AMA eVoice Weekly Newsletter

Help eliminate Medicare cuts--urge support for S. 1776

We're one step closer to permanent repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula. S. 1776, the "Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009," was introduced in the Senate this week by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. I'm sure you've been watching and reading all about this in national news mediums across the country—or maybe even in my blog or in the AMA's Health System Reform Bulletin yesterday.

My purpose in writing about the bill today isn't to spell out the nitty-gritty details. It's a "call to arms," so to speak, for seniors, for physicians and for all patients. Clearly, our hard work has paid off up to this point. Senate leadership announced that this bill will serve as the legislative vehicle for eliminating the SGR and lay the foundation for establishing a new Medicare physician payment update system. We must keep our efforts going, particularly with S. 1776, which holds so much promise for patients and our profession.

It wipes the slate clean. It repeals the SGR permanently and sets future payment updates at zero instead of the current unfathomable negative rates. It starts us down the path toward a permanent solution to an annual problem. Notice I said "starts"—we're not yet there.

That's where you come in. Physicians play such a crucial role. Here's why: On Jan. 1, 2010, Medicare physician payments are scheduled to be cut by more than 20 percent. In addition, the 2009 Medicare Trustees' report projects payment cuts to physicians of about 40 percent over the next five years—forcing physicians to make tough decisions. Nearly 90 percent of people age 50 and older are concerned that the current Medicare physician payment formula threatens their access to care. And in just two years, the first wave of baby boomers will reach Medicare age. 

Things in the Senate are moving fast. Time is of the essence. But there have been a few changes from earlier in the week that I want to bring to your attention. The Senate majority and minority leaders have reached an agreement that will allow the Senate to proceed to S. 1776 next week. That means the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the bill that had been scheduled for Oct. 19 is no longer necessary and has been cancelled. There will in fact be one or more votes on S. 1776 next week, including a critical vote on a motion to “waive the budget act” with respect to the bill.

We know Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and President Obama all strongly support passage of this bill. To rally additional support, the AMA has been airing a television commercial in key states as part of a newly launched Medicare campaign.

The AMA also has set up a system through its Legislative Action Center and developed the necessary tools and resources to help make action on your part as easy as possible. In the next several days, we will need your help.

First, right now, send an e-mail or, even better, call the AMA grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 to be connected directly to your senators' offices. Tell them to support S.1776. To help make your case, the AMA has prepared an action kit that explains more about S. 1776 and why the SGR formula must be repealed.

Secondly, next week, there will be a second procedural vote on “waiving the budget act” for S. 1776. When that time comes, contact your senators again and ask them to vote “yes” on S. 1776.

And finally, when the bill itself is up for vote, make one final contact with your senators asking them to again, vote “yes,” on S. 1776. Each of these steps is critical to passing the bill. And tell your patients we need them too. They can join the AMA's Patients' Action Network and learn how to help.

Congress must ensure the security and stability of Medicare through permanent repeal of the formula this year. Seniors who rely on Medicare need continued access and choice of physician, so we're calling on Congress to fix the problem once and for all. No more band-aids. It's time for permanent repeal of the formula.

You can stay informed and involved by visiting the AMA's health system reform Web site at www.hsreform.org, by subscribing to the AMA's Health System Reform Bulletin, or by following the AMA on Facebook or Twitter.

E-mail comments, questions and replies to Dr. Rohack

1) Contact your senators in support of S. 1776
With the introduction in the U.S. Senate of S. 1776, the “Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009,” earlier this week, the AMA urges all physicians to contact their senators and tell them to support this critical piece of legislation that would eliminate Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.

S. 1776 will serve as the Senate legislative vehicle for permanently repealing the SGR formula and laying the foundation for establishing a new Medicare physician payment update system. The 18-line bill would eliminate all debt accumulated under the current payment system, setting future physician payment updates at zero.

The Senate leadership has made it very clear that Congress does not intend to implement a permanent physician payment freeze and call it Medicare payment reform—and the AMA would not support such a proposal. Rather, by passing a separate bill that repeals the SGR and eliminates the accumulated spending target debt, budget constraints that have stopped permanent Medicare reform in the past would be lifted, allowing a new physician payment update system to be incorporated into a broader health system reform bill.

