Newsletter

Broadcast faxes/emails including
upcoming meeting announcements

(Editor: Lorry S. Davis, M.Ed., Executive Director,
Ph 904 270 8886 , Fax 904-246-9233, Email: Lorry4@earthlink.net)
For earlier broadcasts not shown here, go to Archives

From: Lorry Davis [mailto:lorry4@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 4:01 PM
To: 'Lorry S Davis M.Ed.'
Subject: FSPMR: Talking Points Sovereign Immunity

After attending the FMA Specialty Section this past week, Dr Venerando Batas, FSPMR President, is sending these talking points about Sovereign Immunity to you. FSPMR is supporting the FL College of Emergency Physicians in this effort.

Sovereign Immunity for
Providers of Mandated Emergency Care

SB 1640 by Senator Baker
HB 839 by Representative Homan

Emergency departments and trauma facilities, as well as the physicians and staff that provide emergency care and transportation, render an essential and critical public service. From a single individual encountering an emergency at home to groups of people sustaining mass casualties from natural or man-made disasters, the doors of the emergency department are open to all, providing a safety net to the public.
In order to serve the best interests of the public, it is essential that the necessary resources are available to provide quality emergency care. There resources include the ready availability of specialists to the emergency physician.
Currently there is a severe shortage of specialists available for emergency call. The decreasing pool of on-call specialists is directly related to the increased risk that serving the public in emergency situations entails.
The act of providing emergency care puts emergency physicians, specialists and other providers in high risk situations as patient outcomes are frequently unpredictable and beyond the control of even the most competent physicians.
Under federal and state law, physicians providing emergency medical care in Florida trauma centers and emergency departments are mandated to treat all patients, regardless of their injury, illness or ability to pay. Amending section 768.28 of Florida Statutes would provide protection to the providers of this valuable public service.
Acting as mandated by federal and state law, emergency medical providers and physicians are essentially acting as agents of the state and should therefore be extended sovereign immunity.
Currently, under section 768.28 of Florida Statutes, several types of medical providers are protected by sovereign immunity, including workers who provide healthcare to inmates at state correctional facilities, regional poison control centers, and publicly funded and incorporated hospitals, medical centers and medical schools.
Other organizations that support extending sovereign immunity to providers of mandated emergency care include:
- Florida Medical Association
- Florida Osteopathic Medical Association
- Florida Justice Reform Institute
- Florida Orthopaedic Society
- Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine
- Florida Association of County Emergency Medical Services
- Florida Association of Emergency Medical Services Medical Directors

FSPMR Broadcast, Late Summer/Early Fall 2007

AAPM&R: is embarking on a major new initiative related to its newly established “Injured Soldier Work Group.” AAPM&R has met with the VA and share a collaborative agenda. The Dept of Defense has also been contacted to explore a similar relationship. Dr Venerando Batas, FSPMR President, will serve as the point of contact in FL for the VA and when contacted by them, will make referrals from Academy members listed by AAPM&R and which will also include the top 5 clinical areas of practice for each member as identified in the 2007 AAPM&R member practice survey. Dr Batas will tie this into FSPMR membership whenever possible. He also plans to use this list to identify those Academy members who are not yet FSPMR members.

AMA: June, Chicago - House of Delegates Approves Resolution on 75% Rule. Joint sponsored by AAPM&R, AA of Neurology, American College of Rheumatology, this resolution asks the AMA, in its lobbying efforts, to work to ensure continued access to medically necessary and appropriate inpatient rehabilitation services for all Medicare beneficiaries.

FMA:

Thank you to Dr Robert Dehgan, FSPMR VP, who was the FSPMR Delegate to the FMA House at their annual meeting last month. Although FSPMR’s Resolution regarding Performance of Electrodiagnostic Studies (NCV, EMG) did not pass the FMA House, FSPMR was successful in joining with the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine and the Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians in getting the Specialty Section Resolution passed which had to do with garnering the FMA’s lobby support in getting legislation passed requiring mandatory pharmacist reporting as part of Florida’s Controlled Substances Act. This is the NASPER/FLASPER bill – All Schedule Prescription Electronic Record. Way to go!

