ACS NewsScope
A Weekly News Update from the American College of Surgeons
April 25, 2008
Highlights for the week:
Alternative Reporting Options Available for 2008 PQRI
To encourage increased participation in the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making new reporting opportunities available. More specifically, CMS has announced that two reporting periods are now available to eligible professionals for 2008: January 1 to December 31 or July 1 to December 31, 2008. Participating physicians also may report on measures groups that have been established for diabetes, preventive care, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease. Registry reporting is now possible as well.
Participants using claims-based reporting for the full year 2008 must report on three PQRI measures (one or two if less than three apply) for at least 80 percent of applicable claims in order to receive a bonus payment. However, half-year participants have two claims-based reporting options: (1) choose one of the four measures groups and report on 15 consecutive, applicable patients; or (2) choose one of the four groups to report on at least 80 percent of applicable claims. Health care professionals using registry-based reporting for the full 2008 year have three options: (1) report on three PQRI measures for at least 80 percent of applicable patients; (2) choose one measures group to report on 30 consecutive, applicable patients; or (3) select one measures group to report on at least 80 percent of applicable patients. For successful participation using registry reporting for the half-year period, the three alternatives are: (1) report three PQRI measures on 80 percent of applicable patients; (2) choose one measures group to report on 15 consecutive patients; or (3) choose one measures group to report on at least 80 percent of patients. CMS will release registry requirements April 30 and will announce the final list of qualified registries in late August.
CMS will host an informational session on Wednesday, April 30, from 1:30-3:30 pm Eastern time. Registration is available at http://www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/event/2f7d0cda539b41dfb0fa57ad119b2ba9. For more information, contact cburley@facs.org.
Highlights
Highlights from February Regents Meeting Now Online
The American College of Surgeons Professional Association Board of Directors and the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents met February 8-9, 2008, at College headquarters in Chicago. The highlights of those meetings are now online at: http://www.facs.org/news/regentsfeb2008.html.
Highlights
Surgeons Needed for USNS Mercy’s Mission to Vietnam
Project HOPE is seeking a general surgeon, a pediatric surgeon, and a plastic surgeon to serve for two weeks on board the hospital ship USNS Mercy from June 17-29, 2008, during its visit to Vietnam. For more information on this and other surgical volunteerism opportunities, please visit Operation Giving Back at http://www.operationgivingback.facs.org. Be sure to register for a "My Giving Back" account when you visit the site, and take a few minutes to explore the various resources available to those interested in surgical volunteerism.
Highlights
CMS Proposes Expanded List of Hospital-Acquired Conditions for Nonpayment
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted a notice of proposed rulemaking that would expand its list of hospital-acquired conditions for nonpayment. More specifically, CMS proposes to expand the list of "avoidable complications" that are "reasonably preventable" through proper care and that will no longer be paid at a higher rate if acquired during a hospital stay. In addition, CMS is adding 43 new quality measures that hospitals will need to report on to receive full annual payment for their services.
The nine new complications that have been proposed for nonpayment to hospitals in 2009 are as follows:
- Surgical site infections following certain elective procedures
- Legionnaires' diseases
- Extreme blood sugar derangement
- Iatrogenic pneumothorax
- Delirium
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
- Deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism
- Staphylococcus aureus septicemia
- Clostridium difficile associated disease
Although the rule affects hospital diagnosis-related group payments only, members of the medical community agree that this initiative could have significant implications for physician documentation of admission and patient care. Hence, the College and other medical and surgical organizations intend to submit comments to CMS by the June 13 deadline. For more information about the proposed rule, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press.release.asp?Counter=3041.
Highlights
Minnesota Governor Signs Health Volunteer Legislation
On April 17, Minnesota Gov. Tom Pawlenty (R) signed into law S.B. 3135, which reflects the language in the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (UEVHPA) model bill. This legislation recognizes advanced registration of volunteer health professionals for deployment in the event of an emergency and grants liability protections to health professional volunteers during an emergency. The Executive Committee and Socioeconomic Issues Committee of the College's Board of Governors strongly support the UEVHPA, and Fellows are encouraged to support UEVHPA when it is introduced in their state legislatures. To obtain a copy of the Minnesota law, click here.
Highlights
Official Scoring for SESAP 13 to Begin May 1
The official scoring and posting of data from the 13th edition of the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program (SESAP 13) begins May 1. Participants returning the Answer Sheet or using the CD's verification system are eligible for a maximum of 60 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Participation in SESAP 13 also fulfills the second component of the American Board of Surgery’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, evidence of commitment to lifelong learning through continuing education and periodic self-assessment.
Please note: Official scoring and reporting of data from the 12th edition, SESAP 12, will be discontinued April 30. For more information, e-mail sesap@facs.org or call 312-202-5419.
Highlights
New Faculty Research Award on Wound Care Management Announced
The American College of Surgeons is offering a new two-year faculty research award for a general surgeon engaged in a research project addressing wound care management. Being made available through the generosity of KCI USA, this fellowship is intended to allow the surgeon to acquire knowledge leading to new clinical applications or projects that will provide the medical community with a better understanding of the use of advanced wound healing therapies. Specifically being sought are translational projects focusing on new methods to mechanically stimulate wound healing; the design of clinically applicable skin substitutes; methods to enhance specific, difficult-to-heal wounds related to general or extremity trauma; various soft-tissue injuries; quality limb salvage, or methods to reduce surgical intervention to heal a variety of wounds.
Complete requirements and the application form can be found at http://www.facs.org/memberservices/acswoundcare.html. The application deadline for this award is May 1, 2008.
Highlights
Executive Symposium on Surgical Patient Safety to Be Held in July
"Creating a Culture of Safety" is the theme for the sixth annual Executive Symposium on Surgical Patient Safety sponsored by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. Cosponsored by the American College of Surgeons, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American Association of Surgical Physicians Assistants, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, and the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, the symposium will be held July 13-15 in Beaver Creek, CO. Nationally known experts in the areas of quality improvement, safety, and leadership will be featured during the meeting, which will bring surgical teams from across the country together to discuss emerging issues in the surgical setting and imperative steps to improving surgical patient safety. For more information and to register for the symposium, visit http://www.aorn.org/AORNFoundation/ExecutiveSymposium/. The early registration deadline for the symposium is June 20.
Highlights
Surgical Oral Examination Course Schedule Set for 2008
The Dartmouth Clinical Performance & Oral Examinations in Surgery course will be offered May 2-4 in Newport, RI, and on October 10-12 just prior to the annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in San Francisco. The three-day course will provide an opportunity for surgeons who have failed the certifying examination or senior residents who anticipate difficulty with the certifying examination to receive individual feedback on their oral skills and knowledge base by selected national faculty. All participants will be videotaped in a mock certifying examination on Sunday morning and assigned a debriefing session for Sunday afternoon. Each debriefing will include a behavioral analysis, content areas of weakness, a plan, and questions for review along with a DVD of mock examinations. In addition, suggestions will be made with regard to specific sessions at the Clinical Congress the surgeon should attend based on weaknesses in the participant's knowledge base. The full description and registration information are available at http://oralboardreview.net . Questions about the program should be sent to Pamela.Rowland@Dartmouth.edu.
Highlights
New Educational Product for Medicare Claims Review Program Available
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that a new educational resource that outlines the Medicare Claims Review Program is now available on the agency's Web site. This booklet provides an overview of the several initiatives CMS has implemented to prevent improper payments before a claim is processed and to identify and recoup improper payments after a claim has been processed. To access this new product, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MCRP_Booklet.pdf. Print copies will be available at a later date.
Highlights
NewsScope
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by the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL 60611-3211
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