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Clinician's Advocate
Winter 2007 Newsletter | |
| President's Message |
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A number of years ago I brought my family to the Epcot Center at Disneyworld. Before walking into the exhibit called "The Land" I encountered a sign that said;" I may be only one person, but I can be one person that makes a difference."
Read more ... |
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DowdenHealth Becomes First 2008 Corporate Sponsor |
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DowdenHealth has become an official ACC corporate sponsor starting immediately. You may note that their link for APCToday has been on our website but in addition to
APCToday they publish Retail Healthcare, Contemporary surgery, The Journal of Family Practice, Current Psychiatry and OBG Management. Their philosophy of support with the Retail Health Industry dovetails with that of the ACC and their informative website APCToday has been a real plus to many of our members. Visit them and tell them "the ACC sent you."
Bob Blumm, President, ACC
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| ACC Spends a Very Busy Few Months |
| The ACC has spent a very productive few months. Much of it surrounds public and professional education as well as advocacy for the PA and NP professions. We have had articles published, responded to medical societies attacking NPs and PAs regarding our role in the retail clinics, issued a position statement on the title APC, put together an active membership committee, exhibited at a number of NP and PA meetings, have been interviewed by the XM Station Reach MD and had a manuscript accepted for publication. Read below for much of this information and much more. |
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ACC BOD MEETS IN MANHATTAN |
The ACC BOD met during the NPACE meeting in November where many of the ACC officers were speaking. Much of the work you see in this newsletter was approved including the APC Position Statement, the DTC campaigns, formation of a membership committee and a possible new conference in 2009. Also new membership levels were approved for Hospital University Support of the ACC, Pharmaceutical Company Support and Local/Regional NP/PA Group membership. For more information on these categories and forms please access our web site.
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President's Message |
 Robert Blumm MA, RPA-C
A number of years ago I brought my family to the Epcot Center at Disneyworld. Before walking into the exhibit called "The Land" I encountered a sign that said;" I may be only one person, but I can be one person that makes a difference." Isn't that what it's really all about, making a difference? As I look at the members of the ACC I feel warm inside because these members are NP's and PA's that really believe that they can make a difference. Perhaps this is why they joined the ACC; we promised them a forum where they too can be involved in changing things. As you read this newsletter you will note that there has been a real change in some of the landscape. Read Dave Mittman's article and you will see the accomplishments of the ACC this year. Have you been a part of that change? If not, we invite you to become involved.
As we consider the destiny of the NP and PA professions we need to be reminded that "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice" We can coast through life and through or careers and let things happen or we can influence them. Which would you rather do? Once again, that's the spirit of an ACC member. Our membership is made up of professional clinicians who are not satisfied with the status quo. They are not complacent when they read ad's that say, "Only Your Doctor Can Prescribe" or "Ask Your Doctor." It's not a crime to ask your doctor but we do not embrace those words. We embrace "ask your healthcare provider" because it's inclusive and does not keep our professions invisible. When we read the " Only Your Doctor Can Prescribe" ad; we tend to be a bit upset because this represents a lie. What kind of ad bluntly lies about a concept like writing a prescription and seemingly receives a blind eye from the FDA? Apparently, this kind of ad is under the radar or else people and officials just don't give a damn!
Yes, we have an organization that is zealous in its pursuit of the truth. Are we radical? I don't think so; we're just standing on the sentry posts and observing the landscape for all advanced practice clinicians. This is our function to watch, sound an alarm, sound a call to action and try to change our destiny. How about you? Are you content in sitting in your rocking chair or would you like to engage in some of the activities that we call advocating for the professions. We need your help and your support. I support 14 different associations because they need my dues to accomplish their goals. Why not add us to, or keep us, on your list as we don't fall asleep at the sentry post; we're alert and reactive. We want to continue to make a difference!
Warmly,
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Robert M. Blumm Receives National Recognition as AAPA Distinguished Fellow |
| Distinguished Fellow Program Salutes Him for Going "Above and Beyond" In Service to Community and the Profession
(Alexandria, VA) -
Robert M. Blumm from Amityville, N.Y. has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. He practices Surgery at New Island Hospital, Southside Hospital and Good Samaritan Medical Center and has been a physician assistant (PA) for 38 years. He is employed by Gerald A. Acker, M.D. and has worked with Dr. Acker, a LI Plastic Surgeon for the past 36 years.