The electrodiagnostic resolution had to do with getting the FMA to oppose any legislation that would allow non-qualified physicians or healthcare providers to perform EDX and be reimbursed. The FMA will not support any language that restricts scope of practice for any duly licensed Florida physician.

Congratulations to Dr Mark Rubenstein, FSPMR Member-at-Large, for getting elected to the AMA House of Delegates as an Alternate Delegate. Dr Rubenstein says he was fortunate because of the competition, and he thanks all who supported his candidacy as each vote at the FMA House was important. He looks forward to representing the interests of physiatrists at the national policy level.

The FL Legislature will convene for a Special Session, Oct 3 – 12, 2007. At this time, PIP is not added to the call; however, negotiations are ongoing between the Governor, the House and Senate on this issue, and the FMA is involved in all the discussions.

WORK COMP:

Go to http://www.fldfs.com/wc/Jacksonville_DWC_presentation_5-4-07.pdf intended to provide clarity, support, accountability and value to the key stakeholders in FL’s work comp system. Go to http://www.fddfs.com/IWW_Web_presentation_alex_sink.ppt for a powerpoint for injured workers.

NeuroRehabana 2008, International Meeting on Neurorehabilitation

Dr Oregon Hunter, FSPMR Past President, is pleased to announce this event, March 10 – 14, 2008, Havana Int’l Conference Center, Cuba. If receiving this by email, please see the attached for details and/or go to http://www.neurorehabana2008.sld.cu/.

Editor: Lorry S. Davis, M.Ed., Executive Director, PO Box 330298, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233-0298, Ph 904 270 8886, Fax 904 246 9233, lorry4@earthlink.net

FSPMR BROADCAST March 23, 2007

NEXT MEETING: May 11 – 13, 2007, at the JW Marriott Buckhead Atlanta, in conjunction with SSPMR. Room rate $179, call 800 228 9290, tell them you’re with the Southern Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Cut off date is April 16, 2007. 10 hours of scientific program. Go to our website, http://fspmr.org, for registration materials and program detail including educational objectives….for those of you who are members, these materials have also been mailed to you – twice!

FSPMR and PIP: Many thanks to Dr Venerando Batas, FSPMR President, for putting together our position paper on PIP. The paper is on our website. The majority of you who responded were NOT in favor of a fee schedule, but were in favor of meaningful fraud and abuse legislation. Dr Batas juggled all your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and emerged with a unifying document for our society.

EDX Scope of Expansion: Thank you to Dr Robert Dehgan, FSPMR VP, for representing physiatry’s best EDX interest at both the Medicare CAC meeting in Orlando last month, and on the FMA’s Specialty Section Phone Conference three days ago. FSPMR is now working with the FL Society of Neurology on this issue. Attached is Dr Dehgan’s letter to the CAC. After Dr Dehgan’s and Dr Elzawahry’s (President, FL Soc of Neurology) presentations at the Special Section, this was the outcome: FSPMR and FSN will write a resolution in efforts to ensure that EDX medicine is performed by qualified physicians, that physicians need to be properly paid for these services, the right coding needs to be clarified, and that we will work within the House of Medicine to train and screen those physicians (other than PMR, neurology) who wish to perform EDX medicine.

FMA Legislative News: Opposing: pharmacists now wanting to give all kinds of shots (formerly it was only flu shots); ARNPs want to prescribe narcotics, and they want to be able to certify death and sign death certificates; PTs want less supervision. Supporting: #1 legislative priority this year: increased Medicaid reimbursements to physicians; also SB 518 (Sanders) and HB 893 (Harrell) to enable FL to enact NASPER (National All Schedule Prescription Electronic Record).

