President's Corner
Niraj Patel, MD, FACS
WAEPS President
I really hope everyone has had an amazing summer. I can't believe that Labor Day is already around the corner, and I'm preparing my second president's letter.
After my first letter, I was approached by some WAEPS members that wanted to get more involved but didn't know how to do it. It's not difficult and you can contact Debra Alderman, WAEPS Executive Director, at the WAEPS office (206-956-3650 or email her: [email protected] ) and let her know you want to start participating. There are many projects that you can get involved in and see if you like the idea of volunteering for your colleagues to make the society stronger.
This fall, WAEPS has volunteered to lead the Vision Care Team at the Seattle/King County Clinic for low income residents of the Puget Sound area. Dates are October 22 to 25. You can volunteer for a shift or a day and provide free eye care for those in need in your community. It's a great event and helps you see WAEPS members in action. A shout out goes to Dr. Michael Brush who will be taking the lead on the vision area and to Dr. James Stroh who will help coordinate the ophthalmologist volunteers. In a very fortunate development, the ophthalmology residents from Madigan Army Medical Center will be able to help out this year! A big thank you goes out to Dr. Travis Frazier for helping set this up. The UW ophthalmology residents participated in last year's charity clinic alongside WAEPS members and did a great job. Unfortunately they will be unable to help this year due to scheduling conflicts but are committed to participating in future events.
There are still many shifts that need to be filled so please sign up via the Seattle / King County Clinic website: http://seattlecenter.org/volunteers/
If you have any questions about this event, please feel free to contact Debra, Mike, or Jim. Volunteering for the King County charity clinic event is an easy way to get start getting involved with WAEPS. It’s a minimal time commitment and a great opportunity to make an important impact on other people's lives.
If you want to get further involved in WAEPS, you can self nominate to become a Trustee on the Board of Directors. This is a 3 year term and you see the issues that our profession faces and how we go through the process to address these situations. As you get more experience on the Board, members can step up and become a Treasurer or President to help the society with many of its daily functions. Committee involvement is another great way to get involved and contribute your skills, talents and interests. As you can see, there are many roles that one can play so please call Debra or email her to get the process started. She looks forward to hearing from you.
As the fall season is around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about the upcoming WAEPS events. We have another wonderful Monthly Lecture Series planned for the 2015-2016 Academic Year in conjunction with the University of Washington. Speakers are lined up and you should be receiving email announcements shortly about the upcoming season of speakers. A thank you goes out to Dr. Russ Van Gelder for making this an easy process. The partnership with the University of Washington has really grown over the past few years with Russ's assistance.
We also have another excellent WAEPS Annual Meeting planned from March 31, 2016 to April 1, 2016. Dr. Paul Griggs, as always, has a great lineup of speakers and is busy getting all the details ready. So mark your calendars now! Registration will open in a few months for the meeting.
A very important event that WAEPS members should consider participating in is the AAO Mid Year Forum. This is held in Washington, DC and ophthalmologists from all around the country converge on Capitol Hill to discuss many issues that affect us today such as EHR, SGR-Reimbursement, and compounding issues. Luckily this year, we were able to get meaningful legislation passed to defeat the SGR once and for all. It would not have happened without the continued involvement of ophthalmology in the legislative process. This meeting is a great way to meet other ophthalmologists from around the country, meet your legislators, learn about legislative issues that affect our field, and participate in shaping our profession. Next year's AAO Mid Year Forum is scheduled from April 13-16, 2016. Now is the time to start thinking about attending and getting your plans in order.
Your society needs your help as does your profession. We are all inundated with requests to contribute and donate to many charities, events, and organizations, and unfortunately, most of us are so busy that we neglect to follow through in our involvement. However, what we do together for our society and for our profession is really important. The strength of our profession allows us to continue providing excellent care to our patients and the population at large. Without organizations in place to help get our message out such as our PACs or surgical scope fund, we are disorganized and vulnerable to dangerous and poorly constructed legislation that can very adversely affect our daily lives. That's why contributing to your Eye PACs are a no brainer. These are nominal contributions that are really important to allow you to practice ophthalmology and protect your patients. The three contributions you should do each and every year: WAEPS PAC, AAO OPHTHPAC, and the AAO Surgical Scope Fund. Consider it an investment in your profession like a medical license or DEA fee that you need to have renewed each year to practice ophthalmology. So I'll make it really easy for you. Go to these sites below (make sure you are signed into either your WAEPS account for WAEPS PAC contributions or your AAO account for AAO OPHTHPAC and Surgical Scope Fund contributions):
1) WAEPS Physcians EyePAC
2) AAO OPHTHPAC
3) AAO Surgical Scope Fund
United we stand, divided we fall. Pretty sage words that truly apply to our society and our profession. I look forward to seeing many new volunteers to take over the torch as WAEPS continues to grow and improve year after year. Have a great rest of your summer and as always, CARPE DIEM!
