide doctors with no more than $50 worth of food or other gifts per year. Per a recent report in the New York Times, the number of visits that Minnesota primary care doctors accepted from drug sales representatives has decreased at about twice the rate compared to the decline reported by primary care doctors nationwide, according to a survey by Impact—a New Jersey firm that tracks pharmaceutical marketing. It appears that a growing number of Minnesota hospitals and clinics have banned routine visits. Currently, Minnesota is the only state that has adopted legislation for limits on free food to doctors.

2) Connecting with your patients online?
Online medical consultations, also known as e-visits, present opportunities for growth and increased efficiency in the physician practice.

Members can view (PDF, 678KB) the educational resource, "Online medical consultations: Connecting physicians with patients," and learn more about this new patient convenience and if it's right for your practice.

>>Return to your news interest contents

International medical graduate issues

1) Wanted: Leaders in medicine
Have you or someone you know exhibited outstanding leadership in organized medicine, advocacy, community service, public health or education? Medical students, resident/fellow physicians, early career physicians and established physicians are encouraged to apply for the 2008 AMA Foundation Leadership Awards. As a program of the AMA Foundation Excellence in Medicine Awards, the AMA Foundation Leadership Awards are presented in collaboration with the AMA sections and special groups and in association with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

The AMA Foundation Leadership Awards program aims to:

Reward outstanding nonclinical leadership skills in community service, education, public health and/or advocacy
Encourage involvement in organized medicine
Provide leadership development for the country's brightest and most energetic leaders in the medical field

Award recipients receive paid travel expenses to the AMA Foundation's Leadership Awards program and the AMA's National Advocacy Conference from March 30 to April 2, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about the awards and apply. Applications are due Dec. 7. In addition to the leadership awards, the Excellence in Medicine Awards include the Pride in the Profession Awards, the Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine and the Jack B. McConnell, MD, Award for Excellence in Medicine.

2) AMA-IMG Section members invited to DBTS event in Hawaii
The AMA Doctors Back to School (DBTS) program is calling on physicians to take part in a DBTS visit, Nov. 8, at Mililani Middle School in Mililani, Hawaii (just outside of Waikiki, Hawaii).

DBTS is a program that aims to raise awareness of the need for more minority physicians and to encourage children from underrepresented minority groups to look at medicine as a career option.

Learn more.

Send an e-mail to Wilda Knox if you would like to take part in one of the visits listed here or if you are interested in hosting a DBTS event in your community.

3) Register for AMA-IMG Section events at the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates
Attend the following AMA-IMG Section events at the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates at the Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, and make sure your voice is heard on important AMA-IMG Section issues.

AMA-IMG Section Congress—4:30–6 p.m., Nov. 9
AMA-IMG Section Caucus—5:30–7 p.m., Nov. 10
AMA-IMG Delegate Caucus—8–9:30 a.m., Nov. 12
AMA-IMG Leadership Session, "Communication effectively"—9:30–11:30 a.m., Nov. 12

4) Network with colleagues from AMA sections and special groups
All AMA-IMG Section physicians are invited to attend the following joint AMA sections and special groups events held at the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Honolulu. Don't miss out on the following events:

AMA sections and special groups luau—9–11 p.m., Nov. 8
Continuing medical education session, "The future of medicine," and lunch—noon–1:30 p.m., Nov. 9
AMA welcoming reception, honoring the AMA Women Physicians Congress—6–7 p.m., Nov. 9
Educational session, "Washington update"—8–8:30 a.m., Nov. 10

>>Return to your news interest contents

Medical school news
(Brought to you by the AMA Section on Medical Schools)

1) In Virtual Mentor: Recruiting for military scholarship programs on medical school campuses
The October issue of Virtual Mentor, the AMA's online ethics journal, focuses on medicine, ethics and war. One article discusses the ethical arguments for and against allowing the U.S. armed services to recruit students on medical school campuses.

