October 2000 • Post-Assembly Edition • Dallas
Congress of Delegates tackles hassles
The Congress of Delegates tackled many of medicine's hassles and came up with some help. For example:
Economic credentialing. The Iowa chapter submitted a resolution on privilege problems in hospital systems in the throes of competition. Some physicians may no longer serve on the staffs of both large systems in Cleveland, but are being granted privileges and medical staff membership in only one system.
"It's major war," said Jeffrey Bachtel, M.D., of Tallmadge, Ohio, treasurer of the Ohio AFP. "Each hospital system is forcing physicians not to practice in the other system."
In response to this problem, delegates insisted credentialing must be based on training, experience and competence, and they opposed any form of economic credentialing.
Office inspections. During debate, delegates objected to inspections that are time-consuming, costly and lacking basis in scientific evidence. "Get all of these people out of our offices until they can prove they're doing good for our patients," said delegate Richard Hays, M.D., of Lake Worth, Fla. Another delegate said that facilities must be inspected to be accredited.
The Congress asked the AAFP to work with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations to produce reasonable, evidence-based guidelines for inspections.
Reimbursement. Delegates discussed reimbursement problems in managed care organizations. A short list: improperly bundling packages of separately defined services, downcoding accurately coded services and disallowing covered services coded correctly.
The Congress asked the AAFP to develop partnerships with other primary care societies and MCOs to promote reimbursement fairness and coding accuracy and to prevent unfair, inconsistent payment practices.
Disappearing dentists. "It's difficult to get hold of a dentist after 2 p.m. on Friday or Wednesday or on weekends, and some dentists say 'Call your family doctor for pain medicine,'" said delegate Timothy Tobolic, M.D., of Byron Center, Mich.
The Congress considered patients' difficulties reaching some dentists and said the Academy should work with the American Dental Association about provision of after-hours dental care.
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2000 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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