AAPM&R Member Practice Data Project: What can members do to assist in collection efforts? If you have not done so, please enter your practice profile data (3 short questions) by doing the following: Go to the AAPM&R home page and click on the following link

https://www.e-aapmr.org/imis/imisonline/dues/login/login.cfm to login to your member profile. AAPM&R greatly appreciates your help in collecting this data. The information is crucial to future planning. If you have any questions, please contact the Academy and ask to speak with Dawn Levreau (312) 464-9700, dlevreau@aapmr.org

Job Op: THE JEWETT ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC, P.A., is seeking a second board certified/eligible physiatrist - electrodiagnostic medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, general rehabilitation and opportunities for interventional pain management. Jewett’s services include an ASC, high field MRI, DXA, EMGs/NCVs, PT/OT and orthotic fitting/delivery. Interested candidates contact: Mr. Jay C. Pearce, Executive Director, 1285 Orange Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789, (407) 643-1341 phone, (407) 643-1300 fax, gigi@jewettortho.com

Editor: Lorry S. Davis, M.Ed., Executive Director, PO Box 330298, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233-0298, Ph 904 270 8886, Fax 904 246 9233, lorry4@earthlink.net, http://fspmr.org

FSPMR BROADCAST January 19, 2007

Addendum

Work Comp Reimbursement Manual: DWC e-Mail Alert: This notice is to advise that the Florida Workers' Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, 2006 Edition, which is included in Rule 69L-7.020 F.A.C., has been adopted and will become effective November 16, 2006. Please review the entire new rule carefully at the division's web site as it implements the reimbursement rates authorized by the Three Member Panel pursuant to Section 440.13(12) F.S., as well as important amendments throughout each section of the rule. It may be found under the section entitled "New Rules" at: http://www.fldfs.com/WC/.

PDF and ASCII versions of the Florida Workers' Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, 2006 Edition are available at this website.

For questions or additional information regarding this rule, please contact Don Davis, Office of Data Quality and Collection, Division of Workers' Compensation at 850-413-1711.

Of Historical Interest: Check out SSPMR’s website: http://sspmr.org/Archives.htm and read some Southern and some Florida physiatric history as revealed by Dr William C Fleming, and commented on by Dr Robert P Christopher. Dr Rodolfo Eichberg is serving on AAPM&R’s History Committee and these notes have gone into those archives as well.

JOB OP: Medical Director, PM&R at Mount Sinai Medical Center, one of the nation’s most prestigious hospitals, and located in warm, sunny Miami Beach. The Center offers a continuum of orthopaedic and rehabilitative care, including acute hospital services, a 60-bed acute comprehensive rehabilitation unit, and a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program. The Center is Florida’s largest private, independent, not-for-profit teaching hospital. Contact Linda Farr, Farr Healthcare, Inc., ph 888 362 7200, fax 717 761 5534, farrhealth@comcast.net. www.farrhealthcare.com

JOB SEEKER: Alekh Hira MD, writes in: I'm completing residency training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia this summer and seeking a position in general PM&R. A position of interest would include the opportunity to practice musculoskeletal medicine, electrodiagnostic studies, general pain management and perform procedures such as joint injections, trigger point injections and Botox. I am fairly flexible and would gladly welcome an opportunity that involved further training. I'm originally from Florida and eager to return to my home state. I have an unrestricted Florida license. Contact: cell 267-972-9228 or alekh23@gmail.com.

Editor: Lorry S. Davis, M.Ed., Executive Director, PO Box 330298, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233-0298, Ph 904 270 8886, Fax 904 246 9233, lorry4@earthlink.net, http://fspmr.org

Division of Workers’ Compensation e-Mail Alert:

This notice is to advise that the Florida Workers' Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, 2006 Edition, which is included in Rule 69L-7.020 F.A.C., has been adopted and will become effective November 16, 2006. Please review the entire new rule carefully at the division's web site as it implements the reimbursement rates authorized by the Three Member Panel pursuant to Section 440.13(12) F.S., as well as important amendments throughout each section of the rule. It may be found under the section entitled "New Rules" at:

http://www.fldfs.com/WC/.

