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You
Don't Want to Miss it!!
This is the
week
of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Conference. It will
take place on October 18-20, 2019 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency
Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando, FL. The Saturday/Sunday sessions
offer twelve CME credits and cover a wide variety of topics.
The schedule is
attached.
Registration is available online until Wednesday
at noon. After that......registration will be available onsite.
I hope you will attend.
Stanley R. Dennison, Jr.,MD, MBA
FAPM President
COMING!!
FAPM Scientific Meeting
October 18-20, 2019
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in
Orlando
2019
Annual Meeting Brochure
2019 Program
Hotel Registration
Don't miss out
on these great programs while
earning as many as
twenty CME credits. Here are some highlights:
* FMA President Ronald Giffler, MD will
present an update of FMA activities during the annual FAPM
luncheon on Saturday, October 19th.
* Nationally recognized Keynote Speaker Dr. Rubin
Pillay will address the conference on the timely topic
of "Future Technology in the Business of Health Care".
* Two great pre-conference workshops on Friday,
October 18th
"Ultrasound Guided Regenerative Injection Therapy"
and "Where is the Future of Pain Care?"
* Opening presentation on Saturday, October
19th will cover the topic, "Newer Minimally Invasive
Interventional Spinal Techniques" by Abraham Rivera, MD
* On Sunday, October 20th, Dr. Joshua Lenchus
will cover the new state mandatory two hour course on
"Prescribing Controlled Substances (Opioids)"
Registration for this conference can be
completed online or by calling 727-581-4319
or you can register at the conference.
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine
2366 Sunset Point Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-581-4319
Time to Make Plans to Attend
the FAPM Annual Scientific Meeting
Many recent changes have affected the
practice of pain medicine. This conference is designed to promote a
better understanding of the pathophysiology of acute and chronic
pain, enhance knowledge regarding various chronic pain conditions,
and provide review of state-of-the-art interventional and
non-interventional techniques in diagnosis and management of chronic
pain, cancer pain and headache.
Educational formats will include a "hands on" workshop, lectures
power point presentations and plenty of Q&A time for audience
participation
and learning.
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with
the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for
Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of
Bayfront Medical Center and Florida Academy of Pain Medicine.
Bayfront Medical Center is accredited by the FMA to provide CME for
physicians.
Specialized Ultrasound Training at FAPM
Conference
Limited Space
Register Now
The
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is offering new specialized
training in the "Ultrasound
Pre-Conference Workshop" on
Friday, October 18th at the Hyatt
Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in
Orlando. In this workshop attendees will receive Hands-On Ultrasound
Guidance Training on these regions: Glenohumeral and
Acromioclavicular joints, subacromial bursa, knee joint (menisci,
patellar & quadriceps tendons), femoroacetabular joint, greater
trochanter (gluteus medius & minimus tendons) SIJ (if specimen
permits). Observe cervical medial branch blocs, Z joint
and costotransverse joint injections and much more. Learn how to
integrate ultrasound into your practice.
Ultrasounds are imaging tools. The answer to "what is
general ultrasound imaging?" is essentially that an ultrasound is a
type of scan that creates a picture of
the body's interior. When we start looking at ultrasounds more
closely, we see an ultrasound is somewhat unique among imaging
tools. Instead of
using potentially dangerous radiation, it uses basic sound waves. A
sonographer operates an ultrasound imaging machine. Once the
sonographer uses the ultrasound
to create an image of the patient, a specialist may be needed to
interpret the images. In some cases, a doctor may inject a contrast dye
to make the image clearer. However, the average ultrasound is a
rough outline of all the organs in the body. This
workshop will offer eight (8) CME credits, certificate of
specialized training and opportunities for hands-on learning
experience.
Registration can be completed on
our website or
by calling
727-581-4319.
Fraternally,
Stanley R. Dennison, Jr., MD, MBA
FAPM President
Where is the Future of Pain
Care?
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is offering a
pre-conference program on Friday, October 18th at the
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando.
This course offers 8 CME credits and each participant receives a
certificate acknowledging this special training.
This course is
designed to investigate the future of where we are heading with pain
care, and much of that emphasis is on getting at the root causes of
the pain. Medical literature supports integrative multidisciplinary
pain care as having the best LONG-TERM outcomes.
We invite you to come
and learn from evidence-based understandings how to access a person
in pain from the root cause approach and to design a treatment plan
in accordance with that assessment.
This year’s faculty are all internationally recognized teachers, and
they will cover the following topics:
1.
Integrative Health overview: includes medical, surgical,
medication, nutrition, activity and sleep,
spirituality, social
support, self-care, mind-body therapies, and
complementary/alternative approaches.
2.
How the nitro-redox system can offer lasting change to
control inflammation, the source of medical illnesses.
3.
Healthy Nutrition is key to controlling inflammation and
chronic pain problems.
4.
Appropriate supplements can assist in restoring and
maintaining a state of health.
5.
Fascial treatment through manual therapies can change both
physical and mental states.
6.
Photodynamic Regenerative Injection and Shockwave therapies
can offer more permanent solutions to physical aspects of
musculoskeletal disorders.
7.
Intravenous Photodynamic therapies can control Lyme,
fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and other viral and bacterial mediated
illnesses and inflammations.
8.
Mind-body techniques that offer self-care to people in pain.
9.
How Spirituality plays an important role in pain and health.
10. How
you can implement these integrative treatments into your practice
now.
11.
Where does Addiction fit in?
12.
Medical cannabis, anyone?
Faculty will include Steve Wheeler, MD; Carol Davis, DPT, EdD;
Salaheldin Halasa, MD; Michael Weber, MD; Michele Weiner, DO; Bert
Ray, MD; Jennifer Miele, MS; Rhonwyn Ullmann, MS.
Registration for this course, and the entire 20 Category 1-A CME
credits for the Annual Scientific Meeting is
available online
or by calling
727-581-4319.
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is
proud to present our 20th Annual Scientific Meeting on October
18-20, 2019
at the beautiful
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in
Orlando, FL. Our conference committee, headed by co-chairs Chung
Lee, MD and Felix Linetsky, MD have developed an educational
program that is innovative, current and relevant to today's
health care issues.
Our goal is to provide educational opportunities for our
attendees that will enhance their effectiveness as health care
professionals and improve patient outcomes.
FAPM is committed to providing topics that can affect your
practice and patients. Our program attempts to provide the most
up-to-date scientific information that can enhance the quality
of care for your patients.
Follow up each week
on our
website at as we present more details on what you
can expect at this years new & revitalized conference.
We look forward to your participation in
this year's program.
Fraternally,
Stanley R. Dennison, Jr., MD, MBA
President
727-581-4319
Conference Plans Taking
Shape
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine will host the annual
Scientific Meeting on October 18-20, 2019, at the
Hyatt Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando. The change from a summer
conference to October provides greater opportunities for a more
in-depth program that offers new CME credit & networking sessions.
Pre-conference workshops will be held on Friday,
October 18th and will
include “Cadaver Torso for Interventional Processes” “Regenerative
Injection Therapy with Ultrasound Guided Interventional Procedures”
and “What is the Future of Pain Care Using Multidisciplinary
Approaches to Integrative Pain Management?”
By attending one of these pre-conference workshops, physicians
will be granted a discounted registration fee for the conference.
So, mark your calendars now so you can take advantage of these
programs and events.
Conference
Registration
2019
Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration
From the President
Dear FAPM
Members and Associates:
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine Board of
Trustees met recently to make plans for this fiscal year. Included
on the agenda was location for this year's annual conference, dates
for the conference, membership recruitment and benefits, FMA
programs, communications, and conference program and speakers.
Now as we move forward with these plans, we need
the support of everyone practicing pain medicine in Florida. We may
be small in numbers, but we have maintained a strong voice within
the FMA and other medical associations. Please take time to check
our
website for updates
and take note of the e-mails sent to each member with important
information.
While paying your annual dues is important to our
programs, it is also important for you to attend our annual
conference that provides funds for two-thirds of our budget.
