INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE

ADVOCACY AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
> SAVE THE DATE FOR ICD-10 WEBINAR!
> HHS RELEASES FINAL RULE, DELAYS ICD-10 IMPLEMENTATION
> BECOME A PAFP KEY CONTACT!

CME
> IMPORTANT: CHANGE TO  LANCASTER BREAKAWAY SCHEDULE
> SUBMIT QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE FOR LANCASTER CME SESSION
> GOURMET DINNER, FIVE-STAR CME AT REGIONAL LECTURE SERIES!

PUBLIC HEALTH
> CLEAR UP CONFUSION ON PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING

QUALITY INITIATIVES
> STAGE 1 MEANINGFUL USE CHANGES ANNOUNCED
> LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS
> AN AUTUMN WHIRLWIND IS ON ITS WAY
> HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR PATHWAY TO PRACTICE?
> TRANSFORMATION STARTS WITH ONE
> PAFP OFFERING REBATES ON SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY REGISTRATION

OTHER NEWS
> TAKE A TOUR OF THE PAFP HEADQUARTERS!
> ARRIVE AT SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY IN THE KNOW!
> NEW HOME FOR PROGRESS NOTES

SAVE THE DATE FOR ICD-10 WEBINAR!
Practice administrators and office managers – plan to join the PAFP’s Practice Advocacy Network for a free ICD-10 Learning Session on Thursday, Sept. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will feature Debra Seyfried, the American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP) Coding and Compliance Specialist.  Stay tuned for details including how to register.

HHS RELEASES FINAL RULE, DELAYS ICD-10 IMPLEMENTATION
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the final rule on ICD-10, pushing back the implementation date to Oct. 1, 2014. This delay will allow for better planning, preparation and education to ensure a smooth transition for providers and other stakeholders. Check out the ICD-10 resources on the AAFP’s website for more information.

BECOME A PAFP KEY CONTACT!
Do you have an existing relationship with your state or federal legislators? If so, you could become a Key Contact for the PAFP’s government affairs team. The PAFP is looking for members who have established relationships with state and federal lawmakers to help advocate for family physicians in Pennsylvania. Register with the PAFP’s Key Contacts Program today.

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CHANGE TO LANCASTER BREAKAWAY SCHEDULE
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the topic for the SAM Study Group on Nov. 2 during the Lancaster Breakaway has changed from Hospital Medicine to Coronary Artery Disease.  The complete, updated Lancaster agenda will be posted online this week for your reference.  Drs. Levine and Firnhaber will once again be faculty for our Study Group.

SUBMIT QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE FOR LANCASTER CME SESSION

Have a burning endocrinology question? Submit questions in advance before attending  “Answers to your Most Frequently Asked Endocrinology Questions,” led by endocrinologist Mark A. Sauder, MD of Lancaster General Health System during the Lancaster Breakaway CME conference, November 2 through 4 at the Eden Conference Center. Dr. Sauder will review all questions prior to the conference and will address each during his Saturday 10:15 session. Questions should be submitted  to jowen@pafp.com before Oct. 15.

GOURMET DINNER, FIVE-STAR CME AT REGIONAL LECTURE SERIES
What's on the menu for the Regional Lecture Series, New Tools to Fix a Broken Screening System: Colorectal Cancer Screening for the Changing Landscape of Primary Care? How about gourmet dinner and five-star CME? Enjoy two great hours of patient safety CME, free for PAFP members and one staff member, at the Hilton Conference Center in Scranton on September 12. In the following weeks, events will be held at the Mount Nittany Inn in State College, the College of Physicians in Philadelphia, and the Eden Resort in Lancaster. Regional Lecture Series events are scheduled for two hours of patient safety CME credits. These events are free for PAFP members and one staff member.

For more information, check out this special Keystone Physician preview of the event and special invitation from PAFP Executive Vice President and CEO John Jordan.