“There is widespread agreement that Medicare physician cuts will harm seniors' access and choice of physician,” AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, said. “Congress can no longer put a Band-Aid on the problem. As we undertake an historic effort to improve the heath system, it's time for permanent repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula.”

Read more about this legislation, including the timing of the Senate vote process, in Dr. Rohack's column in this edition of AMA eVoice.

Contact your senators and tell them to support S. 1776. Call the AMA grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 and be connected directly to your senators' offices, or send an e-mail to your senator.

View talking points about S. 1776 and other helpful resources related to health system reform.

Read more about S. 1776 in the latest edition of the AMA's Health System Reform Bulletin.

2) TV ad kicks off AMA Medicare campaign
To help rally additional support for S. 1776, the “Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009,” the AMA is airing a television commercial in markets nationwide that calls on the Senate to repeal the flawed Medicare sustainable growth rate formula and urges people to call their senators in support of the bill.

Call (800) 833-6354 now to urge your senators to support S. 1776 to eliminate Medicare payment cuts.

View the press release to learn more.

3) Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association data breach alert
The AMA is advising physicians to be on guard for potential identify theft as a result of a breach of physician personal data at BlueCross BlueShield Association (BCBSA). The AMA has met with BCBSA to express its concerns and learn what steps are being taken to protect physicians in the wake of this information breach.

Based on information provided by BCBSA, AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, wrote a message to physicians with more details on the breach and the AMA's recommended next steps for physicians.

4) AMA provides guidance on 2009 H1N1 influenza virus
The AMA is actively monitoring the most salient clinical information and recommendations on the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and providing physicians with easy access to those sources for clinical use and communication with patients. The AMA's current advice to physicians is:

• Antiviral treatment should be considered for high-risk individuals with suspected influenza and said treatment should be started empirically.
• Pregnant women are the most vulnerable and should be vaccinated with inactivated vaccine.
• All health care workers should be vaccinated; LAIV (intranasal spray) is perfectly fine for use in health care workers.

View the AMA's 2009 H1N1 influenza Web site and read the latest news and information regarding the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

5) Attend H1N1 webinar broadcast from AMA Interim meeting
Is your office becoming inundated with influenza patients? Learn the most up-to-date, clinical guidelines for management of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, including vaccination guidance and patient triage, as part of “Update on H1N1: What every physician needs to know,” an AMA webinar scheduled to take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. CDT Nov. 9.

Hosted by the AMA in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the webinar will be broadcast live from the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Houston and is open free of charge to 2,000 AMA members.

Anthony Fiore, MD, a medical epidemiologist and captain with the CDC's Influenza Division, will discuss vaccination guidance. Michael Bell, MD, associate director for infection control in the CDC's Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, will discuss triaging patients and infection control. AMA Board of Trustees member Mary Anne McCaffree, MD, will moderate the session.

Register for the webinar.

6) Are you getting paid when you use modifier 25?
The Humana settlement agreement states that if a bill contains a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT^®) code for the performance of an evaluation-and-management service appended with a CPT modifier 25 and a non-evaluation-and-management code, both codes will be recognized and separately eligible for payment unless previously disclosed on the Humana Web site. Physicians who receive such denials are strongly encouraged to file a compliance dispute before the Oct. 19 settlement termination date.

Settlement agreements with Health Net and Blue Cross Blue Shield remain in effect. Visit the AMA Web site to learn more about the Humana settlement, to read about physicians' rights under the settlement agreements or to report settlement violations.

Access a checklist of some key settlement items.

Learn more about the compliance dispute process.

7) Ethics in Brief: Massachusetts House approves quarantine bill
The Massachusetts House of Representatives has approved legislation that would give public health officials the power to isolate individuals and order quarantines to contain outbreaks of serious contagious diseases. The bill was developed to prepare the state in the event of an outbreak of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

Physicians have a special role in ensuring that quarantine and isolation interventions are applied according to certain ethical considerations. According to AMA ethics policy, physicians should participate in the implementation of appropriate quarantine and isolation measures as part of their obligation to provide medical care during epidemics. In so doing, physicians should seek an appropriate balance of public needs and individual restraints so that quarantine and isolation protect individual rights while minimizing negative health risks to the community. Through education, physicians can also advocate for protective and preventive measures as well as voluntary adherence to scientifically grounded quarantine and isolation measures.