Read more... |
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ACC Article Published In The Well Read Tabloid, NURSING SPECTRUM |
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ACC Answers Physician Organizations in Baltimore Sun and San Diego Tribune |
| The ACC will continue to respond to the critical "spin" where a representative of organized medicine states
publicly that PA or NP care may be less than optimal or that "they may miss something" which is a common thread. We are responding, and more importantly getting our letters published all around the US. We will continue to represent you in this way whenever we see this spin rearing it's head. We have also spoken to two physician leaders who have been quoted saying things about NP and PA care we were less than impressed with, one in New York State and one in Indiana. Both physicians were educated and agreed to take a different approach when speaking about APCs!
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ACCs DTC Campaign In Full Swing |
The ACC has done much work to rid the airways of the "ONLY YOUR DOCTOR CAN DIAGNOSE AND PRESCRIBE" direct to consumer ads on a number of different levels. We instituted a letter to the President of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals campaign and asked people to sign our letter at three NP or PA meetings recently attended. In all, we sent Pfizer 200 letters signed by PAs or NPs asking Pfizer to not continue to use the physician centered language they routinely use in their DTC commercials. The ACC has been contacted by Pfizer and is currently in negotiations regarding this issue.
We also have been in contact with GlaxoSmithKline regarding their advertising, especially their Avodart ad which states that "Only your doctor can diagnose BPH...". They have agreed that they understand how this ad could be upsetting to PAs and NPs but have not yet agreed to stop giving patients across the USA this message. We hope to get them to agree to stop saying this as well as the routine "see your doctor" many times in their ads. Negotiations are ongoing. If you would mention the Avodart ad to your GSK representative and ask them to speak to the people at their home office about it, this could really help.
ACC President-Elect Elayne De Simone and Secretary
Dave Mittman had an article published in the December issue of DTC PERSPECTIVES MAGAZINE, the premier magazine for DTC advertising executives. This article will review the "ONLY YOUR DOCTOR" problem from the APCs view and suggest ways to solve it.
PLEASE COMPLETE OUR SURVEY.
The ACC also has collected a survey at a number of conferences to explicitly measure the "ATTITUDES AND EFFECTS OF DTC ADVERTISING ON THE NP and PA PROFESSIONS. Once tabulated and analyzed, this information will be written up and published in one of the APC read journals and widely circulated for distribution.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS SURVEY AND WE ASK THAT YOU DO, please go to this link and complete the survey.
Last But Not Least.....................
Ambien-CR has produced a new set of commercials and print ads that only say "ASK YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL" OR "PRESCRIBER".
The ACC did have an email campaign to their site asking them to change prior wording and whether it was from us or other factors they have made their ads "provider
neutral". We ask you to contact your Ambien-CR representative or Sanofi-Aventis by clicking here and let them know you noticed the changes in their ads. |
| Press Release December 12, 2007 |
| Agreement on the "Only Your Doctor" Avodart DTC Advertising
The American College of Clinicians (ACC) is pleased to announce a breakthrough in its advocative work for NPs and PAs regarding the customary language used in DTC advertising. The issue concerned phrases that suggest that "doctors" are the only clinicians who prescribe or the only professionals who are allowed to diagnose and treat most illnesses. A high majority of our members felt that these phrases were inaccurate and are commonly used by many different companies in their DTC campaigns.
As a result of ongoing talks between the ACC and GlaxoSmithKline, the Avodart commercial that states "Only your doctor can determine whether your symptoms are from an enlarged prostate..." and "ask your doctor about Avodart today" will be modified with a new message that replaces doctor with healthcare provider. This new campaign is expected to to debut in April of 2008.The American College of Clinicians will continue to keep this positive dialogue going into 2008.
The ACC commends GlaxoSmithKline for this action and for listening to the concerns of the many clinicians who contacted them. We must point out that they are the first to take this position. We ask that our members and all PAs and NPs across the country who are visited by GlaxoSmithKline representatives take a minute out and thank their representatives for their company's positive reaction to, and recognition of this issue. The American College of Clinicians is a professional organization representing for both nurse practitioners and physician assistants nationwide.
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Sign Up for the Primary Care Metabolic Group! |
| The Primary Care Metabolic Group (PCMG)
has been established as an independent, educational and interactive forum for primary care clinicians interested in metabolic diseases as well as provide a focus for educational activities
Membership of the PCMG is free of charge and open to any interested primary care clinician.
We are overseen by an advisory board of noted practicing primary care clinicians who provide input and direction for our activities. Please see their names and credentials on the PCMG website.
