Join Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group
The Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group-USA is open to anyone who cares for individuals with Down syndrome, including pediatricians, residents, fellows, trainees and students.
The group is committed to promoting quality health care and wellness to individuals with Down syndrome across the lifespan by educating professionals on the latest research, facilitating networking among health care providers, supporting development of Down syndrome clinics, and identifying and disseminating best practices of care.
The group’s board of directors includes AAP members and is led by President Nancy Roizen, M.D., FAAP. Membership includes access to a group email list and a discounted rate to the annual meeting. The 2018 meeting is July 13 in Dallas. Visit https://www.dsmig-usa.org/.
Early hearing detection initiatives
The AAP Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program is collecting innovative and promising practices within the context of the family-centered medical home model. Examples include projects intended to improve communications between providers; enhance collaborative work among state EHDI stakeholders; ensure ongoing engagement of families; streamline process of results conversations and documentation; assess risk factors; strengthen referral and tracking processes; and improve outcomes from quality improvement projects.
All EHDI stakeholders are eligible to apply, including clinicians, practices, family organizations, community-based organizations and state agencies. Applications are reviewed by a multidisciplinary workgroup. Innovative and promising practices that are selected will be featured on the http://aap.org/EHDI web page and other EHDI communications. Apply online, or email sring@aap.org for an application. (See related article on page 3.)
Use toolkit, earn MOC credit
Are you interested in implementing a family engagement quality improvement project in your medical home practice or within a multisite learning collaborative? How about earning Maintenance of Certification credit while you learn how to do it?
A web-based toolkit from the National Center for Medical Home Implementation offers free, customizable resources, including Institutional Review Board applications, quality improvement change package, data collection instruments and lessons learned tip sheet. Visit http://bit.ly/2i2OnYn.
Coding webinar: modifiers
Don’t misplace your coding modifiers. Learn about common modifiers and mistakes during the webinar “Putting Modifiers to Proper Use.”
Linda Parsi, M.D., FAAP, hosts the hour-long webinar, which also covers examples of appropriate use, explains how payers’ edit systems affect the use of modifiers and how you are paid, and shows how to navigate the National Correct Coding Initiative edit system. Continuing medical education credit is available for the archived event. Visit http://bit.ly/2y287WO.
Shop AAP
New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding, edited by Joan Younger Meek, M.D., M.S., FAAP, provides information on rooming-in; sudden infant death syndrome; pumping and milk storage; nutrition for nursing mothers; routines and return to work; and the father’s role and postpartum support network (CB0105; members: $14), https://shop.aap.org/new-mothers-guide-to-breastfeeding-3rd-edition-paperback/
Resident curriculum on bioethics
Bioethics Resident Curriculum: Case-Based Teaching Guides from the AAP Section on Bioethics is an online curriculum for residency and training programs. The free guide includes 20 modules designed to help pediatric faculty ensure that trainees are educated in basic competencies of bioethics.
Among topics are conflict of interest; international health; malpractice and disclosure of errors; maternal-fetal conflict; and objection to care. Visit http://bit.ly/2hBgvlN.
Apply for media visiting professorship
The AAP Council on Communications and Media invites hospitals and institutions to submit applications by Jan. 2 to host a media visiting professorship.
The council will provide a pediatric media expert to serve as the visiting professor and pay the expert’s honorarium, travel, lodging and meal expenses for up to two days. Visits must take place by June 30, 2018.
Each year, the council supports institutions or hospitals in hosting a one- to two-day visiting professorship to offer lectures, seminars or rounds on the effects of media on children and adolescents. Preference is given to institutions that can supply an audience of pediatricians, pediatric residents and medical students and can link with the community to include a presentation or webinar to parents and/or teachers.
Information and an online application can be found at http://bit.ly/2hlQUP0. Email questions to cocm@aap.org.
Call for nominations
The AAP Council on Communications and Media is calling for nominations for the 2018 Holroyd-Sherry Award. Submission deadline is March 12, 2018.
The Academy will recognize one Fellow whose outstanding contributions have demonstrated that media’s influence on child and adolescent health is an important public health issue, and whose work in the areas of advocacy, legislation, research, or professional or public education addresses and/or suggests solutions to the health implications raised by child and adolescent use of media.
The award is named for H. James Holroyd, M.D., FAAP, and S. Norman Sherry, M.D., FAAP, whose leadership in the medical profession has called attention to the powerful influence mass media have on the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
To access nomination materials, visit http://bit.ly/1IQ7sSo. For information, contact Deandra Galarde, in the AAP Department of Public Affairs, at 847-434-4000 or cocm@aap.org.
Campaign calendar
- National Influenza Vaccination Week, Dec. 3-9: Access posters, patient handouts and a comic for children about influenza at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/toolkit/index.htm. Follow #FluStory on Twitter on Dec. 6.
- Universal Health Coverage Day, Dec. 12: Show support for health care for everyone worldwide. Follow #healthforall on Twitter. The day also reminds families to get covered for 2018 before the open enrollment deadline on Dec. 15 at http://healthcare.gov.
- Infantile Spasms Awareness Week, Dec. 1-7: Find resources from the Infantile Spasms Action Network, http://www.childneurologyfoundation.org/programs/infantilespasms/
- Holiday Safety Month: Check the AAP YouTube Channel for videos to share or air in your office. Benjamin Hoffman, M.D., FAAP, talks about holiday hazards at http://bit.ly/AAPvideos. Follow @AmerAcadPeds on Twitter for shareable AAP holiday safety infographics throughout December.
Implement telehealth visits
Interested in implementing telehealth visits into your practice? Use the AAP Section on Telehealth Compendium, http://bit.ly/2A3rHhZ, a free comprehensive technical resource guide to incorporate these services.
Start offering patient visits, learn to code for telehealth services, and track and ensure quality. The AAP Telehealth Compendium also includes template documents and a new searchable directory of telehealth programs.
Join the Section on Telehealth to learn more. Visit http://bit.ly/1UsGE45. Membership for medical students is free.
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