News
How to Fund CME?
The question of how to fund continuing medical education went from a hot topic to a scorching one since the Institute's of Medicine's Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education and Practice Committee pronounced last spring that it was time to develop and new model. So it's no surprise that a panel of CME experts took on the perennial problem at the 20th Annual National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration in Baltimore in October.In a session called "Beyond the Tipping Point: Future Options for Commercial Support Funding", moderator Melinda Steele, director, office of CME at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, put forth four funding options for discussion: 1) the current model, 2) one free of commercial support, 3) directed pooled funding, and 4) non-directed pooled funding. Directed pooled means that funds could be sent to a pool, but directed to a specific need. A non-directed pooled approach would see CME sent to a general fund.
Steele, who also chaired the conference, polled the audience at the plenary session to gauge attendees' reactions to the various models. Approximately 58 percent said they'd like to maintain the current model of funding, while 25 percent voted for the directed-pooled approach. Around 12 percent favored the non-directed pooled idea, while just 5 percent wanted to eliminate commercial support. When given just two basic options - maintain commercial support or eliminate it - 83 percent said maintain it. When asked to pick directed-pooled or non-directed pooled, 77 percent voted for the former.
ACMEC has all but eliminated industry funding but at a price. ACMEC has only been able to bring in about 20 percent of presenters from out-of-area. To bring a speaker to Boise the average cost is $2000.00 which doesn't begin to cover the speakers lost production time. Technology is changing methods of delivery with video conferencing and Point of Care Learning growing in popularity and are less expensive options.
The only certainty is CME is going to continue to evolve and we are in a period best described as "experimentation".
Upcoming Conferences
May 21-23, 2010 Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, West Yellowstone, MT, Neva, 208-323-1156July 24-26, 2010 Idaho Medical Association, Boise, ID, Boise Centre, Erin, 208-344-7888
Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. - Anderson Center
Wednesday, 12:15 p.m. - Winter Room
Friday, 8:00 a.m. - McCleary Auditorium
OTHER REGULARLY SCHEDULED CONFERENCES
St Luke's RMC
Tumor Board - Tuesday, 12:00 noon
Breast Tumor Board - Thursday, 7 a.m.
MSTI Pediatric Tumor Board - 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 12 noon
Meridian Tumor Board - 1st & 3rd Thursday, 12 noon
Anderson Center - Ada -2; CHEERS (Children's Hospital Education Enrichment Review) - 1stThursday, 8 am; MATCH 2nd Thursday, 8 am
Mercy Medical Center; Tumor Board - Tuesday, 12 noon
West Valley Medical Center; Tumor Board - Monday, 12:30 pm
Saint Alphonsus RMC; Tumor Board - Thursday, 12 noon, Breast Care Panel, Tuesday, 7:00 am
MEMBERSHIP:
UPCOMING EVENTS:
ACMS High School Sports Physicals------Thursday June 10, 2010
Caven-Williams Indoor Football Complex, Boise State University
As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Idaho back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a typical man I didn't stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place and I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man. And as I played "Amazing Grace", the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full. As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
A woman went to the doctor's office where she was seen by one of the younger doctors. After about four minutes in the examination room, she burst out screaming as she ran down the hall. An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was and she told him her story.
After listening, he had he sit down and relax in another room. The older doctor marched down the hallway back to where the young doctor was writing on his clipboard. "What's the matter with you?" the older doctor demanded. "Mrs. Terry is 61 years old, has four grown children and seven grandchildren and you told her she was pregnant?'
The younger doctor continued writing and without looking up said, "Does she still have the hiccups?"
June 2010
(Wednesday, 8:00am/St. Luke's RMC; Wednesday, 12:15pm/Mercy Medical Center; Friday, 8:00am/Saint Alphonsus RMC)
It is a daunting task to stay abreast of the many advances in medical science and technology. Patients expect competency from their physicians. Medical knowledge is said to double every five years. Because of this expanding knowledge base many new physicians are drawn to more narrow or focused specialties. Physicians perhaps reach the peak of their medical knowledge upon finishing their residency or fellowships. A good education though should leave one eager to continue the lifelong task of learning.
Learning the art of medicine is more subtle and may take longer. Honing ones listening skills in a compassionate and non-judgmental way; the nuances of following ones intuition; learning to say no or I don't know; respecting patient's wishes and values when they run counter to your own. These all may take years to learn.
Many avenues are available for physicians to keep up. In our own community we have an active CME program which presents topics weekly at both major hospitals. Active residency programs involve many of the staff physicians. The Internet offers unlimited venues for CME. Regular reading of referred journals of one's own specialty is a must. Journal Clubs which read and discuss pertinent topics are active in our community. Dr. Swinehart is still active in one that he started over 50 years ago. Interaction with consultants and peers as well as teaching students and residents is another excellent way to keep up. I've always felt it is important to learn about other specialties because much of medical knowledge crosses specialty lines.
A true physician never really graduates from medical school or residency. He merely transfers into his own school of lifelong learning. In doing so he embodies the true meaning of doctor by becoming a teacher of himself. We must elbow our way through the bewildering array of technology and science back to the bedside and remain our patients advocate by doing our best to stay current in medicine.
John J. Mohr, M.D.
Anderson Center, St. Luke’s RMC, Wednesday 8:00 a.m.
Winter Room, Mercy Medical Center, Wednesday 12:15 p.m.
AW Horsley, VA Medical Center, Thursday 8:00 a.m.
McCleary Auditorium, Saint Alphonsus RMC, Friday 8:00 a.m.
We have no new members this month
Dr. Heather Hammerstedt's talk on the Haiti Earthquake--- Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Red Lion Downtowner, 6:00 P.M.
2 Bad Infections You Can Get Outdoors in Idaho, Tom Rand, MD
4 Facial Pain, Phillip Berryhill, MD
9 Long Acting Reversible Contraception, Alison Madsen, MD
9 Foot and Ankle Injuries in Diabetes, Christopher Hirose, MD (Mercy)
11 Patient Education in Chronic Disease, Michelle Minikel, MD
16 Studies from 2008/2009 That Will Change My Practice, C. Scott Smith, MD
18 TBA
23Topic TBA, Jared Scott, MD
25 TBA
30 Update on Asthma, William Palmer, MD
5 HIV Update, Rebecca Kinney, MD
12 Burkholder Lectureship in Oncology, Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): A Road Map for Moving Beyond Biological Ignorance and Therapeutic Nihilism, David Steensma, MD
19 St. Luke's Children's Grand Round Rounds, Celiac Disease: You've just been Glutened, Cass Smith, MD
26 Topic TBA, Elizabeth Kuper, MD
5 HIV Update, (Video)
12 Update on Allergies, John Jeppson, MD
19 Celiac Disease: You've Just Been Glutened, Cass Smith, MD
26 Ergogenic Aid, Robert Amrine, MD
6 Topic TBA, Jennifer Best, MD
13 Evaluation of Common Symptoms, Doug Paauw, MD
20 Alcohol Abuse, Kathy Bradley, MD
27 Deception in Medicine, Carolyn Rhoads, MD
7 Concussions in Sports, Shelley Ringo, MD
14 The Adolescent Patient (Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll): How do provide quality care to a generation unknown? Tamara Pascoe, MD
21 Lyme Disease, DeVon Hale, MD
28 Critical Care Case, Conference, Denise Wurth, MD
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