Benefits of membership include:
· Access to the PCMG website that includes up-to-date information on diabetes management including organizational activities, medical developments, relevant article highlights and commentaries, case studies and meeting information;
· A forum where Primary Care colleagues can discuss medical issues specifically related to metabolic diseases;
· Opportunities for FREE CME;
· Possible research opportunities and
· Other activities based upon suggestions of the PCMG steering committee.
If you'd like join PCMG please register at http://www.pcmg-us.org/register
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ACC Issues A Position Statement on the term Advanced Practice Clinician or APC |
The ACC has endorsed the term Advanced Practice Clinician to be used when people need to group NPs and PAs together.
This would be used instead of the terms physician extender, non-physician providers or mid-level practitioners. While we felt that
In most circumstances, both professions should be continued to be called by our respective names, we did realize that a need for a name to describe both professions exists and thus the endorsement of APC. For more information and to read our statement see our web site www.amcollege.org. |
| ACC Membership Campaign To Debut In Clinician Reviews |
 January you will see the debut of a new format for
Clinician Reviews Journal. It has been designed as a clinical/non-clinical news tabloid that it's publisher feels serves the needs of it's PA and NP readership in a new and exciting way. It will also be the debut of the ACCs membership ads which will help more NPs and PAs realize we are an organization they may want to join. The ads are designed to direct them to our
web site for much more updated information.
January you will see the debut of a new format for Clinician Reviews Journal. It has been designed as a clinical/non-clinical news tabloid that it's publisher feels serves the needs of it's PA and NP readership in a new and exciting way. It will also be the debut of the ACCs membership ads which will help more NPs and PAs realize we are an organization they may want to join. The ads are designed to direct them to our web site for much more updated information. |
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MORE APC NEWS |
| The publishers of the PDR have come out with a new edition titled 'PDR FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS"-"exclusively for NPs, PAs, and others. Not sure why we would need our own edition but glad they used the name we endorsed for our professions. |
| ACC ACTIVITIES 2007 |
Introduced a patient education brochure highlighting PAs and NPs that has been met with excellent reviews.
Written to numerous publications and had letters published in newspapers defending NPs and PAs when attacked by organized medicine. These attacks have intensified in the press as a result of the Retail Clinics.
Corresponded in writing and spoken with numerous medical society officials to educate them that their NP and PA attacks hurt ALL professionals trying to provide care. The results have been very positive.
Educated officers of 2 state medical societies about why NPs and PAs are true partners in healthcare.
Released with a white sheet regarding NPs and PAs and the retail clinic movement.
Released a white sheet on the use of returning military medics and RNs from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ACC urged PA and NP programs to recruit these professionals and leave some spaces open for these people..
Met with officials from the National Board of Medical Examiners.
Scheduled to publish an article highlighting PAs and NPs in DTC PERSPECTIVES in December regarding the "only your doctor can prescribe" problem. DTC PRESPECTIVES is the number one read magazine for DTC marketers.
An article on PAs and NPs working together and how the the ACC began has been published in NURSING SPECTRUM magazine for publication soon.
Changed our management services company to one we feel will provide more services for less money.
Exhibited and educated NPs and PAs at a number of professional meetings.
Contacted all presidential candidates and asked them to send us their platforms on healthcare. Specifically asked about their endorsement of the future use of NPs and PAs.
And much more. . . . .  |
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ACC BOD MEMBER GERRY KEENAN MEETS TRAUMA VICTIMS, SPEAKS |
 ACC Founding Board Member
Gerry Keenan PA-C, MMS met with Acting Surgeon General of the ARMY this past August during the National San Antonio Trauma Symposium. The Generals Keynote address presented to attendees from all over the country and many foreign nations encouraged civilian and service personnel to seek as much training as they could to be prepared for the trauma that the Global War on Terror presents daily throughout the world. During her address in response to a question from Keenan, she affirmed her willingness to explore the participation of civilians in Army training that currently does not include civilian PA's and NP's. During an informal meeting with Keenan after the address she affirmed her willingness to explore the inclusion and encouraged communication with her directly. Keenan is following up on that invitation on behalf of advanced practice clinician's through out the US and particularly those who are ACC members. |
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ReachMD XM Radio Channel 157 now available free online to ACC members |
 For a limited time, as a special benefit of your ACC membership, you can get free access to ReachMD XM radio channel 157, the only 24/7 radio channel created by physicians with programming and medical education for medical professionals. This six-month free access to ReachMD XM 157 is a $23.99 value. This access will give you the ability to listen to this outstanding medical content live, online on your home or office computer. Listen live or download Lisa D'Andrea, PA interviewing Dave Mittman, PA about the American College of Clinicians.
