Family Physician Newsletter

E-news for January 26, 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. IAFP News
2. Government Relations
3. Tobacco News
4. CME Information
5. Members in the News
6. Students and Residents
7. News You Can Use
8. Reminders Worth Repeating
9. Classified Ads
10. GO BEARS!
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IAFP News

** READY… SET… SPRING INTO ACTION!
March 6-7 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield
*The hotel room cut off date is February 12th for the IAFP rate of $124

With many new faces in the legislature, this is an exciting time in Illinois government! You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn from a day and a half in Springfield!

Link to More information at http://www.iafp.com/calendar/SIA%202007.htm
Sign me up!! Go to: http://www.iafp.com/calendar/SIA_regform.htm

**Illinois Health Connect Teleconference – Jan. 31, 12 noon
Do you still have questions about Illinois Health Connect (IHC), Medicaid’s Primary Care Case Management program? Join IHC medical director Margaret Kirkegaard on this teleconference and have all your questions answered – just call in at 12 noon on Wednesday, Jan. 31 to 1-800-201-6800 (Passcode 8942625#). Don’t want to wait? Call IHC’s Provider Helpline ANYTIME at 1-877-912-1999.

**FROM AAFP: GO ONLINE AND GRADE YOUR PAYERS
AAFP is asking members or their practice managers to complete a survey by MARCH 1 to share their experiences with private payers and to provide AAFP with real data to use in advocating directly to those payers.

Go to http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070100/41grad.html where you can complete it online or print and complete then fax back.

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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

**COOK COUNTY’S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS COULD DEVASTATE PATIENT ACCESS.
On January 17, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger released his budget recommendations for the upcoming Fiscal Year. The impact on the Cook County Bureau of Health could be devastating to patients and to the surrounding health care community. Health care access for patients in the community and the services of family physicians at Stroger are in danger of serious cuts.

Thank you to every IAFP member who has testified or sent letters to the County or the press so far! If you would like to help, contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com for assistance.
Link to the IAFP Op-Ed which appeared in the Daily Southtown on January 23 http://www.iafp.com/PR/cook%20county.htm

** CMS OFFERS STANDARD ONE-PAGE FORM FOR PART D FORMULARY EXCEPTIONS
Each insurer may have their own form, but they also MUST accept this standard one-page form developed by physician groups and posted on the CMS web site.
Download the form at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mlnproducts/downloads/form_exceptions_final.pdf

** REMINDER FROM AAFP – GET YOUR NPI!
All providers must start using their National Provider Identifier (NPI) number on all standard transactions as of May 23. If you already have your NPI, start using it now along with your legacy number so there is time to correct any problems in the system.

But getting ready to use the NPI and the revised CMS-1500 claim form, which accommodates the NPI, is not so simple. In addition to applying for and getting an NPI, you must update your computer system to work with the NPI and to print the NPI on the new 1500 claim form. If you use a claims clearinghouse, make sure it's ready to accept your NPI. CMS has estimated that getting ready can take as long as 120 days.

For more information on how to obtain your NPI, go to: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/practicemgt/regulatory-compliance/hipaa/natlproviderid.html.

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TOBACCO NEWS

SUPPORT A STATEWIDE SMOKE-FREE ILLINOIS
Please sign the Smoke-free Illinois Resolution as an individual doctor, a practice or other group to show your support. Local lawmakers need to see supporters in their district! The Chicago Tribune, Sun Times News Group, and the Rockford Register Star have all published editorials supporting the Smoke-Free Illinois bill – Senate bill 500.

OPPOSE DELAYING THE COOK COUNTY ORDINANCE!
On Tuesday, Commissioner Eileen Gorman introduced an amendment to the Cook County Clean Indoor Air Ordinance changing its effective date to July 1, 2008. She is chair of the committee that she referred it to (Public Health) and Commissioner William Beavers (an unapologetic smoker) is the Vice-Chair.

