News from the Literature | Policy | Practice | Announcements | Research | Education & Meetings | Journals & Publications
LEADING THE NEWS
AGA Continues to Fight for Fair Medicare Reimbursements
CMS has released the 2012 Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) final rule, which reduces reimbursement rates for physician services in 2012 by 27.4 percent — a drastic cut that AGA is committed to fighting. Important for GIs is a provision in the 2012 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) that allows eligible professionals (EPs) to earn a 0.5 percent incentive for successfully reporting measures, including a new AGA IBD measures group. The measures need to be captured via registries only and are supported by the AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry®.
The AGA understands and appreciates the concerns about government spending, but believes steps must be taken to protect and strengthen the Medicare program. We support CMS in its call to Congress to fix the current sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Before access to care is further threatened for the millions of patients who depend on the Medicare program, Congress must replace the SGR formula with a stable and equitable payment mechanism that reflects the costs of caring for Medicare beneficiaries and ensures access to high-quality care.
AGA, along with all of organized medicine, will continue to advocate for a permanent solution to the broken payment system that provides fair, equitable and predictable reimbursement to physicians.
Reimbursement Rate Changes
CMS calculates the CY 2012 MPFS conversion factor to be $24.6712. By law, CMS is required to make these reductions, which can only be averted by an act of Congress. CMS notes in the rule that, while Congress has provided temporary relief from these reductions every year since 2003, a long-term solution is critical. They will work with Congress to fix this untenable situation so doctors and beneficiaries no longer have to worry about the stability and adequacy of Medicare payments under the physician fee schedule.
Other changes include:
- CMS clarified that the measures contained in the IBD measures group should not be reported as individual measures and need to be captured via registries only such as the AGA Registry. The IBD measures included in the 2012 PQRS program were developed by the AGA via the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement® independent process.
- For the 2012 PQRS, EPs can earn a 0.5 percent incentive for successfully reporting measures. For 2012 and beyond, CMS finalized the proposal to specify a 12-month reporting period for satisfactorily reporting PQRS quality measures for claims, registry and electronic health record (EHR)-based reporting. CMS also finalized a six-month reporting period (July 1 – Dec. 1 of the respective year) for reporting measures groups via registry. Penalties will begin in 2015 for those who do not satisfactorily submit quality data (-1.5 percent for 2015, -2 percent for 2016 and beyond). CMS finalized its proposal to establish CY 2013 (Jan. 1, 2012 – Dec. 31, 2013) as the reporting period for the 2015 payment adjustment.
- EPs and group practices who are successful e-prescribers may earn an incentive payment based on their estimated total allowed charges for physician fee schedule services provided during the CY reporting period (1 percent in 2012, 0.5 percent in 2013). Those who are not successful e-prescribers will encounter the following payment reductions: 1 percent in 2012, 1.5 percent in 2013 and 2 percent in 2014. CMS also finalized an additional reporting period for the 2013 payment adjustment to include a six-month reporting period (Jan. 1, 2012 — June 30, 2012), in addition to the current 12-month reporting period. For the 2014 payment adjustment, CMS finalized two reporting period options: a six-month reporting period (Jan. 1, 2013 — June 30, 2013) and a 12-month reporting period (Jan. 1, 2012 — Dec. 31, 2012).
- CMS finalized its proposal to allow EPs to continue to report clinical quality measure results as calculated by certified EHR technology by attestation for the 2012 payment year. CMS finalized its proposal for a PQRS-Medicare EHR incentive pilot that would allow eligible professionals to satisfy the clinical quality measure reporting requirements for both the PQRS and the EHR incentive program for the 2012 payment year.
- CMS finalized its proposal to send a list of high expenditure/high volume potentially misvalued codes to the AMA Relative Value Scale Update Committee for review, which included codes 45378 diagnostic colonoscopy and 43235 upper GI endoscopy, diagnosis. CMS noted the list of codes were selected for review based on the fact that they have not been reviewed for at least six years and, in many cases, the last review occurred more than 10 years ago.