This innovative radio channel for medical professionals debuted in the spring of 2007 on the XM satellite network and is truly one of kind. ReachMD XM 157 offers breaking medical news, roundtable discussions, medical education and other unique programming 24 hours a day. The channel also includes topics on practice issues for advanced practice clinicians, as well as highlighting the PA and NP professions.
Its simple to redeem your free APC member benefit a $23.99 value:
-Go to
www.reachmd.com
-Click on the 'Redeem Promotion Code'
-Enter the code: APC
-Press SUBMIT
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First Doctorate PA Degree Approved |
| Baylor regents also approved the doctor of science physician assistant (DScPA) emergency medicine residency, a new joint U.S. Army/Baylor degree to be completed at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. The new doctoral program will provide Army physician assistants with an opportunity to develop advanced competencies in emergency medicine, while they participate in evidence-based clinical management of critical illnesses and injuries. |
| NPs in Illinois To Prescribe Controlled Substances |
Congrats to the IL NPs 
Nurse practitioners may prescribe some drugs in Illinois
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=health&id=5692816_ |
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FDA mulls behind-the-counter drug category |
The FDA said it may create a new "behind-the-counter" (BTC) category of drugs made available at drugstores to patients without a prescription, but only after consultation with a pharmacist.
The agency will hold a public meeting to hear feedback about on the BTC concept on Nov. 14. The purpose of the meeting is to solicit information and views on specific issues associated with BTC availability.
There are currently only a few drugs available BTC in the US - one is Barr's Plan B birth control drug. |
| U.K. hospitals issue doctors' dress code |
 British hospitals are banning neckties, long sleeves and jewelry for doctors - and their traditional white coats - in an effort to stop the spread of deadly hospital-borne infections, according to new rules published Monday.
Hospital dress codes typically urge doctors to look professional, which, for male practitioners, has usually meant wearing a tie. But as concern over hospital-borne infections has intensified, doctors are taking a closer look at their clothing.
"Ties are rarely laundered but worn daily," the Department of Health said in a statement. "They perform no beneficial function in patient care and have been shown to be colonized by pathogens." The new regulations taking effect next year mean an end to doctors' traditional long-sleeved white coats, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said. Fake nails, jewelry and watches, which the department warned could harbor germs, are also out.Johnson said the "bare below the elbows" dress code would help prevent the spread of MRSA, the deadly bacteria resistant to nearly every available antibiotic. |
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New Physician Assistant Programs in the UK |
| - The University of Wolverhampton, University of Birmingham, Warwick Medical School and Coventry University have advertised for their new PA Programme to start in January 2008. Further information about the programme is available at the University of Wolverhampton and University of Birmingham websites.
- St George's University of London announces their new Physician Assistant Programme and are now accepting applications from prospective students. They are also presently accepting applications for the programme director and we have details about the job description and advert for the post. Applications may be found on their website at www.sgul.ac.uk (follow the links to Working at St George's). The application may be filled out using Word and emailed to them after completion or posted by mail to the address on the application. |
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PRILOSEC SAMPLES AVAILABLE |
for NPs and PAs
P&G has announced the availability of free Prilosec OTC samples for PAs and NPs in practice. To receive the samples for distribution to patients, contact the Prilosec OTC sample hotline at (800) 766-0495. Samples take two to three weeks to ship.
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Study: |
| Youth bipolar diagnoses on the rise: Bipolar diagnoses in children and adolescents have risen fortyfold since 1994, a new study shows. The lead researcher said the increase is a result of underdiagnosis in the past but also could indicate that physicians are incorrectly attributing behavior problems to bipolar disorder. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (9/4) |
| Patient Education Site |
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One of our members posted this very good site as an excellent orthopedics patient education resource. We pass it on for your review
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Researchers Estimate About 9% of U.S. Children Age 8 to 15 Meet Criteria for Having ADHD |
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An estimated 8.7 percent of U.S. children age 8 to 15 meet diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but fewer than half receive treatment, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
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HELP FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP PAYING FOR THEIR MEDICATIONS |
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These are numbers that people can call to get help with their prescriptions if they have no insurance:
Connection To Care: 1.800.707.8990
Bridge To Access: 1.866.728.4368
Partnership For Prescription Assistance: 1.888.477.2669
A Link To WalMart's List of $4.00 Generics
http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf |
| American College of Clinicians |
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209 West Central Street, Suite 228
Natick, MA 01760
866-338-9222
Cathy Nerbetski
Membership Manager
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