View this article and others in the October issue.

2) In AMNews: Implications of medical school expansion
Medical schools are expanding in hopes of meeting the future demand for physicians. One of the major drawbacks is that the U.S. government may not increase funding for residency training. According to the Oct. 22/29 issue of American Medical News (AMNews), there are some in the medical education community who question whether more physicians need to be trained and suggest that the focus needs to be on changing the health care delivery system and promoting evidence-based care.

View the AMNews article.

3) The CDC Experience: Applied Epidemiology Fellowship—call for applications
Do you know of a medical student with a strong interest in public health or in practicing medicine with a broad, analytic perspective? Refer them to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Experience: Applied Epidemiology Fellowship. Eight competitively selected fellows will spend 10 to 12 months at the CDC offices in Atlanta where they will carry out epidemiologic analyses in areas of public health that interest them.

Learn more. Applications are due Dec. 3.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Medical student issues

1) Now online: 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting handbook and Research Symposium abstract book
The handbook and abstract book for the 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting are now available online. The handbook includes the official agenda, resolutions and reports being considered at this meeting, candidate applications for chair-elect and the board of trustees, and much more. The Fourth Annual Research Poster Symposium abstract book includes all accepted Research Poster Symposium abstracts. Be sure to review all content prior to the meeting.

Download the handbook and abstract book.

Although the deadline to register electronically for the 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting has passed, you can still register on-site at the Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu.

2) Submit online testimony for the 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting
Are you unable to attend the 2007 AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting in Hawaii but would still like to make your voice heard on items of business to be considered by the AMA-MSS Assembly? If you are an AMA-MSS member, you can now submit online testimony to the AMA-MSS Reference Committees prior to the meeting. Online testimony will be accepted from 9 a.m. CST, Oct. 26 to 5 p.m. CST, Nov. 2. Please do not submit online testimony if you plan to give testimony in person in Hawaii.

Submit your testimony.

3) Take part in AMA-MSS National Service Project at 2007 Interim Assembly Meeting
As part of the AMA's "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign, medical students will distribute AMA materials and talk to families attending a high school championship football game about the crisis of the uninsured and voting with this issue in mind in the upcoming election. Be sure to attend the National Service Project orientation at 7:30 a.m., Nov. 9 at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Transportation and AMA T-shirts (while supplies last) will be provided. Please wear your scrub pants.

Send an e-mail to Meltem Zeytinoglu to R.S.V.P.

Learn more.

4) AMA-MSS introduces 2007–2008 Committee on Legislation and Advocacy
Meet your 2007–2008 AMA-MSS Committee on Legislation and Advocacy (COLA): Chair Maya Babu; Vice chairs Mike Chapman and Andrew Landstrom; members Kyle Edmonds, Adnaan Moin, McKinley Glover, Nitesh Paryani, Tony Hesketh, Erin Schneider, Courtland Keteyian, Despina Solis, Woo-Jin Kwak, Colin Son, Phil Lehman, Sameer Vohra, John Ludlow and Patrick Woodward.

COLA educates, builds awareness of key MSS issues, and develops networks of chapters at the state and regional levels. A political education subcommittee of COLA is developing several modules covering topics which include covering the uninsured, health information technology and medical liability reform—all targeted to chapter leaders interested in educating chapter members about AMA-MSS core advocacy issues. COLA also helps to coordinate events for the "Cover the Uninsured" campaign.

Send an e-mail if you have ideas for issue modules or advocacy strategies. All ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Learn more about COLA.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Minority health issues and professional concerns of minority physicians
(brought to you by the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium)

1) AAMC reports enrollment increases—more black and Hispanic men apply
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has released data indicating that the 2007 entering class to U.S. medical schools is the largest in the nation's history. This medical school applicant pool also included more applicants from racial and ethnic minorities, with the number of black male applicants and Hispanic male applicants increasing by 9.2 percent.