While still in the
planning stages this year's event will take place on October 18-20,
2019, at the
Hyatt Regency
Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando. The
pre-conference workshops will include two Cadaver Sessions,
Regenerative Injection Therapy, Ultrasound Guided Interventional
Procedures and sessions on "What is the future of pain care?" These
hands-on sessions offer eight CME credits on Friday, October 18th
.
Then for the annual meeting lecture series, the
program includes, "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy", Medical Cannabis
Usage for Treatment, Amniotic Fluid versus Umbilical Cord Blood, New
Frontiers in Regenerative Medicine and much more. These sessions
will be offered on October 19-20, 2019 and offer twelve CME credits.
I hope you will plan now to join us for these
exciting programs. Together we can make this a great year for FAPM
members and associates.
Fraternally,
Stanley R. Dennison,
MD
President
P.O. Box 13489 St. Petersburg, FL
33733 727.581.4319
www.fapmmed.net
Notice!
Requirement for license renewal deadline
for Controlled Substance Prescribing Course
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM
PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC REGISTRATION
Special
message from FMA President, Corey L. Howard, M.D.
Dear Colleagues, I challenge each of you to talk to four physicians
and let them know the importance of your FMA, what it means to you
and what it could mean to them:
·
Let them know that your FMA is dedicated to making Florida a great
place to practice medicine by helping to get rid of regulations and
other barriers that come between you and your patients.
·
Let them know that your FMA is working to improve the economic
viability of all types of medical practices in Florida.
·
Let them know that your FMA is dedicated to promoting public
policies that reinforce your role as THE leader of the healthcare
team and preserve your ability to be independent advocates for your
patients.
AND
·
Let them know that to be that powerful voice of change, we need to
come together as physicians, as leaders, as moms and dads, as
teachers and as people so that we can all deliver the highest
quality healthcare found anywhere in the United States.
I need all of you
to be the champions of the FMA and help us grow, help us become
better, help us fight the fights worth fighting and, most of all,
help us help you practice medicine.
Thank you.
Corey L. Howard, M.D.
President, Florida Medical Association
FAPM Tradition of Excellence Continues
The Florida Academy
of Pain Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting & Alliance Medical Summit
speaker line up continues a tradition of excellence. This year’s
program features another impressive group of 16 nationally known
pain leaders sharing the latest pain medicine therapies that
includes the impact of opioids, marijuana, and other up-to-date
topics in pain research and pain management. You won’t want to miss
this chance for an in-person session with these multidisciplinary
leaders!
The entire schedule
FAPM Conference & Alliance Medical Summit
Offering Cadaver Stations
On Friday, July 27th,
the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine & Alliance Interventional are
offering a pre-conference 8 hour session
with two cadaver stations. These stations will provide attendees
opportunities for ultrasonography and US guided injections,
shoulder, knee, hip costotransverse joints, SIJ and cervical,
thoracic, lumbar median branch blocks. These sessions will allow two
participants per cadaver simultaneously, then after one hour they
will rotate with those who are scanning each other in another room.
The pre-conference
program is offered at a reduced rate thanks to special grants and
support from
Medtronic and
Alliance Interventional. Don’t miss this rare
opportunity to improve your skills in these specialized treatment
areas.
Also offered in the
pre-conference program is a workshop on
Basic Pain
Evaluations & Non-Opioid Treatments. This workshop will
present information on current trends in pain medicine to include
appropriate ways to use opioids as well as substitute non-opioid
treatments for those in pain. This program provides hands-on
demonstrations that address the basic pain evaluation techniques
along with state of the art uses of physical and historical workup,
nutritional alterations and cognitive behavioral techniques that are
effective in improving the quality of life for those in pain.
Interventional Pain Medicine Specialist Presenting at Conference
Gennady
Gekht, MD an Interventional Pain Medicine and
Neurophysiology specialist will be making a presentation at the
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting being
held July 27-29, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in
Orlando, Florida. The topic of his presentation will be, “What
Matters Now & What’s Next.”
Dr. Gekht is a graduate of the Emory University Medical College in
Atlanta, Georgia. He is the Medical Director for the Coastal
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
This center is a world-class healthcare organization specializing in
the care and treatment of the entire musculoskeletal system,
including: orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management. Their
specialists also have advanced expertise in work-related injuries,
participate in clinical research trials and offer a host of onsite
services, including outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging and
physical therapy.”
Dr Gekht is Board Certified by the American Board of
Psychiatry and Neurology with specialty certification in pain
medicine.
Gladstone McDowell, II, MD,
presenting on
“Intrathecal Treatment Options for Pain Management"
Non-Opioid Options
The
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine will hold their Annual Scientific
Meeting and will highlight several nationally known speakers who are
leaders in the field of pain medicine. One of them is
Gladstone McDowell, II, MD,
who will be presenting updates on “Intrathecal Treatment Options for
Pain Management with a Focus on Non-Opioid Options”.
Dr. McDowell, II, is the
Medical Director of Integrated Pain Solutions in Columbus, Ohio.
He attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio. He completed Residency in Anesthesiology at
the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. McDowell completed a
Urologic Oncology Fellowship at the University of Texas, MD Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston. He performed a Pain Management Fellowship
in the Dept. of Anesthesiology at the Ohio State Pain Control
Center.
Dr. McDowell is the former Medical Director of Grant Pain Management
Center and Director of Pain Services for Grant Medical Center, Ohio
Health. He is on the board of the Texas Medical Institute of
Technology, Community Emergency Health Initiative, and the Ohio
Clinical Advisory Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis
Association. Dr. McDowell has held faculty appointments at the
National Patient Safety Congress meetings and National Institute for
Healthcare Fraud. He has been the Primary Pain Consultant for Care
leaders and TMIT. He recently taught at the FBI Health Care Fraud
Managers Meeting and served on the International Polyanalgesic
Consensus Panel.
He is certified as a Patient Safety Officer by the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement and is a member of the American Academy of
Pain Management, American Society of Regional Anesthesia, and North
American Neuromodulation Society.
President’s
Message
Dear
Fellow Physicians:
I’m sure you are aware that FAPM is a small
specialty within the scope of the FMA framework. Therefore, it is
imperative for pain medicine physicians to support our annual
conference and renew their membership annually. The FAPM Board and
staff strive each year to keep our members informed of key issues
that may affect the practice of medicine, and to present a
conference that has topics that are current and relevant.
Therefore, as your FAPM President, I am
asking each of you to continue to support our association by
paying your annual dues and by
attending our annual conference. Our success as an
association depends largely on your support.
Our thanks to each of you for your continued
support.
Fraternally,
Stanley Dennison, Jr., MD, MBA
Offered at Annual Conference
The 18th Annual FAPM Scientific Meeting will offer
“special certification certificates” for attendees at the
8-hour pre-conference courses
offered on Friday, July 27th.
The first workshop will be on “Basic
Pain Evaluation and Non-Opioid Treatments”. This
hands-on workshop will address the basic evaluation of someone in
pain and demonstrate the most state-of-the-art uses of physical and
historical workup, physiological understandings, laboratory testing,
manual therapies, nutritional alterations, and cognitive-behavioral
techniques that are effective and can be ordered by primary care
practitioners, as well as specialists, to improve the quality of
life and functional status of those in pain.
An additional workshop will be offered in
Regenerative Injection Therapy and Ultrasound MSK
workshop with ultrasound guided interventional procedures. This
program will offer a correlation of physical findings and clinical
anatomy with ultrasonography: shoulder, knee and hip. This includes
demonstrations with chemical injectates under ultrasound guidance.
In a different track will be two
cadaver stations addressing shoulder, knee, hip,
joints and cervical thoracic, lumbar median branch blocks. This
program will have 2 participants per cadaver simultaneously, then
after 1 hour they rotate with those scanning each other in a
separate area.
Also, offered this year is a Cadaver
Workshop: Interventional Procedures with Fluoroscopy
(SCS, DRG, RFA, Pump, mild).
Gain your certificate that shows your completion of these special
programs.
