Today’s Top Story
CMS increases transparency regarding patients tracked under Medicare Shared Savings ACOs.
Modern Healthcare reports that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to increase transparency regarding which patients are assessed as part of participation in Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs). Some providers have complained about the current process, under which patients are primarily assigned to ACOs retroactively at the end of the year. Supporters of the current approach state that it helps ensure that physicians don’t choose only their healthiest patients to participate in their ACOs. However, supporters of the new approach say that it will help eliminate uncertainty faced by clinicians over how they’ll be assessed by CMS and encourage them to be more proactive in care planning. Read more…(member login required)
Other News
Study: How do single- and double-incision approaches compare for surgical management of distal biceps tendon rupture?
Findings from a study published online in The American Journal of Sports Medicine compares single- and double-incision approaches for patients who undergo surgical management of distal biceps tendon rupture. The researchers analyzed 784 repairs, of which the single-incision technique was performed in 639 (81.5 percent) and the double-incision technique was performed in 145 (18.5 percent). They found that double-incision approach was associated with a higher rate of posterior interosseous nerve palsy, heterotopic bone formation, and revision rate, while single-incision approach was associated with increased risk of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve palsy. The researchers state that surgeons’ years in practice, case volume, and fellowship training did not significantly affect complication rates. Read the abstract…
Survey: Increasing number of physicians seek freelance work.
According to surveys conducted by Staff Care, a locum tenens staffing company, the number of freelance physicians in the United States has nearly doubled since 2002, and 94 percent of healthcare facility managers worked with contract physicians in the last year. Some healthcare recruiters predict the number of freelance physicians may double again in the next decade. Read more…
Read the survey (PDF)…
Survey: One-third of physician respondents explored new opportunities in past year.
According to a survey of physicians conducted by staffing resource company PracticeMatch, 24.5 percent of respondents reported dissatisfaction with their income in 2016, and 33 percent said they had reached out to a medical recruiter to inquire about a new opportunity at least once during the past year. The researchers surveyed 1,959 physicians across a variety of specialties and found that career any pay satisfaction varied widely by experience level and specialty. In addition, 29 percent of those surveyed reported an outstanding student loan balance. Read more…
Read the PracticeMatch statement…
Maryland.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland is seeking federal approval to expand a hospital cost-savings program to include physicians and other providers who treat Medicare patients. Under the proposal, beginning in January 2019, healthcare providers would be eligible for financial incentives and additional resources if they demonstrate improvements in patient health and reduced Medicare expenses. Observers have noted that a similar current program incentivizes hospitals but not individual providers. Read more…
Last call: Program Committees.
Aug. 31, 2017 , is the last day to submit an application for a position on a Program Committee. Members of Program Committees grade symposia in May and abstracts in June and July, and may serve as moderators for paper sessions at the AAOS Annual Meeting in March 2018. The following openings are available:
- Hand & Wrist (one member)
- Practice Management/Rehabilitation (one member)
- Shoulder & Elbow (one member)
Applicants for these positions must be active fellows or international members with a practice emphasis in the relevant area. Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)
