2012-12-13

Deadline Nears for Draconian Physician Payment Cut; Take Action Today
The ASH Grassroots Network has mobilized for the fight in Congress to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Although Congress focuses on the “fiscal cliff” debate, as the end of the year approaches, ASH continues to remind lawmakers that yet another deadline looms large. Unless Congress acts, physicians again face a 27 percent cut in Medicare physician reimbursement payments on January 1. Additional advocacy is needed by ASH members to assure that physician payment is not cut in January. If you are affected by Medicare reimbursement, visit ASH's Advocacy Center to send a letter to your Representative and Senators today. 

Register for the latest ASH Webinar: Quality Improvement in Transfusion Practice - December 18, 2012 from 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm EST
While blood component transfusion remains a mainstay of clinical practice in many fields, recent years have brought a heightened awareness of how the benefits of transfusion are accompanied by significant risks. The public remains concerned regarding transfusion-transmitted viral, protozoan and prion disease. American blood centers have recognized the risk of adverse sequelae of bacterial infected platelet products. And the emergence of concern regarding transfusion-related acute lung injury and transfusion-associated graft versus host disease in susceptible transfusion recipients has resulted in changes in practice in both blood donor selection and blood component preparation for transfusion.

This webinar will include presentations on the indications for red cell transfusions, guidelines for platelet transfusion therapy, and the prevention and treatment of bleeding in plasma transfusion. Speakers include Jeffery L. Carson, MD from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Sherrill J. Slichter, MD from the Puget Sound Blood Center Research Institute, and Alan Tinmouth, MD, MSc, FRCPC from the University of Ottawa. The webinar will be moderated by Robert Weinstein, MD from the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Register for the Quality Improvement in Transfusion Practice webinar 

ASH Honors Dr. Samuel Silver with Exemplary Service Award
During the ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, the Society recognized Samuel Silver, MD, PhD, Assistant Dean for Research and Professor of Internal Medicine and Hematology-Oncology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor with an Exemplary Service Award for his leadership in advancing the practice and physician reimbursement priorities of the Society. 

Established in 1998, the ASH Exemplary Service Award recognizes an individual whose outstanding service has significantly advanced the interests of the Society over a period of several years. Through his leadership roles within ASH, including service as Councillor, Chair of the Committee on Practice, Chair of the Subcommittee on Reimbursement, and several other committee and special task force appointments, Dr. Silver has led ASH’s efforts to protect and enhance physician reimbursement for hematologists. Read more.

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