Read more information about physicians' ethical responsibilities in the use of quarantine and isolation.

8) In JAMA: H1N1 critical illness can occur rapidly, predominantly affects young patients
Critical illness among Canadian patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza occurred rapidly after hospital admission, often in young adults, and was associated with severely low levels of oxygen in the blood, multisystem organ failure, a need for prolonged mechanical ventilation, and frequent use of rescue therapies, according to a study to appear in the Nov. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

This study is one of several published early online to coincide with their presentation at a meeting of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

1) Hate crimes bill passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that would expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to those committed because of a victim’s sexual orientation, a step that would extend new protection to lesbian, gay and transgender people. The bill was attached to a $680 billion defense policy bill that the Senate could approve this week, according to the Associated Press.

Visit the New York Times Web site to learn more about this bill.

2) Rally pushes for equal rights
Tens of thousands of gay-rights activists marched Sunday in Washington, D.C., to fight at the federal level for across-the-board equality, including for the right to marry and the right to serve in the military. View coverage of the rally by the Washington Post.

3) Upcoming caucus to discuss health concerns facing LGBT population
The AMA Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues will host a caucus at 6 p.m. Nov. 6 preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Houston. Shane Snowdon, director of the LGBT Resource Center at the University of California, will speak about current and emerging health concerns facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population, including health risks and disparities, barriers to accessing care, primary care issues and the patient-physician relationship.

1) Register for the AMA-IMG Section meeting
The AMA-IMG Section has an exciting meeting on tap from Nov. 6–9 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Highlights will include:

• Gerry Dillon, vice president of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, speaking at the AMA-IMG Section Congress
• A caucus co-sponsored by the Texas Medical Association IMG Section and the AMA-IMG Section featuring a town-hall format
• AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, delivering the keynote address during the Busharat Ahmad, MD, Leadership Program.

Register for the meeting.

AMA-IMG Section meetings are free and include refreshments. All physicians and their guests are encouraged to attend and participate. Oral or written organizational reports are encouraged. Contact J. Mori Johnson, director of the AMA-IMG Section, at (312) 464-5678 or e-mail her at img@ama-assn.org if you have a report or any questions.

2) AMA Foundation seeks everyday heroes in medicine
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of leaders in the medical community, the AMA Foundation honors those who go beyond the call of duty to improve the health of our nation with the Excellence in Medicine Awards. Presented in association with Pfizer Inc., the awards recognize a select group of physicians and medical students who represent the highest standards of volunteerism, public service and leadership.

Nominations are due Nov. 16. Learn more about how you can nominate a colleague.

3) AMA symposium to cover IMGs in the U.S. physician work force
Join the AMA for a symposium about international medical graduates in the U.S. physician work force from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at AMA headquarters in Chicago. The event is open to all physicians, medical students and their guests who are interested in physician work force issues, particularly international medical graduates’ role in the nation’s physician work force.

Attendees will have an opportunity to network with colleagues and take an exclusive look at the 2009 edition of “International Medical Graduates in the U.S. Physician Workforce: A Discussion Paper,” which will be unveiled at the meeting prior to its online publication in January.

Visit the AMA-IMG Section Web site for more about the symposium and to register for it.

Brought to you by the AMA Section on Medical Schools

1) AMA-SMS November meeting registration deadline extended
The next AMA-SMS meeting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston. The deadline to register for the meeting is Oct. 19.

The meeting is being held in conjunction with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Meeting, which is taking place at the same time as the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Houston. Discounted rates for hotel reservations are available only when registering for the AAMC meeting.

Register for the meeting. Meeting registration is free.

Register for the AAMC meeting.

If you will not be registering through the AAMC, those attending only the section meeting may visit the Marriott Web site to secure hotel accommodations.

Send an e-mail to jackie.drake@ama-assn.org or call the AMA-SMS at (312) 464-4655 if you have questions.

