American Gastroenterological Association - Advancing the Science and Practice of Gastroenterology

News from the Literature | Practice | Announcements | Research | Education & Meetings | Journals & Publications | Awards

LEADING THE NEWS

NEWS FROM THE LITERATURE

New HCV Therapies Are Reshaping Standard of Care

In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, doctors investigated hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and co-infection with HIV. They stated that recognition of the important role that host factors, such as IL28B genotype, have in response to HCV therapy and the emergence of new effective therapies for HCV are actively reshaping the standard of care. These advances may translate into more effective treatment and management of patients with chronic HCV and HIV co-infection in the years ahead.

Journal of the American Medical Association 2011; 306(3): 294-301

Self-Expanding Stents Provide Dysphagia Relief

It is a challenge to manage refractory benign esophageal strictures (RBES). According to data in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, placement of self-expanding plastic stents (SEPS) or biodegradable stents provides long-term relief of dysphagia in 30 and 33 percent, respectively, of patients with RBES. Biodegradable stents require fewer procedures than SEPS, offering an advantage. Although stent placement is a viable strategy in patients with RBES, the ideal strategy still needs to be defined.

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011: 9(8): 653-659

Nonlinear Reduction in CRC Risk by Fruit, Vegetable Intake

The association between fruit and vegetable intake and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk has been investigated by many studies, but is controversial because of inconsistent results and weak observed associations. In this study — appearing in Gastroenterology — doctors summarized the evidence from cohort studies in categorical, linear and nonlinear, dose-response meta-analyses. Based on meta-analysis of prospective studies, there is a weak but statistically significant nonlinear inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and CRC risk.

Gastroenterology 2011: 141(1): 106-118

Early Fluid Resuscitation Reduces Morbidity

Early fluid resuscitation is recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality among patients with acute pancreatitis, although the impact of this intervention has not been quantified. In patients with acute pancreatitis, early fluid resuscitation was associated with reduced incidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and organ failure at 72 hours. These effects were most pronounced in patients admitted with interstitial rather than severe disease, reported doctors in a study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011: 9(8): 705-709

PRACTICE

ADI Accreditation Required by Jan. 1

If you are a provider or supplier that furnishes the technical component of advanced diagnostic imaging (ADI) services and bills Medicare under the physician fee schedule for these services, you should know that you must be accredited by Jan 1, 2012. Those not accredited by that deadline will not be able to bill Medicare until they become accredited.

For those planning on seeking accreditation to continue performing the technical component of ADI services, know that accreditation is dependent on the demonstration of quality standards, including (but not limited to):

• Qualifications and responsibilities of medical directors and supervising physicians.
• Qualifications of medical personnel who are not physicians.
• Procedures to ensure that equipment used meets performance specifications.
• Procedures to ensure the safety of beneficiaries.
• Procedures to ensure the safety of those who furnish the imaging.
• Establishment and maintenance of a quality assurance and quality control program to ensure the reliability, clarity and accuracy of the technical quality of the image.

Additionally, the accreditation process may include:

• Unannounced, random site visits.
• Review of phantom images.
• Review of staff credentialing records and maintenance records.
• Review of beneficiary complaints and patient records.
• Review of quality data and ongoing data monitoring.
• Triennial surveys.

Read more information about ADI accreditation, including details of the accreditation process and the organizations approved by CMS to grant accreditation. A special edition article with important reminders about ADI has also been published.

AGA Registry Offers Direct Data Submission from EMRs

One of the key features of the AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry^™ is the ability for participants to link the registry directly to their electronic medical record (EMR) or endoscopic reporting system, allowing for single point-of-entry data capture and reporting.

“Registry-EMR integration offers many benefits to practices participating in the AGA Registry. Practices will find that the registry fits seamlessly into their practice workflow and that data entry is minimal,” said John I. Allen, MD, MBA, AGAF, chair of the AGA Registry Executive Management Board and medical director for quality, Minnesota Gastroenterology.