Learn more.

2) Save the date: AMA-MAC Caucus, Nov. 9
All AMA-MAC members are invited to attend the AMA-MAC Caucus from 4 to 5:30 p.m., Nov. 9 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu. In addition to caucus business, the program will feature AMA President Ronald M. Davis, MD, and National Medical Association Past President Sandra Gadson, MD. As co-chairs of the Commission to End Health Care Disparities, Drs. Davis and Gadson will discuss important issues impacting the health of minority communities.

3) AMA-MAC members invited to 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates events in Honolulu
AMA-MAC members are encouraged to attend the joint sections and special groups reception from 9 to 11 p.m., Nov. 8 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu. Also, the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section will be hosting an educational session, "The future of health care: The quest for value for all Americans," led by Ian Morrison, an author, consultant and futurist. The session will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu. A box lunch for the event can be purchased for $20. Advanced registration for lunch is required.

4) November DBTS visit aims to inspire middle school students
Physicians attending the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Hawaii are encouraged to take part in a Doctors Back to School (DBTS) visit from 8:30 to 11 a.m., Nov. 8 at the Mililani Middle School in Mililani, Hawaii (just outside of Waikiki, Hawaii). DBTS is a program that raises awareness of the need for more minority physicians and encourages children from underrepresented minority groups to look at medicine as a career option.

Send an e-mail to Wilda Knox if you would like to take part in this DBTS visit or would like more information on setting up a visit in your community.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Organized medical staff issues

1) Register for second part of two-part Joint Commission audio conference on new leadership standards and Standard MS.1.20
The Joint Commission is conducting a free, two-part audio conference on the new leadership standards and Standard MS.1.20. The first part of the audio conference was held on Oct. 25, and the second part will take place at 1 p.m. CST, Nov. 1. By participating in both calls, listeners will understand the revisions to the leadership chapter and the rationale for those changes, recognize the connection between Standard MS.1.20 and the revised leadership standards, and learn the details of the application of MS.1.20.

Learn more about the two-part audio conference.

2) Attend the Gary F. Krieger, MD, Memorial Lecture at the 2007 AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting
Plan now to attend the Gary F. Krieger, MD, Memorial Lecture from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 in Honolulu. Ian Morrison, keynote speaker of the luncheon, will deliver remarks addressing the future of health care. Specifically, his presentation will focus on the political, economic and strategic context of change in health care and examine how the various actors are preparing for the future. In discussing the quest for value in health care, he will also identify leadership opportunities and provide strategic insights on how organizations and individuals can flourish in the new millennium in health care. Advanced registration for the lecture and lunch is required. There is no cost for attending the lecture. However, attendees may purchase lunch for $20. Payment for lunch will be collected on-site at the conference registration.

Learn more and register.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Resident and fellow issues

1) Calling ophthalmology resident leaders
The Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Ophthalmology is currently accepting nominations for the resident member position of the RRC for 2008–2010. This position is designed to solicit resident opinion on educational policy and to educate the resident about the accreditation process. The resident is considered a full RRC member and is responsible for voting on policy matters, reviewing up to three programs per meeting and serving as a member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Resident Council. The deadline to apply is Jan. 1, 2008.

Learn more and apply.

2) Study shows many patients do not know what drugs they are taking
A study conducted by Northwestern University researchers reveals that a substantial proportion of patients are not able to name the medications they take, affecting both inpatient and outpatient care. The study established a clear association between health literacy and the ability to recall the accurate drug. Among patients with low health literacy, 59.6 percent could not provide the name of a single antihypertensive drug that they were taking. But even among patients with adequate health literacy, 31.7 percent could not provide the name of a single antihypertensive drug in their records. The study suggests that future research should examine the relationship between health literacy, medication discrepancies and chronic disease outcomes.

View the MedPage Today article highlighting the study.