2) In American Medical News: Does more sleep for residents mean safer care?
Six years after resident work limits took effect, the impact on safety is still being fiercely contested, and a push for more sleep is reigniting the debate, according to a story published Oct. 5 by American Medical News.

3) AMA’s Ending Disparities e-Letter makes debut
The AMA recently launched the Ending Disparities e-Letter, a newsletter that contains periodic news, information and updates related to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care, as well as details of the AMA’s activities related to ending health disparities.

Send an e-mail to commission.on.disparities@enews.ama-assn.org to sign up to receive this newsletter.

Learn more about the AMA’s effort to eliminate health disparities.

4) In Medical Education Online: effectiveness of an experimental musculoskeletal curriculum
An innovative Web-based musculoskeletal curriculum is as effective as the traditional curriculum for first-year medical students’ knowledge and skills related to musculoskeletal physical diagnosis, according to a study published in Medical Education Online.

1) Reserve your hotel room for the AMA-MSS meeting
The AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting will be held Nov. 5–7 in Houston, and the AMA has booked a block of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Houston for meeting attendees at a special rate of $190 per night. This discounted rate will be available until today, Oct. 16, or until the block of rooms is sold out.

Make a reservation.

If you’re looking for a roommate to share the cost of a hotel room at the meeting or have extra space in your hotel room, use the AMA-MSS Housing Exchange Forum to communicate with other meeting attendees.

Although online registration is closed for the meeting, you still can register on site for free.

2) Volunteer for national service project event at AMA-MSS meeting
The AMA-MSS will officially kick off its 2009–2011 national service project by hosting the “Fall into Healthier Life Styles Health Fair” at the upcoming AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting.

Medical student volunteers will speak with Houston-area citizens about the four key health behaviors addressed by the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program: healthy eating, physical activity, reducing risky alcohol use and not smoking. Students also will provide various free services for adults, including blood pressure screening, body mass index screening, CPR and stroke information, resources for the uninsured, and healthy cooking and physical fitness demonstrations.

If you will be attending the AMA-MSS meeting and are interested in participating in the health fair, complete the online registration form by Oct. 30. Contact Hayley Fischer, the AMA-MSS’s at-large officer, at hayley.fischer@gmail.com with any questions.

3) Submit online AMA-MSS Reference Committee testimony
AMA-MSS members are encouraged to submit reference committee testimony online in advance of the traditional reference committee hearing at the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting. All testimony submitted online will be considered along with testimony heard in person as the AMA-MSS Reference Committee makes its recommendations to the assembly. Make your voice heard by submitting online reference committee testimony.

If you’re registered for the meeting, you already have access to the AMA-MSS Online Reference Committee blog on Central Desktop and should have received an e-mail Oct. 15 with log-in instructions.

If you’re not registered for the meeting but would still like to submit testimony, visit the AMA-MSS Web site and register for the AMA-MSS Discussion Forum to receive access to the AMA-MSS Online Reference Committee blog.

Send an e-mail to mss@ama-assn.org with any questions.

4) Chapter of the Week: Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Medical students at the University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine will hold their annual “DO Dash,” a 5K race and health fair promoting the four key health behaviors of the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program, on Oct. 24.

Students will distribute information to race participants and fair attendees about proper diet, exercising, and quitting smoking and drinking in accordance with the AMA-MSS’s national service project, the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program. Students also will provide children with free bicycle helmets to encourage them to exercise by riding bikes in a safe manner.

Send an e-mail to ddo@hsc.unt.edu for more information about this project.

The AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program is the focus of the AMA-MSS’s national service project. Learn more about the national service project and access resources, including project ideas, to help you and your chapter get involved.

Chapter Involvement Grants (CIGs) are available to help AMA-MSS chapters put student projects and recruitment events into action. Chapters are eligible for up to $1,000 per academic year. Apply for a CIG at least 30 days before your event.

5) AMA Foundation seeks everyday heroes in medicine
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of leaders in the medical community, the AMA Foundation honors those who go beyond the call of duty to improve the health of our nation with the Excellence in Medicine Awards. Presented in association with Pfizer Inc., the awards recognize a select group of physicians and medical students who represent the highest standards of volunteerism, public service and leadership.