IF YOU LIVE OR PRACTICE IN COOK COUNTY, contact your Commissioner and ask him or her to oppose the Gorman Amendment. If you are unsure who represents you in County government, you can find your commissioner at http://www.co.cook.il.us/commissioners.htm

The committee members are:
Gorman 312-603-4215
Beavers 312-603-2067
Butler 312-603-6391
Goslin 312-603-4932
Maldonado 312-603-6386
Silvestri 312-603-4393
Steele 312-603-3019

**CITIES ON THE MOVE IN DEBATING CLEAN INDOOR AIR ORDINANCES

*Glenview will hold an open forum on Thursday, February 8 from 7-9 p.m. at Village Hall. Glenview residents are urged to show up and testify in support of adopting the Cook County ordinance. AAFP Delegate Ellen Brull, MD has been leading the efforts in Glenview.
*Naperville’s city council will hold a meeting Feb. 6 - three days after the public comment period closes. Smoke-free Naperville will encourage the council to vote in favor of the current proposed ordinance on Feb. 20 to take effect July 1. IAFP Executive Director Vince Keenan has served as an integral leader in this very visible and well-orchestrated public campaign.

Keep up with all the smoke-free coalition activity in your community or across the state at http://www.smokefreeillinois.org.

CME Information:

“Managing Diabetes among many co morbidities in an urban practice setting”
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant -- Chicago
Supported by grants from Humana and GlaxoSmithKline
Link to more info and registration at http://www.iafp.com/calendar/diabetes.htm

*NEW IAFP ONLINE CME
IAFP has a new on-line CME website! View the latest guideline Adolescent Health - Immunizations & Wellness & receive up to 3 prescribed CME credits. Go to http://www.iafp.com/education and visit the new IAFP Education website.

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Members in the News – If you would like a copy of any of the articles below, contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com

*IAFP member Adam Bennett, MD from Northwestern is headed to Miami as one of the Chicago Bears’ 13 team physicians for Super Bowl XLI! Congratulations and GO BEARS!!

*Stanley Borg, DO is quoted in a front page article from the Jan 23 Chicago Tribune on direct to consumer (DTC) ads for medical devices and the controversy surrounding that marketing approach.

*Congratulations to Christopher Guerrero, MD of Chicago who was honored with the Chicago-Midwest Filipino American Community Hall of Fame award for his work as a medical missionary. An article appeared in January’s Chicago Hospital News.

*Another AMNews Double Dose from IAFP
Matthew Johnson, MD of Park Forest has a front page photo of the January 29 issue and is featured in the related article on smart business incentives for physicians to capitalize upon when opening a new practice. You’d be surprised how many tax breaks and incentives a community might offer in return for your practice serving their residents! Also in that issue, Peter Toth, MD of Sterling is quoted in a story on the new guidelines offered by the American Heart Association for documenting and recording cardiovascular care at every level.

*HOMECARE GALA –March 10
HomeCare Physicians, founded by IAFP 2006 Distinguished Service Award recipient Tom Cornwell, MD of Wheaton will hold at 10th Anniversary celebration and fundraiser. HomeCare Physicians provide full scope family medicine through home visits to elderly and homebound patients. For more information or to order tickets, please contact Holly Kulikowski at holly_kulikowski@cdh.org.

* Ben Brewer, MD of Forrest shares the mutually beneficial situation of precepting medical students at his rural family medicine practice in his “From the Doctor’s Office” column in the Wall Street Journal Online January 23. He relates how his current student, UIC student Rachel Wenger, learns from the variety of patient encounters and hospital deliveries, while Dr. Brewer stays on this toes as a teacher and helps bring more rural family physicians into the pipeline.

* ILLINOIS FP AUTHORS, THEN DONATES A BOOK
Did you know that family physician Bob Farmer, MD of New Baden has a book published called “Lasso the Sunshine”? The book aims to help patients in every situation or to help cope with a difficult diagnosis. Dr. Farmer is featured in Paul Povse’s column in the State Journal Register. Farmer donated 10,000 copies of the book to SIU School of Medicine to distribute to facilities throughout southern Illinois. You can learn more at http://www.lassothesunshine.com.

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INFORMATION AND REMINDERS FOR STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS:

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 31!! Who are the superstars of family medicine education? Nominate your favorite full-time or part-time faculty for the IAFP Teacher of the Year Awards:
http://www.iafp.com/PR/toy.htm

STUDENTS:

M1 STUDENTS – APPLY NOW FOR THE SUMMER EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Students can spend four weeks with a family physician to learn about the many ways family medicine contributes to the health of our state. The Summer Externship program also includes a $1,000 stipend. Applications must be postmarked by March 1.
Link to more information at: http://www.iafp.com/Foundation/externship.htm.

