ABFM MC-FP Exam Deadlines

Registration for the April 2012 MC-FP Examinations (Certification & Recertification) is now open. Beginning in 2012, the ABFM MC-FP Examination will be held in April instead of July.

The dates for the April 2012 MC-FP Examination are:
April 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21

The MC-FP Examination will also be offered in November for candidates who fail the spring administration of the examination, or for those residents in good standing who are off-cycle and are expected to complete training on or about December 31, 2012.

The dates for the November 2012 MC-FP Examination are:
November 7, 8, 9, 10

Diplomates can access the online application by logging in to his/her Physician Portfolio, then click MC-FP Examination and then Request Application. The application should be opened by January 6, 2012 in order to avoid any late filing fee.  All key application dates can be found here: https://www.theabfm.org/caq/exam_dates.aspx

For questions regarding the MC-FP examination, Diplomates may contact the Support Center at 877-223-7437 or email to: help@theabfm.org.

IAC Express, December 12, 2011

Influenza vaccination is recommended for almost everyone, so please keep vaccinating

Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, so please keep vaccinating your patients.

Following is a list of resources related to influenza disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the public.

• National Influenza Vaccine Summit website:  http://www.preventinfluenza.org
• CDC’s Flu web section:  http://www.cdc.gov/flu
• IAC’s Influenza web section: http://www.immunize.org/influenza
• IAC’s handouts related to influenza:  http://www.immunize.org/handouts/influenza-vaccines.asp

Help make 2012 the best year ever for Family Medicine!

Meet Tanya Anim.

Tanya attended medical school at Florida State University College of Medicine, which she selected due to its dedication to producing primary care physicians.  She immediately became involved with the Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG).  Thanks to the support of the FAFP Foundation she was able to attend several Family Medicine Weekends and then the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students during her first year.  She describes the conference as a life changing event that solidified her desire to pursue a career in Family Medicine.

The conference exposed her to the diversity of Family Medicine.  There she learned more about what Family Medicine residency entailed, gained exposure to the 400+ residency programs in attendance, and learned more about the various procedures family physicians perform.  Also, by becoming involved with the Student Congress portion of the conference she learned more about the important role family physicians play as leaders creating policy and influencing our health care system in a positive way through the AAFP.  Tanya subsequently became involved on a national level and served as an FMIG Regional and then National Coordinator.  As a fourth year medical student, she was elected by the Student Congress to serve as Student Chair of the 2010 National Conference!

Tanya is currently a second year Family Medicine Resident at Halifax Family Medicine Residency program and still credits the National Conference as the impetus for her choosing a career in Family Medicine.  Tanya continues to be active in the AAFP and FAFP and thanks the FAFP Foundation for their support!

Don’t miss your chance to start 2012 off the right way: make your tax-deductible gift by December 31 and help ensure the future of family medicine by providing scholarships to the National Conference for Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students.

(donation link)

AAFP Commission Appointments

Commission on Education:

Robert Raspa, MD, FAAFP, Jacksonville (term to expire 2014)

Dr. Raspa is also the FAFP Vice President.

 

Commission on Education, Students and Residents:

Alyson Lewis, Ormond Beach, Natl FMIG Coordinator

Peter Rippey, MD, Daytona Beach, Resident Delegate to COD

 

Commission on Quality and Practice

Andrew Eisenberg, MD, MHA, FAAFP, Sarasota (term to expire 2011)

 

Commission on Continuing Professional Development

Jennifer Keehbauch, MD, FAAFP, Orlando (4 year term)

Dr. Keehbauch is also the FAFP Secretary-Treasurer

Dairy’s Nutrient-rich Package May Be Key to Reducing Risks of Metabolic Syndrome

Research from the Dairy Research Institute

Metabolic syndrome poses a significant public health threat in the United States. Affecting more than one-third of American adults, it is a cluster of symptoms that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and accounts for billions of dollars of health care costs annually. Research has associated dairy consumption with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and its related diseases. A new scientific review, published in Advances in Nutrition, discusses how components of dairy’s unique nutrient package may account for dairy’s positive effects. The review was authored by research scientists at the Dairy Research Institute, an organization founded under the leadership of dairy farmers who have a commitment to product, nutrition and sustainability research.
Press Release

Rice BH, Cifelli CJ, Pikosky MA, Miller GD. Dairy components and risk factors for cardiometabolic syndrome: Recent evidence and opportunities for future research.
Adv Nutr. 2011;2:396-407.