3) In AMNews: Today, patients and family seek more involvement in medical decision making
Some patients and doctors have formed partnerships in the decision-making process, as more patients seek medical information via the Internet and educate themselves about medical choices before they arrive in the doctor's office, according to an Oct. 22/29 article in American Medical News (AMNews). Although some patients still prefer the traditional paternalistic physician approach, many physicians are modifying their care to accommodate different patient expectations and preferences. Two new studies show that many patients and family members support this collaboration between physicians and patients.

Learn more about these studies.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Senior Physicians issues

1) Report shows escalating health care costs fuel medical identity theft
Medical identity theft is when someone acquires another person's health insurance card to obtain medical treatment, prescription drugs or goods. Its occurrence has doubled in the past year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Often the theft is an inside job where a worker in a hospital or doctor's office steals patients' identities en masse and sells them to criminals who, in turn, sell them or use them to obtain payment for phantom procedures. An uninsured patient can use them to pose as someone else and receive treatment under the fraudulent insurance card. One of the biggest threats posed by medical identity theft is that victims can receive the wrong medical treatment based on the fraudulent information in their medical records. People are often unaware their identities have been stolen, since scammers usually change the home address to which medical bills are sent. And it can be hard to set the record straight because the law offers few protections.

2) Survey finds seniors becoming more savvy about prescription drug costs
Most seniors who lacked prescription coverage in past years now have it, thanks to the Medicare drug benefit. But in a recent survey of more than 16,000 seniors, one in five enrollees said they had put off or even skipped getting some medications because of the program's high costs, according to an article in the Health Affairs journal. The article provided a snapshot of the new program which delivers prescription coverage through private insurance plans, charging an average monthly premium of about $27. The survey found many low-income seniors apparently do not know that they can get additional government subsidies to lower their costs. Researchers indicated that seniors were becoming more savvy consumers, with one in four who enrolled in the Medicare benefit saying they had switched to lower-cost generic drugs. Similarly, more seniors were mail ordering 90-day supplies of their prescriptions at lower cost. The survey also found that on average, Medicare recipients took five medications.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Women physician and women's health issues
(brought to you by the AMA Women Physicians Congress)

1) AMA Foundation seeks leaders in medicine
Have you or someone you know exhibited outstanding leadership in organized medicine, advocacy, community service, public health or education? Medical students, resident/fellow physicians, early career physicians and established physicians are encouraged to apply for the 2008 AMA Foundation Leadership Awards. As a program of the AMA Foundation Excellence in Medicine Awards, the AMA Foundation Leadership Awards are presented in collaboration with the AMA sections and special groups and in association with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

The AMA Foundation Leadership Awards program aims to:

Reward outstanding nonclinical leadership skills in community service, education, public health and/or advocacy
Encourage involvement in organized medicine
Provide leadership development for the country's brightest and most energetic leaders in the medical field

Award recipients receive paid travel expenses to the AMA Foundation's Leadership Awards program and the AMA's National Advocacy Conference from March 30 to April 2, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about the awards and apply. Applications are due Dec. 7. In addition to the leadership awards, the AMA Foundation Excellence in Medicine Awards include the Pride in the Profession Awards, the Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine and the Jack B. McConnell, MD, Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.

2) AMA-WPC to host welcome reception and caucus
All AMA-WPC members and attendees of the 2007 AMA Interim Meeting are invited to attend the welcome reception sponsored by the AMA-WPC from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Nov. 9 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu. Festivities include a special display recognizing those mentors nominated in our first AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program.

Learn more about the physician recognition program and to view a list of physicians being honored.

The AMA-WPC Caucus will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Nov. 10 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu. This caucus will include a discussion of excellence in mentoring with a panel of caring and committed mentors identified through the AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program, along with the caucus business program and networking opportunities.