** AND FOR THE M3s
Apply for the Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program. Students who have made a commitment to the field of family medicine and who will enter their fourth year in medical school in the fall of 2007 may apply. The PLF will award scholarships with a maximum value of $28,000 each for the 2007-2008 academic year. Applications must be received by March 1, 2007 to be considered.

The application for the 2007 Pisacano Scholars Leadership program is now available online at http://www.fpleaders.org, and may be submitted as the original application.
If you would like any additional information, please contact Jane Ireland: jireland@fpleaders.org or 888-995-5700, ext. 249.

**RESIDENTS:

** CHICAGO AREA RESIDENTS Mark your calendars!
IAFP Resident Round-up: a combination of fun and education to help you!
Saturday April 14th, 4-6pm in an Oak Park location to be announced.
We’re planning on a cocktail reception with an educational speaker tailored to residents. Mingle, relax and learn something important along with your fellow Chicagoland FP residents.

Details to come soon! A Downstate Resident event is in the works for April, too!!

*Link to the full Resident Update on our web site: http://www.iafp.com/residents/update.htm

*JOB LISTINGS AND OTHER INFO ON-LINE
Here is a place to start: http://www.iafp.com/JobListings/

*Link to new resources for residents IAFP web site http://www.iafp.com/Residents/index.htm

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

**PRI-MED OFFERS TWO SPRING DIABETES CONFERENCES
Pri-Med, in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, is proud to announce a new CME program on diabetes. Pri-Med Clinical Focus in Diabetes: “Risk Assessment and Management of the Diabetes Patient”, will be coming to Oakbrook, IL on May 12, 2007 and St. Louis, MO on June 9, 2007. As an Illinois Academy of Family Physicians member, we would like to offer you the first opportunity to register for these intensive half-day programs which focus on a single topic critical in helping you manage the complex diabetes patient. Please visit http://www.pri-med.com/ada/r49 for additional program information or to register.

**WANTED: PROJECT FACULTY IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
NEW!! Teleconference option! Speakers Training teleconferences being held on the following dates. You are invited to join the faculty for either topics, or both!

Social and Emotional Development: Screening Strategies for Primary Care Physicians
March 14, 2007 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. CST

Identifying Postpartum Depression during the Well-Child Visit:
Resources for Screening, Referral, and Treatment
March 21, 2007 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. CST

**ISMIE LIFTS NEW BUSINESS MORATORIUM – STARTING APRIL 2007

ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company announced last week that they are lifting their new business moratorium on a limited basis. They cite improved loss experience and litigation reform as reasons to add up to 400 new policyholders beginning April 2007. Coverage applications will only be considered at the policyholder’s renewal date and is subject to ISMIE’s underwriting criteria. For more information or assistance with coverage consideration contact Estelle Markham at medmal@euclidinsurance.com or call 630-694-1410.

**VACCINE UPDATE FROM THE CDC.
On December 15th, the CDC published the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for preventing tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis among adults.

The following recommendations for a single dose of Tdap (Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed) apply to adults 19-64 years of age who have not yet received a dose of Tdap vaccine:

*Adults who have contact with infants: "Adults who have or who anticipate having close contact with an infant aged <12 months (e.g., parents, grandparents aged <65 years, child-care providers, and health-care personnel [HCP]) should receive a single dose of Tdap at intervals <10 years since the last Td to protect against pertussis if they have not previously received Tdap. Ideally, these adults should receive Tdap at least 2 weeks before beginning close contact with the infant. An interval as short as 2 years from the last dose of Td is suggested to reduce the risk for local and systemic reactions after vaccination; shorter intervals may be used."

*Vaccination of health-care personnel (HCP): "HCP in hospitals or ambulatory care settings who have direct patient contact should receive a single dose of Tdap as soon as feasible if they have not previously received Tdap. Although Td booster doses are routinely recommended at an interval of 10 years, an interval as short as 2 years from the last dose of Td is recommended for the Tdap dose among these HCP. These HCP include but are not limited to physicians, other primary-care providers, nurses, aides, respiratory therapists, radiology technicians, students (e.g., medical, nursing, and other), dentists, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and dietary and clerical workers."

*Routine: "Adults aged 19-64 years should receive a single dose of Tdap to replace a single dose of Td for active booster vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis if they received their last dose of Td >10 years earlier. Replacing 1 dose of Td with Tdap will reduce the morbidity associated with pertussis in adults and might reduce the risk for transmitting pertussis to persons at increased risk for pertussis and its complications."