- CMS finalized quality and cost measures that will be used in establishing a new value-based modifier to adjust physician payments based on quality of care. CMS will use CY 2013 as the initial performance year for purposes of adjusting payments in CY 2015. The modifier will apply to some physicians and physician groups in 2015, with expansion to all physicians by 2017. CMS will address implementation of the value modifier in future rulemaking.
The rule will appear in the Federal Register on Nov. 28, 2011. CMS will accept comments on those provisions that are subject to comment until Jan. 3, 2012, and will respond in the MPFS for CY 2013.
Review the final rule. Read the CMS press release and fact sheets:
- CMS Announces Policy, Payment Rate Changes for the Physician Fee Schedule in 2012
- Final Changes for Calendar Year 2012 Physician Incentive Programs
- Value-Based Payment Modifier and the Physician Feedback Program
AGA is analyzing the rule and preparing a briefing on what GIs need to know. Continue to read AGA eDigest and the AGA Washington Insider for the latest updates.
NEWS FROM THE LITERATURE
Oktoberfest Drinking Does Not Increase Pancreatitis Attacks
Increased alcohol consumption can lead to acute pancreatitis. In a study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, doctors investigated whether the incidence of alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis increased during the Munich Oktoberfest in 2008, at which 6.6 million liters of beer were sold within 16 days. They found that the incidence of acute pancreatitis does not increase during Oktoberfest, compared with other time periods. The incidence of acute pancreatitis in Munich is higher than previously described in Germany. Acute attacks of alcoholic pancreatitis were associated with long-term, heavy alcohol exposure rather than short-term, excessive alcohol drinking. Levels of blood urea nitrogen were associated with mortality.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011: 9(11): 995-1000
Reflux Not Associated with Dental Erosion
Dental erosion is a complication of gastroesophageal reflux in adults. In children, it is not clear if gastroesophageal reflux has a role in dental pathologic conditions. Dietary intake, oral hygiene, high bacterial load and decreased salivary flow might contribute independently to gastroesophageal reflux development or dental erosion, but their potential involvement in dental erosion from gastroesophageal reflux is not understood. According to data appearing in Gastroenterology, location-specific dental erosion is not associated with gastroesophageal reflux, salivary flow or bacterial load. Prospective studies are required to determine the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux-associated dental erosion and the relationship between dental caries to gastroesophageal reflux and dental erosion.
Gastroenterology 2011: 141(5): 1605-1611
Patient-Reported Outcomes Associated with Psychological Factors
Patient-reported outcomes are used to gauge the benefit of treatments for functional gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS. Commonly used end points derived from scales of symptom severity differ in their structure, format and the extent to which they are based on established psychometric fundamentals. Depending on their structure and format, patient-reported outcomes can have different levels of sensitivity to core IBS symptoms and be influenced by psychological and somatic complaints that are beyond the aim of therapy and labeling claim. Study results published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology also found that patient-reported outcomes that rely on patients' perspectives to index symptom severity can be improved by consideration of psychometric principles that influence self report.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011: 9(11): 957-964
Postoperative Complications Occur after Colectomy
Complications after colectomy for ulcerative colitis have not been well characterized in large, population-based studies. In a study appearing in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, researchers concluded that postoperative complications frequently occur after colectomy for ulcerative colitis, predominantly among elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Patients who were admitted to the hospital under emergency conditions and did not respond to medical treatment had worse outcomes when surgery was performed 14 or more days after admission.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011: 9(11): 972-980
POLICY
CMS Announces Slight Increase in ASC Payments
CMS released the final rule for payments to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments, which includes increases in payment rates for 2012. Payments to ASCs will increase by 1.6 percent and payment rates under the outpatient protective payment system (OPPS) will increase by 1.9 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2012.
AGA, ASGE and ACG provided recommendations to CMS during the public comment period regarding the new quality reporting program for ASCs. We are pleased that CMS considered our comments regarding the reporting period and measures for the new program, and included several of our recommended modifications. CMS initially proposed a reporting period for quality measures beginning Jan. 1, 2012, for the calendar year (CY) 2014 payment adjustment. Based on comments that this timeline was too aggressive, CMS modified the reporting period to begin Oct. 1, 2012.
