Weekly Member Update - July 15, 2011

 

It is with deepest sympathy that we announce the passing of James H. Dobyns, MD, fondly known as “Yoda Doc” to many in the ASSH.   Dr. Dobyns was an ASSH member since 1967 and the 39th ASSH President from 1984 – 1985.  Dr. Dobyns passed away on Thursday, July 14th and will be missed.  We invite all of you, as fellow members of the Hand Society, to take a moment and recognize Dr. Dobyns’s contributions to the Society, the field of hand surgery, and his commitment to family and friendships.

 

 

Last week we reported the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update payment policies and rates for physicians and non-physician practitioners (NPPs) for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) in calendar year 2012.  I’d like you to know that we are reviewing the proposed rule carefully.  It would appear there are several arbitrary decisions made at CMS that need to be addressed. We will provide data to CMS to help them understand the rationale used to arrive at what we perceive as being appropriate Resource Based Relative Value Units.  
 

We hope to have an update for you soon,

Dan 

 

 

 

Last week we asked if you planned to attend the Members Business Meeting at the 2011 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.  See what your colleagues said in the One Question Results.  

 

 

 

Elsevier’s new iPad app, “Personal Selections,” allows you to stay informed on the most recent scientific articles based on your areas of interest and selected key words.  Users will have continual access to the 25 most recent articles that match your criteria.  Articles from the Journal of Hand Surgery will be included among other scientific journals published by Elsevier.  Set up is quick and simple, so you can spend less time searching and more time reading. 

 

In addition, the Hand Society is currently working with Elsevier to create a JHS mobile app which would be complimentary for ASSH member subscribers.  Stay tuned for more information on those efforts this fall. 

 

Elsevier’s Personal Selections is now available for a free 30 day trial, followed by a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription.  Have you tried it?  Send feedback to thavenga@assh.org.   

 

 

 

Thanks to our Immediate Past President Robert M. Szabo, MD and input from attendees, last year's Members Business Meeting was the best attended meeting in years, so it was decided to continue to use the new format.

 

Please share your input to help shape the 2011 Members Business Meeting agenda.  This open format gives you an opportunity to share your ideas, and interact with your colleagues about issues that are important to you and your career.

 

Complete the topic suggestion and open-ended response form to offer your ideas.  We will identify the most popular areas for discussion, and later we’ll ask everyone to rank topics of interest to finalize the agenda by August 5th.

 

 

 

Hand surgery fellows or surgical residents in ACGME-accredited programs are invited to apply for the 2011 Resident and Fellow Fast-Track Seed Grants.  Funding will be limited to one applicant per institution.  The AFSH believes that hand surgery residents and fellows benefit from a research funding mechanism that offers a small amount of funding to seed innovative projects related to hand surgery.  That's why the program is geared towards projects of smaller scope and allows for faster funding than the traditional AFSH basic science and clinical research grants. 

 

Deadline for application is August 15, 2011.  Funding decisions will be made by October. Submission requirements have been modified, so be sure to read the application instructions on the ASSH website. 

 

 

 

The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) is now accepting proposals for individual and institutional grants.  The OREF recently announced a host of grants including: OREF Journal Club grant; OREF Resident Clinician Scientist Training Grant; OREF Resident Research Project Grant; OREF Young Investigator Grant; OREF Young Investigator Grant in Total Joint and Trauma Surgery.  Learn more about each of these grants and how to apply at the OREF website. 

 

 

 

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.  

A controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that has been highlighted recently in the media calls for establishing an Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).  The purpose of this 15-member panel would be to extend Medicare program solvency through the use of a spending target system and an expedited congressional process for approving Medicare cost savings.  

 

Throughout the congressional debate leading up to passage of the ACA, the AMA expressed opposition to the IPAB's broad authority, the lack of flexibility in its mandate and the fact that it would effectively subject physicians to double-jeopardy for Medicare payment cuts so long as the sustainable growth rate formula remains in place.  Read more.