ASSH Weekly Member Upd@te
September 25th, 2009
A Message From the ASSH President
- A column from President Robert M. Szabo, MD
One Question
- How are you utilizing your membership directory?
Did You Know?
- Paperless option for ASSH membership mailings
ASSH Courses and Meetings
- 2009 Master Skills Series: Tendon Repair and Reconstruction
- Sharing a Hand Program - Call for Volunteers
- Mark your Calendars for the 2010 Course Schedule
- 2009 Annual Meeting Handouts On the Web
- Online Resources For Annual Meeting Attendees
- Item found at Annual Meeting
- AAOS/ASSH Advanced Elbow and Wrist Arthroscopy and Reconstruction Course
Medical News
- Senator Baucus Calls For SGR Repeal - From AAOS
- Results From Survey of General Surgery Residents - From AAOS
- Editors, Legislators Take A Hard Look At Ghostwriting - From AAOS
A Message From the ASSH President
Your last opportunity to register for the October Master Skills course on tendon repair and reconstruction is fast approaching. Here’s what course chairs Jeff Greenberg, MD and Marty Boyer, MD had to say about their upcoming course:
“This years’ Master Skills Series focuses on Tendon Repair and Reconstruction, held October 16th and 17th at the Spine Masters Institute. How is this course different from past tendon courses? Our program covers a wide range of current techniques in a didactic setting and also allows attendees to practice in a hands-on skills lab.
We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from our expert faculty - whether it be to brush up on your current skills or learn more about recent trends in tendon repair and reconstruction.”
Sounds like a great course, and I look forward to hearing how it goes. You can learn more by visiting the Tendon website.
Best regards,
Bob Szabo
One Question
This week, we would like to know how you use your membership directory. Share with us here.
Did you know?
That the Hand Society is now seriously considering a “Go Paperless” option. In an effort to minimize our impact on the environment and provide greater efficiency, we are considering a paperless options for some elements of your membership mailings – all you need to do is check the appropriate paperless box in your 2010 directory update to specify if you no longer want to receive paper copies of any of the following:
· preliminary programs
· meeting and course brochures
· product and publication promotions
Keep an eye out for your directory update request to take advantage of this convenient and green opportunity.
ASSH Courses and Meetings
2009 Master Skills Series: Tendon Repair and Reconstruction
October 16-17, 2009 SM Institute Burr Ridge, IL
Registration Deadline: October 1, 2009
Online Registration Open!
Program Co-Chairs:
Jeffrey A. Greenberg, MD
Martin I. Boyer, MD, FRCS(C)
Tendon Repair and Reconstruction is a 2 day course designed to present current techniques and practice related to traumatic tendon repair and reconstruction. The course has been designed to allow the participant to split time equally between the lectures and lab. The course is structured to present this information in a didactic format with lectures given by recognized expert educators. Hands on practice in the state of the art cadaver lab will emphasize and reinforce the didactic information.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course participants will be aware of current concepts of tendon healing and current research regarding tendon healing, repair and rehabilitation. The participant will have options for repair of acutely injured flexor and extensor tendons and understand the indications for appropriate post-operative rehabilitation protocols. Participants will be expected to understand general principles and indications for a variety of tendon transfers and be able to design an appropriate reconstructive plan.
CME CREDIT HOURS:
The ASSH designates this educational activity for a maximum of 14.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
ACCREDITATION
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education to physicians.
Learn more by downloading the course brochure or visit www.assh.org to register online.
Sharing a Hand Program – Call for Volunteers
For four years, Richard Bernstein, MD has overseen the Sharing a Hand program at Yale University School of Medicine. The Sharing a Hand program was developed in collaboration with the Rheumatology Department in order to unify the approach of hand surgery between rheumatologists and hand surgeons. The rotating bimonthly conference series provides an opportunity for hand surgeons to teach and interact with the community and faculty rheumatologists.
Dr. Bernstein is looking for volunteers to be coordinators for this program at other institutions in the U.S. The role of the coordinator is to contact the Rheumatology fellowship director, explain the purpose and goal of this program, and work to establish the lecture series. They are looking for a representative at each institution who is willing to coordinate the program at his or her institution. The school coordinator may recruit other hand surgeons, residents, and fellows to participate in the program.
To register and sign up or if you have questions, please call 203.401.0037 or email Dr. Bernstein at HandShare@gmail.com.
