Thank You!
The Annual Meeting on November 11 & 12 was a huge success due to our attendees, speakers and exhibitors. We thank each of you for contributing to this year's symposium to make it the best one ever. Congratulations to the winners of this year's drawings in the Exhbit Hall and a special note of gratitude goes out to this year's recipient of the Berman Award, Dr. William Reichel. Dr. Reichel was presented the award, which inluded a very handsome plaque, by Dr. Berman, Dr. Elon and Dr. Bob for his contributions and leadership in geriatrics and long-term care. To learn more about the Berman Award, read about the history of the award here.
Welcome
The Maryland Medical Directors Association is a professional association of medical directors, physicians and other licensed independent practitioners practicing in the long term care continuum dedicated to excellence in patient care.;)
On this site, MMDA will post original materials along with links to existing resources, tools, articles and legislative information designed to advance our mission to improve patient care and promote the professional development of long term care practitioners. MMDA members are encouraged to submit non-commercial, long term care related items which they feel should be shared with our members.
Maryland MOLST
Breaking News 9/20/11: Mandatory implementation of MOLST has been delayed, but voluntary implementation may begin as of October 1, 2011. Click on this link to read the transmittal released by DHMH on September 23, 2011.
Maryland MOLST stands for Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, and the new order form may voluntarily be implemented on October 1, 2011. The State of Maryland will replace the Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate (EMS DNR) and Instructions on Current Life Sustaining Treatment Options forms with the MOLST form. MOLST includes medical orders regarding resuscitation (CPR) status as well as other life sustaining treatments. MOLST is a joint effort between the State Advisory Council on Quality Care at the End of Life, the Maryland Attorney General's Office, the Office of Health Care Quality, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) and the Maryland Board of Physicians. To learn more about MOLST, click here.
2011 State Legislative Sessions
The 2011 state legislative sessions have started. Currently, 40 states are in regular session for the year. While implementation or repeal of health care reform remains a high priority on the national level, we should expect a great amount of activity on the state level. Also look for some states to address reoccurring issues such as staffing levels, criminal background checks, and liability. In addition, Mississippi, New York, and North Dakota have proposed bills related to scope of practice...(click here to read full article).
DEA Issues Authorized Agents for Schedule III-V Controlled Substances
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a 5-page Statement of Policy on the Role of Authorized Agents in Communicating Controlled Substance Prescriptions to Pharmacies at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-25136.pdf. The DEA Statement provides an example of a written agreement that would confer authority to an agent to act on behalf of an individual practitioner with regard to controlled substance prescriptions. In the Statement, the DEA states "where a DEA-registered individual practitioner has made a valid oral prescription for a controlled substance in Schedules III-V by conveying all the required prescription information to the practitioner's agent, that agent may telephone the pharmacy and convey that prescription information to the pharmacist." This does not apply to Schedule II controlled substances. The Statement adds "An agent may not call in an oral prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance on behalf of a practitioner even in an emergency circumstance."
Individual practitioners may choose to designate and authorize one or more persons at one or more locations within or outside their practice to act as their agent. Likewise, an individual may act as an authorized agent for multiple individual practitioners depending upon the circumstances. A sample agreement designating the agent of practitioner for communicating controlled substance prescriptions to pharmacies is provided in the Statement.
AMDA staff is reviewing the Statement and will publish more details shortly. In addition, AMDA continues to partner with other associations to provide guidance to our respective memberships.
To read the DEA Statement, click here.
Free Resource: Tip Sheet on Controlled Substance Prescribing in LTC
Medical societies seeking to ensure compassionate and high quality care for long term care patients joined together to develop a "Tip Sheet on Prescribing for Controlled Substances in Long Term Care." The document is designed to assist physicians and other prescribers in their efforts to ensure proper controlled substances prescribing in long term care, and deal with aggressive enforcement actions by Drug Enforcement Administration agents. View Tip Sheet
New AMDA Distance Learning Opportunities Now Available Online!
AMDA has expanded its online and distance learning offerings. Adding live webinars, recorded webcasts and bringing back CME credits on revised CPGs, AMDA's education outreach continues to grow to meet the needs of practitioners in the long term care setting. Participants can earn both CME credits and CMD credits for these educational activities which are now available to you at the click of a mouse. This is a fantastic opportunity to get long term care specific education without the need to book flights or take time away from your busy practice.
Recently added CME activities include education on practice management, billing and coding in long term care and revised CPGs on COPD, Heart Failure and Parkinson's Disease in the long term care setting. Whether you are new to the long term care setting, or if you have year's of long term care practice experience, AMDA has put together these CME activities to keep you up to date on clinical and management areas important to your long term care practice.
Visit AMDA's website today to learn about their expanding offerings in distance education.
Click Here To Learn More and Register
Free Online Access to MMDA Session on AMDA's Core Curriculum in Medical Direction Update
Click here to view the 32 minute Flash Video of "Updates and Pearls in Medical Direction in the Core Curriculum" presented by Alva “Buzz” Baker, MD, CMD at MMDA's 2009 Annual Meeting.
Earn Continuing Medical Education Credits Online
Sessions from Maryland's 2009 Annual Meeting are now available as self study acitivities online. Participants can earn AMA PRA Category 1TM credits designated by the AMDA Certification program as management hours valid toward certification or recertification eligibility. E-mail questions about the CME approved credits or CMD management credits to mmdawebsite@gmail.com and view presentations from the annual meeting at this link for Self-Study CME.
H1N1 (Swine) Influenza Updates
Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus: Implications for LTC
A Joint Statement of the Members of the Long Term Care Professional Leadership Council (LTCPLC)
The CDC's Swine Influenza site has a "What's New" section where you can find several links to information on the recent Swine Influenza outbreak.http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/whatsnew.htm. Additional information may be found at http://pandemicflu.gov/faq/swineflu/