Among the Excellence in Medicine Awards are the Leadership Awards, which are awarded to individuals who show outstanding leadership in the areas of advocacy, community service and/or education. Medical students enrolled in an accredited medical school through 2010 are eligible.

All awards will be presented at the Excellence in Medicine Awards banquet on March 1, 2010, during the AMA National Advocacy Conference, in Washington, D.C. All award recipients receive travel expenses and accommodations to these events.

Nominations are due Nov. 16. Learn more about how you can nominate a colleague.

6) FREIDA Online: just one benefit of AMA membership
Residency is just around the corner. Where are you going to go? Which institution has the right program for you?

As an AMA member, you have an outstanding resource at your fingertips—FREIDA Online. FREIDA is a database with more than 8,200 graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, as well as more than 200 combined specialty programs. AMA members-only functions for FRIEDA include being able to save the contents of your folder to view at a later date, and the ability to print program mailing address labels directly to your computer’s printer at no cost.

If you’re an AMA member, don’t lose valuable resources such as access to AMA member functions of FREIDA Online. Renew your membership. If you're not a member, join the AMA today and begin receiving them.

Brought to you by the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium

1) AMA-MAC Caucus set for Nov. 6
The AMA-MAC Caucus will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD). Stop by to network with colleagues, discuss a range of minority-related issues that the AMA-HOD will consider, and hear a presentation by Irby Jones, MD, the first female president of the National Medical Association, about the experiences of African-American physicians in state medical societies.

2) Study: Cultural competency training helps
A study published in the September issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association analyzes whether cultural competency training produces a change in the knowledge and skills of providers and administrators.

The study finds that as a result of cultural competency training, participants self-reported not only an enhanced understanding of the health care experiences of patients from diverse backgrounds but also an improvement in the skills necessary to effectively work in cross-cultural situations.

3) Urban Institute report looks at costs of disparities
A report by the Urban Institute examines the cost burdens of racial and ethnic disparities for a select set of preventable diseases and the excess rates of these diseases among African-Americans and Latinos relative to whites. The report estimates that health disparities will cost the health care system about $337 billion during the next decade.

1) AMA symposium to cover IMGs in the U.S. physician work force
Join the AMA for a symposium about international medical graduates in the U.S. physician work force from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at AMA headquarters in Chicago. The event is open to all physicians, medical students and their guests who are interested in physician work force issues, particularly international medical graduates’ role in the nation’s physician work force.

Attendees will have an opportunity to network with colleagues and take an exclusive look at the 2009 edition of “International Medical Graduates in the U.S. Physician Workforce: A Discussion Paper,” which will be unveiled at the meeting prior to its online publication in January.

Visit the AMA-IMG Section Web site for more about the symposium and to register for it.

2) Upcoming AMA webinar to cover patient safety improvement
Learn about patient safety evaluation systems, patient safety organizations and event reporting, and discover ways to optimize your participation in patient safety improvement by viewing a free AMA webinar from 8 to 9:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 27.

Presented by leading experts in the field, the webinar will help you

• Understand the scope of patient safety evaluation systems and patient safety organizations
• Participate effectively in hospital or group practice construction of patient safety evaluation systems and patient safety organizations
• Understand safety event reporting
• Recognize how the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 could influence peer review and ongoing professional practice evaluation.

Speakers to be featured during the webinar include Susan M. Nedza, MD, the AMA’s vice president of clinical quality and patient safety strategy and medical director of clinical practice solutions; Janice Anderson, an attorney with Polsinelli Shughart PC; and William A. Conway, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer with Henry Ford Health System and chief medical officer at Henry Ford Hospital.

3) Joint Commission’s pre-publication standards available online
Pre-publication versions of the 2010 standards for all Joint Commission accreditation programs can be viewed on the Joint Commission Web site. Please take the time to view this information with members of your organized medical staff and discuss it with your hospital leadership. These standards will be accessible online at least through Dec. 1.

4) AMA-OMSS meeting approaching; reserve your room today
The next AMA-OMSS Assembly meeting will take place Nov. 5–7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, and hotel reservations must be made by today, Oct. 16, to guarantee a room during the meeting.