Additional modifications related to measures selection for ASC quality reporting include:
- CMS adopted five quality measures beginning in CY 2012 for the CY 2014 payment determination. Four outcome measures and one surgical infection control measure will be reported by ASCs on Medicare claims using quality data codes.
- CMS added two structural measures for reporting beginning in CY 2013 for the CY 2015 payment determination — one for safe surgery checklist use and one for ASC facility volume data on selected ASC surgical procedures. CMS will collect volume data in six broad categories, one of which is a gastrointestinal category. CMS will work with stakeholders prior to public reporting of the volume information to ensure the information made available to the public is meaningful.
- One national health-care safety network infection control measure — influenza vaccination coverage among health-care personnel — will be added in CY 2014 for the CY 2016 payment determination. Recognizing the potential challenges faced by ASCs in collecting this data, CMS changed the proposed initial reporting period so that ASCs have enough time to prepare for the measure. The reporting period for the CY 2016 payment determination will now begin Oct. 1, 2014, and continue through March 31, 2015.
Review the final rule for the OPPS and the ASC payment system. The final rule will appear in the Nov. 30, 2011, Federal Register. CMS will accept comments on issues open for comment until Jan. 3, 2012, and will respond to them in the CY 2013 rule.
Continue to read AGA eDigest and the AGA Washington Insider for more information on what GIs need to know about the final rule.
Can a Government Withholding Tax Be Averted?
The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 674, legislation sponsored by Reps. Wally Herger, R-CA, and Earl Blumenauer, D-OR, to amend the IRS code and repeal a 3 percent withholding rule on government contracts for goods and services, which was scheduled to be implemented in January 2013.
AGA is supportive of the House-passed legislation — the implementation of the 3 percent withhold rule could have a negative impact on physician practices that are already grappling with numerous changes in the health-care law and face a 30 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement in January 2012. The IRS regulation could threaten cash flow for many practices and impact their ability to invest in technology and hire more employees.
Read more in the AGA Washington Insider, a policy blog for GIs.
PRACTICE
CMS to Address Your PQRS and E-Prescribing Questions
On Nov. 8 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. ET, CMS will host a national provider call on the Physician Quality Reporting System and electronic prescribing incentive program. A Q-and-A session will follow the presentation.
Medicare fee-for-service providers, medical coders, physician office staff, provider billing staff and vendors are encouraged to participate.
Please visit http://www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies/ to register for this informative session. Registration will close at 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 8 or when available space has been filled.
The presentation will be posted at least one day before the call in the downloads section on the CMS website.
Are You Missing Out on a Medicare Bonus?
CMS’ Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) provides a way for eligible providers to gain a flat percentage bonus for all Medicare Part B (fee-for-service) claims in 2011. Despite the program’s existence since 2006, many gastroenterologists are still unaware of the opportunity to receive this bonus. Eligible providers who report PQRS quality measures for 2011 can qualify for a 1 percent bonus across all Medicare Part B claims in 2011. In future years, providers will be penalized for not reporting.
The AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry® offers a fast and simple way to report quality measures for PQRS, qualify you for a bonus and prepare your practice to avoid potential penalties in coming years. Using the registry, you need to simply:
- Select a minimum of 16 Medicare Part B patients with hepatitis C who had at least one claim in 2011.
- Answer a set of questions via an online data collection tool that calculates quality measure results.
AGA will then transmit your quality data to CMS for their evaluation and potential bonus award. Providers using the AGA Registry for PQRS will also receive a quality performance report after submission that can be used for quality improvement purposes within your practice.
To learn more about joining the AGA Registry and using it as a PQRS reporting method, visit the AGA Registry Web page. Providers must join the registry by Jan. 13, 2012, and submit their data to CMS for evaluation by Jan. 31, 2012.
| Learn More about PQRS |
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Participate in a live webinar — Earning a 2011 Medicare Bonus: What You Need to Know — on Tuesday, Nov. 15, noon to 12:45 p.m. Learn more and register. |
GastroSlides Featured Image
Topic: IBD Pathology
These images focus on the pathology associated with inflammatory diseases of the intestines.