PDF and ASCII versions of the Florida Workers' Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, 2006 Edition are available at this website.

For questions or additional information regarding this rule, please contact Don Davis, Office of Data Quality and Collection, Division of Workers' Compensation at 850-413-1711.

FSPMR BROADCAST January 19, 2007

Happy New Year!

Next Meeting: May 11 – 13, 2007, at the JW Marriott Buckhead Atlanta, in conjunction with SSPMR. Room rate $179, call 800 228 9290, tell them you’re with the Southern Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Cut off date is April 16, 2007. The program outline is below – unique this year, we’re accredited for MDs(PAs), DOs, and RNs. 10 hours of scientific program. Watch the website: http://fspmr.org for formal online registration materials and program detail including educational objectives….for those of you who are members, these materials will also be mailed to you.

The 2007 Southern Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Annual Meeting (and the Florida Society of PM&R, and the Alabama Society of PM&R) will feature a faculty of physicians from varying specialties, attorneys, and a medical ethicist. This content-filled meeting is designed to provide the physical medicine and rehabilitation practitioner (physicians, physician assistants, and nurses interested in PM&R), with sophisticated, state-of-the-art information, and to provide them with continuing education credit for each of their types of licensure*.

Friday, May 11, 2007

6:30 - 8 pm Reception

8 pm Alabama Society of PM&R Dinner Meeting

FL Society of PM&R Dinner Meeting

Saturday, May 12

7 - 8 am Continental Breakfast, Registration

8 - 8:15 am Welcome - SSPMR President, Anthony J Dorto MD

8:15 - 9:15 am Acupuncture and Pain Management – Alan Halperin MD (lecture)

9:15 - 10:15 am Chronic Pain Management: An Interventional Physiatrist's Perspective

Rob Windsor MD (lecture)

10:15 - 10:45 am Coffee Break

10:45 - 11:45 am A Focused Approach to Musculoskeletal MR Imaging – Richard Meli MD (lecture)

11:45 am - 12:45 pm Lunch

12:45 - 1:30 pm SSPMR Annual Business Meeting

1:30 - 2:30 pm Regenerative Injection Therapy/Theorem - Felix Linetsky MD (lecture)

2:30 - 3:30 pm Regenerative Injection Therapy/Practicum - Dr Linetsky (workshop)

3:30 - 4 pm Beverage Break

4 - 5 pm Hyperbaric Oxygen and Healing – Ken Knott MD (lecture)

6 - 9 pm Dinner

Sunday, May 13

7:30 - 8 am Continental Breakfast, Registration

8 - 9:30 am Legal Issues: Plaintiff/Defense – Attorneys Miles Gammage and Robert Potter (lecture and panel discussion)

9:30 -10:30 am Disclosing Medical Error: Empathic Considerations – John Banja PhD (lecture)

10:30 - 11 am Coffee Break

11 am - 12:30 pm Catastrophic Injuries: Dealing with Issues of Life Expectancy - Dr Dorto (lecture)

12:30 pm Adjourn SSPMR- Dr Dorto

*Accreditation Statements (MDs, DOs, Nurses):

For MDs:

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. and the Southern Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. designates this educational activity for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)(tm). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For DOs:

This educational activity is approved for 10 Category 2 credits by the American Osteopathic Association.

For Nurses:

The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. is an approved provider of continuing education for nurses through the Florida Board of Nursing. This activity has been approved for 12 contact hours.

Editor: Lorry S. Davis, M.Ed., Executive Director, PO Box 330298, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233-0298, Ph 904 270 8886, Fax 904 246 9233, lorry4@earthlink.net, http://fspmr.org