Niraj Patel, MD, FACS
Membership Report
Robert Francis, MD, Treasurer/Membership Chair
Welcome to the new members who have joined WAEPS since our last newsletter in May:
Aaron Lee, MD, is joining the faculty at the UW and will be representing WAEPS to the AAO’s Leadership Development Institute.
Connie Chen, MD, recently joined Virginia Mason as an additional retina specialist
WAEPS members will be receiving renewal notices in October. Don’t forget to renew by December 31 so that you and your employees will continue to receive discounts and other member benefits in 2016. And while you’re at it, please update your member profile with as much detail as possible. This allows the public to find you using our website’s Find and Eye Doctor search tool.
Public Education Committee
Jim Stroh, MD, chair
The Seattle/King County Clinic is coming in October 2015!
It’s time for WAEPS members and personnel from their practices to sign up to volunteer!
To sign up, click here.
Put these dates on your calendar:
• Tuesday, October 20 & Wednesday, October 21 – SETUP
• Thursday, October 22 – Sunday, October 25 – CLINIC
• Monday, October 26 – TAKEDOWN
• With additional opportunities in the weeks before and after to help with preparation and wrap-up.
The 2014 clinic was an unqualified success. 1,450 volunteers from all specialties volunteered, including 20 ophthalmologists and ophthalmology residents, 5 technicians, 16 opticians and 11 opticianry students, and 33 optometrists. 98% of patients seen felt that they were well-treated, and a total of 1,050 patients received vision care. More than 80 patients were diagnosed with cataracts, 10 with diabetic retinopathy and 40 with glaucoma needing follow up.
The Public Information Committee is seeking new members.
Jim Stroh, MD, committee chair, needs additional help to explore how to use money from the newly-formed Washington Eye Foundation to support WAEPS educational goals. He also could use some help maximizing WAEPS’ use of social media to communicate with members as well as the general public. Please email Jim if you’d like to be on the committee.
Monthly Scientific Meetings
Russell Van Gelder, MD, PhD, chair
The CME application for the 2015-16 series has been submitted to the UW CME office. So until we receive approval, we cannot reveal the great lineup of speakers and topics that has been planned for the coming year. Note that each month the WAEPS office sends out an announcement about the upcoming month’s program and WAEPS members should RSVP to the office to register as either an in-person or webinar participant. Here are the dates to save on your calendar for the coming year’s series:
October 21, 2015
November 18, 2015
December 16, 2015
January 13, 2016
February 24, 2016
March 16, 2016
April 20, 2016
May 18, 2016
Annual Meeting 2016
Paul Griggs, MD, Chair
Plans are underway for another fantastic Annual Meeting. Four outstanding speakers have agreed to present scientific talks. Details will be available later in 2015 when CME has been granted.
Save these dates and share them with your practice employees:
Thursday, March 31, 2016
• Coding and Reimbursement Seminar
• Physician reception and dinner (with CME program and OMIC presentation)
Friday, April 1, 2016
• Physician scientific program
• Practice Management Program
• Ophthalmic Personnel Program
• WAEPS members’ business meeting/luncheon
• Presidential Reception
• YOS Reception
Legislative/Government Relations
Aaron Weingeist, MD, Chair
2015 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
SSB 5268, a WAEPS initiated bill that permits early eye drop refills, became law in April and should be in effect as of July 1. This legislation will help ensure that patients can complete a treatment course without disruption. Please let me know if you hear of patients not being able to access early refills. The exact language of the bill can be found here
WAEPS member Dr. Penny Reck (left) and WAEPS president Dr. Niraj Patel (center), stopped by the office of State Senator Linda Evans Parlette on April 24, 2015 to thank her for her sponsorship of the WAEPS initiated early eye drop legislation. The bill was signed into law later that day by Governor Inslee.
Legislators are Home
Please take the opportunity to connect with your state and federal legislators over the summer. Offer to show them your clinics and surgery centers so that they can better understand the complexities of our practices and the challenges of our regulatory environment. Share your concerns with them. Let Debra Alderman or me know if you need help coordinating a meeting.
