Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Joint Commission Wants your Feedback

The Joint Commission (TJC) would like to hear from you about ways in which it could improve its website.  The link below leads to a 15-minute survey that will collect your feedback.  If you regularly visit TJC's website, take this opportunity to send your thoughts along.  They're listening!

Complete the survey at jointcommission.org.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

TheDO: Practicing after one year of GME: Is it feasible? Should it be?

"'Is it possible today to practice medicine in the U.S. after one year of residency or a stand-alone internship?' The answer to this popular question on Student Doctor Network is yes—in 37 states for DOs and 33 states for MDs who graduated from U.S. medical schools, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). But physicians who choose this once-common path for general practitioners face a number of hurdles."

Read the rest at TheDO.org.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

NAMSS Submits Feedback on NPDB's Revised Guidebook


In late November, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), requested public feedback on its revisions to the NPDB Guidebook.  

These revisions included legislative and regulatory changes that the NPDB adopted since 2001, including the NPDB and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank merger.  A volunteer Task Force reviewed the Guidebook and submitted comments on behalf of NAMSS in late January. 

A special thank you to our Task Force members for all of their time and hard work:  Barb Ortolf, Faith Rhoades, Jim Wilson, Kywana Hooks, and Susan Lapenta.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Dallas News: Federal Suit: Baylor Failed to Stop Cocaine-Using Surgeon from Harming Patients

Miles Moffeit, January 30, 2014

"A federal lawsuit is accusing Baylor Health Care System of failing to properly monitor or investigate a Plano neurosurgeon – recently barred from practicing in Texas – despite repeated warnings about his “drug problem” and “lack of competence.”

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano didn’t seek Dr. Christopher Duntsch’s resignation amid months of botched spinal treatments until one of his patients died in March 2012, according to the suit."

Read more about this case from Dallas News