News for Women Physicians

Last chance to celebrate Women in Medicine Month

Only a few days remain to participate in the AMA's celebration of Women in Medicine Month this month.

Throughout September, female physicians have been putting their own (s)pin on the celebration by using Pinterest, a pinboard-style social photo-sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections. Each week the AMA has featured a different theme—Balancing Work and Life, Women Physician Leaders and Recognizing Women Physician Mentors. This week's theme is Pay Equality for Women Physicians.

To get involved, email your personal photos that express achieving parity in pay. Please submit only images that you created and that belong to you. Please take care not to include logos in the image.

If someone else besides yourself is in the image you submit, please confirm you have permission to use the photo in the AMA's Pinterest campaign. Include a short caption with the photo explaining why it represents "Pay Equality for Women Physicians" and how you'd like to be acknowledged (i.e., by name, or submitted by AMA-WPC member).

Learn more about how you can get involved in the AMA's celebration of Women in Medicine Month by viewing a past edition of AMA Wire.

Study, conference provide insight into ACO implementation and savings

New data is shedding light on the financial savings that can be achieved through such shared-savings arrangements as accountable care organizations (ACO).

The promise of financial savings has materialized most clearly in accountable care for low income patients who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. For participants in the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration, a precursor of Medicare shared-savings ACOs, an average of $532 was saved per dually eligible beneficiary.

Physicians can learn the latest insights about implementing and operating ACOs by attending the National ACO Congress Oct. 30–Nov. 1. Co-sponsored by the AMA, the conference will feature experts with hands-on experience in the development and operation of ACOs. Jay Crosson, MD, AMA vice president of professional satisfaction—care delivery and payment, will present a keynote address titled "Physician culture: The key to long-term ACO success."

The conference offers two options for participants: in-person attendance at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles or virtual attendance, which is available live and at any time up to six months after the conference.

AMA members get a discounted registration rate of $995, saving as much as $800. Simply use the discount code "AMA" during advance registration.

As part of its new strategic direction, the AMA is committed to enhancing professional satisfaction and practice sustainability by shaping new delivery and payment models.