The
18th Annual
Scientific Meeting
of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine will be held on July 27-29,
2018, at the beautiful
Hyatt Grand Cypress
Hotel in Orlando.
This year’s pre-conference offers several new and interesting
programs with a total of
20 CME credits
available over the three days of the event.
On Friday, July 27th, there are
Pre-conference Programs
offering hands-on experiences.
For the first time, FAPM is offering two cadaver
stations for ultrasonography and US guided injections in
the shoulder, knee, hip, joints and cervical, thoracic and lumbar
blocks. This session
will be held in conjunction with Regenerative Injection Therapy and
Ultrasound MSK Workshop with Guided Interventional Procedures.
Also offered in the pre-conference program is a workshop on
Basic Pain Evaluations
and
Non-Opioid Treatments.
This workshop will present information on current trends in
pain medicine to include appropriate ways to use opioids as well as
substitute non-opioid treatments for those in pain.
This program provides hands-on demonstrations that address
the basic pain evaluation techniques along with state of the art
uses of physical and historical workup, nutritional alterations and
cognitive-behavioral techniques that are effective in improving the
quality of life for those in pain.
All the pre-conference programs offer
eight CME credits,
and participants will receive certificates for the attainment of
these special skills.
Special Events Highlight Conference
The 18th Annual
FAPM Scientific Meeting on July 27-29, 2018 will offer some "special
events" for all attendees. On Friday, July 27th, a
"Social Hour" will be offered following the workshops at 5:00 p.m.
This is a time for fellowship and networking over beverages and
refreshments near the lecture hall.
On Saturday, July 28th the annual
luncheon will be held with great food, special awards and a featured
speaker. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a reception in the exhibit hall
with food and beverages as we take time to thank our exhibit
sponsors. Spouses are welcome to attend these events as well.
Specifically for the spouses, there will be a
cooking class with the hotel Chef and a discount at the spa. More
info to come.
Also included each day will be breakfast and
special coffee break options in the exhibit areas. All of these
events are planned to make the conference more festive and enjoyable
for all attendees.
Register today
Hyatt Regency
Grand Cypress Hotel
Orlando, FL
20
Hours of CME Available
Florida Academy
of Pain Medicine
2018 Annual Scientific Meeting
In conjunction
with the
American Academy
of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine
& Alliance
Interventional
Many recent changes have affected the practice of pain medicine.
This conference is designed to promote a better understanding of the
pathophysiology of acute and chronic pain, enhance knowledge
regarding various chronic pain conditions, and provide review of
state-of-the-art interventional and non-interventional techniques in
diagnosis and management of chronic pain, cancer pain and headache.
Educational formats will include a “hands-on” workshop, lectures,
power point presentations, and plenty of Q&A time for audience
participation and learning.
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with
the Essential Areas & Policies of the Accreditation Council for
Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of
Bayfront Medical Center and Florida Academy of Pain Medicine.
Bayfront Medical Center is accredited by the FMA to provide CME for
physicians.
With 3
pre-conference workshops:
Regenerative
Injection Therapy & Ultrasound MSK Cadaver Workshop with Ultrasound Guided
Interventional
Procedures
Cadaver Workshop:
Interventional Procedures with Fluoroscopy (SCS, DRG, RFA, Pump, mild)
Basic Pain
Evaluation & Non-Opioid Treatments
Host Hotel:
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Hotel
1 Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando, FL
32836
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a family-friendly, luxury resort
where elegance and convenience come together. See for yourself with
our scheduled shuttle service to area theme parks, outdoor gardens,
twelve tennis courts and 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature
designed golf. Inside, you’ll find 815 guestrooms, award-winning
restaurants and more than 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting, wedding and
event space.
The luxurious guest rooms and suites are elegantly designed and
indulgently appointed. Event space is provided for attendees to
enjoy classic business settings with a unique air of contemporary
sophistication.
In between business and meetings, leisure activities abound in the
heart of Disney. Annual meeting Disney bargains posted on website at
www.fampmed.net.
Perhaps, best of all, extraordinary dining can be savored at any one
of the resorts restaurants and lounges, each heralded for their
innovating preparation, delicious taste, and uncompromising focus on
intuitive service.
A LUXURIOUS
LOCATION MINUTES FROM THE MAGIC AND ATTRACTIONS OF ORLANDO.
Florida Academy
of Pain Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting
American Academy
of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine & Alliance Interventional
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel Orlando, Florida
President's Message
The FAPM 18th Annual Scientific Meeting will be
held on July 27-29, 2018, at the
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Hotel in Orlando. Dr. Felix Linetsky has a great program planned
that includes: regenerative injection therapy, update on proper
use of opioids and marijuana, bone marrow derived stem cell
injections, control of chronic visceral pain, ultrasound guided
procedures, and much more. This three -day program offers 20 CME
credits.
I hope you will mark your calendars now and plan to attend
this enlightening event.
Fraternally,
Stanley R.
Dennison, MD
FAPM President
FAPM President
Stanley Dennison, MD
Dr. Stanley Dennison, Jr. is the newly elected President of the
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine. He was elected at the 17th
annual FAPM scientific meeting in Orlando.
Dr. Dennison graduated from the University Central Del Este, San
Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic.
He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management. He
served his internship at Wayne State University in Detroit and
completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the Medical College
of Ohio Hospital in Toledo.
Dr. Dennison completed a Fellowship in Pain Management at the
University of Kentucky in Lexington. He is a past Director at
the Pain Clinic at Shands at the University of Florida, and a
member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists,
Hillsborough County Medical Association and Florida Academy of
Pain Medicine.
He has 30 years’ experience in pain medicine and anesthesiology
where he practices in Tampa.
His hospital affiliations include: Brandon Regional Hospital,
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Town & Country Hospital and Memorial
Hospital.
Dr. Dennison treats advanced pain care patients. He notes that,
“over 80% of Americans suffer from back pain, and the majority
of these people can gain relief without surgery. Whether the
pain is in chronic form or more recent there are many
medications, injections and therapies that can be used to treat
back pain”.
From the President
As we enter
the second quarter of our fiscal year, I cannot emphasize enough
the importance of supporting the Florida Academy of Pain
Medicine by paying your annual dues which are only $250 per
year. Your dues payment helps our Academy support legislative
issues that affect the practice of medicine in this state. This
includes working with the Florida Medical Association on these
key issues.
Furthermore,
the FAPM provides an annual scientific meeting that offers an
educational program designed to keep you up-to-date on the
latest developments in pain medicine, along with “specialty
certificates” that certify your specialized training in a
variety of treatment techniques.
Our website
and email messages provide regular updates, special alerts and
blast emails to keep you current in news affecting the practice
of pain medicine in Florida. On our website you can
pay your dues
and/or conference registration fees online.
The Florida
Academy of Pain Medicine is a small society that depends heavily
on our member’s support. I hope each of you will realize the
service this Academy offers to its members, and will therefore
support our efforts by paying your annual dues fee, and by
attending our annual conference.
Fraternally,
Vinod Malik, MD
President
|
 
|
|
The DEA
recently suspended McKesson Corporation’s sales of
controlled substances from distribution in Florida.
This suspension could impact your patients’ ability
to fill their prescriptions and you may want to
advise them about the potential implications. As a
practitioner, you should be aware of the possibility
of drug shortages and consider alternative treatment
options when prescribing controlled substances. As
always, use your best professional judgment when
caring for your patients.
Please see the link to the news release below:
https://www.dea.gov/divisions/hq/2017/hq011717.shtml
|
Opioid Denial
My Own Harrowing Experience
American Council on Science and Health
(Read)
Refer to:
http://nypost.com/2016/12/19/how-the-feds-are-fueling-americas-opioid-disaster/
Changes to
DEA Renewal Process
Through a
notice on its website, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
recently announced significant changes to its registration
renewal process. Effective January 1, 2017, the DEA is
eliminating the informal grace period which the agency has
previously allowed for registrants to renew their registrations.
