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E-News: February 2007
For questions and responses contact:
ACR Resident and Fellow Section
1891 Preston White Dr
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: (800) 227-5463, ext 4998
E-mail: rfs@acr.org
ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
UnitedHealthcare Accreditation Program May Help Preserve Radiologists' Control of Imaging>
UnitedHealthcare has released a policy requiring all participating,
freestanding imaging facilities and physician offices that perform MR,
CT, PET, nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography
examinations obtain accreditation by March 1, 2008, as a condition of
reimbursement. The ACR, the most recognizable and oldest accrediting
body in the nation, has been recognized by UnitedHealthcare as a means
to ensure quality diagnostic imaging services nationwide.
Visit the ACR Web site to learn more about the College's strategy to
implement safe, effective accreditation. You can also call the ACR
Accreditation Hotline at (800) 770-0145.
ACR AMCLC and RFS Meeting—Help Spread the Word!
As winter draws to a close and we prepare to welcome spring, the AMCLC
is only a few months away. The Resident and Fellow Section will be
meeting again this year in Washington, D.C., along with the ACR
leadership. The AMCLC is viewed favorably by resident representatives
from across the United States and Canada as a time to rejuvenate
interest in the organizational side of radiology and as a time to see
old friends. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend May 19-23,
2007. All residents are welcome.
We have several controversial topics to discuss this year, including the
future of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) and proposed
changes from the Residency Review Committee (RRC). Visit the RFS Web
site to discuss these topics, and others, in the RFS Discussion Forum
and to view relevant articles.
For more information, visit the RFS Web site or contact rfs@acr.org. You
can view the meeting brochure at www.acr.org/07meeting.
What: ACR Annual Meeting and Chapter Leadership Conference and 15th Annual Resident and Fellow Section Meeting
When: May 19-23, 2007
Where: Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C.
MRI Teaching File—Do You Have Your Video iPod Yet?
The RFS executive committee is working hard to offer a wide range of
cases to help supplement MRI education and you can help. By submitting
three MRI cases to the database, you'll receive a free Apple Video iPod
and $50 of iTunes cash. Submit more than three cases and you can get
even more; four cases earns you an 80-gigabyte Apple Video iPod and $30
of iTunes cash.
To find out more about the teaching file and how you can submit cases,
visit the RFS Web site.
The Future of AFIP—What's Your Opinion?
The future of the AFIP was a major topic among members of the RFS at
last year's AMCLC, and this hot topic will be discussed again at this
year's meeting in May. An opinion piece on this topic was published in
the January 2007 edition of the Journal of the American College of
Radiology; it also is posted on the RFS Web site. We encourage you to
read this piece and contribute to the online dialogue in the RFS
Discussion Forum so that your voice can be heard on this important
issue.
CMS: 5 Percent Cut is Canceled
On Dec. 9, 2006, Congress passed legislation to prevent a scheduled 5
percent cut in 2007 Medicare physician payments, and instead froze
payment rates for one year. Approved by a 367-45 vote in the House and a
79-9 vote in the Senate, the bill sets aside funds to help offset a
projected payment cut in 2008. For more details on this critical payment
issue, click here.
DRA in Effect
Despite the ACR's diligence, the Deficit Reduction Act has been enacted,
changing the reimbursement rates for outpatient imaging and affecting
outpatient imaging centers. The full effect of DRA implementation is
still unknown, but many predict it will impact ACR members in many ways.
Members can access an e-Seminar on this important matter, hosted by the
Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA), on the ACR Web site.
The e-Seminar was presented by Bibb Allen Jr., MD, vice chair of the ACR
Economics Commission, and ACR staff, Pam Kassing and Joshua Cooper.
If you have any questions about the DRA, please contact the ACR
Government Relations office at (800) 227-5463.
Your RFS Tool Kit Is on the Way
Residents and fellows who attended the 2006 ACR annual meeting or the
ACR reception held during the 2006 RSNA meeting will soon receive a copy
of the RFS Tool Kit, featuring a CD with RFS educational and
informational highlights. The disk also features PowerPoint
presentations that explain the nature of the ACR and the RFS, and the
issues that are important to radiologists. Also included are media and
PDF materials that address the RFS' role within the ACR and the benefits
and services available to members-in-training as complimentary ACR
members.