Order these slides individually as you need them or purchase a one-year subscription and have access to the entire GastroSlides library of more than 4,000 images. Preview and order slides.
UpToDate® Free Topic of the Month
Produced in cooperation with the AGA Institute, UpToDate® is a subscription-based clinical information resource available on the Web, CD-ROM and pocket PC handheld devices. Each month, a free topic is made available on the AGA website. This month's free topic is:
Nearly 232 physicians write more than 673 topic reviews for UpToDate in gastroenterology and hepatology alone. UpToDate provides gastroenterologists with access to more than 60,000 pages of original, peer-reviewed text, 160,000 MEDLINE abstracts, drug information and drug interactions databases, and hundreds of patient information handouts across 12 specialties. Moreover, UpToDate is used by tens of thousands of clinicians in more than 110 countries and by hundreds of premier medical institutions worldwide.
Order your subscription to UpToDate.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help Us Improve AGA Perspectives
We are excited to announce that we are preparing to redesign the magazine. A survey is underway to help identify the types of content AGA members need to make AGA Perspectives the most useful tool possible. As someone who could provide great insights, you are invited to participate in the brief online survey, which will take only about five minutes to complete. Your input is important to us and will help ensure AGA provides the knowledge and insights you and your colleagues need.
Please complete the survey before Nov. 10, 2011.
If your e-mail does not allow you to automatically link to the survey, simply copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22D4PJXAGSK.
Thank you for your time.
GI SAM® Associate Editor Needed
AGA is soliciting applications from interested members for an associate editor to work with the GI SAM® editor on the completion of the eight-module series of online self-assessment modules. The associate editor will guide the review and creation of new questions for the next set of modules. He or she will also work closely with the AGA liaison to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the chair of the AGA Education & Training Committee.
GI SAM is in an interactive case-based format that includes comprehensive testing scenarios for learners. Each module consists of 25 questions on selected gastroenterology and hepatology topics. Questions are modeled as a board review exam, providing learners with critical board review preparation. The GI SAM platform provides the correct answers, explanations for the correct and incorrect answers, as well as references for each question.
The first of the GI SAM series was launched in August 2009, with the seventh and eighth modules scheduled to be released before May 2012. Module content must be reviewed, revised and resubmitted to ABIM every three years. The online self-assessment activities for gastroenterologists are certified for CME credit and designed to enable physicians to earn maintenance of certification points toward the ABIM part two self-assessment requirement for recertification. The associate editor will be expected to play an active role in the revision and resubmission process.
For additional information about the position, the application requirements and honoraria, contact:
Lori Marks, director of education
301-654-2055, ext. 624
education@gastro.org
News Worth Retweeting
Here are some of our favorite shared news items on Twitter from last week:
- Own a GI Pathology Lab? We Need to Hear From You! ow.ly/7c5y9.
- Ghost Writing Persists in Major Medical Journals. Analysis of 6 journals found 'inappropriate authorship': ow.ly/7c4AY.
- Image of the Month describes unique reason for 12-yr-old to have poor appetite. ow.ly/7c147.
- RT @Doctor_V: Very cool interview with @kevinmd on @medcrunch bit.ly/uCg0gd.
- Learn how PPIs increase intestinal damage from #NSAIDs in today’s post from The AGA Journals Blog. ow.ly/78eXQ.
- RT @MidwestGastro: 5 diseases more common in minorities - #coloncancer one of them: ow.ly/72M2y.
Have any news that you would like us to share with our AGA members? Please send them to communications@gastro.org or share them on our social media channels:
- Become an AGA fan on Facebook.
- Join our LinkedIn group.
- Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn.
- Check out our videos on YouTube.
RESEARCH
Your AGA Research Foundation Gifts Support ...