Only one renewal notice will be sent to each registrant’s “mail
to” address approximately 65 days prior to the expiration date;
no other reminders to renew the DEA registration will be
provided. The notice also advises that online capability to
renew a DEA registration after the expiration date will no
longer be available, and that failure to file a renewal
application by midnight EST of the expiration date will result
in the “retirement” of the registrant’s DEA number. The original
DEA registration will not be reinstated. In addition, paper
renewal applications will not be accepted the day after the
expiration date. If DEA has not received the paper renewal
application by the day of the expiration date, mailed in renewal
applications will be returned and the registrant will have to
apply for a new DEA registration.
The AMA has
strongly expressed our concerns to DEA about this change in
policy and the problems it could create for both patients and
their physicians. In letters sent Friday, December 9 to DEA
Acting Administrator Charles Rosenburg and Louis Milione
(Assistant Administrator for Diversion Control), the AMA urged
DEA to reverse the change to the renewal process.
If you have
any questions, feel free to contact Debra Cohn, Senior
Washington Counsel, at
debra.cohn@ama-assn.org
or (202)789-7423.
From the President
Dear FAPM Members:
This year is closing fast, so I wanted to take a moment to
wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season and a prosperous
New Year! Let's all strive to make 2017 the best year we
can.
FARM is in the process of developing new and exciting
programs for our members and associates. Our website
continues to provide informative and timely information. Our
Membership Committee is launching new programs for
recruitment and retention. Our Legislative Committee has
already submitted a resolution on pain issues and will be
involved with FMA/RAC.
We are looking forward to another great conference on June
16-18, 2017, as we return to the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Hotel with exciting new programs. As we strive to stay on
the cutting edge of medicine, this year's program will offer
an in-depth study of nitro medicine along with continued
updates on interventional pain issues, ultrasound techniques
and new basic pain treatments. As we strive to keep pace
with the many issues facing the practice of medicine today,
I want to encourage each of you to become a member this year
so we can continue to provide updated information and a good
CME program. Our fiscal year is January 1 - December 31, so
dues statements will go out in January. Please be looking
for them and you can pay online, by credit card or check. My
thanks for your continued support of this academy.
Fraternally,
Vinod Malik, MD
President
(Left) President
Vinod Malik welcomes FMA President David
Becker to the FAPM conference.
(Below)
Presidents meet with conference sponsor.
(L-R) Michael Creamer, President of
FSPM&R, Kevin Kline,
Medtronic Regional Manager,and Vinod Malik, President of
FAPM.
Check out more Conference photos on our Facebook page.
MACRA rule expands exemptions and
provides more flexibility for physicians
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine has researched recent actions of
the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services including the MACRA rules and MIPS
program. See here,
and here and
registration here "Medicare
Speaks 2016" which offers sessions in
Tallahassee on November 2-3, 2016. FAPM will continue to keep our
members updated on important issues
affecting the practice of pain medicine.
The MACRA Final Rule:
Eight Things Physicians Need to Know
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
OCTOBER, 2016
The Florida
Academy of Pain Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting this year
provided attendees with excellent national and international
speakers, three distinct pre-conference workshops, great social
events, and a first class hotel venue. We thank all of those who
attended this conference, and we hope you will plan to join us again
next year.
I want to remind
any members who have not paid their 2016 dues that our fiscal year
ends on December 31, 2016, so please send your check in or pay
online with your credit card. Within the scope of the Florida
Medical Association, the FAPM is one of the smaller specialty
affiliates. Dues collection provides only 25% of our budget, yet we
maintain an office and staff to serve our members. However, without
our members financial support we could not meet our budget needs nor
could we provide the services for our members or present our annual
conference. I ask every pain medicine physician in Florida to become
a member of the society that best represents your interests and that
is the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine!
Our Education
Committee is already in the planning stages for our annual
scientific meeting to be held on June 16-18, 2017, at the Hyatt
Regency Grand Cypress Hotel where we can best meet the interests of
our members, exhibitors and sponsors as we did for several previous
years. Mark the dates on your calendar and plan to join your pain
medicine colleagues at this beautiful hotel in the heart of Disney
World. Bring your family members so they can enjoy all of the
amenities of this hotel as well as the many attractions in the
Orlando area.
If we can be of
any service to you as a member, please do not hesitate to call our
office at 727-581-4319.
Sincerely,
Vinny Malik, MD,
President
A.M.
Trescot (Ed.) Peripheral Nerve Entrapments Clinical Diagnosis and
Management
▶ This book features over 50 videos of examination and injection
techniques, at least 2 per nerve ▶ Contains "Pain Problems Index" to
navigate by symptom ▶ Includes anatomy, injection technique, and
complications for each nerve
Featured as a single volume, this is a comprehensive guide to
possible nerve entrapment syndromes and their management. Each
chapter covers a single nerve, or group of closely related nerves,
and goes over the clinical presentation, anatomy, physical exam,
differential diagnosis, contributing factors, injection techniques,
neurolytic/surgical techniques, treatments of perpetuating factors,
and complications.
(Read More)
Turn the
Tide:
The Fight to End the Opioid Crisis
Pre-Conference
Workshops Provide Special Certification Recognition
Attendees registering
for the Florida Academy of Pain
Medicine pre-conference workshops will receive a certificate
depicting their
special training
received in these programs. Specialist certificates will be
presented for Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and International Pain
Therapies, Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pain Medicine, and
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Treatments and Therapies.
(Complete Program)
The "Musculoskeletal
Ultrasound and Interventional Pain Therapies"
will include ultrasonography of
the
shoulder, knee and hips as a correlation of physical findings and
clinical anatomy. The Interventional Spine Procedures will teach the
use of innovative techniques
such
as facet joint
injections, nerve blocks, neuroaugumentation, spinal fusion and
implantable drug delivery
systems.
The "Interdisciplinary
Approach to Pain Medicine Workshop" features nationally known
speakers
on pain medicine issues
on such
topics as:
pain, stress,
mood, cognitive and memory holographic pain treatments, low level
inflammation and fascia
stimulation
and
sensitization,
opioid crisis concerns,
medical laser applications and much more.
The third workshop
deals with PM&R treatments and therapies.
Featured topics include updates on
subacute
rehabilitation, medical marijuana update, intrathecal
therapies, treatment and management of
spinal
stenosis, and multimodal approaches
to
the treatment of low
back pain.
Each workshop offers 8 CME hours.
FAPM Offers
Three Great
Pre-Conference Workshops
The
“Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Interventional Pain Therapies”
will include ultrasonography of the shoulder, knee and hips as a
correlation of physical findings and clinical anatomy. The
Interventional Spinal Procedures will teach the use of
innovative techniques such as facet joint injections, nerve
blocks, neuroaugmentation, spinal fusion and implantable drug
delivery systems.
The
“Interdisciplinary Approach to Pain Medicine Workshop” features
nationally known speakers on pain medicine issues on such topics
as: pain, stress, mood, cognitive and memory holographic pain
treatments, low level inflammation and fascia stimulation and
sensitization, opioid crisis concerns, medical laser
applications and much more.
The third
workshop deals with PM&R treatments and therapies. Featured
topics include updates on subacute rehabilitation, medical
marijuana update, intrathecal therapies, treatment and
management of spinal stenosis, and multimodal approaches to the
treatment of low back pain.
The complete
program for these workshops can be
found on the
FAPM website where you can also
register online.
Don’t miss out on the latest treatments in these special
workshops.
President's Message
May 2016
AAPM's
33rd Annual Meeting
March 16-19, 2017
(Preconference Sessions: March 15-16, 2017)
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Orlando, Florida
FAPM Board Reviews
CDC Guidelines for
Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
The FAPM Executive Board met recently to discuss the CDC Guidelines
for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. It was noted that the
original draft by CDC was not altered, in spite of over 4,000
testimonies from societies, corporations and individuals.
However, the board recognizes the challenges involved with
prescribing opioids for chronic pain, and the necessity for safety
precautions and effectiveness when providing pain treatments.
Therefore, we support the efforts and concerns expressed by the
American Academy of Pain Medicine in the following letter:
(MORE)
Drug industry on edge for Obama action on prices
Peter Sullivan –The
Hill
The
pharmaceutical industry is anxiously awaiting a series of regulatory
actions from the Obama administration aimed at combating high drug
prices.