“In addition, because the data extracted from EMRs and reported to the registry is truly clinically derived, practices can have access to high-quality data that will allow them to effectively measure quality and outcomes and develop quality improvement programs,” said Dr. Allen.

Currently, there are two integration options available:

• gMed’s gGastro^™ v4 — through a partnership between gMed and the AGA, the AGA Registry has been incorporated into gMed’s version four of its gGastro product. Users can now submit data directly from the EMR system with no modifications. Moving forward, gMed will directly incorporate updates to the registry into its system, ensuring that gGastro users are always up to date with the AGA Registry. Learn more.
• Users of an earlier version of gMed’s EMR system can use the custom system integration solution with FIGMD. FIGMD is a clinical systems integrator that provides a low-cost solution for integrating your EMR system with the AGA Registry with no disruption to your current practice workflow. The integration can be done in as little as six weeks. FIGMD works with your practice to determine how you document care and uses proprietary software to extract data relevant to the registry and automatically transmit it on a scheduled basis. Learn more.

For practices that do not have an EMR system, the registry has an easy-to-use Web-based interface and sampling methodology.

For more information about the AGA Registry, visit www.AGARegistry.org.

Take a Look at CMS' Attestation Resources

Are you an eligible professional or hospital participating in the Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive program? CMS has resources to help you attest to having met meaningful use requirements in order to receive your EHR incentive payment.

Attestation resources include:

• An attestation page where participants in the Medicare incentive program can find important information on attestation.
• The meaningful use attestation calculator allows eligible professionals and hospitals to check whether they have met meaningful use guidelines before they attest in the system. The calculator prints a copy of each eligible professional's or eligible hospital's specific measure summary.
• The attestation user guide for Medicare eligible professionals and hospitals provide step-by-step guidance on navigating the attestation system.
• Attestation worksheets for eligible professionals and hospitals allow users to fill out their meaningful use measure values so they have a quick reference tool to use while attesting.
• An eligible professional Medicare EHR incentive program attestation webinar, which is a video version of the user guides for eligible professionals and walks viewers through how to complete the attestation process.

Attestation is currently open for all participants in the Medicare EHR incentive program. You can attest via CMS' Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive program registration and attestation system.

Also, visit the EHR incentive programs website for the latest news and updates.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

AGA Raises Awareness on World Hepatitis Day

Today is World Hepatitis Day 2011 and AGA is spreading the word — people need to be screened for hepatitis to prevent liver damage and, potentially, save lives.

A presidential proclamation, for which AGA advocated, has been declared in support of World Hepatitis Day. The proclamation recognizes the urgency to increase awareness of hepatitis to fight the stigmas and stop the spread of the disease, as well as to increase screening to ensure all infected individuals receive timely treatment.

AGA also taped a public service announcement (PSA) with Vinod Rustgi, MD, a hepatitis expert from the Virginia Commonwealth University, and hepatitis C patients urging people to get screened for the disease that will be seen across the Internet. Watch the PSA and contact us if you are interested in including the PSA on your practice website to ensure your patients receive this important message.

To learn more about AGA’s activities, visit the practice resource library on hepatitis. For information for your patients, see the AGA brochure “Understanding Hepatitis.”

According to the World Health Organization, around one-third of the global population, or two billion people, is infected with any type of hepatitis, which kills about a million victims annually. Health experts estimate that of those infected, 180 million people have chronic hepatitis C, with more than four million of those cases in the U.S.

RESEARCH

Your AGA Research Foundation Gifts Support ...

 … Jatin Roper, MD, who received a 2011 AGA Fellowship-to-Faculty Transition Award.