3) Mark your calendars for these 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates events in Honolulu
AMA-WPC members are encouraged to attend the joint sections and special groups reception from 9 to 11 p.m., Nov. 8 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu. Also, the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section will be hosting an educational session, "The future of health care: The quest for value for all Americans," led by Ian Morrison, an author, consultant and futurist. The session will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., Nov. 9 at the Hawaiian Convention Center, Honolulu. A box lunch for the event can be purchased for $20. Advanced registration for lunch is required.

>>Return to your news interest contents

Young physician issues

1) Submit testimony on AMA-YPS reports and resolutions before Nov. 1
All young physicians are invited to submit testimony on items of business to be considered at the 2007 AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting, Nov. 8–10. Several reports are currently open for comment on the section's new, Web-based work space; the deadline for submitting testimony is noon CST on Nov. 1. After this date, the AMA-YPS Reference Committee will review online testimony and draft a report of recommendations for AMA-YPS action that will be presented to the assembly during its business meeting, Nov. 9.

Log on to the new AMA-YPS work space and submit your testimony. Send an e-mail if you want to comment on AMA-YPS items of business but have not received an invitation to join the secure work space.

Check out the exciting schedule of events planned for the Nov. 8–10 AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting and download a copy of the meeting handbook.

2) AMA Foundation seeks leaders in medicine
Have you or someone you know exhibited outstanding leadership in organized medicine, advocacy, community service, public health or education? Young physicians are encouraged to apply for the 2008 AMA Foundation Leadership Awards, which aim to:

Reward outstanding nonclinical leadership skills in community service, education, public health and/or advocacy
Encourage involvement in organized medicine
Provide leadership development for the country's brightest and most energetic leaders in the medical field

Award recipients receive travel expenses to the AMA Foundation Leadership Award Program and the AMA's National Advocacy Conference, from Mar. 30 to Apr. 2, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about the awards and apply. Applications are due Dec. 7.

3) In AMNews: Before you moonlight—the ins and outs
Are you thinking about taking on a side job to supplement your income or broaden your clinical experience? Do you have the time and energy to do so? Will your employer allow it? Because moonlighting isn't just for residents anymore, you may be interested in the Oct. 22/29 American Medical News (AMNews) article, "Before you moonlight: the ins and outs." The article outlines practical as well as legal factors that should be considered before deciding to look for outside work.

View the article.

4) JCR introduces credentialing and privileging consulting program
Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of the Joint Commission, recently announced the launch of a new consulting program to help hospitals improve the credentialing and privileging process for physicians. The framework for the consulting service is based on new medical staff standards introduced by the Joint Commission for 2007–2008.

Learn more.

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Your news interests:
Select news categories that interest you

General AMA news

1) Share your concerns about insurers' physician profiling programs
United Healthcare is soliciting reviews of its Premium Designation Program, an online rating system for in-network physicians based on United's standards for both quality and efficiency, from New York physicians contracted with United and Oxford products. This move follows a letter issued by the Office of the New York State Attorney General to United and other health insurers stating that programs such as this could be "causing consumer confusion, if not deception."

The AMA strongly encourages physicians in all states to voice their concerns with inaccurate physician profiling systems. To help facilitate your response, the AMA has created an outline of questions about some of the important problems you may encounter with physician profiling programs:

Has the insurer provided you with a complete listing of the quality measures that it used to determine your quality rating based upon your specialty? Are these measures appropriate?
Were you provided with all of the data that the insurer used to rate your quality of care and/or cost of care (efficiency) prior to publishing it?
Do you know the number of cases used by the insurer to determine your rating?
Has the insurer provided you with a detailed explanation of the methodology used to rate your performance? Risk adjustment systems are often minimal, and expert opinions indicate that all risk adjustment systems used to profile physicians are woefully inadequate.
If the insurer's data did not belong to you or was incorrect, has the insurer reconsidered your rating?
Did the insurer respond to your request for a reconsideration of your rating and, if so, did you receive an adequate explanation?
If you were not included in the "preferred" network because you did not have enough cases to be profiled, was the insurer willing to consider cases covered by other insurers?

