October 29, 2004
Breast Cancer Screening
Thanks to
Dorothy Lane,
Past ACPM President, for serving as a spokesperson to
Parents Magazine on behalf of ACPM regarding breast
cancer screening.
October 27, 2004
PLoS Journal Launch
ACPM staff attended the launch of PLoS Medicine, a new
medical journal using an open-source model. PLoS, which
stands for Public Library of Science, is attempting to
drive a paradigm shift that will lead to greater
availability of up-to-date medical information around
the world. Based on the concept that the Internet has
changed publishing from a product-oriented business to a
service-oriented business, PLoS proposes a system in
which researchers pay up front for publishing fees. The
goal is to eventually have these costs included in
grants and other research funding, enabling the journal
to be published without charging readers, thereby
creating a free, open source of medical literature for
end users.
October 26, 2004
Surge Capacity and
Health System Preparedness
ACPM staff
participated in part three of AHRQ’s series on Surge
Capacity and Health System Preparedness. The webcast
presented mass casualty events examined from four
perspectives: (1) the role of the Department of Health
and Human Services; (2) surge capacity modeling; (3)
pediatric and school-based capacity; and (4) addressing
surge capacity through information exchange. Discussion
points included Public Health Service Contingency
Stations (PHS-CS) designed by the Office of Public
Health Emergency Preparedness, school crisis response
guidelines, and public risk perception.
October 20, 2004
Health Information Technology
ACPM staff attended a briefing by representatives of the
Office of the National Coordinator for Health
Information Technology (ONCHIT) at the AMA. ONCHIT
staffers described how they are fulfilling the goals
issued in the April, 2004 Executive Order for widespread
adoption of interoperable electronic health records (EHR)
within 10 years. ONCHIT has constructed a framework for
strategic action that is based on introducing technology
into clinical practice, creating standards for
interoperable systems that connect physicians,
personalizing care with consumer-centric information,
and improving population health by unifying surveillance
architectures. A National Health Information
Network will coordinate federal systems and provide
technology infrastructure, while local control of
implementation will be retained through Regional Health
Information Organizations. Discussion included
implementation support for physicians.
October 19, 2004
The Rising Cost of Health Care
ACPM staff attended the Institute of Medicine annual
meeting. “The rising cost of health care: why is it
happening and how much does it matter?” presented
economic analysis and discussion focused on the rate of
rising costs in the context of predicted economic
growth. Selected speakers demonstrated opposing
scenarios in which health care costs remained
sustainable or caused spiraling deficits leading to
economic collapse.
October 13-14, 2004
Environmental health and
corporate responsibility
ACPM staff participated in a two-day workshop at the
National Academies of Science in Washington, DC. The
focus of the roundtable presentation was global
environmental health and corporate social
responsibility. Leaders in academics, research and
industry lead the discussions.
October 13, 2004
CDC Coordinating Centers
ACPM staff and representatives from other stakeholder
groups attended a briefing by Dr. Henry Falk. Dr. Falk
is the director of the new Coordinating Center for
Environmental Health, Injury Prevention and Occupational
Health. Participants discussed the impact the
reorganization at the CDC may have on resources and
interactions with the CDC.
October 7, 2004
Steps Workgroup
ACPM staff attended the Healthy STEPS workgroup
coalition meeting at the office of the National
Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
in Washington, DC. There was a presentation by CDC
staff regarding the evaluation process for the STEPS
program, emphasizing that the evaluation for the program
nationally is different than the evaluation for local
programs. Outcomes will include not only specific
health measures but also integration and program
stewardship. Questions and discussion focused on how
local programs can access resources and expertise from
other local programs and CDC.
October 1, 2004
International Tobacco Control
ACPM staff attended a workshop on global tobacco
control. The focus of the meeting was the international
treaty, WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Speakers discussed the need for an international
response to the tobacco epidemic that is devastating
developing countries around the world, both in terms of
worsening health and increasing poverty. The Framework
Convention Alliance is a coalition of organizations from
over 80 countries that is promoting international
tobacco control in an effort to counter the large
tobacco companies that have shifted marketing from
developed to developing countries. More information is
available at
www.fcta.org.
October, 2004
GME Funding Strategy
ACPM staff and Pfizer residents lobbied on Capitol
Hill for reform of Preventive Medicine graduate medical
education (GME) funding. Legislative aides representing
Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Harkin (D-IA) and Bingaman
(D-NM), and Representative Brown (D-OH) were briefed on
the need for sustainable funding for Preventive Medicine
training and recommendations for increasing funding for
residency programs.
