Page 25 - Delaware Medical Journal - August, 2016
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NEW TELEMEDICINE GROUND RULES
With the increasing use of telemedicine and telehealth technologies, delegates adopted new policy that outlines ethical ground rules for physicians using these technologies to treat patients.
PHYSICIANS ARE GUIDING NEW
PAYMENT SYSTEM, CMS CHIEF SAYS
In the effort to design the new Medicare payment system, Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), presenting to the AMA House of Delegates, said that the driving factor behind many of the changes was physician input. But the physician’s role does not stop there.
POLICIES TO IMPROVE CONSUMER SAFETY
At the heart of policymaking of the AMA is the mission to promote the betterment of public health. Physicians adopted policies that will help improve consumer safety and reduce harm. They range from preventing drug overdose to delaying school start times and supporting paid sick leave. Your patients should know doctors support:
• Medication disposal programs that can prevent overdose and improve health
air guns
• Ending sales taxes on feminine hygiene products
• Required radon testing for residential rental units
• Redesigning detergent products to make them less attractive to children to prevent accidental exposure or ingestion
• Noise exposure standards for children’s toys
• A ban on powdered alcohol
• School start times no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
• Paid sick leave for all employees
• The use of HIV preventive treatment • Insurance parity for eating disorders
IF YOU ARE SITTING ON THE
SIDELINES, GET INVOLVED
Andrew W. Gurman, MD, in his inaugural speech as president of the AMA, issued a call to action for physicians to be leaders and advocates for their profession.
HOW PHYSICIANS ARE MAKING
EHRS INTEROPERABLE
Electronic health records (EHR) have consistently caused problems for physicians due to a lack of interoperability. Physicians and health IT developers explained how physicians must lead – and are leading – the way forward.
DIGITAL DYSTOPIA: DEVELOPING TOOLS
THAT WORK IN PRACTICE building new tools that are based on physician perspectives from the start are critical to developing a digital practice environment that works for physicians and patients, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara, MD, said.
PHYSICIANS TAKE STEPS TO ADDRESS
OPIOID OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC
The physician role in reducing opioid medication misuse, overdose and death is an important one. New policies address factors that are critical to reversing the epidemic, including prescription drug monitoring programs, access to naloxone and addiction medicine as a sub-specialty.
LEARN MORE
about the actions at the 2016 AMA Annual Meeting on the AMA’s website: www.ama-assn.org
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