“This award will afford me the necessary protected time to develop experimental skills and acquire the fund of knowledge necessary for the transition to being an independent investigator … The overall goal of the proposed studies is to define and target compensatory signaling pathways critical for colorectal carcinogenesis. For this purpose, my mentor (Kenneth Hung, MD) has developed a novel genetically engineered mouse model for sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) in which genes known to be involved in colorectal carcinogenesis, such as Apc and Kras, are targeted for deletion or activation in the distal colon.“

“The resulting tumors present along the entire adenoma-carcinoma-metastasis axis, as seen in human patients, and can be imaged, biopsied and resected with optical colonoscopy. We used this mouse model to test the therapeutic efficacy of inhibition of specific intracellular signaling pathways known to play a central role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Whereas initial blockade was effective in curbing tumor growth, we observed rebound activation in a parallel signaling pathway that may ultimately limit the long-term efficacy of such treatments. The focus of my work under the Fellowship-to-Faculty Transition Award will be to test the hypothesis that combined blockade of these multiple signaling pathways will be a more effective treatment strategy for CRC.”

To make a donation, visit http://www.gastro.org/contribute.

EDUCATION & MEETINGS

Create Customized Presentations with GastroSlides

The AGA’s GastroSlides, the field’s most extensive collection of GI and liver images, provides maximum flexibility allowing you to customize the slides based on your specific needs. Developed by internationally renowned experts, the slides combine the latest basic and clinical science with stunning artwork and innovative graphics to explain the complex concepts and processes of digestive diseases.

With more than 4,000 images in its repository, features of the slides include:

• The ability to search by keyword or topic to help you quickly and easily locate slides relevant to your needs.
• The flexibility to use the components of existing images to create customized slides for different lectures.
• An extensive citation resource that can be used for lectures and serve as a permanent reference tool.

More than 1,500 slides cover liver disease, such as hepatocelluar carcinoma, autoimmune liver disease, cirrhosis and portal hypertension, NAFLD, and viral hepatitis. GI topics include digestive health and disease in women, GI endoscopic imaging (only available on DVD), pancreatitis, IBD, IBS, Barrett's esophagus, and the genetic and molecular basis of gastrointestinal and liver disease.

GastroSlides also offers affordable pricing options, allowing you to buy slides individually as you need them or purchase an annual subscription and have access to the entire GastroSlides library for one year.

Preview all slides and order online at www.gastroslides.org.

GastroSlides is a continuing education resource directed by the AGA Institute Education and Training Committee.

Registration Open for 2012 Clinical Congress

Registration is now open for the 2012 Clinical Congress, which will be held Jan. 19 through 22, at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, FL. The congress is a “one-stop-shop” for GI professionals to update their clinical knowledge and improve their ability to run a successful practice. Attendees can earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and, by attending the newly added maintenance of certification (MOC) course, 20 of the required 100 self-evaluation points toward MOC.

This year's congress includes four days of educational programming relevant to physicians, trainees, clinical staff and practice managers/administrators. Congress events include:

• AGA Clinical Congress main sessions, Practice, Evidence and Quality in 2012 (Jan. 20 and 21) — presents a high-caliber program and timely updates on key clinical issues that arise in everyday practice. Covering the full spectrum of GI and hepatic disorders, the two-day congress will provide a comprehensive clinical review of the field and include information on pediatric gastroenterology. Interns, residents and fellows are encouraged to submit an abstract to this year's congress and present their research. Selected abstracts will be published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. AGA member trainees can register for free.
• AGA Practice Management Course: New Strategies for Changing Times (Jan. 19 and 20) — provides physicians and practice managers/administrators with the latest strategies for successful practice management. Sessions will cover new strategies to enhance financial performance, updates on electronic health records, the essentials of strategic planning and how to best navigate the new health-care environment.
• AGA Practice Skills Workshop (Jan. 22) — offers AGA member trainees the necessary tools and information to critically and accurately assess their clinical practice options and career choices. Trainees must apply to attend, and scholarships will be awarded to those who are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
• AGA MOC Course (Jan. 22) — faculty will guide attendees in completing and submitting to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) the 2010 and 2011 ABIM gastroenterology annual update modules, which are each worth 10 MOC points. The format of this interactive course incorporates audience response technology to review the two modules.

Attendees of the clinical congress main sessions may register for the practice management course or the MOC course at a discount. Those who register for the congress main sessions on or before Oct. 31 will receive free access to the 2012 congress online sessions.

