Early bird registration for the 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit in Fort Worth, Texas, September 26-29, 2021 has been extended to June 18th! Be sure to register by then to save up to $100 on this can’t miss conference. You can also register for EDPMA’s upcoming webinars on June 29th and July 21st and learn more about our 2021 Solutions Summit sponsorship offerings. You can also read about our recent staffing updates. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the December 8-9 EDPMA Workshop in Las Vegas. Also, view our new member spotlight and read the latest CMS announcement on an upcoming town hall.
Don’t Miss Out on Upcoming EDPMA Webinars!
EDPMA will be hosting two upcoming webinars. The first will be “Precision Demand Capacity Management – Adapting to our New Reality” presented by Dr. Kirk Jensen and Alan Eisman on June 29, 2021, at 2:00 pm Eastern. In the past, as demand grew each year in a fairly predictable way, groups could be successful “enough” with a back-of-the-envelope analysis and corresponding modifications. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its dramatic swings in volume and acuity, has accelerated the urgency for deploying more precise demand capacity optimization and patient flow strategies. With professional salaries representing roughly 70% of the practice’s cost structure and with demand less predictable, the very survival of the independent group practice may depend on acutely and precisely matching staffing with volume. For more information and to register, click here.
The second webinar will be “Data for the Future. Post-pandemic Strategic Planning for ED Leaders” presented by Dr. James Augustine on July 21, 2021, at 2:00 pm Eastern. Using data from the Emergency Department Benchmarking Alliance’s annual survey, Dr. James Augustine’s presentation will focus on the NOW issues in ED management, with the data to help guide the C-suite leadership. For more information and to register, click here.
Early Bird Registration for EDPMA’s 2021 Solutions Summit
Extended to June 18!
The Early Bird registration rates for the 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit, September 26-29, 2021, at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas have been extended to Friday, June 18th. This means you have one more week to save $100 per member ($200 for nonmembers) on the premier conference for those in the business of emergency medicine. Hotel rooms in the EDPMA hotel block are filling up fast though. Remember, you cannot reserve a room in the block unless you have already registered for the conference. Also, EDPMA offers group registration rates, so you still have time to carefully plan your group before registering.
The 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit offers in-depth educational sessions on the issues facing those managing an emergency department, emergency physician group, billing company, or other business that supports the emergency department. Learn solutions to the issues you face every day and network with both new and familiar business partners that you haven’t seen in many months.
This Year:
- EDPMA committee workshops will be held on Sunday, September 26th, and are open to all registrants (including nonmembers and exhibitors). Learn more about EDPMA’s advocacy on out-of-network reimbursement, Medicare rates, inappropriate down-coding policies, documentation, practice management, and more. Sunday night is our opening party in the Exhibit Area!
- Educational sessions are Monday and Tuesday, September 27-28, 2021. Sessions will address how to restore order in a post-pandemic world. Session topics include physician employment, finance, leadership, contracting, rural health, and more. Attendees will visit the Exhibit Area during breaks.
- Wednesday morning sessions will focus on reimbursement issues including the Prudent Layperson Standard, implementation of the No Surprises Act, the interaction between federal and state surprise billing laws, and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) & RUC. Make sure your flight home is scheduled after 3:00 pm so you don’t miss out on some of our most popular annual sessions.
Learn more and register here for the 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit!
Sponsor EDPMA’s Solutions Summit!
Are you a leader in the business of Emergency Medicine? The 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit is THE Place to be. Join us September 26-29, in Fort Worth, Texas. Highlight your services, products, and thought leadership by joining your colleagues in supporting EDPMA through year-round corporate partnerships, Summit sponsorships, and exhibiting!
The 2021 EDPMA Solutions Summit Prospectus is now available!
Corporate Partnerships $7,500-$25,000
Year-Round Corporate Partnership Packages (Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) give you high visibility at EDPMA’s signature event, the 2021 Solutions Summit, as well as year-round benefits. Corporate Partnerships highlight your leadership in the business of emergency medicine and your support for EDPMA. Depending on the package, benefits may include Summit registrations; an exhibit table; and ads on our website, newsletters, and the Summit Onsite Guide. The Platinum Corporate Partnership includes the sponsorship of a Summit keynote speaker or reception.
EDPMA’s 2021 Solutions Summit Sponsorship Opportunities $2,000-$15,000
Solutions Summit Sponsorships showcase your company throughout the Solutions Summit. We expect 300-400 attendees with over 80% in management. We offer a wide variety of sponsorships that will give your company and logo high visibility. Here’s just a sampling; Conference Portfolios, New Member Breakfast, Water Bottles, pedometers, and more.
2021 Solutions Summit Exhibit Table: $2,300 for members/$2,500 for nonmembers
Spend quality time with Solutions Summit attendees during breaks and for the well-attended Opening Night Reception in the Exhibit area (located in the foyer outside the general session and breakout rooms).