Please send a copy of your letter detailing your specific experience to the AMA, either via e-mail or postmarked to the American Medical Association, Physician Practice Advocacy, 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60610.

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2) Emergency prescription service activated for physicians treating evacuees of California wildfires
With a federal state of emergency declared in portions of Southern California, physicians who may provide care for wildfire evacuees are invited to register with ICERx.org, a private, secure online resource that provides available medication history information for patients evacuated from their homes.

Using ICERx.org as a resource tool, physicians can avoid harmful prescription errors and potential drug interactions. Developed by the AMA, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association, government agencies and others to help health care professionals assist disaster-affected individuals, ICERx.org provides prescription data only to U.S.-licensed physicians and pharmacists who have registered.

Authorized users will be able to securely view the following information:

A listing of prescription medications taken by the evacuee
Quantity and day supply
The pharmacy that filled the prescription
The provider who wrote the prescription
Drug information, such as indication and dosage, administration and interactions

Prescription history information is available from a variety of sources participating in ICERx.org, including community pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers and state Medicaid programs.

View this resource. U.S.-licensed physicians can register by calling (888) 423–7950 and following the appropriate prompts. Since evacuees could be relocated to other communities, physicians outside the affected areas are encouraged to register.

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3) Students and residents: Keep up pressure on Congress to reinstate 20/200 pathway
The AMA is advocating on several fronts to restore an education financing program that allowed up to 67 percent of resident physicians to qualify for economic hardship deferment, and thus defer payment on subsidized loans for three years without accruing interest.

Student and resident members of the AMA organized a vocal protest to Congress when they learned that the "20/220 pathway" had been eliminated on Oct. 1 as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. Under the 20/220 pathway, residents qualified for economic hardship deferment on their loans if their debt burden was greater than 20 percent of their income, and if their income minus their debt burden was not greater than 220 percent of the federal poverty level. Under a new program, loan repayments would be capped at 15 percent of the borrower's income that is above 150 percent of the federal poverty level. But the new program doesn’t start until July 1, 2009, leaving today’s residents in a financial pinch.

The AMA is urging the U.S. Secretary of Education to enact a regulatory solution to extend the 20/220 pathway until the new loan repayment program takes effect in July 2009, and to allow current participants in the economic hardship deferment to finish out their remaining years of eligibility.

But students and residents need to reiterate to their members of Congress that action is urgently needed to fix this problem. Even if you have already called your U.S. senators and representative, please do so again. The AMA offers background, analysis and talking points for medical students and resident physicians on the AMA Web site. Please call today.

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4) Check out "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign podcast
The first installment in the new "Voices" podcast series is now available online. Featuring music and interviews with uninsured artists, this series aims to share the real-life experiences of the 47 million people who go without health care coverage in America, and promote change in our nation's health care system.

The first podcast features Los Angeles-based recording artist Brian Joseph, who, like many musicians, lived for years without health insurance. In his interview, Joseph shares his story about the challenges he faced—and the hardships of other artists and musicians in his profession—as victims of the health care coverage crisis, and how he hopes to bring people together on this issue to speak out for change to the current system. "The reason I'm doing this is because I really feel like everybody deserves to have insurance," said Joseph.

In fact, he is so passionate about this issue that he made his own rendition of the inspiring song, "What's in front of me," from the AMA's television and radio campaign ads.

As part of the initial phase of "Voice for the Uninsured," the podcast series expands the Web-based component of the AMA's campaign to educate voters and candidates of the 2008 presidential election and promote the AMA's plan for change.

Download each podcast as it becomes available. Check back in a few weeks for the next "Voices" podcast. While there, you can also view the AMA's proposal for the uninsured and other campaign advertising materials, as well as sign a petition in support of the AMA's plan.

