| June 2015 | John B. Bundrick, MD, FACP, Governor |
Minnesota ACP Mission: To foster excellence, education and professionalism among all internists in our community and to work together to shape the future of healthcare in Minnesota.
Minnesota ACP Vision: To be Minnesota's recognized leader for patient care, advocacy and education and to enhance career choice, satisfaction and collaboration for specialists and subspecialists in Internal Medicine.
In this Issue
- Welcome from the New Governor
- Dr. Heather Gantzer elected to the ACP Board of Regents
- IM2015 Highlights
- Welcome to Fellowship
- New Fellows at Convocation
- Congratulations New Fellows!
- ACP Leadership Day
- Awards
- Annual Crawfish Boil
- Spring Governor's Council Meeting Updates
- Save the Dates
- Health and Public Policy Committee
- Early Career Physicians
- Join ACP's Special Interest Groups!
- Save the Date: ACP Minnesota Chapter Annual Scientific Meeting: November 5-6, 2015
Welcome from the New Governor
It is a tremendous privilege to serve as your Governor. Minnesota continues to lead the nation in providing care of the highest value, and this is largely due to the quality of our medical schools and training programs, as well as the ongoing commitment to patient-centered care of internists and subspecialists in this great state. Through involvement in our chapter over the past 25 years, I am increasingly impressed with the caliber of our members. I look forward to meeting many more of you in the years to come, and working with you to maintain the quality of our profession and the benefit we provide to our patients.
At our reception at the recent meeting in Boston, several colleagues were remarking upon the satisfaction that we have in doing the good work that we do each day on behalf of our patients, and the greatness of internal medicine at its core. In fact, much of the work of the College will be directed towards enhancing this core and "debriding" that which obscures it: administrative and MOC burdens, dysfunctional EMRs, barriers to access for our patients, and the like. Each of these issues has multifactorial etiologies, and our leaders at ACP have done a great job of isolating the culprit factors and developing a prioritized strategy to address them.
As a result of the outstanding governance of Dr. Heather Gantzer and her predecessors, the adept management of our Executive Director Katherine Cairns, and the contributions of so many of you, our chapter is in a very strong position --- as exemplified in some of the following highlights.
Dr. Heather Gantzer elected to the ACP Board of Regents
Immediately upon completing her term as Governor on May 2, Dr. Heather Gantzer assumed her position on the Board of Regents, which is the main policy-making body for the College. Please congratulate Heather on achieving this distinctive and well-deserved honor! Although there are only a total of 25 colleagues on the Board of Regents, Minnesota is well-represented --- as Past Governor Bob Lohr is currently serving a term as well.
IM2015 Highlights
Internal Medicine 2015 was held in Boston, MA on April 30th- May 2nd with 185+ Minnesota internists and residents joining thousands of internists from across the country. Minnesota physicians were well represented among the speakers at many of the most popular talks and a team of Mayo residents competed in the Doctor's Dilemma™.
This was a celebration of ACP's Centennial Anniversary. Sixteen new Minnesota Fellows participated in the historic 100th Anniversary Convocation in Boston.
Doctors Dilemma Team
The Minnesota team performed admirably through the second round, amidst fierce competition. Team members included: Vaibhav Vaidya, Lisa Daniels, Kostas Siontis, and Brittany Siontis --- with coach Chris Aakre.
Mayo Doctors Dilemma Team compete at ACP National
Poster Winners at IM2015
An important part of the National Meeting is the presentation of posters by medical students and Resident/Fellow members. Several Minnesota medical students and Residents presented posters at the Annual Meeting. It is an honor to present a poster, this means that the presenter either won at the Minnesota Chapter Meeting or gained entry via the at-large National Abstract Competition.
This year we had three National Poster Competition winners from Minnesota and a podium presenter.
- Research: Paolo Strati, MD (Mayo) --- Renal Complications of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Monoclonal B-cell Lymphocytosis (CLL/MBL)
- Clinical Vignette: Korosh Sharain (Mayo) --- But, the ANCA is Positive!
- Med Student Clinical Vignette: Nikhil (Sunny) Patel (Mayo Med School) - Fever of Unknown Origin: Sometimes a Zebra is a Zebra.
- Dr. Jennifer Yui (Mayo) was one of ten Clinical Vignettes nationally to be selected to give a podium presentation: "Serotonin Syndrome in Single Agent Bupropion Overdose".
ACP Poster winner Sunny Patel and Dr. Issa
Korosh Sharain
Paolo Strati
Jennifer Yui
Welcome to Fellowship
ACP Internal Medicine 2015 - Convocation Recognitions
New Fellows are invited to march in at the convocation within the first two years of being elected to fellowship. ACP Fellowship adds value to your professional life. It is a mark of distinction from colleagues who recognize accomplishments and achievements over and above the practice of medicine. Fellowship honors those physicians who have made contributions to medicine, to their community, or to ACP. The photo below highlights those new Minnesota Fellows who were recognized at the 2015 Convocation.
My apologies that all Fellows did not get included in the photo below.
