AAPM&R Connection E-Newsletter

We've been meeting with hundreds of physiatrists in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City throughout September to discuss your peers' ideas for the future of PM&R. Through focus groups, site visits, and captivating community gatherings, we discussed the trends and opportunities they see for our field in the changing health care landscape. The theme of involvement over the entire course of the continuum of patient care was repeated throughout the evening. Physicians mentioned opportunities from the ICU to outpatient care, as well as looking at preventative medicine opportunities.

Here's what some of your peers are saying:

“It was great to meet providers practicing in the community and to receive their insights regarding the current state of our profession and the changes that lie ahead.”

“Loved it! Have more! It was a great opportunity to reflect on our field and meet new people and those involved in AAPM&R.”

View the video below to see what your peers discussed at the Chicago community gathering.

You can be PM&R Bold too! Take 5-10 minutes to share your thoughts on what the physiatric practice models will look like in the future of medicine.

Plus, be sure to join us on a virtual town hall, where you can share ideas, hear challenges, and discuss actionable solutions with your peers from the comfort of your home or office. You can help develop a unified vision for the specialty by signing up for an upcoming session:

• October 5—Physiatrists in Skilled Nursing Facilities or Long Term Acute Care
• October 6—In Patient Rehabilitation Facility Physiatrists
• October 11—Veterans Affairs Physiatrists
• October 12—Physiatrists in Multi-Specialty Practices 

Interested in attending an in-person community gathering? We’re heading to Dallas on November 3 and Seattle on November 10. Stay tuned for registration details.

Congratulations to the NewYork-Presbyterian (Columbia/Cornell) Residency Program on winning the 2016 'What is PM&R?' Video Contest! As a reward for their efforts, the team will be receiving tickets to the #AAPMR2016 President's Reception. View the winning video below and watch all of the other great entries here. Thank you to everyone who submitted a video! 

The Academy is initiating a survey on behalf of some of our largest industry supporters as a value of participating in our program called the Industry Relations Council (IRC). The IRC allows AAPM&R to develop stronger, compliant relationships with companies while raising significant funding for your Academy programs and services. We ask that you please take a moment to complete the survey today if you treat patients with any of the following conditions/illnesses: pain, stroke, spasticity, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Participants who complete the survey will be entered to win 1 of 10 $25 mē^® certificates that can be used for education of your choice! 

Begin the survey here. 

Data gathered from this survey will be used by IRC companies to better serve the PM&R community and the patients you serve. Please note that only aggregated data will be released to IRC participants; individual responses will remain confidential. We ask that you take a moment and complete the survey by October 5, which will take less than 5 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

PhyzForum is your community to discuss and engage with your peers. Upload your profile picture, update your contact information, and add colleagues and friends to your contact list. PhyzForum is your destination to receive insights and ideas from your fellow physiatrists—log in and post a discussion to get started!

AAPM&R and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) are working together to create a Spine Patient Registry, which will support the collection and submission of quality data specific to spine patients and track these patients’ outcomes over time. Your Academy is recruiting for pilot sites right now! Contact us to learn more.

Your Academy received notice that members are receiving denials for needle EMGs even when using appropriate ICD-10 codes, referring to a new Noridian LCD released June 2016. Noridian erroneously put an edit in place in June that required a Group II diagnosis code for all needle EMGs, even if they are performed with an NCS. We have been advised that members should appeal all incorrect denials that they receive. Learn more.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the new single payment amounts and began sending contract offers to successful bidders for Medicare’s Round 1 2017 Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. These new payment amounts and contracts go into effect on January 1, 2017. Under the Competitive Bidding Program, DMEPOS suppliers compete to become Medicare contract suppliers by submitting bids to furnish certain items in competitive bidding areas. Learn more.

On September 19, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia declined to delay proceedings in the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) delay suit filed by the American Hospital Association (AHA) against the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Silvia Burwell. The court scheduled a status conference for October 3, 2016 “to discuss how to proceed.” Your Academy will keep you updated as the story develops. Learn more.

Join us on Wednesday, October 19 for our preconference course, Coding & Reimbursement: Avoiding Audits and Denials. Led by Course Director Scott Horn, DO, this course will educate you about the latest coding and billing issues that affect PM&R practices.

View the full agenda and register now! Attendees can earn up to 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

The ePlaybook companion site for the Live Interactive Arcade: REMS Playbook for Opioid Prescribing is live! Visit the site to get a jump start on the activity and make the most of your time at the Annual Assembly.

Can't attend this year? You can still participate! Complete the online version of REMS Playbook for Opioid Prescribing.

A few of your peers who are presenting at #AAPMR2016 created preview videos of their sessions. Before you head to New Orleans, take a look at these videos to learn what you can expect.

Volunteer a bit of your time during the 2016 Annual Assembly—and reap the rewards! Various workshops require the assistance of volunteers and your Academy welcomes and appreciates the help of its resident members. Residents who volunteer to assist with a workshop will be given complimentary access to that session and are eligible for remuneration ($100 per day for most).

If you are interested in volunteering, please access the 2016 Annual Assembly Workshop Volunteer Survey. Contact the AAPM&R Meetings Team at meetings@aapmr.org with any questions.

Have you downloaded the new #AAPMR2016 mobile app? If not, what are you waiting for? Get started today and download the app to start building your personal schedule, access maps, speaker information, and an attendee list, as well as find exhibitors that match your clinical interests.

Head to mē^® to access the brand new stroke rehabilitation self-assessment for practitioners (SAE-P). Comprised of 9 PM&R articles and 33 assessment questions, this activity is worth up to 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Learn more.

P.S. Your AAPM&R membership now includes 1 complimentary SAE-P each year, as long as you maintain your membership. Claim your free resource today if you haven’t already done so!

Interested in learning more about setting your practice up for success, but not quite sure what resources to utilize? Take advantage of the following tools from your Academy:

• Annual Assembly Preconference Course— Building and Maintaining Medicolegal Work in Your Physiatric Practice
• Resources on mē^®:
  • How to Diversify Your Practice—just launched!
  • Payer Contracts: Assessment, Negotiations, and Deal Breakers
  • Focusing on the Health of Your Practice Bundle, which includes:
    • Running a Cash Practice
    • VBP, MIPS, APMs, and ACOs—Where Do Physiatrists Fit?
    • The New Health Care
• And more
  

If you attended the 2015 Annual Assembly and preconference courses in Boston, MA, make sure to sign in to mē^® to claim your CME credit before it expires:

• Preconference Courses—Expires September 30, 2016
  • Introduction to Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound Applications in Physiatry
  • Coding & Billing Workshop
  • Regenerative Medicine: Current Concepts in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Conditions
• 2015 Annual Assembly—Expires October 4, 2016
  
  

The Foundation for PM&R President, Dexanne B. Clohan, MD, had a letter to Time Magazine published regarding an article on the importance of exercise (The New Science of Exercise, Sept. 12 & 19, 2016). View her quote.