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CLEAR UP CONFUSION ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING
Mixed messages about prostate cancer screening are leading to confusion among primary care physicians about when or if to recommend screening. A recent series of lectures from the PAFP Foundation, led by Durado Brooks, MD, MPH, the American Cancer Society’s Director of Prostate and Colorectal Cancers. Head to the PAFP's Public Health web page for these excellent free resources.

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STAGE 1 MEANINGFUL USE CHANGES ANNOUNCED
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced some changes to the Stage 1 meaningful use objectives, measures, and exclusions for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs). Some of these changes will take effect as early as Oct. 1, 2012, for eligible hospitals and CAHs; or Jan. 1, 2013, for EPs. Other Stage 1 changes will not take effect until the 2014 fiscal or calendar year and will be optional in 2013. Click here for more information.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

Advance directives are an important part of patient engagement in their treatment. Advance directives are more commonly known as “living wills” and include medical care wishes, power of attorney information, and end-of-life decisions. While this is typically difficult for people to think about, planning is helpful to your loved ones. Forms can be found at the Pa. Depts. of Aging and Health. In the field of behavioral health, you can find advance directives for mental health care through the Mental Health Association in Pa.

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AN AUTUMN WHIRLWIND IS ON ITS WAY

Caution! Just ahead: a whirlwind fall of events and opportunities for residents & students – please mark your calendars and apply now for scholarships to support your participation:

HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR PATHWAY TO PRACTICE?
Primary Care Careers: Pathways to Practice in Pennsylvania
Sept. 14 through 15
Hilton Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Pa.

Click here for more information and to register. A few scholarships are available - please contact Christina Brindamour for more information at (717) 761-6443 x211 or via email.

Find out what a career in a Community Health Center (CHC) or Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is like, discover loan repayment opportunities, and learn about advances in PCMH and team-based approaches to population management. Network with employers, organizations, critical access care providersand more! And hear PAFP leader and AAFP Board Member Dr. Wanda Filer deliver the plenary talk about the rewards of primary care practice.

TRANSFORMATION STARTS WITH ONE
Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC) conference
Family Medicine: Transforming the Nation’s Health, One Family and One Community at a Time
Sept. 28 through 30
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland

For a conference brochure and details on pre-conference workshops, the hotel and the exhibit hall, please visit the FMEC's website.

It's the biggest family medicine residency fair this side of Kansas City! Student scholarships available! Please apply today!

PAFP OFFERING REBATES ON SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY REGISTRATION
AAFP Scientific Assembly
Oct. 16 through 20
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia

Step 1: Register for the Scientific Assembly (residents and students enjoy a discounted rate of $100).
Step 2: Use the invoice number generated by your registration to apply for a registration rebate from the PAFP.

Rebates available first-come, first-served: residents $50; students $75. Rebates will be distributed after the event, and you must attend to receive your rebate. Visit our brand-new Welcome to Philadelphia page to register for the conference; see a schedule of PAFP events, including CME, a member reception, and PAFP exhibit booth times; check out visitor information and more! See below for more information.

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TAKE A TOUR OF THE PAFP HEADQUARTERS!
The Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians employs around two dozen staff members at its offices in Harrisburg, Pa. Today, the PAFP has made it easier than ever to visit its little corner of the Family Medicine Revolution! Check out a virtual tour of the PAFP offices and learn a little more about who we are and what we do!

ARRIVE AT SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY IN THE KNOW!
Arrive at Scientific Assembly in the know! Check out our dedicated, brand-new Scientific Assembly web page for the details. You'll find a schedule of PAFP events - like a Regional Lecture Series event, a PAFP member reception, an ADHD seminar and more. We've also put together visitor information and some AAFP materials.

NEW HOME FOR PROGRESS NOTES
The PAFP knows how hard it sometimes is to find Progress Notes on our website - some of our members may not even be receiving it through email because of spam-detecting software. Starting today, it's easier to access Progress Notes and share it with your friends and colleagues.

From now on, the latest issue of Progress Notes can be found at the easy-to-remember web address pafp.com/progressnotes. If you want to access all of the older issues, just head to pafp.com/progressnotesarchive. We hope these changes are of some benefit to you!

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