Contact:
Richard P. Gulla
(781) 434-7101
rgulla@mms.org
Groups to Participate in Programs of the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely® National Campaign
Waltham, Mass. - March 21 - The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) have been awarded a grant from the ABIM Foundation to participate in the Foundation's Choosing Wisely® campaign, a national effort to encourage physicians and patients to discuss medical tests and procedures that may be unnecessary or inappropriate.
MMS and ASNC are only two of 13 medical societies in the country to receive such grants from the ABIM Foundation. Support for the program comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropic organization devoted exclusively to health care
The grant to MMS and ASNC of $50,000 will help to develop a web-based application to collect data on physician ordering patterns for cardiac imaging tests, with the data being use to define the rate of appropriate and inappropriate referrals, as well as interventions for meaningful improvement. ASNC will also develop a patient-friendly website for physicians and their patients to inform patients about nuclear cardiac imaging and radiation optimization. The grant will run from April 1, 2013 through March 31, 2015.
"The Massachusetts Medical Society is honored to receive this grant and participate in this national effort," said Richard Aghababian, M.D., president of the society. "Imaging procedures and radiation exposure are paramount concerns in medical care, and we hope that our efforts will contribute to prudent use of testing and better and safer care for patients."
"Cardiovascular imaging is an important diagnostic and prognostic tool in managing patients with heart disease," said James A. Arrighi, MD, President of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. "Ensuring appropriate use of diagnostic cardiac imaging and optimization of imaging protocols are high priorities of the profession."
Choosing Wisely was launched in 2012, and since its inception, 25 medical specialty societies have created lists of tests and procedures they say are overused, unnecessary, or potentially harmful. Organizations receiving grants will work on projects to help educate physicians about the recommendations from the specialty groups and help physicians develop skills to have conversations with patients about the care they need.
Others societies awarded grants include the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Society of Hospital Medicine, American Society of Clinical Pathology, American Society of Echocardiography, and the state medical associations of Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington state. Ten regional collaboratives were also selected for grants. Read more about these grants in the ABIM Foundation's announcement. (.pdf, 2 pages)
The Massachusetts Medical Society, with more than 24,000 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading global medical journal and web site, and Journal Watch alerts and newsletters covering 13 specialties. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education for health care professionals throughout Massachusetts, conducting a variety of medical education programs for physicians and health care professionals. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country.
The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) is a professional, international non-profit organization, which provides its members with a variety of continuing medical education programs related to nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular computed tomography (CT), promotes accreditation and certification in nuclear cardiology and is the principal advocacy voice for the profession. ASNC is dedicated to continuous quality improvement and patient centered imaging. ASNC's commitment to its members and their patients has positioned the Society as a leader in quality assurance within the nuclear cardiovascular community. ASNC continues to create new partnerships and alliances in an ongoing effort to promote responsible and appropriate imaging within the medical community. For more information, please go to www.asnc.org.
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