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ASTRO News
ASTRO News
TARG E T I NG
Complete your Annual Meeting evaluation Don’t forget to complete your Annual Meeting evaluation at http://astrocme.expotrack.net/astro2010/astroevallogin.wcs to receive your continuing education credits from the meeting. Your feedback also helps ASTRO plan the best courses. You will need your badge number to begin.
C A NC E R
C A RE
Tim R. Williams, M.D., FASTRO, addresses patient safety at Annual Meeting As part of the ASTRO 2010 Conversations series held in the Resource Center during the Annual Meeting, Tim R. Williams, M.D., FASTRO, spoke on patient safety; Target Safely, ASTRO’s six-point patient protection plan; and what physicians can do to promote patient safety in their practice. Watch the interview via ASTRO’s YouTube channel at www.astro.org/ pressroom/socialmedia.
Medicare releases proposed regulations on provider enrollment At a recent meeting with representatives from various medical specialty societies, including ASTRO, Peter Budetti, M.D., deputy administrator for program integrity at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), briefed the audience on recent changes at the CMS Office of Program Integrity. The Office of Program Integrity (i.e., fraud and abuse) has merged the Medicare and Medicaid divisions into one office. Additionally, the office is moving away from the ‘‘pay and chase’’ model to avoiding paying out inappropriate payments in the first place. He stated they are committed to engaging with the provider community and others. To read the full Web exclusive visit www.astro.org/astronews.
Brain mets brochure available on RT Answers An online exclusive brochure on radiation therapy for brain metastases is now available to view and download on www. rtanswers.org. In it, patients can learn about the signs of brain metastases, treatment options, side effects and more. Be sure to direct your patients to this helpful resource created by the ASTRO Communications Committee.
Learn more about PRO through video presentation ASTRO’s new quarterly practice journal Practical Radiation Oncology will debut its first issue in early 2011. Learn more about the types of manuscripts the editors seek and how you can get involved. Watch a short multimedia presentation by Editor-in-Chief W. Robert Lee, M.D., M.S., M.Ed., at www. practicalradonc.org.
RT Answers posters available Offer RTanswers.org as a resource for your patients and their families by ordering RT Answers posters to hang in your waiting room or consultation area. On RT Answers, patients can download or request free patient brochures and find information on radiation treatments and assistance programs for radiation therapy patients. Posters come two in a pack and are available for a $1 shipping charge. Visit www.astro.org/shop to order yours today.
2011 MPFS includes wins, losses for radiation oncology On November 2, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) put on display the CY 2011 final Medicare physician fee schedule. In this rule, CMS finalizes proposals related to Medicare physician payment as well as provisions in the recently passed health reform legislation referred to as the Affordable Care Act. This rule is open for public comment. Unless otherwise specified, the new payment rates and policies will apply to services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2011. A brief summary of the radiation oncology related provisions of the rule is available at www.astro.org/astronews.
Submit your manuscript to PRO Practical Radiation Oncology, ASTRO’s new quarterly journal, is now accepting manuscript submissions. PRO’s mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. It will be a natural complement to the Society’s primary research journal, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, as a clinical and practice journal. A print and online subscription will be included in the dues for all ASTRO Active, Allied and International members; others can subscribe online. Submit your manuscript today at www.practicalradonc. org.
For all the latest ASTRO news, visit www.astro.org.
322
TARG E T I NG
Complete your Annual Meeting evaluation Don’t forget to complete your Annual Meeting evaluation at http://astrocme.expotrack.net/astro2010/astroevallogin.wcs to receive your continuing education credits from the meeting. Your feedback also helps ASTRO plan the best courses. You will need your badge number to begin.
C A NC E R
C A RE
Tim R. Williams, M.D., FASTRO, addresses patient safety at Annual Meeting As part of the ASTRO 2010 Conversations series held in the Resource Center during the Annual Meeting, Tim R. Williams, M.D., FASTRO, spoke on patient safety; Target Safely, ASTRO’s six-point patient protection plan; and what physicians can do to promote patient safety in their practice. Watch the interview via ASTRO’s YouTube channel at www.astro.org/ pressroom/socialmedia.
Medicare releases proposed regulations on provider enrollment At a recent meeting with representatives from various medical specialty societies, including ASTRO, Peter Budetti, M.D., deputy administrator for program integrity at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), briefed the audience on recent changes at the CMS Office of Program Integrity. The Office of Program Integrity (i.e., fraud and abuse) has merged the Medicare and Medicaid divisions into one office. Additionally, the office is moving away from the ‘‘pay and chase’’ model to avoiding paying out inappropriate payments in the first place. He stated they are committed to engaging with the provider community and others. To read the full Web exclusive visit www.astro.org/astronews.
Brain mets brochure available on RT Answers An online exclusive brochure on radiation therapy for brain metastases is now available to view and download on www. rtanswers.org. In it, patients can learn about the signs of brain metastases, treatment options, side effects and more. Be sure to direct your patients to this helpful resource created by the ASTRO Communications Committee.
Learn more about PRO through video presentation ASTRO’s new quarterly practice journal Practical Radiation Oncology will debut its first issue in early 2011. Learn more about the types of manuscripts the editors seek and how you can get involved. Watch a short multimedia presentation by Editor-in-Chief W. Robert Lee, M.D., M.S., M.Ed., at www. practicalradonc.org.
RT Answers posters available Offer RTanswers.org as a resource for your patients and their families by ordering RT Answers posters to hang in your waiting room or consultation area. On RT Answers, patients can download or request free patient brochures and find information on radiation treatments and assistance programs for radiation therapy patients. Posters come two in a pack and are available for a $1 shipping charge. Visit www.astro.org/shop to order yours today.
2011 MPFS includes wins, losses for radiation oncology On November 2, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) put on display the CY 2011 final Medicare physician fee schedule. In this rule, CMS finalizes proposals related to Medicare physician payment as well as provisions in the recently passed health reform legislation referred to as the Affordable Care Act. This rule is open for public comment. Unless otherwise specified, the new payment rates and policies will apply to services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2011. A brief summary of the radiation oncology related provisions of the rule is available at www.astro.org/astronews.
Submit your manuscript to PRO Practical Radiation Oncology, ASTRO’s new quarterly journal, is now accepting manuscript submissions. PRO’s mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. It will be a natural complement to the Society’s primary research journal, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, as a clinical and practice journal. A print and online subscription will be included in the dues for all ASTRO Active, Allied and International members; others can subscribe online. Submit your manuscript today at www.practicalradonc. org.
For all the latest ASTRO news, visit www.astro.org.
322