The final day to register online for the meeting is Oct. 26. Visit the AMA-OMSS Web site to view more information about the meeting, including the preliminary version of the AMA-OMSS Interim Meeting Handbook.

If you are not an AMA-OMSS representative and would like to become one, download a certification form and fax it to (312) 464-5845, e-mail it to omss@ama-assn.org or mail it to 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654.

1) AMA to hold health reform conference call for residents, fellows
Learn the most up-to-date information about health system reform—including elements of reform that are particularly important to you—during an AMA conference call for residents and fellows at 7:30 p.m. Central time Oct. 22.

The hour-long call will include time for participants to ask questions and share their thoughts and concerns about health system reform. Any reform to the nation’s health system is going to greatly affect medical students, residents and fellows. Be engaged in this issue by participating in this call so you can ensure that your voice continues to be heard on Capitol Hill.

Send an e-mail to rfs@ama-assn.org to register for the call.

Dial (888) 771-4371 to access the call. The pass code/confirmation number is 25538077.

2) In the AMA’s GME e-Letter: Will they choose primary care?
A recent story in American Medical News reports on the 41 members of the first class of students at the new University of Central Florida College of Medicine, who will receive full scholarships for all four years of their medical education. Many point to student debt as a factor in medical school graduates eschewing primary care and choosing higher-paying fields. What effect, if any, will a free medical education have on these students’ choices of specialty and subspecialty? This question is posed in the latest edition of the AMA’s GME e-Letter.

3) AMA-RFS meeting approaching
The AMA-RFS will hold its 33rd annual Interim Meeting Nov. 5–7 at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston. Visit the AMA-RFS Web site to learn more about the meeting and to register for it.

Take a more active leadership role at the meeting by becoming a convention committee member. Convention committee activities range from helping formulate AMA-RFS policy to planning social and networking events.

View a letter from AMA-RFS Governing Council Chair Baligh Yehia, MD, and learn about important activities and deadlines associated with the meeting.

4) AMA symposium to cover IMGs in the U.S. physician work force
Join the AMA for a symposium about international medical graduates in the U.S. physician work force from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at AMA headquarters in Chicago. The event is open to all physicians, medical students and their guests who are interested in physician work force issues, particularly international medical graduates’ role in the nation’s physician work force.

Attendees will have an opportunity to network with colleagues and receive an exclusive look at the 2009 edition of “International Medical Graduates in the U.S. Physician Workforce: A Discussion Paper,” which will be unveiled at the meeting prior to its online publication in January.

Visit the AMA-IMG Section Web site for more about the symposium and to register for it.

1) In the Washington Post: Steep losses pose crises for pension funds
The financial crisis has left many public pension systems, government officials and consultants rethinking how they are going to pay out benefits or make money, according to a recent story in the Washington Post.

With a loss of nearly $1 trillion in the markets, state and local governments face choices of either slashing retirement benefits or pursuing high-return investments that come with additional risk, the Post reports. Pension funds that once aggressively pushed into real estate and mortgage securities were hit hardest in this crisis.

2) Physician honored with MacArthur award
An internist and Yale University Medical School professor, Mary Tinetti, MD, was named a MacArthur fellow for her work with injuries due to falls among elderly people. Dr. Tinetti championed the idea that an increased risk of falling faced by older people should be incorporated into the diagnosis and treatment of other diseases such as diabetes, depression, arthritis, insomnia and low blood pressure.

In an interview with American Medical News, Dr. Tinetti said she would like to further her research to tackle the complexity of medical decision-making in treating older people who often have many diseases. “A balance must be struck between treating one disease without making another worse,” she said.

View an American Medical News story about Dr. Tinetti and three other physicians who recently were recognized for their work.

Brought to you by the AMA Women Physicians Congress

1) Study: Wrist fracture patients less likely to be evaluated for osteoporosis
A study published in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery suggests a disconnect between the way wrist-fracture patients and those with a spine or hip fracture are managed and evaluated.

The study, conducted in 2007 among 97 percent of women in Korea, reviewed the incidence of fractures around the hip, spine and wrist in female patients age 50 and older and the prescription frequencies of bone density scans for osteoporosis, along with the use of medications for its treatment.

