AAD Announces 2008 Officers
The American Academy of Dermatology has a new president-elect for 2008: Dr. David M. Pariser, a professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. Dr. Pariser has served as AAD Secretary-Treasurer and as president of the Virginia Dermatological Society. He will take on his new role in February 2008; at the same time, Dr. Evan R. Farmer will join him as vice president-elect. Dr. Farmer is a professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and a clinical professor of dermatology and pathology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. Results of the AAD election were announced in early April. Four new board members were elected also: Dr. Lisa A. Garner, Dr. David J. Goldberg, Dr. Victor J. Marks, and Dr. Elise A. Olsen.
Botox Top Procedure Again
Echoing recently released 2006 survey data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) reported that Botox was the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure performed by its members last year. Approximately 118 board-certified members responded to the survey, stating that they performed an average 384 Botox procedures each during the last year. Eighty-one percent of nonsurgical procedures were performed on women, with microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and hyaluronic acid injections following Botox in popularity. For men, the most popular procedure was microdermabrasion, and that was followed by Botox, hair transplants, chemical peels, and hyaluronic acid injections.
ASDS Report on Tissue Tightening
In an attempt to distill the latest data available, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery has issued a technology report on radiofrequency and laser-based technologies to tighten tissue. The report outlines suitable candidates for the procedure and its contraindications, and describes the devices available. It concludes that "clinical results can be variable" for the procedure, and that "immediate collagen tightening and long-term thermal collagen remodeling appear to be the primary mechanisms of action." The report is available at
CMS Extends NPI Deadline…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is giving physicians and other entities (except small health plans) an extra year to acquire and start using National Provider Identifiers. The deadline to be in compliance was May 23, but now, "covered entities that have been making a good faith effort to comply with the NPI provisions may, for up to 12 months, implement contingency plans that could include accepting legacy provider numbers on HIPAA transactions in order to maintain operations and cash flows," said CMS Acting Administrator Leslie Norwalk in a statement. CMS decided to extend the deadline "after it became apparent that many covered entities would not be able to fully comply with the NPI standard" by the original deadline, Ms. Norwalk said. The new compliance guideline is available on the agency's Web site and explains what is considered a "good faith effort" to comply.
And Form CMS-1500 Deadline
CMS also has extended the deadline for filing Medicare claims using its new version of claims form CMS-1500, because of formatting errors on the revised form, the agency announced. The original deadline for switching to the new form, known as CMS-1500 (0805) was April 2. But CMS said in March that contractors have been directed to continue to accept the old form until the agency notifies them to stop. In addition, the agency advised physicians who must use the form to use legacy provider numbers, as the form cannot accommodate an NPI number.
Changing MD Demographics
A major demographic shift is underway in medicine as female physicians become more numerous, and this trend will influence the way medical groups recruit and retain physicians throughout their career cycles, according to the 2006 Retention Survey from the American Medical Group Association and Cejka Search, an executive search organization. In 2006, female physicians accounted for 35% of physicians employed in the medical groups responding to the survey, compared with 28% in the previous survey. The study revealed that factors such as "poor cultural fit" and family issues are the driving forces in physician turnover. Part-time and flexible work options also are growing in importance, the survey found.