If you receive a Tool Kit, we encourage you to review the material and
use it as a resource within your institution to increase awareness of
the ACR and the RFS. If you did not attend the ACR meeting or 2006 RSNA
reception, you can request a copy of the Tool Kit for yourself or your
program by contacting Trina Zeberlein at tzeberlein@acr.org.
Moorefield Economics Fellowship—Call for Applications
Applications are currently being accepted by the ACR Department of
Economics and Health Policy for the prestigious James M. Moorefield
fellowship. The fellowship provides a radiology resident or fellow
hands-on experience with the functions of the ACR Department of
Economics and Health Policy and the ACR Commission on Economics. The
two-week program is designed to better educate residents about
reimbursement and medical policy issues, including development of new
CPT® codes, the valuation process, Medicare national and local coverage
of radiology and radiation oncology procedures, and coverage by
third-party payers and managed care organizations.
Third- and fourth-year residents are invited to apply for one of the
three available fellowship positions. Selected individuals will complete
their fellowships at different times during the 2007-2008 academic year.
The deadline to submit an application is April 15; the final decision
will be made in early May.
Visit the RFS Web site to download an application. For additional
information on the Moorefield Economics Fellowship, please contact
Evelyn Gilbert at egilbert@acr.org.
New Update of ACR Appropriateness Criteria®
The ACR has released the latest updates to the ACR Appropriateness
Criteria®—evidence-based guidelines to help physicians and other
providers make the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a
given clinical condition. There are more than 160 topics that address
cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, neurologic, thoracic,
urologic, pediatric, and women's imaging, plus interventional radiology
and radiation oncology. Nearly all of the 160 topics have been reviewed
and updated since 2005.
The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are available on the ACR Web site at
www.acr.org/ac.
A PDA version, compatible with Palm and Pocket PC platforms, is also
available to ACR members for a $15 annual subscription fee. Discounts
are available for group purchases.
For more information, please contact the ACR Quality & Safety Department
at (800) 227-5463, ext 4590, or send an e-mail to acr_ac@acr.org.
CMRS Offers Complimentary Meeting Tuition and Membership to Residents
and Fellows
The Clinical Magnetic Resonance Society (CMRS) now offers complimentary
membership and annual meeting tuition for radiology residents and
fellows.
CMRS Member Benefits:
- CMRS VISION—quarterly newsletter with solid clinical information you can use
- Complimentary tuition for residents and fellows at annual society meeting ($475 value)
- Safety information
- Peer networking and discussion board
- Credentialed membership for physicians
- Career center (coming soon)
- Protocol assistance and library (coming soon)
Make Plans Now to Attend the 2007 CMRS 11th Annual Society Meeting
Innovative & Practical Applications in Clinical MRI
When: June 21-24, 2007
Where: Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Calif.
Meeting Highlights:
- "Stump-the-Experts" Session
- 25.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
- Optional Workshop: Radiology Practice in 2007: Adapting to a Changing Environment
- Wine Tasting Reception and President's Welcome Reception
For more information, visit the CMRS Web site or call (888) 350-CMRS (2677) or (813) 806-1080 and mention promo code NLACR.
Special Rate for PET Imaging CD
The 3-CD-ROM set, PET Imaging for the Radiologist, was produced from the
successful categorical course on PET imaging presented in conjunction
with the 2002 ACR Annual Meeting. This CD set is an excellent resource
for residents to use as part of their training. Presentations address
the clinical fundamentals and economics of PET imaging, as well as
cardiac PET and PET imaging of neurological disorders. Also discussed is
the use of PET in oncology, including gastrointestinal malignancies,
breast and gynecological cancers, lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease, and
head and neck cancer.
Product code: P-PETIMCD
Price: Member-in-Training: $25
To place an order for the PET Imaging CD, or other ACR products, call (800) 227-7762.
Past E-News
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