AAPM&R Connection E-Newsletter

Have you heard the news? A new PhyzForum is coming! With the new platform, you’ll easily be able to participate in discussions to network, collaborate, and exchange best practices with your peers—even through email!

Watch your email on Friday, August 19 for instructions on how to participate in our Physiatrists Open Community—for all Academy members. Once you’ve logged in and accepted the updated terms of use, you can join other communities of interest to you. We hope you like the “new and improved” PhyzForum and become an active participant in many lively discussions!

Be PM&R Bold and join us for an upcoming PM&R Bold Virtual Town Hall. You’ll have a chance to share ideas, hear others' challenges, and provide actionable solutions. Upcoming town halls include:

• General and Medical Rehabilitation Member Council
• Pediatric Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities Member Council
• Central Nervous System Rehabilitation Member Council
  

Tell us, where do you primarily see patients? A private practice, an institution? Take a minute to update your member profile and make sure your practice setting and clinical focus areas are updated.

Are you keeping up with all of the excitement happening in Rio de Janeiro? A few Academy members sure are—they’re heading south this September 7–18 for the 2016 Paralympics! More than 4,350 athletes from 160 nations are expected to compete in 22 sports, including paracanoe and paratriathlon, which both debut in the 2016 Paralympics.

We connected with a few Academy members who are traveling to Brazil to hear how they first got involved, what they’re excited about, and how other physiatrists can participate. Read the full interview in the August issue of The Physiatrist.

Thank you to all of our “What is PM&R?” video contest participants who showed their #PMRpride! The winning video will be announced by September 12. In the meantime, enjoy the submissions here.

You will also be able to congratulate the winner in person at the 2016 AAPM&R Annual Assembly, where their video will be featured!

AAPM&R’s 2016 Annual Assembly in New Orleans is only 9 weeks away. Have you registered yet? Special early-bird savings expire on August 24.

Event highlights include:

• New, innovative learning opportunities designed to enhance your skillset.
• Hands-on educational preconference courses and workshops led by PM&R experts.
• Networking activities with peers, employers, and industry.
  

Register now! AAPM&R members save more than $300 on registration. Plus, receive an extra $100 off if you register before August 24. Discounts also apply to preconference courses, tickets to limited-attendance workshops, and receptions.

Don’t miss our 3 inspirational plenary speakers at #AAPMR2016:

• James Carville and Mary Matalin—America’s most influential political power couple.
• Dr. Bennet Omalu—renowned forensic pathologist and inspiration for the film, Concussion, focused on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
• William A. Adair, MD—physiatrist and long-time Academy member who will discuss the changes occurring in health care and how they are impacting your practice.
  

We’re excited to host our 2016 President’s Reception at the incredible National WWII Museum. WWII marked the beginning of the PM&R specialty and broadened the focus of physical medicine to become a comprehensive restoration of a patient’s capabilities as injured soldiers returned home for treatment. Learn more about this reception and purchase your ticket early, as there are a limited number of tickets available for this event.

PQRSwizard^® is an online reporting tool, offered in partnership with CECity, which allows for individual eligible professionals to report their PQRS data in order to meet CMS requirements. CECity will be hosting educational webinars in the coming weeks to help users learn more about PQRS reporting. View the full schedule here.

The FDA issued 2 draft guidance documents describing how they plan to implement provisions of federal law that restrict compounding human drug products that are essentially copies of commercially available or approved drug products. The draft guidance documents apply to pharmacies, physicians, federal facilities, and outsourcing facilities. Public comments are due by October 11, 2016. Learn more.

On Monday, August 15, your Academy commented on a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information (RFI) on Patient Relationship Categories and Codes. AAPM&R submitted comments urging CMS to conduct a pilot of patient relationship codes and engage with physicians and their staff to increase education and reduce burden. A draft list of patient relationship codes will be released by CMS in November 2016.

On Monday, August 15, your Academy commented on the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Stroke and Stroke Rehabilitation Quality Measurement Set Update. In 2015, the AAN evaluated the measurement set for potential updates and seated a work group to update the existing measure set. The AAN partnered with the American College of Radiology (ACR) and AAPM&R to chair this project. This work group was charged with developing measures focused on improving outcomes for patients following stroke.

• Steven Bou, MD, recently joined Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital to support its brain injury program. He recently completed a fellowship in brain injury medicine from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, following a PM&R residency at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH. Congratulations, Dr. Bou! Read more.

• Peter Moley, MD, physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, is helping "Good Morning America" co-anchor Lara Spencer with her rehabilitation after her hip replacement surgery, which was scheduled for August 13. Read more.

Do you have a newsworthy story to share with your peers? Send us an email at: pressinquiries@aapmr.org.