Academy News
Join Us in Boston for Learning, Networking, and Fun – Register by August 5 and Save!
You’re invited to join your colleagues in the historic city of Boston for AAPM&R’s 2015 Annual Assembly—the largest annual gathering of PM&R physicians.
| Come to Boston! Check out our new videofeaturing Academy leaders discussing what attendees can expect this year and why the Annual Assembly is important to physiatry. 
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We also have plenty of fun networking activities in store for you, including:
Register byAugust 5to take advantage of early bird registration rates!Can’t stay for the entire meeting?Register for a single day registration instead.
Residents – Prepare for the August 17 ABPMR Part 1 Exam with the Certification Exam Prep Qbank!
Looking for one last study resource to help you prepare for the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) Certification Part I Examination? Check out your Academy’s new Certification Exam Prep Qbank– a valuable study tool featuring 870 questions that cover the breadth of the exam and provides immediate feedback with explanation.
Visit the mē®website to learn more. AAPM&R members save significantly!
CMS to Host PERM Program Call Today at 3 pm (ET)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold an educational call on July 22, 2015 to explain, among other topics, provider responsibilities under the Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) Program. This is a cyclical program, occurring once every 3 years, to determine whether Medicaid and CHIP claims are being paid correctly. The states which are part of this year’s cycle (cycle 1, FY 2015), are: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The call will be held today from 3 pm-4 pm (ET). Further information can be found here.
Dr. Bell Represents AAPM&R During Arthritis Twitter Chat
ABC News' Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser hosts a weekly TweetChat on health topics in the news. Yesterday he tackled arthritis and AAPM&R President Dr. Kathleen Bell represented your Academy during this Twitter chat that focused on why arthritis is a public health problem, the conditions that cause arthritis, treatment options, and more. Many other organizations and Twitter users chimed in with their thoughts as well. Visit the AAPM&R Twitter account to view Dr. Bell’s tweets and search #abcDrBchat to view the entire conversation.
Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule: First Since Repeal of SGR
On July 8, CMS released the Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2016—the first proposed update to the physician payment schedule since the repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate through the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The proposed rule includes updates to payment policies, proposals to implement statutory adjustments to physician payments based on misvalued codes, updates to the Physician Quality Reporting System, which measures the quality performance of physicians participating in Medicare, and updates to the Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier, which ties a portion of physician payments to performance on measures of quality and cost.
The Academy is reviewing and working on comments on the Proposed Rule. Review the CMS fact sheet on the proposed rule;you can also view the rule on display.
ICD-10 is Fast Approaching – Prepare with the August Coding Workshop in Nashville
On October 1, 2015, ICD-10 will become a reality. The key to a successful transition is preparedness. Start preparing by attending the ICD-10 workshop, provided in conjunction with AAPM&R and KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. (KZA).
Focused ICD-10 Training for PM&R
Friday, August 14, 2015
12:30 pm-5:30 pm
Nashville, TN
Attendees will take away a more in-depth understanding of the top clinical diagnoses in PM&R, along with key documentation and CDI tips to assist your practice in making a smooth transition to ICD-10-CM. Learn more and register today!
Interested in Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine is a hot topic in today’s health care environment! Check out the resources your Academy provides to help you learn more:
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Regenerative Medicine Self-Assessment Exam for Practitioners (SAE-P)
Offering up to 8AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, this SAE-P helps fulfill Part II of your ABPMR MOC* requirement.Order todayand save 30% off this resource!
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2015 Annual Assembly Preconference Course
Current Concepts and Brave New Paradigms in the Treatment of MSK Conditions
Wednesday, September 30 | 7:30 am-3 pm | Boston, MA
Through didactic instruction, attendees will assess and implement appropriate staffing and equipment to supportr egenerative treatment, acquire the basic skill sets to perform stem cell therapies and image-guided injections, and more. Register today and save 35% off the course fee!
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2015 Annual Assembly Hands-On Intensive Workshop
Stem Cell Treatment in Osteoarthritis: Office-Based Application
Thursday, October 1 andFriday, October 2 | Boston, MA
Interested in learning about the various regenerative medicine options for the treatment of osteoarthritis? Then attend this workshop to learn how to implement them into your practice, including an overview of how to obtain and process bone marrow for stem cell injections. Register today and save over 30% off thecourse fee!
*Maintenance of Certification®(MOC®) was developed by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to improve patient care by ensuring continuous lifelong learning and professional development throughout a physician’s medical career. For board-certified physiatrists, the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) sets MOC requirements that are customized to the specialty and ensure compliance with ABMS Standards. Recognizing that physicians participating in that process want a variety of options to meet these requirements, your Academy has developed a series of resources that satisfy the different components of MOC. All Academy tools available to help you meet MOC requirements can be found on mē®.
ADA Marks its 25thAnniversary
July 26, 2015, marks the 25thanniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, prohibiting the discrimination of those with both mental and physical disabilities. Join in on the celebrations taking place across the nation by visiting the ADA’s Anniversary Tool Kit website. Learn more about the ADA, the ADA25 Pledge, anniversary events, resources, and more.
Seeking Nominations for the 2015-2016 RPC Board
The RPC Nominating Committee’s call for nominations is now open for a number of Executive Committee officers and committee/liaison appointments. Any interested, current AAPM&R resident members (PGY1-3) may apply. This is your opportunity to gain invaluable leadership experience, insight into the specialty of PM&R, and serve on behalf of the resident membership of AAPM&R.
Don’t miss your chance to get involved! View position descriptions and submit your nominations by August 1, 2015.
Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model Announced
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Innovation Center (CMS Innovation Center) has announced their proposal of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CCJR) Model. This model would test bundled payment and quality measurement for hip and knee replacements to encourage hospitals, physicians, and post-acute care providers to work together to improve quality and coordination of care throughout an entire episode of care—from initial hospitalization through recovery.
Check out the proposed rule in the Federal Register here.The Academy is currently reviewing the proposed rule and will offer comments to CMS. Interested members may also submit comments electronically. Submissions must be received by September 8, 2015.
Thank You to Our Faculty for a Successful 2015 MSK Ultrasound Course!
In June, AAPM&R hosted theDiagnostic and Interventional Musculoskeletal Ultrasound of the Upper Extremitycourse in Tampa, FL. Held at the state-of-the-art facility, Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS), the course featured the biggest names in ultrasound and attracted an experienced and engaging audience of attendees. Focusing on the enhancement of clinical skills in diagnosis and treatment of the upper limb, attendees enjoyed exceptional lectures and live demonstrations from our esteemed faculty, valuable hands-on experience with cadaveric specimens, and networking and collaborating with their peers. AAPM&R would like to thank our Course Director, Evan Peck, MD, along with the course faculty for an excellent program.
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