Learn more and register.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

JOURNALS & PUBLICATIONS

Free E-Book: European Gastroenterology & Hepatology Review

Touch Briefings, the London-based health-care and life sciences publisher, publishes a diverse portfolio of fully referenced peer-reviewed journals across the clinical and pharmaceutical arenas. Through this portfolio of more than 50 print journals and websites, Touch Briefings aims to assist in the education of health-care and pharmaceutical professionals.

As part of AGA’s collaboration with Touch Briefings, AGA members receive free access to its publications, including the most recent edition of European Gastroenterology & Hepatology Review. In this issue, Ruggiero Francavilla, MD, and colleagues contribute a paper, “Probiotics and Helicobacter pylori,” and Jean-Francois Dufour, MD, and Cornelia Pfrepper provide a discussion of new treatments used for hepatocellular carcinoma.

More free articles and resources are available on Touch Briefing’s website, www.touchgastroenterology.com.

Call for Papers on Clinical Trials: Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology is committed to advancing clinical practice in the field of digestive disease. Recognizing that clinical trials generally have the greatest impact of all studies on clinical practice, Editor Anil K. Rustgi, MD, and his associate editors strongly encourage authors to submit their manuscripts on clinical trials (diagnostic validation, therapeutic efficacy) of drugs, biological materials and devices in digestive, liver and pancreatic diseases, including studies at Phases I, II and especially III, to Gastroenterology for consideration. The journal is also interested in publishing trials in endoscopic and imaging modalities.

There are several important reasons to submit clinical trial research for publication in Gastroenterology:

• With an impact factor of 12.9, Gastroenterology is the premier journal in the field.
• Gastroenterology is the journal that will directly reach the largest portion of physicians who care for and make treatment decisions for patients with GI or liver disease.
• Authors who submit their manuscripts to Gastroenterology typically will receive decisions within three weeks or fewer.
• Accepted manuscripts will be published online and indexed on PubMed within 10 days of acceptance.

To submit your manuscript to Gastroenterology, go to www.editorialmanager.com/gastro.

For important information on how to report clinical trials, go to www.gastrojournal.org/authorinfo. To review the current and past issues of the journal, go to www.gastrojournal.org.

AWARDS

RSAs Support Young GIs’ Career Development

As part of its mission to create opportunities for young GIs to advance careers in research, the AGA Research Foundation offers research scholar awards (RSAs) to junior investigators working toward independent careers in gastroenterology, hepatology or related areas.

The objective of the RSAs is to enable young investigators to develop independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases by ensuring that a major proportion of their time is protected for research. To that end, the awards provide $60,000 per year for two years ($120,000 total) for salary support.

One RSA, the newly created AGA-Takeda RSA in GERD, is designated for research relevant to GERD. Additional RSAs are available to fund research on any GI- or hepatology-related topic.

Candidates for these awards must hold an MD, PhD or equivalent degree and a full-time faculty position at a North American institution by July 1, 2012. Candidates should be in the beginning years of their careers, defined as the first five years after completion of clinical training or PhD work, and must devote at least 70 percent of their efforts to research related to the gastrointestinal tract or liver. AGA membership is required at the time of application submission. Women, minorities and physician/scientist investigators are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications for RSAs are due Sept. 9. Complete award criteria and application materials can be found on the AGA website.

Call for Nominations: Recognition Prizes

All AGA members are encouraged to nominate their colleagues for member recognition prizes, which honor individuals for their outstanding contributions to the field of gastroenterology.

Nominations are due Sept. 23 for:

• The Julius Friedenwald Medal. This is the highest honor the AGA bestows on a member. This award recognizes an individual who has made lifelong contributions to the field.

Nominations are due Nov. 11 for:

• The William Beaumont Prize in Gastroenterology, which recognizes an individual who has made a major contribution (a single accomplishment or series of accomplishments) that has significantly advanced gastroenterological basic or clinical research.
• The Distinguished Clinician Awards, which recognize two individuals, one in private practice and one in clinical academic practice, who have exemplified leadership and excellence in the practice of gastroenterology.
• The Distinguished Educator Award, which recognizes an individual for his or her achievements as an outstanding educator over a lifelong career.
• The Distinguished Mentor Award, which recognizes an individual for his or her achievements as an outstanding mentor over a lifelong career.
• The AGA Research Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has dedicated an extraordinary effort to advocacy for the advancement of gastroenterological science and research.

