The CPT/Relative Value Update Committee process has been completed in regard to collagenase injections. We now have two codes to describe the work associated with collagenase injections and subsequent manipulation. I would like to thank all those who participated in the RUC survey process. Thanks to your efforts these two codes have been valued within the context of the Resource Base Relative Value System. The specific codes and the relative values associated with these codes will be made public in late November of this year.
Thank you again for your help!
-Dan
It is with great sadness I note the death of Paul Manske on April 21, after a nearly yearlong illness. His legacy as editor of Journal of Hand Surgery over 15 years will be with us forever. His are big shoes to fill, not only for his stewardship of JHS, but also for his extensive and landmark contributions to flexor tendon healing and congenital differences. Always a gentleman, he left a lasting mark on patients, trainees, and colleagues, both nationally and internationally, with his straight-forward, quiet, self-effacing manner. We dearly miss him.
Roy A. Meals, MD
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Hand Surgery
Question 122 was inadvertently omitted from Book 1 of the 2011 examination. Due to this error, we ask that you read the question on the
ASSH website to answer line 122 of the examination answer sheet. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Please call us at 847.384.8300 with any questions, or to obtain a new answer sheet. Thank you.
Congratulations to Donald H. Lee, MD, who has been appointed the new Deputy Review Editor for In Brief articles in the Journal of Hand Surgery. Dr. Lee will be stepping in to replace Martin I. Boyer, MD, FRCS(c), who has held the position since its inception in 2008. Dr. Lee is currently a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute’s Hand and Upper Extremity Center, and he will complete his full transition to Deputy Review Editor by the end of May.
Very special thanks go to Dr. Boyer for his dedication to the JHS and for shaping the In Brief section into the timely, useful, and engaging resource that it is today. The In Brief section of JHS presents short summary articles (no more than 1000 words) about the relevant recent peer review literature pertaining to topics of potential daily relevance to Hand Surgeons' practices. Topics can be both surgical and medical in nature. To submit an In Brief article for consideration, please go to
http://ees.elsevier.com/jhs.
Don’t miss an opportunity to review critical information in treatment alternatives, diagnostic techniques and the biomechanics, pathology and basic anatomy relating to surgery of the hand, wrist and elbow. See the
faculty list and review the 2 ½ day program. Don’t be left behind -
register now.
New Webinar: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome CasesJune 7, 2011 8:30 PM Eastern (7:30 PM Central; 5:30 PM Pacific)
Join our live webinar to discuss cases submitted by you and your colleagues and hear from expert consultants about recommended treatment options. Submit your cases through the
ASSH Image Library. The consultants will review all submitted cases and select three difficult or unique cases to present and discuss for maximum benefit of all the participants during the webinar.
Thanks to the partnership of hundreds of donors each year the American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand continues to make a difference in patient care, research, and education. We especially thank these donors who made a contribution to the Foundation in the past week.
Dawn M. Briskey, CAE
Jonathan F. Cook, MD
Mark A. Deitch, MD
Gerald F. Dreher, MD
Randall A. Espinosa, MD, FACS
John V. Hogikyan, MD
James E. Johnson, MD
According to the New York Times, in an effort to increase access to health care, the White House has proposed a new rule that would prevent states from cutting Medicaid payments to providers unless they can show that Medicaid recipients will have sufficient access to care after the cuts. In addition, the rule could increase pressure on some states to increase Medicaid payment rates.
Some state authorities who are critical of the measure argue that it is needlessly complex and does not clearly enunciate the criteria used to measure access to care. The rule could also put pressure on some states to increase Medicaid payment rates, which are typically lower than what
Medicare and commercial insurance pay.
Read more.
Are you looking for a new practice management system or an upgraded system that can integrate with electronic health records? Get the information your practice needs to select the right software for your practice with the help of the new
Practice Management System Software (PMSS) Vendor Directory.
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) offer this free resource for their members as a complement to the recently released
“Selecting a Practice Management System” toolkit. Built on specific responses to survey questions posed to vendors, this directory can make your search for practice management system software easier. AMA and MGMA members can query, filter options and print out detailed vendor responses to all survey questions.