2010 Courses - Mark Your Calendars!
February 5-6, 2010
Electives in Hand Surgery (Jointly Sponsored with the ASHT)
Intercontinental New Orleans - New Orleans, LA
March 13, 2010
AAOS Specialty Day: Wrist and Elbow Update: The Devil is in the Details
New Orleans, LA
May 21-22, 2010
Master Skills Course in Hand and Wrist Trauma
Orthopaedic Learning Center - Rosemont, IL
July 15, 2010
General Orthopaedic Review (Co-Sponsored with the AAOS)
Renaissance Chicago - Chicago, IL
July 16-18, 2010
Comprehensive Review in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery
Renaissance Chicago - Chicago, IL
August 6-7, 2010
Wrist and Elbow Arthroscopy
Orthopaedic Learning Center - Rosemont, IL
October 6, 2010
28th Annual Adrian E. Flatt Residents and Fellows Conference in Hand Surgery
John B. Hynes Convention Center - Boston, MA
October 7-9, 2010
65th ASSH Annual Meeting: Embracing Excellence-Making a Difference
John B. Hynes Convention Center - Boston, MA
2009 Annual Meeting handouts available on the web
Visit the 2009 Annual Meeting Archives to download the most current Instructional Course, Symposia and missing Precourse handouts from the meeting.
Did you attend the 2009 Combined Meeting of the ASSH & ASHT in San Francisco?
- Claim your CME online and print off a certificate now!
Access the Annual Meeting CD-ROM content online (includes handouts and scientific abstracts)
- Mark your calendars for future Annual Meeting dates and locations!
Item Found At Annual Meeting
A blue blazer was left at the registration desk in San Francisco. If you believe this item belongs to you, please contact the ASSH staff office at 847.384.8300 for further assistance.
Refine Your Skills and Learn New Techniques
Learn and practice the most effective arthroscopic approaches for the elbow and wrist as well as the latest, advanced techniques for contracture release, fracture treatment, and stabilization at the AAOS/ASSH Advanced Elbow and Wrist Arthroscopy and Reconstruction surgical skills course. This in-depth course blends didactic instruction, faculty demonstrations, debates, and ample hands-on lab practice to help you clarify the pros and cons of various treatments and impart a new skill set or level of comfort with addressing traumatic and degenerative problems.
Sessions begin at 6:00 pm on Thursday evening, November 12 and continue through Saturday, November 14. This course is designated for a maximum of 19 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. For more information or to register, call AAOS Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-626-6726 from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Central Time, or visit us online at www.aaos.org/3331.
Medical News
Senator Baucus Calls For SGR Repeal - From AAOS
The American Medical Association reports that U.S. Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has offered support for eliminating the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, which calls for a 21.5 percent cut to Medicare reimbursement in 2010. "The SGR needs to be fixed permanently," said Sen. Baucus. "I look forward to going further as the bill progresses through the process." The senator made the statement as the Finance Committee begins marking up his healthcare reform bill, which does not currently contain a fix for the SGR.
Read more...
Survey of General Surgery Residents Finds Mixed Bag of Satisfaction, Lack of Confidence - From AAOS
A survey of 4,402 residents in general surgery finds they are satisfied with their training and peer relationships, but concerned about self-confidence and career paths. Most respondents expressed satisfaction with training (3,686 [85.2 percent]; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 84.1 percent-86.3 percent) and supportive peer relationships (3,433 [84.2 percent]; 95 percent CI, 83.1 percent-85.3 percent). However, more than one in four reported worry that they will not feel confident performing procedures independently, and nearly two out of three felt that they must complete specialty training in order to be competitive. Additionally, men were more likely than women to report that their program provides support, and that they can turn to faculty when having difficulties. About one in five (19.2 percent) of residents in postgraduate year (PGY)-2 reported having considered leaving training the prior year, compared to 7.2 percent of PGY-5 residents. The survey was published in the September 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Editors, Legislators Take A Hard Look At Ghostwriting - From AAOS
The New York Times reports that some journal editors, including those of Blood and The Oncologist, are imposing tougher disclosure policies for academic authors to rein in the practice of using so-called ghostwriters. The moves are in part a response to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which found ghostwriting rates of more than 7 percent at JAMA and PLoS Medicine, and nearly 11 percent at the New England Journal of Medicine. Additionally, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) has been conducting his own investigation into ghostwriting, and recently wrote to eight leading medical journals to inquire about their ghostwriting policies. Critics of the practice are concerned that ghostwritten articles often contain undue industry influence at the expense of objective science.
Read more...
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