PACs, Etc.
Finally, please contribute to Physicians EyePAC, the AAO Surgical Scope Fund, and OPHTHPAC so that we can continue our legislative efforts on your behalf. When you interact with candidates and politicians, please be sure to identify yourself as an Ophthalmologist and educate them about our practices and issues. WAEPS legislative team would be happy to brief you on current issues.
Feel free to connect about any issues or concerns you may have out WAEPS legislative and political activities.
Board of Optometry
In June 2014 the BOO was asked to determined that it is within the scope of practice of optometrists to use a mechanical diamond burr to treat corneal disease when used in conjunction with allowed procedures (e.g. removal of superficial foreign bodies). WAEPS disagrees with this interpretation and discussed the ruling with legislators involved in 2003 when language prohibiting optometrists from performing ophthalmic surgery was written. All of the queried legislators agreed that it was not their intent to permit mechanical burr use, as the allowed procedure specifies removal of “superficial” foreign bodies only.
Via Rep. Eileen Cody, Chair of House Health Care and Wellness Committee, the Attorney General has been asked to weigh-in on this matter. WAEPS submitted arguments against optometric burr use, and we are awaiting the AG’s opinion.
Depending on the AG opinion, optometric removal of ocular sutures may also be in play.
WAEPS continues to believe that these are SURGICAL procedures that were prohibited when the definition of ophthalmic surgery was written in 2003.
Health Plan Relations News
Michael L Gilbert, MD
Your ICD-10 transition: Avoid revenue disruptions
V95.42XA Forced landing of spacecraft injuring occupant, initial encounter
R46.1 Bizarre personal appearance
V9733XA Sucked into Jet Engine, initial encounter
W5621XA Bitten by an orca, initial
Z63.1 Problems in relationship with in-laws
V91.07XA Burn due to water-skis on fire, initial encounter
W61.12XA Struck by macaw, initial encounter
ICD-10 is to be fully implemented in October including an exponential increase by some 80,000 oft bewildering diagnostic codes replacing the comfortably familiar 14,000 in ICD-9. The new system requires far more specificity which will define claims acceptance, delay or simple denial. Over one hundred state and specialty societies have expressed fear that inadequate transition resources toward ICD-10 complexities could lead to a disruption of billions of dollars for physician practices.
CMS, AAO, and others offer transition system suggestions and even “crosswalks” mapping code translation from ICD-9 to ICD-10. The new system is wholly cumbersome to interpret. (see August AAO Eye Net, “Create an ICD-10 Superbill”)
To optimize transition, one thoughtful approach is to run current utilization coding reports and review your practice’s key coding metrics—those services and diagnoses most responsible for revenue. Carefully convert your most needed ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 noting which codes require laterality and those which do not. While EMR systems generally offer coding to guide selection this can be painfully complex and decelerating when processing patients October 1. Pre-conversion of your favored codes may give you that needed head start.
But there are so many codes you lament. True. There are so many words in the dictionary. Yet you speak easily with experience. ICD-10 is indeed a new language. At least, create a thesaurus to communicate what you most commonly need. You don’t need to speak fluent ICD-10. You must know the 25 to 50 diagnoses you use most frequently.
Importantly, we have taken to reporting mounting numbers of ICD-9 codes to defend higher CPT service codes. You are unlikely to get either “points” or dollars for more codes than the minimum correct ICD-10 code to get just reimbursement. Certainly, documentation must ultimately defend submitted reimbursement submissions. In the end, documentation is likely more important than codes although coding is necessarily our current focus.
There are numerous useful computerized ICD-10 coding applications ranging from integrated EMR programming to iPhone apps. For those of us shaking off the shackles of ICD-10 denial, you can even craft a superbill of your key practice codes though this will be admittedly complex and a bit daunting. Complexity minimally describes the fundamental characteristic of this new foreign language of diagnostic coding. October 1st we will be transported to an immersion experience of our new diagnostic language. Bon Chance, mes amis.