… David Liu, who received an AGA-Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation Student Research Fellowship Award in 2011.
"I have always been immensely interested in science, particularly in cancer biology. I have worked in labs before for school science projects, and I was fascinated by both the wonders of experimental biology as well as the setting, learning lab procedures and the scientific process. I am hopeful that my research project will be a contribution for fighting cancer. More importantly, I will gain tremendous experience and education, which will help prepare me to pursue a career as a scientist. I am very thankful for the AGA-Eli & Edythe Broad Student Research Fellowship Award because it will give me the opportunity to pursue my passions in science and technology. I also realize the huge scale of this fellowship, as it will allow me to interact with the leaders and thinkers of the scientific research community at DDW® 2012. I am excited about the opportunity to present my research in front of experts and to be exposed to the exciting projects of other scientists. This fellowship will introduce me to the frontier of GI research, something that would otherwise be all but impossible. Since I know that I want to pursue research as a career, I am thankful to be part of it at such an early age. I am both humbled and honored by the opportunities this fellowship presents towards my future scientific endeavors."
To make a donation, visit http://www.gastro.org/contribute.
Nominations Open: Council Section Research Mentor Awards
The AGA Institute Council is currently accepting nominations for the DDW® 2012 Council Section Research Mentor Awards. The deadline to submit a nomination packet is Dec. 15. We encourage you to forward information about the award to individuals you think might be interested.
Awards will be presented at DDW 2012 for outstanding research mentors in the following areas:
- Clinical Practice.
- Hormones, Transmitters, Growth Factors and their Receptors.
- Imaging and Advanced Technology.
- Immunology, Microbiology and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
- Liver and Biliary.
- Pancreatic Disorders.
Could Listening to Mozart Help Doctors Spot Colon Polyps?
Doctors who listen to Mozart while performing colonoscopies may spot more precancerous growths, researchers suggested in a presentation at ACG’s annual meeting this week. Better detection of these so-called adenomatous polyps could save lives, the study authors noted, as survival rates for colorectal cancer are better than 90 percent if the disease is detected early.
In their small study, two doctors performed endoscopies either while listening to Mozart or with no music at all. Both doctors improved their detection rates of potentially dangerous adenomatous polyps when they listened to music compared with their pre-study (baseline) rates. But while both doctors had better results compared to their baseline rates, one doctor did slightly better in procedures without music than with music during the study.
"While this is a small study, the results highlight how thinking outside the box — in this case using Mozart — to improve adenoma detection rates can potentially prove valuable to physicians and patients," said the lead researcher of the study.
Read more.
Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry
Implemented in January 2004, the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry is a voluntary and largely prospective registry collecting observational data on pregnancies and the outcomes following exposure to ribavirin during pregnancy. The development of this registry was mandated by the FDA and includes both direct exposure through the pregnant female and indirect exposure through her male sexual partner.
Reports of exposure will be accepted from health-care providers, pregnant patients or the male partners of pregnant patients, and the data collected are minimal and targeted. Data are collected at each trimester and at the outcome of the pregnancy through the obstetric health-care provider and, for a live birth, for 12 months after the birth through the pediatric health-care provider. Patient identity is confidential.
This registry is the primary source for collecting and evaluating direct and indirect exposures to ribavirin in pregnancy and the success of the registry relies on the participation of patients and health-care providers. For more information and details on how to participate, please visit the registry website.
EDUCATION & MEETINGS
November Clinical Question of the Month — Coming Soon
The next question will be posted on Monday, Nov. 7 on the AGA, Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Facebook pages. Correct answers qualify for the raffle drawing to win a valuable prize.
For more information on game rules and prizes, visit www.gastro.org/cqom. Good luck!
GI SAM® Offers Users a Comprehensive Educational Product
Presented in an interactive case-based format, AGA Institute’s GI SAM® series of online self-assessment modules covers a variety of GI and hepatology topics that explore the physiology, diagnosis and treatment protocols for the covered topic area. Entirely Web-based, GI SAM includes comprehensive testing scenarios with each module featuring 25 questions. Users receive instant feedback on answer choices, allowing for a better understanding of the content. Continuous author review, updates to treatment protocols, detailed images and extensive references further ensure GI SAM delivers current and authoritative content.
Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, fellows in training and other GI and hepatology professionals will find it is an ideal educational product for improving upon clinical skill sets.
Each module offers 10 points towards American Board of Internal Medicine maintenance of certification and 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. GI SAM can also be used in conjunction with the Digestive Diseases Self-Education Program® 6 to help physicians prepare for the GI board recertification exam.
The sixth and latest release from the series is “Cancers of the GI Tract and Functional Bowel Disorders.” Once complete, the GI SAM series will include eight modules covering 15 GI and hepatology topics. Modules are available to AGA members for $40. The cost for member trainees is $20, and nonmembers can obtain modules for $50. For a complete list of available and upcoming modules, visit www.gilearn.org/gisam.
Facilitation of GI SAM content is made possible by Series Editor, John F. Kuemmerle, MD, AGAF, professor of medicine and physiology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
One Week Left until Academic Skills Workshop Deadline
The AGA/AASLD Academic Skills Workshop provides junior faculty and trainees interested in shaping a career in medical academia with the tools needed to succeed in this competitive field. The topics to be discussed include principles of grant writing, career development and advancement, composing scientific manuscripts, and identifying sources of grants for basic GI science and clinical research.
Participants will also have the opportunity to meet one on one with mentors to discuss projects, grants and ideas — valuable guidance that extends beyond the duration of the workshop.
All interested candidates must apply to attend the workshop and be a member of either AGA or AASLD. Nonmembers must submit an AGA or AASLD membership application with their workshop application to be eligible. Young scientists, trainees, MDs, PhDs or MD/PhDs with outstanding potential for a career in any of the following will be selected:
- Independent basic or transitional science.
- Clinical investigational research or training.
- Education related to academic gastroenterology and hepatology.
The deadline to submit an application is Friday, Nov. 11. Selected participants will be notified via e-mail on Jan. 2, 2012. To help offset expenses associated with attending the workshop, a $500 travel grant will be awarded to applicants selected to participate. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Visit www.gastro.org/asw to learn more and apply. For questions, contact Maura Davis, AGA’s education manager, at MDavis@gastro.org or 301-941-9786.
| Attracting MD/PhD Students into Gastroenterology Workshop |
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Tell an MD/PhD student who is interested in learning more about opportunities within GI to apply for this specialized workshop. Selected students will receive an in-depth look at how gastroenterologists are able to shape their particular areas of research and interests. |
JOURNALS & PUBLICATIONS
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.
Listen to the Latest Journal Podcasts
Download the latest journal podcasts on popular articles from Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH).
Recent podcasts from Gastroenterology include:
- Prevalence of Celiac Disease Among Patients with Nonconstipated IBS.
- Changes in Postprandial Lipid Clearance and Blood Glucose Homeostasis Following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy in Rats.
- Durability of Radiofrequency Ablation in Barrett's Esophagus with Dysplasia.
Recent podcasts from CGH include:
- Factors that Predict Relief from Upper Abdominal Pain after Cholecystectomy.
- Immune Dysfunction and Infections in Patients with Cirrhosis.
- Early Fluid Resuscitation in Acute Pancreatitis: Strategies and Reduced Morbidity.
Each podcast lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes and can be downloaded to an iPod or any other media player. Podcasts are available through iTunes. Subscription to the podcasts is free and you will receive automatic updates on your iPod as new podcasts are added.
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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.
Kentucky
The division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at the University of Louisville is seeking to expand its group of 17 academic faculty members in the areas of GI motility, IBD and therapeutic endoscopy. There is tremendous opportunity and support for clinicians, as well as translational and clinical researchers. Louisville is a very dynamic multicultural community. The University of Louisville is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. Interested candidates are invited to submit a curriculum vitae to Kristine Krueger, MD, professor and chief, academic and clinical affairs, division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292 or kristine.krueger@louisville.edu.
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