Drug prices have been a major issue on the campaign trail, with Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump pounding
pharmaceutical companies.
Martin Shkreli, the ex-pharmaceutical company CEO who made headlines
for hiking the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000 percent, also
has put the issue of drug prices in the spotlight.
Spending on drugs in 2014 grew by a sharp 13 percent, the most in a
decade. The spike was driven partly by new high-cost drugs for
Hepatitis C, but it seemed to point to a larger issue.
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll in August found that 24 percent of
the public had not filled a prescription in the past year because of
cost. (More)
President’s Message:
February, 2016
I
am often asked the question, “What is the mission or purpose of the
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine?” My answer is simple, We are a
unique medical specialty society that represents physicians
practicing in the field of pain medicine. As such, we are involved
with education training, as provided at our annual conference,
legislative issues affecting the practice of medicine in Florida,
and research of medical issues confronting our members.
(More)
IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!
FAPM annual membership renewal notices have been mailed to our
membership list. This year the renewal
can be paid online.
The renewal fiscal year is January 1-December 31, 2016.
Thanks to each of you for your continued support of the
Florida Academy of Pain Medicine.
December 14, 2015
Dear FAPM Members and Friends:
At this busy season of the year, I wanted to take a moment to wish
everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year. As we are
all involved in the medical profession, may each of us enter the New
Year with renewed confidence in our abilities to treat our patients
with the best possible care.
As we face the issues confronting our medical professions, be
assured that your FAPM Board Members
will continue to address your concerns and interests in dealing with
legislative matters, practice management issues, and medical
education programs.
Our “Executive Committee” is planning an excellent program for the
annual FAPM Scientific Meeting to be held on August 12-14, 2016, at
the beautiful
Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Orlando. I hope you all are planning to
attend this event.
Let us all be proud of the profession we serve and strive for
excellence in all that we do for our profession, patients and
community.
Fraternally yours,
Vinod Malik, DO
FAPM President
SENATE COMMITTEE TO TACKLE PATIENTS'
PAIN MED PROBLEMS
THE CAPITAL: TALLAHASSEE, October 20,
2015 ...... The Legislature may have inadvertently made it harder
for legitimate patients to get
critical pain medications when it passed a 2011 law aimed at
shutting down rogue clinics that branded the state as the “pill mill
capital" of the country. But now, a powerful state senator said he
intends to fix the problem.
(Read More)
Pain Management Physicians
If
you are a physician practicing in a Pain Management Clinic and were
registered based on the 6th qualification option in Rule
64B8-9.0131, F.A.C
.,
please keep in mind that as a part of your 40 hours of Continuing
Medical Education (CME) required per biennium, you must complete 15
hours of live lecture format, Category I CME in pain management for
every year you practice in pain management. These will need to be
reported to CE Broker along with the rest of your CME credits in
order for the Board to renew your license.
Answers to many questions regarding license renewal can be found at
the Board of Medicine's website at
flboardofmedicine.gov
Have you
signed up for a CE Broker account?
License renewal is coming up for half of Florida's allopathic
physicians in Jan,
2016 and for all of Florida's osteopathic physicians in March,
2016.
This is the first
year that the online renewal system will be linked to CE Broker,
the Florida Department of Health
's
online CME tracking system.
If you haven't signed up for your CE Broker account and begun
reporting,
do so by visiting
www.cebroker.com.
There are three account options:
free, professional and concierge. As an FMA member, you can get
a discount on CE Broker's
concierge service to take over the process of managing,
tracking and reporting your CME.
Simply send your certificates to CE Broker's
trained staff members,
and they will handle the rest.
Congratulations to
Dr. Felix Linetsky
Dr.
Felix Linetsky, FAPM Board Member and nationally recognized medical
education leader, has written a chapter in the Second Edition of
Pain Medicine and Management – Just the Facts Textbook published by
McGraw Hill. Chapter 71 – Regenerative Injection Therapy (aka –
Prolotherapy was co-authored by Peter Peter Staats and Mark Wallace,
MD. This book can be purchased from Amazon for the amount of $80.90.
FAPM Represented
at Florida Board of Pharmacy's
Controlled Substances Meeting (see below)
The Florida Board
of Pharmacy’s Controlled Substances Standards Committee recently met
at Delray Beach, Florida, to discuss issues regarding the
availability of certain medications for patients. They have been
receiving numerous complaints from patients and physicians across
the state regarding this issue.
Jeffrey Zipper,
MD, the Immediate Past President of the Florida Academy of Pain
Medicine, attended this meeting representing the Academy. He noted
that those attendees at this meeting made several recommendations
for the board to consider. The board will review these matters and
report back to the committee at the next meeting.
FAPM will
continue to monitor the activities of the Florida Board of Pharmacy,
and report any new developments to the members.
FAPM Welcomes New Board
Member
At the FAPM Annual Scientific Meeting on Saturday,
June 25, the attendees elected TSE CHUNG LEE, M.D.
to the Board of Directors as a Member at Large. Dr.
Lee is presently in practice at the PRC Pain
Associates in Daytona Beach as an Interventional
Physiatrist. He will be representing the FAPM at the
FMA House of Delegates in Orlando.
Dr. Lee earned his medical degree at the Medical
College of Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. He completed a
residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at
New York University, Rusk Institute in New York
City. He then completed a Fellowship in
EMG/Musculoskeletal/Spinal/Ultrasound in Napa,
California under the direction of Marko Bodor, M.D.
He is further a member of the American Academy of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the
International Society of replica watches uk Interventional Spine and
the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine. He is
a Diplomate of the American Board of Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation and of the American
Board of Pain Medicine.
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is pleased to
welcome Dr. Lee as the newest member of the Board of
Directors.
2015-2017 Board
of Directors
President -
Vinod Malik, MD
President Elect - Stanley Dennison, MD
Vice President - Peter Taraschi, DO
Secretary - Felix
Linetsky, MD
Treasurer - Kenneth
Botwin, MD
Immediate Past President
- Jeffrey Zipper, MD
Member-at-Large -
Susanti Chowdhury, MD
Member-at-Large
- Tse Lee, MD
Member-at-Large - Raul Monzon, MD
Member-at-Large -
Albert Ray, MD
President's Message
As the newly elected President of the Florida
Academy of Pain Medicine, I want to thank the Board
and Members for rolex replica sale the vote of confidence in my ability
to lead this Academy.
At our recent FAPM Scientific Meeting in Orlando, we
set records of the number of physician attendees and
for the number of exhibitors. Our program offering
20 Category 1A CME credits was highly complimented
by the attendees, and rolex replica the exhibitors greatly
appreciated the increased attendance and interest in
their products and services.
I want to thank our Gold Sponsor,
Medtronic
and the other special event sponsors -St.
Jude Medical and
Quest Labs. On
our website you can find a list of all of our
exhibit sponsors and their services. I hope you will
support them by using their services whenever
possible.
Our membership will reach new heights this year, and
I hope everyone reading this message will be
sure to join FAPM. Our
fiscal year ends on December 31st and you can
pay dues on our website.
In order for FAPM to remain a viable Academy, we
need the support of every pain medicine physician in
Florida.
Speaking at our conference luncheon,
FMA President Alan Pillersdorf, MD reminded everyone
to support their medical associations so we can
present a united front of strength as we face the
challenges of our profession.
We are currently in the process of
evaluating this year's conference, and planning for
the 2016 program. Hopefully, each of you will want
to attend that event in Orlando on August 12-14, 2016.
At this conference we will continue to
offer a comprehensive program emphasizing pain
medicine issues including interventional and
integrated techniques. We plan to offer additional
workshops and welcome any suggestions from our
members on topics of interest to you. Just email
your ideas to our executive office at
websterk427@gmail.com .
Fraternally, Vinod Malik, MD
FAPM President
Political Pulse
|
|
The battle for Florida
Herald-Tribune
Politics provides a visual guide
to the gubernatorial battle for Florida in
geographic terms. Political Editor Jeremy
Wallace examines a number of issues facing
the campaigns as the race reaches its peak.
