Health Reform Update & Resources for GA ACP Members

While many provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will not be implemented until 2014, changes in health care payment and delivery are already taking place. It is not too soon to start trying to develop a strategy for meeting the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities the new bill offers. A good overview of the bill’s provisions and timeline may be found here: “An internists Guide to Understanding Health System Reform”.

For those in practice, qualifying your practice for “meaningful use of EHR” and potentially receiving $44,000- $64,000 per physician over 5 years is one of the most immediate opportunities. The ACP has developed a very useful web portal for understanding and implementing EHR’s at http://www.americanehr.com/Home.aspx.

CMS will begin pilot testing in 2011 innovative methods of health care delivery and reimbursement including the Patient Centered Medical Home, bundled payments, and Accountable Care organizations. The ACP has an exceptional tool, “The Medical Home Builder” to help practices transform into a certified Patient Centered Medical Home. More information can be obtained by going to the ACP website: http://www.acponline.org/running_practice/pcmh/.

In addition, AHRQ, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, has created a patient centered medical home portal : http://www.pcmh.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt/community/pcmh__home/1483. Success in these transformation endeavors will be key to bending the health care cost curve over the next decade.

Update Information Provided by J Stubbs, MD

Summer 2010 Newsletter

The latest edition of the Georgia Chapter ACP newsletter is now available! This edition includes the announcement of the Governor-Elect election results, special dates to remember and some wonderful articles.  (Remember, you must use the "login" function of website to access the newsletter).

Literary Retreat 2010 Brochure and Registration

The Georgia Chapter will hold its 10th Annual Literature & Medicine Retreat at beautiful Amicalola Falls State Park located in Dawsonville, GA, October 22 - 24, 2010.  This year's topic is "Alternative Medicine."  Click here to view the program brochure and print registration page.  Registration deadline is September 10.

Georgia Chapter Welcomes New Executive Director

The Georgia Chapter welcomes Mary Daniels as our new Executive Director.  Mary can be reached at mdaniels@gaacp.org or 770-965-7606. 
 

E-Updates

November 2009