AAHPM Winter Quarterly 2011 : Page 25WINTER 2011 25 Promote Quality Care and Evidence-Based Research The Research Committee reviewed and approved two surveys for distribution to the membership and also identified reviewers and prepared materials for poster sessions at the Annual Assembly. The Quality & Research Strategic Coordinating Committee is developing a plan to chart the Academy’s quality activities over the next several years, focusing on increased collaboration and integration with AAHPM education activities. AAHPM has worked closely with the National Quality Foundation to develop recommendations for NQF endorsement. Mea-sures fall into the categories of pain management, dys-pnea, care preference, and quality of care at end of life. Increase External Awareness and Reach AAHPM’s Twitter followers have increased to more than 1,600; posts are frequently retweeted to thousands each day. Facebook also continues to be a popular place for fans and followers to find news from AAHPM. The Acad-emy’s two LinkedIn groups (general and hospice medical directors) also provide a forum for many conversations to take place. Academy staff exhibited at the annual meetings for the National Association for Home Care and Hospice as well as the American Osteopathic Association in the fall. Both provided opportunities to talk with physicians and other healthcare providers about the specialty of hospice and palliative medicine and the many programs and products offered by AAHPM. The Ethics Committee’s policy on withholding and with-drawing medical interventions was made available online for member comment and then approved by the board at its most recent meeting. The Academy held its Capitol Hill Days, a fly-in to Wash-ington, DC, which allowed 18 Academy members to pro-mote the field of hospice and palliative medicine and advance AAHPM’s advocacy goals with key policymakers. In meetings with 60 congressional offices, participants helped members of Congress and their health policy staff learn more about the field and the benefit to patients, and discussed the need for a palliative care education and training bill (see related article on page 6). The Public Policy Committee reviewed legislation with implications for the field of hospice and palliative medi-cine and recommended that AAHPM be on record as endorsing two hospice-related measures: the Hospice Evaluation and Legitimate Payment (HELP) Act (S. 722) and the Medicare Hospice Care Access Act of 2011 (S. 891). Earlier this year, AAHPM endorsed the Personalize Your Care Act of 2011 (H.R. 1589). You can contact your elected officials directly through AAHPM’s online Legisla-tive Action Center and ask them to support these mea-sures. Click the Take Action tab on aahpm.org to see all the bills the Academy is tracking in the 112th Congress. At an October meeting of the State Hospice Organiza-tion Executives Roundtable, Public Policy Committee Chair Stephen A. Leedy, MD FAAHPM, and State Policy Issues Working Group Chair Gregg K. VandeKieft, MD MA, presented an overview of AAHPM and gathered information on states’ needs that will help guide the Academy’s efforts to develop new advocacy resources. AAHPM continues to participate in the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, chaired by AAHPM Presi-dent Ronald J. Crossno, MD CMD FAAFP FAAHPM, and supported by Executive Director/CEO Steve Smith, CAE. Representatives from the Coalition’s member organiza-tions meet monthly by conference call. Additional calls and collaboration also occur between meetings. Dr. Crossno was invited to represent AAHPM at the Octo-ber meeting of the Physician Leadership Forum, a new program of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC). The Forum, held in conjunction with NAHC’s 30th Annual Meeting, was planned to update physicians on relevant clinical, administrative, and regula-tory issues and emerging models of physician-led care. AAHPM also exhibited at the NAHC meeting to share information about the field and the Academy’s resources. (See related article on page 4.) Porter Storey, MD FACP FAAHPM, represented the Acad-emy at the semiannual meeting of the Council of Medi-cal Specialty Societies in Washington, DC. Discussions focused on the CMSS post-healthcare reform, physicians and the Medicare program, and comparative effective-ness research. AAHPM is grateful for the many volunteers who continue to provide the leadership and guidance needed to direct the programs and activities of the Academy. The Denver Zoo has 3,500 animals, representing more than 685 species, including 157 that are classified as threatened or endangered. It costs $38,000 a day to care for the animals and operate the zoo. VOL. 12 Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
