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March 24, 2008 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
Editor's Column: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
DMC's
Dr. Bock Lauded
Tamper-Proof Rx
Pad Deadline April 1
Patient Safety Audio
Conference April 8
Meet Pols At April 10 Meeting
WSUSOM
Displays AIDS Quilt |
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Editor's Column: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
By JOSEPH
WEISS, MD
The health news that generates headlines comes from the
presidential candidates’ rhetoric on health insurance: who to cover, how
to cover, how and how much to pay. The medical community is
concerned with different issues.
A new president, whether Republican or Democratic, likely
will bring changes in 1) coordination of care, better known as the
medical home; 2) changing patterns of medical care, now called pay–for-performance and 3) accelerating information technology, now
focused on bringing a computer to every medical lap.
Who will receive care, how much care, and at what cost are
questions that Congress will debate and modify from any original
political party position. The discussions will take place publicly
and news will come often on progress, compromise, changes on issues
and new ideas.
In contrast, the areas of coordination of care, changing
physician practice, and forwarding technology represent areas
controlled by CMS policy. In turn, CMS initiatives come from
decisions made by a small group of administrators who report to each
other. The names of these policy makers and their deliberations are
generally unknown to us.
Therefore, in our conversations with the candidates, their
advisors, representatives, supporters and followers we should ask
questions not about coverage and how to pay for it, but focus on
these areas of the medical home, P-4-P, and the roll out of medical
technology. We should also learn the names of the candidates’
confidants on health matters.
Experience shows that health insurance companies follow CMS
initiatives. What the new administration begins, will become the
changes we will see from Blue Cross, Aetna, United Health, and
Humana in the months that follow.
Certainly, we need to know what the new president intends,
but of more importance to us, is how CMS intends to do it.
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DMC's Dr. Bock Lauded
The American
College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) announced March 14, 2008 it
has recognized Brooks F. Bock, MD, president of Harper University
Hospital and Hutzel Women’s Hospital, as a “Hero of Emergency
Medicine.” The campaign which is part of ACEP’s 40th anniversary,
recognizes emergency physicians who have made significant
contributions to emergency medicine, their communities and their
patients.
“Dr. Bock is
one of the best administrative physicians and his accomplishments in
emergency medicine are too numerous to name. He is a leader in his
field and has been for many years,” said Dr. Ronald Krome, former
Chief of Emergency Medicine at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital and a
past president of ACEP.
Dr. Bock, who
is also a professor in the department of emergency medicine at Wayne
State University, began practicing emergency medicine in 1970. In
1976, he established the emergency medicine residency program at
Wayne State University/Detroit Receiving Hospital and later became
professor and chair. Dr. Bock has been medical director for the City
of Detroit EMS System since 1985. He served on the editorial board
of the Annals of Emergency Medicine from 1985 to 1995, and has
served as a delegate to the AMA House of Delegates since 2000.
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Tamper-Proof Rx Pad Deadline April 1
Under a federal
law passed last year, physicians will be required to use
tamper-resistant prescription pads for most handwritten Medicaid
prescriptions (exceptions exist for Medicaid managed care and
institutionalized patients).
Advocacy by the
AMA, state medical societies and others last fall achieved a
six-month delay in the implementation date, which is now April 1,
2008. Orders for these pads can take up to four weeks to process, so
physicians who have not yet ordered them should do so now. While
this is a federal law and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services has issued some guidance to state Medicaid agencies, each
state agency must implement its own requirements regarding the
tamper-resistant features of the pads. The AMA has been working with
a coalition to bring clarity to the situation.
Visit
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/15559.html for more
details, including a letter from the National Council for
Prescription Drug Programs and a spreadsheet showing particulars for
each state.
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Patient Safety Audio Conference April 8
Hospital
leaders and others who want to learn how to get patients and
families to partner with healthcare providers on community-based
patient safety advisory councils should mark their calendars for a
free audio conference on April 8 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, E.D.T. AHRQ
grantee Kathy Leonhardt, MD, MPH, of Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin
will present the latest evidence in “How
to Develop a Community-Based Patient Advisory Council,” a
toolkit developed in partnership with Consumers Advancing Patient
Safety. The audio conference will feature highlights from a how-to
guide developed through AHRQ’s Partnerships in Implementing Patient
Safety (PIPS) grants program. The PIPS projects focus on
implementing safe practice interventions that can be used by those
who wish to adapt and/or adopt interventions to improve patient
safety in diverse settings. For conference registration information,
send an e-mail to
AHRQ-PSRCC@ahrq.hhs.gov.
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Meet Pols At April 10 Meet-n-Greet
MSMS will hold
the 11th annual Greater Detroit Meet-n-Greet on Thursday, April 10,
6:30-9 pm, at Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen in Detroit’s Greektown. This
event is designed to foster a connection between the medical
community in the greater Detroit metropolitan area and their state
lawmakers. Also, participants will have the opportunity to discuss
health care legislation and state budget issues. (View the
2008 MSMS
Legislative Agenda online at
www.msms.org/legagenda.) Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be
provided during the event,co-sponsored by MSMS, the Detroit Medical
Society, Wayne County Medical Society, and Wayne County Osteopathic
Society. To RSVP, contact Anne Lavender at MSMS at 517-336-5736
oralavender@msms.org. For more information about legislative
advocacy,contact Colin Ford at MSMS at
517-336-5737
or cford@msms.org. Or visit
www.msms.org/advocacy.
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WSUSOM Displays AIDS Quilt
AMSA Presents...
THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT DISPLAY AT
WSU-SOM!!!!
We've already learned about the biochemistry behind HIV and AIDS.
Now, come to the reception to hear about the life experiences of
someone who is HIV+. Viewing the Quilt display will provide a more
humanistic approach of how AIDS impacts the family and friends of
those who have lost their lives to this terrible disease!
AIDS QUILT RECEPTION!
When: Wednesday, March 26th from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Where:
Scott Hall Cafeteria
Speakers:
Elizabeth Dawsey from Positive Perspectives will be giving a
talk about her experiences being HIV+. Dr. Robert Frank, MD,
Executive Vice Dean for WSU-SOM, will be making the opening remarks.
Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be provided.
Additional Viewing Times for the AIDS Quilt Display:
Dates and Times:
March 21st, 24th thru 28th--7:30 AM to 11:00 PM
March 22nd--10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Location:
Scott Hall Cafeteria
What is the AIDS Memorial Quilt all about? Visit
www.aidsquilt.org to find out!
PLEASE ATTEND!!!!!!
This event was made possible by contributions from AMSA, WSU-SOM
Student Senate, Dr. Bill Kupsky, MD, and Dr. Ali Moiin, MD.
David S. Goodyear V, MS I
LGBT Action Committee Chair, AMSA
Wayne State University
School of Medicine
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