Complete nomination instructions, selection criteria and more information about each award are available through the links above. For more information, visit AGA's website or contact awards@gastro.org.

Classifieds

Place GI Position Listings and Activity Announcements

For as little as $82.50, you can place a classified ad of 100 words or less in AGA's weekly e-mail newsletter, AGA eDigest, or AGA's bi-monthly magazine, AGA Perspectives. If you place ads in both AGA Perspectives and AGA eDigest, you will receive a 10 percent discount. Advertising in either includes a free online classified listing. Learn more.

Central Pennsylvania
Excellent opportunity for BC/BE gastroenterologist. Well-established, seven-physician practice with state-of-the-art ASC, fully operational EMR and soon-to-open new office with growth potential. Outstanding salary, benefits and incentive compensation plan. Learn more about our practice at www.gicare.com. Fax curriculum vitae to 717-761-0465, attention: Lisa Scicchitano or e-mail lscicchitano@gicare.com. 

North Carolina
Gastroenterologist Opportunities — Charlotte, NC

The division of gastroenterology at Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) has recently established a new and growing GI fellowship program and is seeking two full-time faculty members who have a commitment to excellence in clinical care and teaching. One of the candidates should have a strong interest and expertise in EUS, and while not required, additional experience with ERCP would be desirable. The other candidate should have strong general GI skills along with an interest in clinical research related to an additional area of focus such as esophageal disease, pancreatic disease, IBD, motility or QI.

CMC is one of the most comprehensive acute care hospitals in the Carolinas, and the largest hospital in Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS), which comprises more than 30 affiliated hospitals. With 874 beds and the region’s only level one trauma center, CMC treats patients from a widespread geographic area. Each year, CMC has more than 50,000 inpatient discharges, more than 6,500 newborn deliveries, more than 31,000 surgical procedures, and more than 110,000 emergency department visits.

We offer award-winning facilities, excellent benefits and a quality of life second to none. CHS is committed to being the leading provider of health-care services and sponsor of educational programs.

For more information or to submit a CV for consideration, please contact:

Geri Deutschman at geri.deutschman@carolinashealthcare.org.

704-355-6931 Office / 800-847-5084 Toll Free / 704-355-5033 Fax

http://physicians.carolinashealthcare.org

North Dakota
Procedure-Oriented Practice

Sanford Health Fargo has immediate openings for BC/BE gastroenterologists in a procedure-oriented practice. Call 1:8. 100 percent hospitalist coverage; hospital consults only. Procedures performed include: ERCP, EUS and capsule endoscopy. ERCP and EUS skills are desirable, but not necessary. Opportunity to teach medical students and IM residents. Level II 583-bed trauma center with electronic medical records and PACS. Sanford Health Fargo consists of 585+ physicians located in Fargo and 32 regional primary care clinics.

Fargo, ND, with a metro population of 190,000, is a diverse, stimulating and family-oriented city with all the amenities that make for a satisfying and fulfilling life. We offer exceptional K-12 and higher education systems, world-class health care, affordable housing, low cost of living, and myriad cultural and entertainment opportunities.

Jean Keller, physician recruiter
Sanford Physician Placement
Phone: 701-280-4853
E-mail: jean.keller@sanfordhealth.org
www.sanfordhealth.org

Virginia
Hospital-employed group practice seeking gastroenterologist with ERCP skills. This is an established four-person group located at the campus of Augusta Health. This entity is part of a larger 50 physician multi-specialty group affiliated with Augusta Health, Inc. This is a dynamic physician-driven organization serving the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, and a large surrounding area consisting of a population of approximately 200,000. August Health is a sole community provider and holds the majority market share position for many services. Very competitive salary and benefits. No J-1 available. Contact: Arlene Macellaro, director, physician recruitment/practice development, 540-332-4462.