For more information link to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5517a1.htm?s_cid=rr5517a1_e

**ABFM ANNOUNCES SPORTS MEDICINE EXAM SCHEDULES
The American Board of Family Medicine registration for the Summer 2007 Certification, Recertification, and Sports Medicine exams will be available on February 1, 2007. The deadline to apply for the 2007 exams without incurring a late fee is February 28, 2007. Please see the timeline below for late fees assessed after the February 28 deadline.

Certification/Recertification/Sports Medicine Exam: 2007

Registration Begins (Online Applications Available): February 1
1st Deadline to Submit the Online Application ($1,100: No Late Fee Assessed): February 28
2nd Deadline to Submit the Online Application ($1,250): March 31
3rd Deadline to Submit the Online Application ($1,400): April 30
Test Center Selection — Priority Seating Deadline: May 13
4th Deadline to Submit the Online Application ($1,550): May 31
Final Deadline to Submit the Online Application ($1,800): June 15

To complete an online application, Diplomates will need to log into their Physician Portfolio on the ABFM website, http://www.theabfm.org, and follow the Online Application link. From this link, Diplomates will be able to view the requirements and deadlines as well as complete the necessary application. For assistance with logging in or answers to other questions, Diplomates may contact the ABFM Support Center at (877) 223-7437.

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REMINDERS WORTH REPEATING

** DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 31 FOR IAFP 2007 AWARDS NOMINATIONS!
1. The Family Physician of the Year Award
2. IAFP Media Award
3. Family Medicine Full-time Teacher of the Year
4. Family Medicine Part-time Teacher of the Year

Link to full information and nomination forms at http://www.iafp.com/PR/Award%20forms.htm

**THE DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007 ISSUE OF FAMILY PHYSICIAN IS ONLINE
http://www.iafp.com/Final%20December.pdf

**DO YOU KNOW YOUR BOARD MEMBERS?
Link here to learn a little about each one: http://www.iafp.com/about/officers.htm

**FIND TOMORROW’S FPs WITH THE SUMMER EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The IAFP Foundation is currently seeking preceptors for the 2007 Summer Externship Program to host a first-year medical student for four weeks.
Please contact Crishelle O’Rourke at corourke@iafp.com or 515-987-8978 for more information.

Link to an article by IAFP board member Deborah Edberg, MD about being a preceptor http://www.iafp.com/foundation/edberg.htm

**TAR WARS
Don’t forget the state poster contest deadline is March 31!!
See the latest update from IAFP Tar Wars at: http://www.iafp.com/tarwars/

**GRAND ROUNDS PRESENTATION ON CERVICAL CANCER
Sponsored by:
Illinois Department of Public Health
UIC School of Public Health

The Public Health Challenge to Eliminating Cervical Cancer
Wednesday, January 31, 2007 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
SPH Auditorium, 1603 W. Taylor Street, Chicago.
Webcast Information:
The presentation will be webcast live. To view the webcast, visit:
http://realmedia.uic.edu/ramgen/live/pqpgrandrounds.rm

For closed captioning, please visit: http://www.streamtext.net/text.aspx?event=UIC
For technical inquiries, please call (312)355-2618.

**HELP FOR MEDICAID PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS
Your Healthcare Plus is a new chronic illness management program designed to help Illinois families learn new ways to take charge of their illness, so they can live longer, healthier lives.
LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE ON IAFP’S WEB SITE AT: http://www.iafp.com/legislative/your%20healthcare%20plus.htm
Contact Dr. Leary via e-mail: frederic.leary@mckesson.com
Visit the "Your Healthcare Plus" web site: http://www.yourhealthcareplus.com/

CLASSIFIED ADS

WRITING SERVICES
How many times have you thought, “I know what I want to say, but I don’t know how to say it”? Tell me your message - I’ll find the words! I can enhance your practice by interviewing you and/or patients for marketing pieces; writing, editing or proofreading speeches, website content, newsletters or handbooks; or updating your curriculum vitae, office forms or patient education materials. I deliver experienced, effective and reliable writing services. I provide quick turnaround, reasonable rates and guaranteed satisfaction. Contact me at editor@watkinsbusinessandmedicalwriting.com . I look forward to exploring with you your writing, editing and proofreading needs!

GO BEARS!!
Enjoy the Super Bowl!

If you have any news items to share with the IAFP membership, please e-mail Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com