For example, Duval County, “once a solid
Republican stronghold,” is eroding for the
GOP. However, Gov. Rick Scott is likely to
once again dominate among rural voters as he
did in 2010. On the upside for Charlie
Crist, he has an opportunity to take a bite
out of the margin that carried Gov. Scott in
2010 in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. |
|
|
Physicians touchy about marijuana
Many physicians are speaking out against a
proposed constitutional amendment to
legalize medical marijuana in Florida,
saying its passage could lead to abuse. The
Herald-Tribune
says the overarching concern is that
“Yesteryear’s ‘pill mill’ doctor will become
tomorrow’s ‘pot doc,’ someone who
rubber-stamps prescriptions for medical
marijuana regardless of concern.” The FMA
has cited the issue of potential drug abuse
as one of its reasons for opposing the
amendment.
|
|
Overstep on painkillers
Prescription painkiller crackdown has gone
'way too far,' some doctors believe
Tampa Bay Times 9/2/2014
Tampa anesthesiologist Dr. Rafael Miguel
helped lead the fight against a surging prescription drug
abuse crisis in Florida.
As vice chair of the state's Board of Medicine,
Miguel called for legislative change to stem the flow of drugs that
led to thousands of overdose deaths each year.
Eventually, people listened.
Laws tightened. Police stepped up enforcement.
And deaths declined by 23 percent from 2010 to 2012.
Miguel now is in a different drug battle — one
for more access to narcotics, not less.
The obstacle, Miguel and other doctors report,
are pharmacies that are increasingly second-guessing them, asking to
see medical records or refusing service.
"They call us sometimes and ask if (a
prescription) is medically necessary," said Miguel, 59, who has a
Brandon clinic and teaches pain medicine at the University of South
Florida. "Well, if I write a prescription and it's got my DEA number
and my signature on it, what do you think, I'm joking around?"
(Read More)
Walgreens’ Good Faith Dispensing Protocol
From: Bob
Twillman [mailto:btwillman@aapainmanage.org]
Sent: Monday,
October 07, 2013 1:10 PM
To: Jeffrey Zipper
Subject: Academy
update: Walgreen information, request feedback
Last June, your Academy's Policy and Advocacy Department sent all
members a letter summarizing the situation with respect to
Walgreens’ Good Faith Dispensing protocol. That information also
provided members with an easy way to report problems encountered
with patients filling prescriptions for opioid analgesics. After
hearing more concerns expressed by many of you at the Annual
Clinical Meeting held in Orlando, we have decided that we need to
re-send this information.
Attached is the original memo, for your review. If you and your
patients have been having problems getting prescriptions filled, please
provide feedback using this form. The form is also
in the attached document with more information as to what we are
seeking and how the information will be handled.
As always, thank you for your support of the Academy.
Bob Twillman, PhD, FAPM
Deputy Director
Director of Policy and Advocacy
btwillman@aapainmanage.org
ALERT ALERT!
Dear Colleagues, as you can see from the missive below it
appears the FAPA’s #1 Legislative priority this year is to obtain
controlled substance prescribing privileges (all hands on deck)!!
Given the fiasco that Florida has recently experienced with the
advent of “pill mills” this would be an unwise turn of events and
must be opposed for the safety of our patients. THE PAIN MANAGEMENT
COMMUNITY MUST FIGHT TO PREVENT THIS LEGISLATIVE INTIATIVE.
Dr. Zipper,President
FAPM
Read More
Pill Mill Crackdown Pays Off
The Florida
Academy of Pain Medicine is proud of the role our board and members
have played in the development of effective policies that have
contributed to the decline of "pill mills" in the state of Florida.
Over the past four years our lobbyists, presidents, staff members
and our affiliate medical societies have worked tirelessly to
see these policies implemented to the fullest extent of the law.
Our
congratulations to every physician and organization that stepped up
to the task that made these changes happen.
[ EDITORIAL-2014
TheLedger.com -All rights reserved ]
Florida's Effective Policies: Pill Mill Crackdown Pays Off
Florida, once labeled "the pill mill capital of
the country," has shown that it's ready to relinquish that title.
A report last week by the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention found that changes in Florida
policies and law enforcement have led to what appears to be "the
first documented substantial decline in drug overdose mortality in
any state during the past 10 years."
(Read More)
-
From left, Rigoberto Guzman, MD, President FSPMR; Jeffrey Zipper, MD, President FAPM; Alan Harmon, MD, President FMA; Vinod Malik, MD, President-Elect, FAPM
-
Marla Golden, DO, receiving the Felix Linetsky Education Award
-
Jeffrey Zipper, MD, President, Florida Academy of Pain Medicine
receiving the FAPM Distinguished Service Award
-
Alan Harmon, MD, President, Florida Medical Association
-
Albert Ray, MD, Past President FAPM
-
Kenneth Webster, Executive Director, FAPM
-
Ken Webster's Special Lady
FAPM Conference Is Big Success
With excellent
pre-conference programs on basic pain issues, ultrasound treatments
and physical medicine and rehabilitation, the conference provided
special training in multiple modalities. The pre-conference
workshops were followed by offering twelve CME credits in areas
related to pain medicine issues.
Featured speakers included Alan Harmon, MD,
President of the Florida Medical Association and Judy Foreman,
author of the bestselling book, “A Nation in Pain". The panel
discussions held on the second day featured specialists in various
disciplines, a representative on E-FORCE and PDMP issues, and legal
and legislative programs. Panel moderators were: Albert Ray, MD,
FAPM Past-President, and Jeffrey Zipper, MD, current FAPM President.
Highlights of the annual membership luncheon
included FAPM awards. Marla Golden, DO, received the Felix Linetsky,
MD, Education Award for her leadership and participation in FAPM
educational programs the past few years. The Distinguished Service
Award was presented to Jeffrey Zipper, MD, for his leadership in
legislative issues affecting the practice of medicine in Florida.
Lynne Columbus, DO, from Clearwater, Florida was elected to the FAPM
Board of Directors.
Insurance companies should not meddle
in patients’ treatment
By Albert Ray
You pay your insurance premiums on time, and you know
exactly what kind of medical and prescription coverage to
expect. But what happens when your insurance company decides
it doesn’t want to provide the same coverage anymore?
That’s exactly what happened to “Mark,” one of my patients
suffering from osteoarthritis and a serious lower-back
injury. Without treatment for the severe, debilitating pain,
Mark simply could not function. As a 60-year-old man living
by himself, Mark has been completely self-reliant. He has no
one in his household to help him deal with the pain, so pain
management has been critical to his quality of life and
ability to function.
For years, Mark underwent physical therapy and a full range
of interdisciplinary treatment to restore his quality of
life. Thankfully, his pain has been consistently managed
with medications. I prescribed a specific dosage of
painkillers that provided adequate pain relief without any
sedation or adverse side effects. Although not perfect,
Mark’s situation was manageable. And as important, he was
paying his insurance premiums on time — to a major Florida
insurance company — until suddenly, he received a notice
that this unscrupulous company planned to arbitrarily limit
the amount of pain medication he could receive in any given
month.
As Mark’s doctor, I had to find a way to provide him with a
new prescription that fell within the limits of this new,
arbitrary insurance-coverage limit. Sadly, it also meant
that I had to reduce his dosage from 90 milligrams per day
to 80 milligrams, which meant that Mark would have less pain
relief and an increase in the level of sedation because of
the insurance company’s interference with my patient’s
treatment.
Why would an insurance company interfere this way? Was it
just plain greed, a simple case of trying to save a few
bucks so it could pocket more profits?
Unfortunately, Mark’s case is not unique. In 2011, Florida
lawmakers took steps to fight “pill mills” that were
thriving in our state and allowing people to abuse
prescription drugs. Unscrupulous people from around the
country would drive here to buy pain medication and sell it
on the black market.
