Update from the Board
My year as ACR president is providing an intensive learning experience, and as the months pass, the rich opportunities and rewards of rheumatology are increasingly evident. If there are two words that describe the focus of the ACR leadership and board this year, they are “engage” and “communicate.” I could not be more impressed with the enthusiasm and focus with which the volunteer committee chairs, committee members and staff are working together to proactively link the work of the College to the concerns and priorities of our members and to positively impact the actions of the agencies that influence the practice of rheumatology. The environment in which health care providers work is rapidly changing, with many of the economic factors beyond the control of ACR or any organization. But I can assure you that ACR is determined to develop and maintain an aggressive leadership position in the delivery of quality care to all of our patients with rheumatic diseases.
There were several recurring themes during the ACR Board of Directors meeting that was held on May 19-20, 2006. Those themes include:
- responding to the quality movement
- advocating for rheumatologists on important healthcare issues that will affect their practices and access of patients to quality care
- taking the lead in collaborating with outside organizations that have a stake in quality and government affairs
- continuing educational projects and initiatives that work toward ACR’s mission and top priorities
- effectively communicating the work of the College to its members.
The Board was updated on the progress of the rheumatology workforce study that will explicate the forces that affect supply and demand trends for rheumatologists and present possible ways to effect supply and demand of rheumatologists in the workforce. The study focuses on trends for both adult and pediatric rheumatologists, and the final report will be presented at the ACR’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC in November.
The ACR recognizes that a growing emphasis on physicians’ ability to demonstrate quality of care may cause some concern. We are working to develop the tools and resources to ensure that the rheumatology community is involved in the development of these changes and has the ability to benefit from any changes to the reimbursement model. There is a consensus among ACR leadership that the quality movement is a strong, sustainable movement that has the support of the government, insurers, patients and the healthcare community and will eventually have an impact on how medical care is reimbursed. The ACR’s Quality Measures Committee is organizing a stakeholders’ meeting in August to coordinate the efforts of groups involved in quality-related projects and to ensure the needs of rheumatologists are considered during the development and implementation of initiatives related to the quality movement. The ACR’s Quality Leadership Council also presented a strategic communications plan to the Board that will enable the ACR to act as the leader in quality efforts related to rheumatologic disorders.
Discussions continued on the planning for the ACR’s new controlled circulation publication, which will launch in November 2006. ACR received many applications for the editor position and each application was rigorously reviewed and scored by a selection committee made up of ACR officers, the Committee on Journal Publications chair and the communications liaison to the board. The top applicants were interviewed by the selection committee and representatives from the publisher. David Pisetsky, MD was chosen by the selection committee and approved by the board as the editor of the new publication. Dr. Pisetsky will be an outstanding editor, and the ACR is enthusiastic about Dr. Pisetsky’s innovative and insightful vision for this new publication.
The Government Affairs Committee reported that the success of the Advocates for Arthritis Conference in March led to an invitation from Senator Jon Kyl from Arizona to be involved in a discussion regarding revisions to the sustainable growth rate formula for reimbursement. ACR representatives will continue this important dialogue regarding reimbursement reform with Senator Kyl.
Increasing educational opportunities was also on the agenda for this meeting, and the ACR Board approved the plan for a fellows’ meeting prior to the 2007 Innovative Therapies Conference. The pre-meeting session will be open to both fellows and junior faculty and will be an introduction to the basic methodology of clinical research. A plan to develop a Board Recertification Exam Preparatory Course for those rheumatologists with time-limited certificates and also those who will need to demonstrate quality of care was also approved.
Two position statements were submitted by the Committee on Rheumatologic Care and approved by the board: an updated position statement on “Screening for Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy”; and a new position statement on “UV, Vitamin D and Health Key Messages Initiative.”
Both of ACR’s journals continue to be successful, and submissions to Arthritis Care & Research have significantly increased in the past few years. In order to continue to publish an appropriate number of quality scientific papers that are submitted without creating a backlog, the Board approved increasing the frequency of AC&R from six issues per year to eight issues per year.
The ACR Board approved reconstitution of a Communications & Marketing Committee with a revised structure that will facilitate better coordination of communication efforts. The Committee will be comprised of members of the ACR’s operating committees in addition to at large members and is designed to increase communication of ACR projects to membership and relevant outside organizations. The members of this committee will be selected by the Committee on Nominations & Appointments in July.
The ACR Board also listened to presentations from the ACR Research and Education Foundation, ARHP, the Arthritis Foundation and the American Medical Association.
Sincerely,
Mary K. Crow, MD
President, American College of Rheumatology
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