Latest updates on ACP's priorities, initiatives
ACP Spotlight offers readers a look at ACP's current top priorities and initiatives, as well as highlights from our e-newsletter, ACP Internist Weekly.
ACP announces its 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Executive Vice President
The annual report summarizes how the College worked both with and for members on behalf of internal medicine over the past year. The report highlights the many areas where ACP made significant progress on strategic initiatives and important goals that help support internists and advance the profession of internal medicine.
MKSAP 19, with new features, released Aug. 31
Part A of MKSAP 19, the new edition of ACP's Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program, was released on Aug. 31. New features include:
- A new “MKSAP Complete Green” format offering all the digital features included with MKSAP 19 Complete without any print components;
- Earn-As-You-Go CME, allowing CME and MOC to be earned with every question answered;
- multimedia offerings; and
- personalized learning plans.
More information on MKSAP 19 is online.
ACP's D.C. office seeks internship applicants
The 2022 Health Policy Internship application cycle is open until Oct. 31. The internship provides a multifaceted opportunity to learn about the legislative process, health policy, and advocacy in organized medicine. Interns will research and analyze current issues in health and medical education policy, assist with ongoing advocacy initiatives, help develop advocacy materials, and have the opportunity to attend congressional hearings and coalition meetings.
The internship lasts from May 2 to May 27, 2022, and pays a $4,000 stipend. Additional information and requirements to apply are on ACP's website.
ACP's Patient and Interprofessional Partnership Initiative offers new toolkits
Two new toolkits are available from ACP's Patient and Interprofessional Partnership Initiative, which promotes high-quality education and partnership with the entire health care team.
The General Team Care Toolkit shares best practices and real-life examples of successful, team-based clinical care models. The Engaging Informal Caregivers Toolkit shares training, best practices, and resources to help physicians partner with caregivers to improve health outcomes.
More information can be found on ACP's Patient and Interprofessional Education page.
Resources for state-specific CME, independent practices, documentation
ACP's Online Learning Center now provides information about state CME requirements and relevant activities to help members expedite the license renewal process. The latest activities can be viewed on the homepage or by searching the entire library by subject, learning format, or product. Most are free to ACP members.
ACP has also launched the Independent Practice Resources webpage, which includes the following content areas: Payment & Coding, Practice Organization, Technology for Enhanced Patient Care, Regulatory Rules and Practice Compliance, and Enhance Patient Care.
Finally, in collaboration with the Electronic Health Record Association, ACP has developed a set of resources to help physicians adapt to CMS’ 2021 evaluation and management code changes and accompanying clinical documentation requirements. The Practice Resources section of the ACP website includes guidance for general internal medicine specialists and subspecialists, as well as considerations related to electronic health records.
ICYMI: Highlights from ACP Internist Weekly
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowers age for starting diabetes screening from 40 to 35 years. The Task Force now recommends screening nonpregnant adults ages 35 to 70 years who have overweight or obesity and no symptoms of diabetes. Clinicians should offer or refer patients with prediabetes to effective preventive interventions. The recommendation was published in the Aug. 24/31 JAMA and summarized in the Aug. 31 ACP Internist Weekly.
- Advance care planning among outpatients may improve with low-tech intervention. A randomized trial found that patients who received an internet- or telephone-based intervention assessing readiness to participate in advance care planning had higher completion rates of four advance care planning activities than patients receiving usual care. The study was published Aug. 31 by Annals of Internal Medicine and summarized in the Aug. 31 ACP Internist Weekly.