Since passage of new laws aimed at fighting pill mills,
doctors and pharmacists, working closely with law
enforcement, were able to reduce the number of pill mills
and prescription drug-abuse incidents. But the unfortunate
side effect is that legitimate patients, in desperate need
of pain-management treatment, are getting shafted by
insurance companies who use the new law as an excuse to
alter insurance coverage and boost their profits.
They are playing games with patients, forcing them to jump
through hoops, fill out mountains of paperwork to justify
even the slightest adjustment to a sleeping-pill
prescription or an arthritis treatment. And when they get
called on it, they point to the laws passed in 2011 that
were designed to fight criminals and illegal drug abuse.
No insurance-company executive should have the right to tell
a doctor what to prescribe for a patient, nor should they be
able to impose arbitrary limits that could radically affect
a patient’s well being. Most of all, insurance-company
executives should never be allowed to interfere with
treatments they previously agreed to pay for. Such meddling
can only be ascribed to one motive: greed and profiteering
on the backs of patients who have dutifully paid their
premiums.
The Legislature was right to combat prescription-drug abuse
in 2011. But now greedy insurance companies are abusing the
law. Until state lawmakers do something, patients will
continue to suffer.
Albert Ray, M.D., is the medical director at The LITE
Center and clinical associate professor at the University of
Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Read more here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/21/4129354_insurance-companies-should-not.html#storylink=cpy
Patient Op-Ed: Denying necessary prescriptions to needy patients
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is working diligently to bring
attention
to our legislature, patients and citizens regarding the problems
patients are having getting drug prescriptions filled. The following
article was printed in the Tampa Bay Times in support of our
concerns over this process of denying necessary prescriptions to
needy patients. Please feel free to share this article with you
patients, colleagues and staff. We will continue our efforts to help
patients across the state to be able to have their physician
prescribed
drug requests
filled. Should you have any similar cases to report of patients not
getting
their prescribed drugs in a timely manner, please let us know.
Together we can help
alieviate this problem.
(Read OpEd)
Fraternally, Jeffrey Zipper, FAPM President
ALERT ALERT
Dear Colleagues,
The FAPM has hired a public relations firm to help bring media
attention to issues of importance and concern to us and our
patients. We are presently working on a project to help our patients
gain better access to their needed medications from Pharmacies. To
that end, if you have any patients experiencing difficulty with
getting their prescriptions filled for CS’s please contact Mr. Brian
Burgess from Meteoric Media Strategies ASAP at 850-273-2270 or email
to brianjburgess@gmail.com.
Thank you!
Regards,
Jeffrey A. Zipper, M.D.
President
The local coverage determination (LCD) for peripheral nerve blocks
was most recently revised January 1, 2013. Since that time, major
revisions were made throughout the entire LCD. The ‘Indications and
Limitations of Coverage and/or Medical Necessity’ section of the LCD
has been revised to clarify indications versus limitations of
coverage. In addition, the ‘CPT®/HCPCS Codes’, ‘ICD-9 Codes that
Support Medical Necessity’, ‘Documentation Requirements’,
‘Utilization Guidelines’ and ‘Sources of Information and Basis for
Decision’ sections of the LCD were revised.
Effective date
This LCD revision is effective for services rendered
on or after March 17, 2014. First
Coast Services Options Inc. LCDs are available through the CMS
Medicare coverage database at
http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/overview-and-quick-search.aspx
.
Coding guidelines for an LCD (when present) may be found by
selecting “LCD Attachments” in the Jump to Section…” drop-down menu
at the top of the LCD page.
Note:
To review active, future, and retired LCD for jurisdiction 9, please
click here
FAPM has a “Neutral” Position on Medical Marijuana
Amendment:
Florida is facing a pain medicine crisis, and lawmakers
must find a way to deliver pain medicine to legitimate patients
while still blocking these controlled substances from those who
abuse them. No matter how Floridians vote on medical marijuana
amendment this November, the real burden must be on lawmakers to
overhaul our pain medicine regulations so that patients with
legitimate health issues can get the medications they need to have a
high quality of life. They deserve to have this access legally and
without undue excessive burden.
Congress Reaches Deal on SGR Repeal
Today,
February 6, 2014, Congress reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement
on a bill that would repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate
(SGR) and replace it with a pay-for-performance system that would
evaluate and incentivize quality health care. All 3 congressional
committees of jurisdiction—the Senate Finance Committee, the House
Ways and Means Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce
Committee—have agreed on 1 piece of legislation that will now move
through the legislative process as a consensus bill.
Specifically,
the legislation would:
-
Repeal the SGR immediately
-
Provide positive annual payment updates of
0.5% for 5 years
-
Install a Merit-Based Incentive Payment System
(MIPS), which would include prospectively set performance
thresholds and offer flexibility in the imposition of
performance requirements that are inappropriate for some
specialties
-
Delay the effective date of the MIPS program 1
year, from 2017 to 2018
-
Increase the MIPS funding pool and adjust the
phase-in of penalty risks for those who fall in the lowest
performance quartile to be capped at a maximum of 9% (as opposed
to the previous 12%)
-
Sustain a 5% incentive payment for physicians
participating in alternative payment models
-
Double original funding for technical
assistance to small practices of 15 or fewer professionals
-
Recognize the development of functional status
quality measures as a priority
Many of the
provisions of the bill are improvements from previous proposals and
current law. AAPM&R advocated strongly to incorporate items that
would be beneficial in highlighting the care that physiatrists
provide. However,
because this legislation is not budget neutral, legislators will now
spend several weeks considering budget-cutting options to offset the
cost of the repeal. Some options have been leaked, including cuts to
postacute care and changes to the in-office ancillary services
exceptions to the physician self-referral law (Stark law).
Your Academy
is advocating tirelessly to ensure that the SGR repeal is not
achieved on the backs of our physician members. Stay tuned for
additional information in the coming weeks.
Regards,
Jeffrey A. Zipper, M.D.
FAPM President
ALERT, ALERT, ALERT
Medicare will deny
claims for referring physicians who are not enrolled in PECOS as of
January 6, 2014. Physicians must be enrolled to prescribe durable
medical equipment. For more information, refer to their website at
https:llcms.hhs.gov/.
(at the time of this post, this website is down).
Some of our vendors are
concerned that prescribing physicians who are not enrolled will not
be able to prescribe the durable medical equipment that you have
prescribed in the past.
ALERT ALERT
Dear Colleagues,
FSCO the Medicare administrate contractor for jurisdiction J 9 has
retracted its previous article titled “Ultrasound Guidance for
Needle Placement in the Office Setting”. This retraction was based
upon input from your specialty society CAC representatives. Although
this article has been retracted there are still some limitations on
these services
(please see attachment). Please also note, that
in the 2014 proposed rule for Revisions to Payment Policies under
the Physician Fee Schedule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) proposes a reduction in the relative value units
(RVUs) based on equipment inputs and procedure time assumptions for
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code 76942.
Regards,
Jeffrey Zipper
President FAPM
Chief Executive Officer
ALERT ALERT
FY
2014 Medicare OBS Reimbursement Rates for SCS Trials
September President's
Message
Dear Colleagues,
I hope
everyone has enjoyed their summer and all are ready to get back into
the swing of things. I would like to start off by thanking Dr Albert
Ray our immediate past president for his leadership and tireless
efforts in serving our organization over the past two years; as well
as, Dr. Felix Linetsky, Dr Kenneth Webster and the entire FAPM board
of directors for putting on an excellent educational program at this
year’s annual scientific conference. If you were unable to attend
this year’s conference you certainly missed out and I hope to see
you at the conference next year. In fact, place it on your calendar
today! (June 20-22, 2014). The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine
largely exists to advocate for and to protect the rights of the
chronic pain patients and the physician community that serves them
within the State. Your
membership in this organization is of paramount importance and
without your support we would not have a voice in Tallahassee. I
personally value your membership in the Academy and believe that
together we are making a difference in your practice and patients’
lives. I hope each of you will see fit to renew your membership this
year. If you know of a colleague that is not presently a member of
FAPM, please encourage him or her to join today!
