The Task Force has even contributed to improved alignment between ABOS and ABPS regarding approaches to improving hand surgery practice, using the best ideas from both boards in a way that benefits all hand surgeons and all of our patients.
It is a great example of how the ASSH is leveraging collaboration within the field of hand surgery to benefit all of its members and is a model for inter-Board collaboration at the ABMS.
As hand surgeons, we are fortunate to have hand surgery well represented within our respective Boards. If you have any questions about how the ASSH can further help, feel free to contact your respective ABMS Board members:
ABOS:
- Marybeth Ezaki, MD (ASSH Past President)
- John Seiler, MD
- Michelle James, MD
- Peter Murray, MD
ABPS:
- Donald Lalonde, MD
- W. P. Andrew Lee, MD (ASSH President)
- Kevin Chung, MD, MS
- James Chang, MD
ABS:
We all hope that you value and take advantage of your ASSH membership in navigating this critical process.
Nicholas Vedder, MD
MOC Task Force Chair,
ABPS Immediate Past Chair
Last Chance! Register for Electives in Hand Surgery in New Orleans
Today is the last day to register for 2012 Electives in Hand Surgery, which will be held February 24-25 in New Orleans.
Sponsored by the ASSH and the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT), the course will highlight the fundamental anatomical knowledge with which both therapists and surgeons alike should be familiar.
In addition to common conditions treated in the upper extremity, topics which are infrequently seen in educational forums but are clinically common, including benign hand and wrist tumors, emergency conditions, such as compartment syndromes, ulnar sided wrist pain and common conditions involving the shoulder and elbow will be covered during this program by experts in their respective fields.
Listserv Hot Topic: Idiosyncrasies and Cross-Checking in the OR
The most popular thread on the Physician Listserv this week dealt with OR safety and what OR teams can learn from flight crews.
"Crosscheck is part of CRM: crew resource management," one member wrote. "CRM can be defined as a management system which makes optimum use of all available resources – equipment, procedures and people – to promote safety and enhance the efficiency of operations. It is mandatory around the world for flight crews; it should be mandatory for OR teams as well."
What's your take? If you have already signed up for the Listserv, you can view or contribute to the "Idiosyncrasies" thread by visiting the
archives and scrolling down to the discussion titled "Idiosyncrasies in the OR." If you don't know or remember your Listserv password, you can reset your password
here.
To sign up for the Listserv, visit the
Listserv page.
AMA Membership Update
AMA rules stipulate that in order to qualify for a seat in the AMA House of Delegates, 25% of our members must be AMA members.
For those who join or rejoin the AMA, it's critical that they designate a specialty society to represent them in the AMA House of Delegates. Unless the new AMA member designates the ASSH to represent them in the House of Delegates, no one will represent them, and the ASSH might not meet the threshold to maintain our seat at the table.
New AMA members must mail back a form included in their membership benefits booklet (the AMA card is attached to the booklet, which is received by mail about three weeks after joining) or visit the AMA's
Specialty Society Representation webpage, create a username and password, and select ASSH on the Representation Ballot.
Thank you to all of the ASSH members who notified us this week (via email or the Listserv) that they've joined or rejoined the AMA:
Ed Athanasian, MD
Robert Hotchkiss, MD
Tzechow Ip, MD
Nurhan Kasparyan, MD
Patrick Owens, MD
Have you recently joined or rejoined the AMA? Please let us know by contacting amitchell@assh.org so we can track the progress of your AMA membership. ASSH will reconcile our membership list with the AMA to get credit for our members.
Reserve Your Spot: Comprehensive Review in Chicago
The
ASSH Comprehensive Review in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery is designed as an advanced review course and update for practicing hand surgeons, as well as residents and fellows in training.
The course, which will be held July 13-15 in Chicago, will review the topical concepts of anatomy, biomechanics and pathology, as well as diagnostic and treatment methods relating to hand, wrist and elbow surgery.
Course faculty are recognized experts in hand and upper extremity surgery and have been selected for their knowledge, expertise and contributions relating to the subject matters they present. Click on the "Program" tab of the
course page to see a complete list of faculty, topics, objectives and CME credit information.
Register for the Self-Assessment Exam Today
Registration for the 2012 ASSH Self-Assessment Exam remains open, and this year marks the first time the exam can be taken online.
When you register as an online exam-taker, you gain access to several new benefits:
- You can take the exam up to three times until you meet the minimum passing score of 50%. The print exam can only be taken once.
- You will have access to instant feedback each time you complete the exam and submit your answers. Answers will not be available to print exam-takers until after the tests have been scored and returned to them by mail.
In addition to the print-only and web-only options, you can also choose to take the web exam and receive a printed answer book for personal use.
The deadline for registration is April 2. To register, visit the
Self-Assessment Exam webpage or call the ASSH Central Office at 847-384-8300.
Call for Weiland Medal Applications
Applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Andrew J. Weiland Medal for Outstanding Research in Hand Surgery. The medal is awarded annually to a mid-career researcher dedicated to advancing patient care in the field of hand surgery.
The award is a $20,000 unrestricted gift and will honor a hand surgeon-scientist who has contributed a body of research that advances the field. The medal recognizes and supports outstanding research in order to continue Weiland's vision for the field of hand surgery. It will be awarded to a mid-career surgeon who is less than 55 years old or a surgeon who is fewer than 15 years from hand fellowship training. The medal will be presented at the 2012 ASSH Annual Meeting in Chicago.
The deadline for submitting an application is April 2. To learn more about the award, visit the
Weiland Medal page on the ASSH website.
Thank You to AFSH Donors
Craig T. Arntz, MD
Thomas M. Barbour, MD
Michael Christy, MD
John G. Lunt, MD
Gary M. Pess, MD
George A. Pianka, MD
William D. Rogers, MD
Stephen J. Troum, MD
Takuro Wada, MD
Did you know you can now support the Foundation (AFSH) through automated monthly payments? Visit www.afsh.org/donate to complete an auto-pay form, or contact afsh@assh.org.
Study: Dupuytren's Patients Prefer Less-Invasive Needle Procedure - from ASPS
For disabling hand contractures caused by Dupuytren's disease, patients prefer a percutaneous needle fasciotomy procedure despite the higher contracture recurrence rate when compared to conventional surgery. These findings are the results of a clinical trial report in the February issue of The Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Many patients still prefer needle fasciotomy because it is a less-invasive procedure with a shorter recovery time. The study was led by Dr. Annet L. van Rijssen of Isala Clinics, Zwolle, the Netherlands.
In recent years, percutaneous needle fasciotomy has been introduced as an alternative to more extensive surgery (called limited fasciectomy) for treatment of Dupuytren's disease. In needle fasciotomy, the surgeon places a needle through the skin to break up the connective tissue cords restricting hand function. Requiring no incision and only a local anesthetic, the needle procedure has a much shorter recovery time. In contrast, limited fasciectomy requires incisions of the hand and fingers and general or regional anesthesia, with a longer recovery time.
Read more.