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5) Early indicators of participation in BCBS settlement encouraging
Readers of AMA eVoice may remember a special alert message reminding them to submit a claim form for their share of the $131 million Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) settlement. And many received a postcard or a voicemail message reminding them to file a claim form by Oct. 19.

These efforts—and many similar ones undertaken by state, county and national medical specialty societies—represent organized medicine joining together toward a common goal. And if the number of visitors to the AMA's Web pages and the number of phone calls to the AMA regarding the settlement are any indication, the nation's physicians got the message.

While the total number of physicians who will receive financial relief is not yet known, the entire medical profession will benefit from the protections under settlement; a majority of the BCBS parties have agreed to change their business practices that have long frustrated physicians.

Learn more and view an interactive map that shows the settling BCBS parties in your state. There, you can view the state-specific provisions under the settlement. The AMA will post additional information on the Web site as it develops.

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6) National tour promoting patient safety is under way
Over the next two weeks, the "5 Million Lives" campaign of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) will be busy harvesting ideas and innovations to improve care and reduce harm in America's hospitals.

The "5 Million Lives" campaign aims to protect hospital patients from preventable incidents of harm, using a dozen proven interventions. This effort represents a continuation of IHI's "100,000 Lives" campaign, the largest improvement effort undertaken in recent history by the health care industry. Participation in that campaign included facilities representing 75 percent of U.S. hospital beds.

As a national partner in the "5 Million Lives" campaign and a member of its Partners Advisory Group, the AMA encourages physicians and medical students to get involved in the effort. One way to do so is through the IHI's "Fall Harvest"—a series of visits to hospitals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to learn "best practices" firsthand from high-performing facilities and share these discoveries with the rest of the nation. The campaign challenges American hospitals to adopt 12 changes in care that save lives and reduce patient injuries, such as deploying rapid response teams, preventing adverse drug events and reducing surgical complications.

Learn more about IHI's Fall Harvest.

Find a Fall Harvest event at a hospital near you. Events run through Nov. 7.

Download the AMA's physician patient safety tools and learn more about the Making Strides in Safety^® program.

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7) Join Sermo and take a crack at this diagnostic challenge
An 8-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department with a chief complaint of right hip pain after football practice. He says that it started hurting after running and the pain spreads from his groin to his thigh. It's been hurting for several months, but has gotten worse with football season. No history of trauma, recent travel, fevers, erythema or swelling. There is no family history of arthritic conditions, cancer or collagen vascular diseases. On physical exam, his vitals are stable; his complete blood count is within normal limits. His right hip shows decreased and painful internal rotation and abduction, and his right thigh is smaller in circumference. This is one of thousands of diagnostic challenges on Sermo, the largest free online community for licensed physicians only. As part of a regular series of diagnostic challenges on Sermo, this case includes a chance at a monetary reward for those who offer a correct diagnosis.

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8) In JAMA: Nutritional and environmental interventions can help decrease child deaths worldwide
Interventions that improve nutrition and environmental conditions can also provide substantial gains toward the goal of reducing child mortality, especially when the interventions prioritize the poor, according to a study in the October 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a theme issue on poverty and human development. According to two accompanying editorials, more than 200 medical and scientific journals from 34 developing and developed countries are simultaneously publishing articles on poverty and human development to raise awareness and disseminate research about this critically important global topic.

Preview the study.

Preview the first editorial on this topic.

Preview the second editorial on this topic.

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If you have specific comments on this edition of AMA eVoice, simply reply to this message. For more general feedback on AMA eVoice, send an e-mail to evoice@ama-assn.org and alert the editor of your comments and concerns. Do you have general questions about the AMA? Call the AMA Unified Service Center at (800) 262-3211.

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Thank you for your AMA membership! The AMA's strength comes from its numbers. That strength grows when our membership increases — please urge your fellow physicians and medical students to join our cause by calling (800) 262–3211 or visiting the AMA Web site.

Last updated: Oct 25, 2007
Content provided by: Media Relations