Convocation
New Fellows at Convocation
New Fellows of the American College of Physicians (FACP) participating in the 2015 Convocation in Boston included:
- Obafemi Ayantuga, MB, BChir PhD, FACP- Minneapolis, MN
- Anjali Bhagra, MBBS, FACP- Rochester, MN
- Robert P. Boman, MD, FACP- Duluth, MN
- Charles S. Collins, MD, FACP- Rochester, MN
- Nerissa M. Collins, MD, FACP- Rochester, MN
- Heidi M. Coplin, MD, FACP- Minneapolis, MN
- Ziad M. El-Zoghby, MD, FACP- Rochester, MN
- James R. Gregoire, MD, FACP- Rochester, MN
- Michele K. Herring, MD, FACP- Edina, MN
- Kyle P. Lehenbauer, MD, FACP- New Brighton, MN
- Gregory T. Lehman, MD, FACP- Minneapolis, MN
- Mary A. Miley, MD, FACP- Plymouth, MN
- Primepares G. Pal, MD, FACP- North Oaks, MN
- Ayesha Rashid, MBBS, FACP- Apple Valley, MN
- Rwoof A. Reshi, MD, FACP- Woodbury, MN
- Warren D. Shepard, MD, FACP- Litchfield, MN
Congratulations New Fellows!
Achieving ACP Fellowship is a mark of distinction and a milestone in a physician's career. I'm delighted that we have so many accomplished and dedicated clinicians, and am so pleased to have many advance to Fellowship. Please join me in congratulating the following new Fellows from the last six months. In addition to those recognized as new Fellows at the Convocation, the following additional new Fellows were named by ACP:
- Daniel T Groebner, MD, FACP- New Ulm, MN
- Sumedh Shrikant Hoskote, MD, FACP- Rochester, MN
- Tseganesh Selameab, MD, FACP- Minneapolis, MN
Make 2015 the year you apply for Fellowship- Fellowship is a high honor and a mark of distinction and professional achievement that is recognized by your peers and your patients. If you are now a member- become a Fellow by reviewing the web link and find which pathway to Fellowship is appropriate for your career path. Links to the requirements for advancing to Fellowship and to the application are also found on this website. In Minnesota, there are over 600 current members who are eligible for a pathway to becoming a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)
Complete your Fellowship application before Dec. 31st so that you can participate in the Convocation ceremony in Washington, D.C. at Internal Medicine 2016. If you have any questions about completing the Fellowship application feel free to email or call ACP at 800-523-1546 ext. 2709.
ACP Leadership Day
Leadership Day was held May 20th and 21st, in Washington, DC with five Minnesota internists and medical students attending. Visits to our congressmen and senators to advocate for: funding to enhance access to primary care for patients on Medicaid and Medicare; expanding graduate medical education funding and increasing the number of residency positions; and other ACP priorities were included. Minnesota was represented by five attendees including: Drs. Heather Gantzer, John Bundrick, Mark Liebow, and medical students Michael Jaeger and Jeff Theismann. Pictured below is the MN-ACP delegation with Senator Amy Klobuchar and other scenes from the meeting
Leadership Day with Senator Klobuchar
Medical Students, Theisman and Jaeger in Rep. Paulson's office
Drs. Liebow and Bundrick at Leadership Day
ACP Leadership Day
Awards
Please remember to nominate your colleagues for an award. There are many national awards as well as those listed below. The deadline is July 1 for National Awards. The entire booklet which explains requirements for each National ACP award may be found on the ACP Web site. The State/Chapter Award Nominations can be sent to Minnesota.ACP@gmail.com no later than August 1, 2015. Please include a short informational bio on the nominee and why you feel they are deserving of the award. Minnesota award nominations are accepted for:
- Laureate award- is designed to honor those Fellows and Masters of the College who have demonstrated, by their example and conduct, an abiding commitment to excellence in medical care, education, and research, and service to their community, their chapter, and the ACP. A Laureate nominee is usually a senior physician who has been a Fellow or Master of the College for at least 15-20 years and meets all other categories of eligibility.
- Community Service award- recognizes the work of members who are involved in volunteerism and community service activities. This award enables our Chapter to raise the level of awareness and promote dialogue and action in volunteerism within our state.
Annual Crawfish Boil
The annual Crawfish Boil held in Rochester on April 25th was hosted by Dr. Jamie Newman and attended by medical students of Mayo as well as Mayo internal medicine residents, faculty and the MN ACP Governor (who provided expert advice on peeling techniques). MN ACP continues to support the internal medicine interest groups at the two medical schools in Minnesota, and the IMIG groups are increasingly active in stimulating students' interest in internal medicine as a career.
Mayo IMIG Crawfish Boil
Spring Governor's Council Meeting Updates
Your Governor's Council met on May 12, 2015 in Bloomington, MN. Updates were provided by all committee chairs and by representatives from each medical school and residency program. The organization's bylaws allowed an election for four new Council members. The meeting also reviewed the objectives set out by the MN-ACP Strategic Plan. The financial report and budget for FY2016 were reviewed and approved. Membership outreach plans were discussed as was an update on national and state legislative issues. The remainder of the meeting focused on the status and additional work to be done on the fall Scientific Session program.