Solutions Summit Advertisements: $500-$750
Highlight your group or organization by purchasing a full- or half-page color ad in the Solutions Summit On-Site Guide.
Goodbye Paul Gerard and Welcome Cristian Lopez!
It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to our longtime colleague Paul Gerard, EDPMA’s Membership and Marketing Manager, who is leaving his eight-year post with EDPMA. We all rely on Paul and his exceptional work ethic and he will be sorely missed. Thank you for all of your hard work and friendship and good luck at your new post!
And please welcome Cristian Lopez, EDPMA’s Membership and Education Coordinator. Cristian Lopez Fernandez graduated last year from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He is joining us from the Heritage Foundation Center for International Economics and Trade. Cristian started his path in policy and advocacy with the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators as an intern, and then went on to become a Global Leader Fellow at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, where he interned both with Congress and The Home Depot Government Relations team.
Cristian can be reached at clopez@edpma.org. All emails intended for Paul should now be redirected to Cristian.
Save the Date for EDPMA’s Next Workshop!
EDPMA New Member Spotlight: Alteon Health
Alteon Health partners with hospitals to deliver the highest-quality patient care. The company works to empower physicians and staff to employ innovative and adaptable care-delivery models. Alteon Health prides itself on strengthening the skills of their team members through mentorship, education, and professional development. For more information on Alteon Health, click here.
Excerpts from a conversation with Chris Greenwood, Vice President, Growth and Integrations
Mr. Greenwood joined Alteon Health 2 1/2 years ago after several years in various business areas in healthcare including managed care contracting, EHR development and implementation, and onboarding and integration of new business through organic growth, mergers and acquisitions. Alteon Health was formed in 2017 from the merger of two long-standing physician staffing companies – Emergency Medicine Associates (EMA) of Maryland and Island Medical Management of New York. Together, the company has over 40 years of experience in emergency medicine.
Chris spearheaded the effort to have Alteon Health become an EDPMA member because of several conversations he had with EDPMA members and a review of EDPMA’s advocacy work, particularly at the Federal level. Mr. Greenwood said, “Alteon Health wants to become part of EDPMA’s collaborative team, raise our voice on issues of importance to emergency medicine and be a thought leader.” Chris understands the importance of being involved and informed on Federal legislation and the impact of various laws and policies on their business model and physicians. Mr. Greenwood highlights that the pressures of the Coronavirus pandemic have contributed to new challenges for emergency medicine including new staffing issues and potentially lower volumes continuing. Chris believes that EDPMA’s collaborative approach helps all groups and businesses in emergency medicine reach better results than each company can attain acting individually.
Other challenges Mr. Greenwood sees in emergency medicine include staying informed on CMS’s activities and being part of EDPMA’s collective input into the decision-making process. Chris appreciates EDPMA’s efforts in working on the issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act (NSA) and keeping the membership informed through the monthly Advocacy Newsletter. Chris appreciates that EDPMA works proactively on various legislative and regulatory issues, such as Surprise Medical Billing and problematic down-coding at both the Federal and state levels. He also commented that he is looking forward to the Wednesday morning session at the upcoming Solutions Summit (scheduled for September 26-29) focusing on key legislative issues.
Chris has joined EDPMA’s Federal Health Policy Committee (FHPC) and the State Regulatory and Insurance Committee (SRIC) and is encouraging his team members to join others, in particular, the Quality, Coding, and Documentation Committee (QCDC) and the Practice Management Committee (PMC). Chris understands it’s important to hear the discussion of the issues and viewpoints while being part of the group that develops solutions and strategies. Mr. Greenwood looks forward to seeing many colleagues at EDPMA’s 2021 Solutions Summit on September 26-29 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Upcoming CMS Town Hall on Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
CMS recently sent out the following announcement regarding an upcoming town hall webcast for stakeholders interested in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
Physician Fee Schedule: Improving Practice Expense Data & Methods Town Hall
Wednesday, June 16 from 1-4 pm ET
CMS hasn’t changed the data and methodology for practice expense payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for over a decade. The RAND Corporation is researching approaches to collect new data, along with potential changes to the current allocation system for us.
RAND needs your feedback on 3 topics. How to:
Collect data going forward, including how frequently to gather new data and encourage participation by sampled practices
Collect and report data by specialty, including how to identify groups with similar cost structures
Refine the current rate-setting system, such as reducing the dependence on specialty-level measures
See the Town Hall materials for more details on each topic.
Email CMSPETownHall@rand.org if you’re interested in providing verbal comments, and let us know which topic you’d like to address. You can also send us your written comments.
You can call in or stream the audio for this event. If you want to provide verbal comments, you’ll need to call in.
Target audience: Stakeholders who are interested in our physician payment policies.
Sincerely,
Robin Fritter
Director, Division of Provider Relations & Outreach
Provider Communications Group
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services