View from the U
Russell N. Van Gelder, MD, PhD, University of Washington Liaison
We are very fortunate in Washington State to have such a strong relationship between WAEPS and the University of Washington’s Department of Ophthalmology. We are fairly unique in having only one non-military residency in a state of our size (think of Massachusetts, a similarly sized state with three residency programs, or my previous state of Missouri which has four programs) – and so it is relatively easy to have a direct relationship with the state society. This relationship is manifest in a number of ways which are beneficial to the state’s ophthalmologists and ophthalmologists-in-training. These include our partnership in organizing and hosting the monthly seminar series; providing CME credit for all interested ophthalmologists for this series; webcasting the presentations for CME credit (an innovation developed by faculty member and WAEPS Board member Atma Vemulakonda, MD, when he attended the AAO’s leadership development program); the WAEPS mentoring program for our residents and the YO committee’s programs for them; and WAEPS’ sponsoring of an Academy Ambassador resident each year for mid-year forum. About half of our graduates stay or return to Washington to practice and many of our residency’s trainees become our society’s members. Three of the four current officers of WAEPS (President-elect Mike Brush, Past President Rachel Reinhardt, and Secretary/Treasurer Robert Francis) are alumni of our program, and many other UW Ophthalmology alumni have served WAEPS leadership for extended periods (in particular, Aaron Weingeist who has served for many years as Chair of both Government Relations and the EyePAC and is now President of the Washington Eye Foundation).
At the U we are always looking for ways to form stronger ties with our community, and so I wanted let our membership know that we have recently gotten approval for CME for our Grand Rounds series. Our Grand Rounds are scheduled for Thursday mornings at 7 am in the 7th floor conference room of the 9th and Jefferson building at Harborview (908 Jefferson), and feature either two case presentations by our residents, fellows, and faculty, or a didactic lecture (usually from our WAEPS speaker). While we have not yet gotten approval for webcasting rounds, those who can make it in person can earn one hour of CME Category 1 credit. We offer about 35 Rounds a year (we are off for some vacations and annual meetings such as ARVO and AAO, and run rounds from September through May). For individuals attending five or more sessions per year, the Department will cover all costs associated with the CME certificate; for those attending less than 5 hours, the cost is $40/year. Details and schedule are available from our Residency Program Coordinator Amy Resling ([email protected]). While we realize that this will not be useful for our WAEPS members outside Seattle, for those close by Harborview this is a great opportunity to earn free or low-cost CME with a very high quality program, and get to know our faculty and trainees better. We hope to incorporate a webcast for our more distant members in the near future. If you are interested in attending or learning more, please feel free to contact me – I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity!
YOS Report
Janet Chieh, MD, Chair
A YOS summer social was held on Thursday, August 6 at Frolick Kitchen and Cocktails, one of Seattle’s hippest rooftop bars. Interested in getting involved planning future YOS programs? Contact Janet Chieh, chair of the group, or Debra Alderman, Executive Director via email: [email protected]
Getting the party started! YOS gathered for a social outing on Thursday evening, Aug 6 at Frolik, the hip rooftop bar at the Motif hotel in downtown Seattle. Left to right: Janet Chieh, MD, YOS chair; Alex On, MD; and Atma Vemulakonda, MD.
WAEPS’ Young Ophthalmologists Section enjoyed cocktails and appetizers along with networking and fun at a gathering in downtown Seattle August 6, 2015. YOS is open to WAEPS members who are within their first ten years of practice. Watch your email for a YOS fall event announcement.
Military Liaison Report
Travis Frazier, MD
Madigan residents will be volunteering at the Seattle/King County charity clinic in October. The residents are also planning on participating in the WAEPS Annual Meeting again this year. The UW is now sending its senior ophthalmic residents to Madigan for a refractive surgery experience. The civilian open globe policy seems to be picking up steam as we've had an increase in ocular trauma referrals in the area and we appreciate the referrals. For details on that policy, please click here.
Calendar
October 22 – 25, 2015 Seattle/King County Clinic. Healthcare organizations, civic agencies, non-profits, private businesses and volunteers from across the State of Washington are joining together once again to produce a giant free health clinic at KeyArena at Seattle Center. The four-day volunteer-driven clinic will provide a full range of free dental, vision and medical care to underserved and vulnerable populations in the region. WAEPS will once again participate. For more information, contact board member/public education chair Jim Stroh: [email protected] or Executive Director Debra Alderman: [email protected]
Nov. 14-17, 2015: AAO Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit: http://www.aao.org/annual-meeting/
Save the date: March 31 and April 1, 2016 WAEPS 2016 Annual Meeting, at the Conference Center at Washington State Convention Center, downtown Seattle.
Have Questions? Need Information?
Feel free to contact WAEPS Association Executive Debra Alderman by phone: 206-956-3650 or by email: [email protected]
Our office is located at: 2001 6th Ave. Suite 2700, Seattle, WA 98121
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