
Julia M. Pillsbury, D.O., FAAP, of Dover, Del., was elected as the American Medical Association/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) Primary Care seat for a two-year term ending in 2018.
Dr. Pillsbury joins AAP colleagues already established in RUC roles: Margie C. Andreae, M.D., FAAP, AAP RUC representative, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Eileen Brewer, M.D., FAAP, AAP alternate RUC representative, of Houston; and Steven E. Krug, M.D., FAAP, AAP RUC advisor, of Chicago.
RUC is an expert panel serving to develop relative value recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for new/revised Current Procedural Terminology codes. It provides recommendations to CMS for use in annual updates to the Medicare physician fee schedule.
The RUC represents the entire medical profession, with 21 of its 31 members appointed by major national medical specialty societies, including those recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, those with a large percentage of physicians in patient care, and those that account for high percentages of Medicare expenditures. The Academy now has the greatest breadth of representation by any specialty society.
Other fellows receiving recognition
Linda H. Anz, M.D., FAAP, of Opelika, Ala., received the Paul W. Burleson Award from the Medical Association of the State of Alabama for distinguished service to physician organizations at the county, state and national levels.
Dr. Anz is a founding member of the Child Advocacy Center and practices in Opelika. She is past president of the AAP Alabama Chapter and Medical Association of the State of Alabama, has served on the Medicaid Physician Task Force and is chair of the AAP Committee on Membership.
Thomas Nakagawa, M.D., FAAP, of St. Petersburg, Fla., was named chief of the Division of Critical Care Medicine and director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Nakagawa has worked with the Organ Donation and Organ Transplantation Collaborative of the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and co-chaired the 2014 Donor Recognition and Donation Policy international working group of the Transplantation Society’s International Steering Committee for Pediatric Organ Donation.
David M. Ulin, M.D., FAAP, of Kihei, Hawaii, was named associate medical director, operations, Pacific Permanente Group and chief medical director of the Maui Health System. He will oversee the delivery operations at three hospitals, quality and safety improvements, and manage hospital and medical staff affairs.
Dr. Ulin has practiced on Maui for the past 15 years.
Howard L. Weiner, M.D., FAAP, of New York, was named chief of neurosurgery at Texas Children’s Hospital. He also serves as professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Weiner’s clinical interests are focused on medically refractory epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex, as well as brain and spinal tumors, congenital malformations, tethered cords, Chiari malformations, craniosynostosis, hydrocephalus, spina bifida and spasticity.