AAHPM Week in Review: August 6 – 10

It’s been a busy week for AAHPM and the field. To keep you apprised, the staff has put together this synopsis of activities from the week of August 6, 2018:

  • More than 400 people are attending the Pedi-Innovate Course and Intensive Board Review Course this week in Minneapolis. They’re learning about the latest advances and innovations in caring for children with serious illness and their families and preparing for the HPM certification examination. If you missed the courses, you can still get the valuable content by purchasing the recordings – available in September.

  • CMS Administrator Seema Verma met with select medical societies to discuss changes to E/M documentation and payment being proposed for 2019. AAHPM RUC Advisor Phil Rodgers represented the Academy and relayed concerns about the impact on HPM providers. AAHPM is developing its response to the proposed rule and working with other “cognitive care” specialty societies to develop joint comments.
  • Congratulations to the 2018 Hearst AAHPM Leadership Scholars who were selected to participate in leadership development engagement activities thanks to the generous support of the Hearst Foundations. These emerging physician leaders are committed to improving access to, knowledge about and quality of palliative care. We look forward to seeing them progress in leading the field of hospice and palliative medicine.
  • AAHPM CMO Joe Rotella met with the Louisville staff of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to discuss S. 693, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), and urge the Senator to cosponsor the bill and help advance it through the HELP Committee on which he serves. Have you e-mailed and tweeted your senators to ask for their support?
  • More than 70 applications were submitted for the International Physician Scholarship, which provides physicians in developing countries the opportunity to travel to attend the 2019 Annual Assembly. Applications are being reviewed by AAHPM members and scholarship winners will be announced in September.
  • The Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB) announced that 147 hospice physicians recently received their certification. With the addition of these physicians, nearly 950 hospice medical directors and other physicians who provide hospice care (many of whom are AAHPM members) have received HMDCB’s certification. Congratulations to all!

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