LAST DAY TO BID IN PAFP FOUNDATION AUCTION (April 30, 2014)
Today is the final day to place a bid in the PAFP Foundation Auction! There are still plenty of great deals to be had on sports memorabilia, wine tastings, exciting getaways, and much more. Join the fun at www.biddingforgood.com/pafp. Bidding ends at 8 p.m., and our fundraising goal is well within sight! |
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WHY YOUR ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFORMATION IS SO VULNERABLE (April 29, 2014)
Protecting electronic health information should be a top priority for family physicians, but that information is valuable, vulnerable, and very easy for hackers to obtain. Read Wired's summary of why and how that information is exposed; we'll have more on protecting your information in the next issue of Keystone Physician.
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REPORT: HEALTHCARE.GOV STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION (April 28, 2014)
While it appears HealthCare.gov works well enough for consumers on the front end, Politico reports critical portions of the website that anchors the Affordable Care Act are still missing or incomplete. One of those components affects accurate payments to insurers, which could mean higher costs for patients in the future.
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FAMILY PHYSICIANS APPEAL FOR RESOLUTION TO MEDICAID EXPANSION (April 25, 2014)
The Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians hopes a solution to Medicare expansion comes quickly, and its members are confident they can handle the patient burden. In a letter to the editor of the Harrisburg Patriot-News, PAFP President Doug Spotts, MD appeals for a medical home for all Pennsylvanians.
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NEW FDA RULES REGULATE E-CIGARETTES (April 24, 2014)
The Food and Drug Administration has announced landmark rules that regulate the sale and labeling of e-cigarettes. USA Today reports the proposed FDA rules would ban the sale of e-cigarettes and similar devices to minors as well as requiring warning labels and forcing e-cigarette manufacturers to disclose ingredients. |
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REPORT: CDC REDUCING VACCINES TO CUT COSTS? (April 23, 2014)
Could the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be considering reducing vaccines to save money? According to Forbes, the CDC's vaccine advisory council is looking into eliminating the fourth and final pneumococcal vaccine for infants, citing cost savings. Some say the move could lead to more infant deaths.
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PAFP RELEASES 'PRIMARY CARE & NEWS MEDIA' (April 22, 2014)
The Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians has released its third publication in the PAFP Big 3 series! Primary Care & News Media is a guide for the family physician to understand and work with traditional news media - print, radio and television. Check out the guide and add to the news media discussion!
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SHORT VISITS TAKE TOLL ON DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP (April 21, 2014)
It's not uncommon for a visit to the family physician to last 15 minutes or less in the exam room. Kaiser Health News and USA Today report that short visits may take a toll on the doctor-patient relationship, and neither physicians nor patients are pleased that the clock controls the quality of care. Click here to read more.
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OVER ALLERGY SEASON, CONSULT PHYSICIAN ABOUT MEDICATION (April 17, 2014)
This allergy season may be worse than average, according to ABC News and others. The PAFP encourages patients who often head straight to the over-the-counter (OTC) medications for relief to talk to their family physician first - for some, says PAFP President Douglas Spotts, MD, the side-effects may be problematic. |
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FAQ: HOW DO ACOs WORK? (April 16, 2014)
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are often touted as an health care innovation that will increase care quality and improve patient outcomes while serving as a financial incentive for physicians. Kaiser Health News has assembled a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page about ACOs - simply click here to read it. |
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SUPPORT FAMILY MEDICINE, BID ON GREAT ITEMS! (April 15, 2014)
Beginning today, you'll be able to support family medicine through the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians Foundation's second annual online auction! Bid on great items like vacations and getaways, wine tastings, memorabilia, entertainment, and lots more. Click here to view the amazing items and bid away!
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REPORT: DIABETES CASES DOUBLE OVER TWO DECADES (April 14, 2014)
The prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled over the last 20 years, CNN reports. A study in Annals of Internal Medicine has also found new testing methods mean doctors are getting better at detecting it. Visit the PAFP's Residency Program Collaborative for some excellent tips on improving diabetes quality measures. |
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HHS SECRETARY SEBELIUS TO RESIGN (April 11, 2014)
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is resigning Friday after a five-year period which spanned the inception of the Affordable Care Act and its rocky rollout in fall of 2013. Her resignation comes just a days after the ACA enrollment deadline. Time reports Sebelius submitted her resignation this week.
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CMS RELEASES PHYSICIAN MEDICARE BILLING RECORDS (April 10, 2014)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released privacy-protected data on services provided to Medicare patients and the payments and submitted charges for those services. In total, Medicare paid $77 billion to physicians, including, the Washington Post reports, $121 million to the top 10 providers. |
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PRACTICE MANAGER WORKSHOPS COMING THIS MONTH (April 9, 2014)
The PAFP's Practice Advocacy and Government Affairs team is holding three conveniently located workshops this month to keep practice managers in-the-know about topics relating to federal and state regulations, industry trends and opportunities. Click here to sign up for a workshop near you. Attendance is limited!
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GET INVOLVED: PARTICIPATE IN STUDENT ASSEMBLY MEETING (April 8, 2014)
This evening at 8 p.m., PAFP student members will be participating in a Student Assembly meeting via web and conference call. This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with the PAFP - both officers and commission representatives will be elected. Click here for more information, and don't forget to R.S.V.P.! |
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ONLINE DOT TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE (April 7, 2014)
The PAFP is excited to offer online accredited, certified training necessary to pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's medical examiner certification test. The online DOT medical examiner training is now available as an online audio session worth 6.5 CME credits. Click here to register for the training! |
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REGISTER NOW FOR RPC, CHCC LEARNING COLLABORATIVE (April 4, 2014)
The Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians' Residency Program and Community Health Center Collaborative is hosting a learning session Friday, June 6 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square (Lancaster County Convention Center). Click here for more details and to register. You won't want to miss it! |
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PAFP FOUNDATION ONLINE AUCTION OPENS SOON (April 3, 2014)
The second-annual PAFP Foundation Online Auction opens April 15, just in time to release some of that tax time pressure by treating yourself to a fantastic deal. You can preview some of the items before the auction opens by visiting www.biddingforgood.com/pafp. Best of all, proceeds go directly to the PAFP Foundation. |
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APRIL 2 IS WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY (April 2, 2014)
Today is the seventh annual World Autism Awareness Day. You can learn more about autism, including facts and research, on the Autism Speaks website. Additionally, dedicate yourself to eliminating the use of the "R-word" among friends, family, patients and the public: "Spread the Word to End the Word" at r-word.org.
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ICD-10 DELAYED, SGR TEMPORARILY PATCHED (April 1, 2014)
Doctors will have a bit more time to transition to the ICD-10 coding set, and the sustainable growth rate has once again been temporarily patched. The U.S. Senate passed H.R. 4302 yesterday in a 64-35 vote; according to the Brookings Institution, the measure is likely to be signed by President Obama. |
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