(READ MORE)
FMA’s Business
of Medicine Survey Reveals Florida Physicians’ Top Concerns
Pictures from
Past Conferences
Conference a Great Success
Special Award Presented at Conference Luncheon
Left to Right: Rigoberto Puente-Guzman,MD, President of FSPR&R
Ralph Nobo, MD, Vice-President of FMA, Albert Ray, MD, President of
FAPM, Kenneth Webster, Ed D. FAPM Executive Director receiving the
Presidential Achivement Award,
and Jeffrey Zipper, FAPM President-Elect
Two Leadership Members of FAPM
Author Major Works
Congratulations to
Felix Linetsky, MD and Albert
Ray, MD for recent publications in a major new textbook on Pain
Medicine.
Felix Linetsky, MD, FAPM
Board member, chairman of the FAPM Education Committee responsible
for our excellent Annual
Educational programs, and President of the American Academy of
Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine, has
coauthored “Treatment of Chronic Painful Musculoskeletal Injuries and Diseases with
Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT): Regenerative Injection Therapy
Principles and Practice,” along with Hakan Alfredson, MD, PhD,
David Crane, MD, and Christopher Centano, MD. This chapter
was published in the
Comprehensive Treatment of Chronic Pain by Medical, Interventional,
and Integrative Approaches: the American Academy of Pain Medicine
Textbook on Patient Management and released last month. This
chapter offers a comprehensive review of regenerative injection
therapies including treatments related to pathology of connective
tissue, mechanism of action of chemical injectates and biological
injectates; provides a step
by step approach to differential diagnosis and treatment; and offers
future directions for regenerative injection therapies.
Dr.
Linetsky and his co-authors are all internationally recognized
experts in the field of regenerative injection therapies, and have
combined their knowledge and skills in this excellent chapter.
Dr. Linetsky will be speaking and also teaching an
Ultrasound Guided Treatment
course at our upcoming annual meeting in June 28-30, 2013. The FAPM
has named an award in Dr Linetsky’s honor:
The Annual Felix Linetsky Award for Excellence in Education, to
recognize his lifelong dedication to helping patients receive better
care through education.
Dr. Linetsky will be available for private conversations for those
interested.
Albert
Ray, MD, current president of FAPM and president of the
Foundation for Pain Medicine, has served as the section editor on
Integrative Approaches for the Comprehensive
Treatment of Chronic Pain by Medical, Interventional, and
Integrative Approaches: the American Academy of Pain Medicine
Textbook on Patient Management.
He has served as the editor for 25 chapters including
such topics as pain perception, neuroplasticity and sensitization,
muscle pain treatment, addictive disorders, mental status exam of
pain patients, psychological assessment s and treatments, hypnosis,
acupuncture, manual therapies, regenerative therapies,
interdisciplinary functional restoration programs, spirituality,
disparate populations, sleep and pain, empowerment for pain
sufferers and their caregivers, geriatric issues in pain, primary
care issues, patient advocacy, neonatal pain, disability assessment,
the Double Effect, and failure to treat issues. Within this book,
Dr. Ray has authored a chapter entitled
“Neuroplasticity,
Sensitization, and Pain,” and coauthored
“Pain as a Perceptual
Experience” with Ms. Rhonwyn Ullmann, MS, and Michael Francis,
MD; as well as “Manual
Therapies,” with Mr. John Barnes, PT,LMT, NCTMP and Ms. Rhonwyn
Ullmann, MS.
Dr. Ray,
has dedicated his medical career to the understanding,
treatment, and teaching of pain in the whole person, and has also
served as the president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine,
the Southern Pain Society, and the National Pain Foundation. He has
been a Director at Large for the American Board of Pain Medicine and
still sits on their Exam Council.
Dr. Ray has also been a pioneer working for the establishment
of Pain Medicine as a primary specialty. Dr. Ray will be leading a
course in Basic Pain Medicine
at our Annual Educational Meeting next month.
The FAPM
will have this brand new textbook available at the exhibit hall
at Booth 306 for anyone interested. Come join this exciting meeting and meet our
authors in person.
FL Doc Arrested for Running Pill Mill, 3rd Offense
A St. Petersburg doctor who was accused
in 2011 of helping operate an illegal pain clinic in Pasco County
was arrested again Thursday on charges that he was doing the same
thing in Citrus County.
(Read More)
From the President:
Dear FAPM Members:
The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine strives to represent our
members on important issues that affect your ability to practice
medicine in the state of Florida. While we have expanded our member
services the past two years, including Executive Offices and
services, we have not increased your annual dues.
However, it is important for the success
of our programs to maintain a strong member base. As we enter the
fourth quarter of our fiscal year we need every member to be sure
their dues are current. We have a current list of dues paying
members for this year posted in our membership section on this
website. Please check to see if your name appears. If your name is
listed, thank you for your support of FAPM programs. If your name is
not listed, please take a moment to pay them “on line”. Your support
is needed now so that FAPM can continue to represent you on issues
that affect your medical practice.
Take time to check our website often to
stay informed of important medical matters. We strive to maintain
up-to-date communication so that our members are properly informed.
Fraternally,
Albert Ray, MD, President
Membership Benefits
● Active website with regular updates,
special alerts and blast emails.
● Educational programs designed to
keep you up-to-date on the latest developments in pain medicine.
Discounted fees for members.
● Information resources to provide
practical insight into dealing with third party payers and
regulatory agencies.
● Annual scientific conference with
nationally known speakers and relevant topics.
● PAC FUND to support legislative
issues pertaining to pain medicine.
● Opportunities for the exchange of
information and experiences with colleagues who have encountered
problems similar to those with which you are dealing.
● PainInfo, the Academy’s periodical
newsletter, which keeps you informed as to upcoming meetings,
Academy activities, and economic, legislative and regulatory
information (both state and national) which affects your practice.
● Representation within Florida’s
recognized organized medicine body, the Florida Medical Association,
both via a seat in the FMA House of Delegates and a seat on the FMA
Specialty Council.
New
FDA guidance urges patient outreach regarding important drug
recall related to Aspergillus Meningitis
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COLLABORATES WITH HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS IN ONGOING FUNGAL MENINGITIS OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION
~New FDA guidance urges patient outreach~
(Read More)
NY Times- FDA Won't Require Special Training
Join
the Court Fight to Protect Physician Medicare Data
Attorney General
Bondi's Weekly Briefing: Prescription Drug Diversion: Combating
the Scourge
Congress Approves 10-Month SGR
Patch
Note!The Electronic - Florida Online Reporting of Controlled
Substances Evaluation program
(E-FORCSE) is Florida's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
(PDMP). The PDMP was created by the 2009
legislature in an initiative to encourage safer prescribing of
controlled substances and to reduce drug abuse and diversion
within the state of Florida. Remember: Section
893.055, Florida Statutes, requires health
care practitioners to report to the PDMP each time a controlled
substance is dispensed to an individual. This information
is to be reported through the electronic system as soon as
possible but not more than 7 days after dispensing. This
reporting timeframe ensures that health care practitioners have
the most up-to-date information available.
MAJOR ALERT!!
House GOP agrees
to doc pay-rate extension
ALERT!
CVS
tells some Florida doctors it won't fill their prescriptions for
narcotics
ALERT!
Lyons: Doctors
on CVS blacklist feeling branded
Pain Management Regulations Affect
More Than Pain Management Specialists
Linda A. Keen
of counsel to The Florida
Healthcare Law Firm
MSK Medicine Council Outstanding Service Award
The
AAPM&R Outstanding Council Service Award was established this year
to recognize service/volunteerism of Council members who contribute
to the success of the Academy in fulfilling its mission and serving
its membership in ways not limited to research, education, and
product development.
Congratulations to
Andrew Sherman, MD, MS—the
first MSK Medicine Council recipient of the AAPM&R Outstanding
Council Service Award! Outstanding Council Service Award recipients
will be recognized at the Annual Assembly at our Council business
meeting on Friday, November 5, at 5:45 pm, and will be announced
during the Forty-Second Walter J. Zeiter Lecture and Awards Ceremony
on Saturday, November 6, at 11 am.
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