New Council members were welcomed at the meeting including: Drs. Paul Mueller; Tseganesh Selameab; Karen Mauck; Cory Yarke
Many thanks to those long serving Council members who ( as directed by our Bylaws) are rotating off of their Council service including: Drs. Scott Litin, Tanya Repka, Richard Adair, Charles Reznikoff, Heather Thompson, Kim Cochran, and David Williams.
Save the Dates
- I.M. on Tap meeting on Sept. 29, 2015 at 6:30pm at The Local in downtown Minneapolis- "Advocacy" will be the topic with Mark Liebow, MD, MPH, FACP leading the discussion
- ACP MN annual Scientific Session meeting Nov. 5-6, 2015, Minneapolis Convention Center
- Internal Medicine 2016 ACP meeting on May 5-7, 2016 in Washington, DC. Please plan to attend!
I.M. on Tap
Health and Public Policy Committee
By Mark Liebow, MD, MPH, FACP, and Chair of our Health and Public Policy Committee
Health care was not the main focus of Minnesota's 2015 legislative session. The session was most memorable for what didn't happen. There were attempts to abolish MinnesotaCare and MNsure, the state's health insurance exchange, but both failed despite passing the House of Representatives. A major push to make the prior authorization process for drugs more physician-friendly made progress in the Senate, but never went anywhere in the House. The Legislature passed and Governor Dayton signed a bill joining an interstate compact that should make it easier for physicians licensed in Minnesota to get licenses in other states in the compact. MinnesotaCare members will have to pay a larger share of their costs. Enrollment through MNsure in the 2014-15 open enrollment was over 250,000, but 75% of enrollees were in Medicaid or MinnesotaCare. Since the exchange is financed by a 3.5% tax on private policies, it may be facing budget problems once transitional Federal funding is gone. The Legislature passed a law setting up a 29 member task force to review the state's health care situation, but it has to report next January, so there won't be much time to deliberate.
There is much bigger news at the Federal level. After 18 years and many short-term patches, the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula was repealed. This took away the threat of a 21% cut in Medicare fees. Instead, there will be a 0.5% annual increase in Medicare fees (which is still less than inflation) for five years followed by no increase for five years. The current quality incentives Medicare uses will be phased out over the next three years. For physicians who choose fee-for-service payments there will be new, yet to be developed programs which can increase and decrease fees somewhat. There will be more incentives for physicians who are in Primary Care Medical Homes or willing to take risk with Medicare payments (e.g. in an ACO). Unfortunately, the program that raised Medicaid fees for primary care services performed by primary care physicians to Medicare levels went away and is not likely to come back. Even worse, the five year program bumping up Medicare fees 10% for primary care services is due to go away at the end of the year and is unlikely to be renewed. These were both created in the Affordable Care Act, which makes them unacceptable to a Republican Congress. This means much of the cut averted by repeal of the SGR will occur anyway because of the expiration of these programs.
Early Career Physicians
The Early Career Physicians Group (formerly the Young Physicians), met for "Internal Medicine on Tap" at The Local in Minneapolis on April 14th with Dr. Bill Spinelli leading an animated round-table discussion on the crucial topic of burnout and work/life balance.
ACP's official definition of an "early career physician" is a physician who has graduated from medical school within the last 16 years AND who is not currently in residency or subspecialty fellowship training
Any questions or suggestions, please contact the Early Career Physicians Chairwoman, Amy Holbrook, MD.
Join ACP's Special Interest Groups!
ACP's Special Interest Groups provide members with opportunities to engage in discussions online, share ideas, and support one another professionally and personally.
Participate by joining as many groups as you would like, then connect with ACP members from all over the world with similar interests. Groups include:
- ACOs/New practice models
- African American Members
- Caring for Adults with Developmental Disability
- Clinical Problem-solving
- Clinical Research
- Emerging Technologies
- High Value Care
- Hospital Medicine
- LGBT Health
- Maintenance of Certification
- Medical Students
- MKSAP
- Perioperative medicine
- Physician educators
- Re-entry Physicians
- Sex- and Gender-specific medicine
- Small practices
- Volunteerism
- Women in Medicine
- Work/Life Balance
- Working Abroad
Join today. Interested in a topic not listed? Contact ACP to ask about forming a new group.
Save the Date: ACP Minnesota Chapter Annual Scientific Meeting: November 5-6, 2015
The 2015 Minnesota Annual Meeting will take place on November 5-6, 2015 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN. Precourses on November 5th will offer training on Medical Marijuana, Point-of-Care Ultrasound, and ABIM SEP modules for MOC credit. We will again be offering tracks for both Outpatient and Hospital Medicine. We have planned our scientific sessions to provide another great experience for all. Watch for the registration and program materials in July.
How can we better serve you? Please contact me with questions or thoughts on how the MN-ACP can serve you.
John B. Bundrick, MD, FACP Governor, MN-ACP