Abstract
Full Text
Table of Contents

MEDICARE TO COVER OBESITY SCREENINGS PERFORMED BY PRIMARY CARE

On November 29, CMS announced that Medicare added coverage for preventive services to reduce obesity. Screening for obesity and counseling for eligible beneficiaries by primary care providers (family medicine, internal medicine, geriatric medicine, or pediatric medicine; or nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant) in settings such as physicians’ offices are covered under this new benefit. For a beneficiary who screens positive for obesity with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, the benefit would include one face-to-face counseling visit each week for one month and one face-to-face counseling visit every other week for an additional five months. The beneficiary could receive one face-to-face counseling visit every month for an additional six months (for a total of 12 months of counseling) if he or she had achieved a weight reduction of at least 6.6 pounds (or 3 kilograms) during the first six months of counseling. In a September 28 letter, the AAFP had strongly supported this CMS proposal and discussed this announcement in a recent AAFP News Now article.

Lower Your Vaccine Costs with Atlantic Health Partners!

Atlantic Health Partners is pleased to announce a new program with TransactRx that enables physicians to provide vaccines to most Medicare Part D patients.  As you may know, Atlantic offers our members the lowest prices on Sanofi and Merck vaccines, and now with TransactRx your practice can provide vaccines like Zostavax (available from Merck) and Adacel (Tdap) to Medicare patients.

The TransactRx program endorsed by Atlantic provides you:

• Easy online access to patient specific Part D vaccine coverage
• Ability to get fairly reimbursed for vaccines covered under Part D
• Real-time out-of-pocket (copay) cost and reimbursement information
• Electronic claims submission for vaccines covered under Part D

There is no cost to join Atlantic Health Partners or to benefit from this new service.

And don’t forget these additional Atlantic benefits:

• Discounted medical, surgical and office supply programs
• Discounts on a patient recall program
• Immediate customer service to address any vaccine related issues

Please contact Jeff or Cindy at info@atlantichealthpartners.com or 1-800-741-2044 (Eastern Time) to find out how your practice can benefit from Atlantic Health Partners Savings and TransactRx.

www.atlantichealthpartners.com

IAC renames its new declination form for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children and updates “It’s Federal Law!”

IAC recently revised the following two handouts.

(1) IAC changed the name of a newly developed form from “Refusal of Vaccination for My Child” to “Decision to Not Vaccinate My Child.” Intended to be reviewed and signed by the parent, the form includes information about how an unvaccinated child might get seriously ill or could spread disease to another person. A second page includes background information and reference material for healthcare professionals. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4059.pdf

(2) IAC updated “It’s federal law! You must give your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)” to include all new and revised VISs released through November 8, 2011. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2027.pdf

IAC’s Handouts for Patients and Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public approximately 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely. To access all of IAC’s free handouts, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts

National Influenza Vaccination Week, December 4-10, “Get the flu vaccine, not the flu.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CDC published “National Influenza Vaccination Week 2011: Update from HHS and CDC.” It provides information on various plans the two federal agencies have developed to reach out to the public during National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW). With the help of partner organizations, the two agencies will use traditional, digital, and social media to engage the public, and will also host public events such as kick-off meetings and influenza vaccination clinics.

To access the update from HHS and CDC, go to:http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/nivw/nivw-partner-update-11-10-11.pdf

 

 

Summary of Actions on Resolutions at 2011 AAFP COD

The Summary of Actions from the 2011 Congress of Delegates meeting has been posted online. Click on “2011 Summary of Actions” on the left sidebar. This document contains the process/activity of the resolutions and the key AAFP staff contact for follow up information. An update on the action(s) taken on resolutions will be provided in April 2012. This brief progress report will be incorporated into the Summary of Actions document and republished on the website at that time.

Individual resolutions posted on the website now include the Congress action and will also include progress reports along with a staff contact name.

Contact Diane McDaniel or Terresa Winch with questions.