2) Women’s health in the spotlight during annual conference
Learn new and compelling information about important issues affecting women’s health during “A Woman’s Journey,” Johns Hopkins Medicine’s highly acclaimed annual women’s health conference that will be held Nov. 14 in Baltimore and Jan. 21 in Palm Beach, Fla.

This one-day conference offers a unique day of learning about recent medical breakthroughs from renowned Johns Hopkins faculty physicians. Attend a plenary session, a luncheon and four seminars of your choosing. Johns Hopkins physicians will give presentations on 32 diverse topics.

1) AMA-YPS meeting approaching; reserve a hotel room today
Help represent the voice and vision of young physicians across the country at the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 5–7 in Houston preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.

The AMA has booked a block of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Houston for meeting attendees at a special rate of $190 per night. This discounted rate is available until today, Oct. 16.

Registration is due by Oct. 25. Visit the AMA-YPS Web site to register.

Help the AMA-YPS host a productive meeting by volunteering to serve on the section’s reference committee or AMA House of Delegates handbook review committee. Learn more about AMA-YPS committees and how to get involved.

2) Submit testimony on AMA-YPS reports and resolutions
AMA-YPS members are encouraged to comment on reports and resolutions in advance of the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting using the section’s online, interactive workspace. Testimony will be accepted until noon Central time Oct. 27 and will inform the AMA-YPS Reference Committee. AMA-YPS delegates also will be able to testify in person during the Nov. 6 assembly meeting.

Comment on AMA-YPS reports and resolutions.

Send an e-mail to Jane Ascroft of the AMA-YPS at jane.ascroft@ama-assn.org if you are unable to access the AMA-YPS workspace.

3) Interim Meeting to include bipartisan discussion about health reform
Join the AMA’s sections and special groups for a candid discussion about the status of health system reform, where it is heading and what it means for physicians and patients. This program, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 7 as part of the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, will consist of AMA President J. James Rohack, MD; Richard Deem, the AMA’s senior vice president for advocacy; and congressional representatives, including U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, MD, R-Texas, discussing the AMA’s involvement in the reform debate. Participants can earn 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Online registration will close Oct. 30 and space is limited, so register early.

The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Medical Association designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

4) AMA Foundation seeks everyday heroes in medicine
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of leaders in the medical community, the AMA Foundation honors those who go beyond the call of duty to improve the health of our nation with the Excellence in Medicine Awards. Presented in association with Pfizer Inc., the awards recognize a select group of physicians and medical students who represent the highest standards of volunteerism, public service and leadership.

Nominations are due Nov. 16. Learn more about how you can nominate a colleague.

5) Symposium to cover IMGs in the U.S. physician work force
Join the AMA for a symposium about international medical graduates in the U.S. physician work force from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at AMA headquarters in Chicago. The event is open to all physicians, medical students and their guests who are interested in physician work force issues, particularly international medical graduates’ role in the nation’s physician work force.

Attendees will have an opportunity to network with colleagues and take an exclusive look at the 2009 edition of “International Medical Graduates in the U.S. Physician Workforce: A Discussion Paper,” which will be unveiled at the meeting prior to its online publication in January.

Visit the AMA-IMG Section Web site for more about the symposium and to register for it.

6) AMA’s Ending Disparities e-Letter makes debut
The AMA recently launched the Ending Disparities e-Letter, a newsletter that contains periodic news, information and updates related to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care, as well as details of the AMA’s activities related to ending health disparities.

Send an e-mail to commission.on.disparities@enews.ama-assn.org to sign up to receive this newsletter.

Learn more about the AMA’s effort to eliminate health disparities.

7) In the AMA’s GME e-Letter: Will they choose primary care?
A recent story in American Medical News reports on the 41 members of the first class of students at the new University of Central Florida College of Medicine, who will receive full scholarships for all four years of their medical education. Many point to student debt as a factor in medical school graduates eschewing primary care and choosing higher-paying fields. What effect, if any, will a free medical education have on these students’ choices of specialty and subspecialty? This question is posed in the latest edition of the AMA’s GME e-Letter.