Indiana-ACC Newsletter, November 2017
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Raymond E. Dusman, MD, FACC
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Dear Indiana-ACC Colleague,
This November, please help your ACC improve the prior authorization process by expanding the current collection of prior authorization request data. ACC members and their staff are encouraged to submit all prior authorization denial information into
ACC's PARTool for the full month of November. Robust data collection is the first step in identifying trends of inappropriate denials and exhaustive administrative burdens.
Indiana-ACC Past President Dr. Edward T.A. Fry said,
"Nurses and Pre-Cert/PA staff who are on the front lines of the Pre-Authorization process can be the 'champions' to remind and encourage us to submit 100% of our PA requests. The payers and RBM's are well aware of the power of numbers and scoff at anecdotes, as egregious as they may be. Engaging everyone involved with the process will amplify our voice. Many hands make light work." You can
read more about how ACC is tackling prior authorization here.
Here are some Q&A that may be helpful for you:
What does PARTool stand for and where can I access it?
PARTool is ACC’s web-based digital prior authorization tool located at
ACC.org/PARTool.
Why was the PARTool created?
In the field of cardiology, pre-authorization is a daily issue, and the ACC has long been a leader in efforts to find a solution that balances the needs of physicians and their patients with those of health plans. The PARTool was created as an outgrowth of an ACC Workgroup that was formed to define issues and create process with achievable goals around prior authorization to address insurance denial, test substitution and appropriate use criteria (AUC). The ultimate goal of the tool is to improve the prior authorization process.
What does the PARTool do?
The PARTool collects data to help the College determine overall prior authorization and test substitution trends, and better understand problematic areas of the prior authorization process, including time burdens, test substitution and peer-to-peer reviews.
How does the PARTool work?
The PARTool was designed to make reporting issues both simple and self-explanatory. First, log on to
ACC.org/PARTool. You will be invited to submit a 12-question form with information on incorrectly denied or difficult prior authorization requests. Please note that the form is NOT collecting patient specific data.
How will the data be used?
Staff will review submitted data monthly for potential trends. The ACC intends to use these data trends to engage with insurers, prior authorization vendors, state legislators and insurance officials to reduce the burden of prior authorization. Engagement aims to reduce member burden with prior authorization, and returning attention to direct patient interaction.
I have questions about the tool – or suggestions for how to improve the tool. Whom do I contact?
Thanks for using the tool! Please contact Henry McCants at hmccants@acc.org who will help triage your question, comment or suggestion.
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Indiana-ACC Career Achievement Award
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I am pleased to announce that
Eric S. Williams, MD, MACC
, is the winner of the
2017 Indiana-ACC Career Achievement Award
.
The Indiana-ACC Career Achievement Award recognizes an Indiana-ACC member, who has practiced for 25+ years, for his/her contributions to cardiology in Indiana and support of the Chapter. Congratulations to Dr. Williams!
Contact Us
If Gwen Goldfarb, our chapter executive, or I can be of assistance to you,
please let us know
.
Sincerely,
Ray
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Dr. Donald Westerhausen Elected
Indiana-ACC Governor/President
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Donald R. Westerhausen, MD, FACC, medical director for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Heart Failure Clinic, and Anticoagulation Clinic at Elkhart General Hospital in Elkhart, Indiana, was recently elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) as the ACC Governor for Indiana. Dr. Westerhausen's term as Governor-Elect will begin March 2018. He will concurrently serve as the President-Elect of the Indiana Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. He will become Governor/President in March 2019.
In his position as a member of the Board of Governors, Dr. Westerhausen will join other elected Governors from across the country to facilitate communication between College leaders and their members in the state they represent. Dr. Westerhausen will provide input from the Indiana cardiology community to the College on issues related to legislative and regulatory concerns, practice needs, and needs to help members improve patient care.
As the Indiana Chapter President, he will also serve as the voice of the Indiana cardiology community when advising local and state government officials, media and other professional organizations on issues related to cardiovascular disease. Dr. Westerhausen will also work with the Indiana Chapter members to provide education, quality improvement activities, and avenues to influence legislative and regulatory issues affecting the practice of cardiology and quality patient care.
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Constance Adams, MS, RN, CCNS, CCRN, Elected Indiana-ACC Cardiovascular Team Liaison
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Constance Adams has been elected as the next Indiana-ACC Cardiovascular Team Liaison. Ms. Adams has been a cardiac nurse since 1985, and advanced practice nurse since 2009, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. She is board certified as an Adult, Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS) since 2009. She has been in office-based general cardiology practice.
Since 2011, she has been involved with hospital-based program development as director of the Chest Pain Center and the Heart Failure programs. Her current role is as Clinical Quality Director for the Heart & Vascular Institute at The Methodist Hospitals, Inc., Gary and Merrillville, Indiana. She is the program coordinator for the annual Heart Failure Symposium (CME), which is presented simultaneously with a patient-focused “Living Well with Heart Failure” conference, which includes writing and managing numerous CME educational grants to fully fund the CME programs. She also oversees community outreach initiatives to promote awareness of cardiovascular health disparities for the Methodist service areas.
She has been a member of the ACC’s Cardiovascular Team (CVT) since 2011, and is on the CVT Section Communication Work Group. She is also a member of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN), and is an active member of the Patient Education committee. Constance Adams is board certified as an Adult, Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS) since 2009.
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Indiana-ACC Annual Meeting Held on 10/21/17
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The 21st Annual Meeting of the Indiana-ACC was a great event! More than 100 Indiana-ACC members joined together for a day of learning and networking. Attendees enjoyed topics ranging from MACRA to cardio-oncology to atrial fibrillation to updates on the latest cardiovascular technologies.
Our fellows in training competed in a poster competition and oral competition as did our CV team members. Congratulations to:
FIT Oral Competition 1st place –
Upasana Jarori, MD
FIT Oral Competition 2nd place –
Sanjeeb Bhattacharya, MD
FIT Case 1st place –
Panos Vardas, MD
FIT Case 2nd place –
Asim Ahmed, DO
FIT Case 3rd place tie –
Kelly Carlson, MD
FIT Case 3rd place tie –
Benjamin Maatman, MD
FIT Research 1st place –
Ashley Gutwein, MD
CV Team 1st place –
Emily Keltner
CV Team 2nd place –
Melissa Kowgitz, RN
Save the date for our 2018 meeting on October 13, 2018 at the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown Union Station.
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Save the Date!
Indiana-ACC Legislative Day
on February 27, 2018
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Mark your calendar for
Tuesday, February 27, 2018! The Indiana-ACC will head to the Statehouse in Indianapolis to carry a heart healthy message to legislators. Plan to make your voice heard on important issues like tobacco control, healthy foods, and other issues facing our patients and practices.
More details and registration information will be forthcoming.
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Encourage Your Patients to
Enter ACC’s ‘I am CardioSmart’ Contest
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ACC’s CardioSmart team is in search of four inspiring individuals who are living well with heart disease. Do you have inspiring patients who have survived a heart attack or stroke, or who are living with heart failure, atrial fibrillation or a congenital heart defect? Encourage them to take part in
ACC’s “I am CardioSmart” contest
for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card and be profiled in
Cardiology
Magazine. Stories (no longer than 500 words) must be submitted no later than Nov. 30 to
jjpierre@acc.org
. For more details and
contest rules
, go to
CardioSmart.org/IamCardioSmart.
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