News in brief - Nov. 15, 2004

ACCME clarifies standards on conflict of interest - Physicians in crisis states contemplate moving - Former paramedic chosen as president of ACEP - Fla. physician honored

ACCME clarifies standards on conflict of interest

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education has released further information to clarify its standards regarding conflicts of interest from commercial support. Supplemental resources in the form of additional questions and answers, compiled from questions submitted to the ACCME since Sept. 28, are available in pdf format on the group's Web site (www.accme.org/incoming/187_20041020_scs_additional_questions_answers.pdf).

Physicians in crisis states contemplate moving

In states that the American Medical Association lists as being in a medical liability insurance crisis, 60% of physicians have considered moving to another state to reduce their premiums, according to a survey of 816 physicians.

The study, by physician search company Jackson & Harris, also found that:

41% of physicians in crisis states have considered dropping their insurance and "going bare."
92% of physicians in crisis states said they were not happy with the way liability reform is progressing in their state.
86% of physicians in crisis and noncrisis states said medical liability reforms should apply uniformly across the United States.

Former paramedic chosen as president of ACEP

Robert Suter, DO, was elected president of the American College of Emergency Physicians last month at its annual meeting in San Francisco.

He is the first physician to serve in the role who worked full-time in emergency medical services as an EMT and paramedic.

Dr. Suter is emergency department medical director at Spring Branch Medical Center in Houston, and a partner in Greater Houston Emergency Physicians. He holds appointments as an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Texas-Southwestern, the Medical College of Georgia and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences.

He was elected to ACEP's board of directors in 1999 and re-elected in 2002. He also served one year as the board's secretary-treasurer.

"My EMS experience helps provide insight to ACEP's leadership on issues where emergency physicians and the EMS community share common ground, which will enable us to work better together to improve care for our patients," Dr. Suter said in a statement.

Fla. physician honored

Florida Dept. of Health Secretary John O. Agwunobi, MD, MPH, recognized Rick Slevinski, MD, for receiving the 2004 Richard Ferneau EMS Medical Director of the Year award.

The National Assn. of Emergency Medical Technicians presents the annual award to a medical director for leadership skills, dedication to improving the quality of emergency medical care and innovation in system development and clinical care.

Dr. Slevinski is credited with developing the concept of EMS medical direction in Florida and is active in long-term EMS planning at the state level. He co-authored the 2010 plan, which helps identify the issues related to the development of a statewide EMS system.

He wrote the first law and training course on the use of automated external defibrillators in Florida.

Dr. Slevinski served as state EMS medical director for 18 years and is an emergency physician at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. He is medical director for the Florida Disaster Medical Assistance Team 1 and is president of the Florida Emergency Medicine Foundation.

"Dr. Slevinski has dedicated his career to improving Florida's EMS system with innovative ideas and a passion for excellence," Dr. Agwunobi said in a statement.