December Observer Contents

Clinical medicine

Study finds generation gap in guidelines
Single-disease focus may leave complex patients out of pay-for-performance pool.
Dec. '05

Metabolic syndrome: flawed science or clinical tool?
As experts debate the validity of a label, clinicians weigh in on using it in practice.
Dec. '05

Special focus

Hypertension
Hypertension continues to wreak cardiovascular havoc among Americans.
Dec. '05

Measuring performance

Minimizing the hidden costs of quality improvement To hold on to the maximum amount of performance incentives, physicians take steps to streamline workflow. Dec. '05

Hospital Medicine

Use ready resources to stem hospital-acquired infections
System-wide innovations—not more education—may be the answer to reducing the rate of deadly infections.
Dec. '05

Web exclusive
Coming soon to your hospital: pay for performance
Expect to see some of your compensation pegged to performance measures in the next few years.
Dec. '05

Revitalization

Rediscovering the need for personal renewal
Physicians who carve out time to exercise and pursue non-medical interests may lead healthier, more balanced lives.
Dec. '05

ChartNotes

For traveling epidemiologist, disease has no borders
One frequent-flying internist has combined a lifelong love of travel with a bent for forensic medicine.
Dec. '05

Your Practice

Will the new drug benefit affect physician workflow?
"Dual eligibles" and a new appeals process all promise to require more of your time.
Dec. '05

For Residents

Moonlighting: a tug-of-war between time and money
Opportunities abound, but work-hour rules and safety concerns are shrinking the pool of available residents.
Dec. '05

Computers & Medicine

In one remote area, PIER helps physicians stay current
For two internists with limited subspecialty access, the ACP Web-based tool provides key clinical information.
Dec. '05

 

College Watch

President's Column
A New Year's resolution: learn how to savor time
Managing a day of medical practice is a high-stakes art form that is not easily understood, or quickly learned.
Dec. '05

College leaders weigh in on quality payments, more
The Regents also discussed family counseling reimbursement, EHR standards and drug importation.
Dec. '05

Business, quality issues dominate Governors' meeting
Leaders debate ways to boost physician payments, redesign primary care practices and retool audit procedures.
Dec. '05

College Briefs

ACP revises procedures for ethical complaints.
Dec. '05

ACP to launch new practice innovation center.
Dec. '05

Discounts now available on Annual Session 2005 recordings.
Dec. '05

New HEALTH TiPS helps patients with Medicare Part D.
Dec. '05

College-supported organization offers volunteer opportunities overseas.
Dec. '05

New free toolkit available to help fight meningitis.
Dec. '05

Washington Perspective

Politics and fee cuts: Is any real solution in sight?
Once again, we're considering the prospect of achieving only a temporary SGR fix, at best.
Dec. '05

Policy Briefs

ACP leaders present physician statements on Capitol Hill.
Dec. '05

College recommends tighter control of DTC advertising.
Dec. '05

Quiz

The MKSAP Challenge
A 45-year-old man is evaluated in the emergency department for nausea and severe dizziness.
Dec. '05

CME

December

Chapter Meetings

December

• Feb 2010
• Jan 2010
• Nov/Dec 2009
• Oct 2009
• Sept 2009

ACP Career Connection

Looking for a new internal medicine or subspecialty position?

ACP Career Connection can help you find your next job in internal medicine. Search internist and subspecialist positions nationwide that suit your criteria and preferences. Jobs are posted about two weeks before print publication of Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP Internist, and ACP Hospitalist. Exclusive “Online Direct” opportunities are updated weekly. Check us out online.

Sneak a peek at ACPs new and improved Clinical Information page! Test drive the beta version of our redesigned Clinical Information landing page, give us your feedback, and help us make it as easy to use as possible.

Twice a year, ACP participates in a journal readership survey of random internists. If you receive one of these surveys in the mail, please indicate if you read our journals and answer the questions about your reading habits of our journals.

Your voice in these surveys is very important to ACP and enables us to continue to produce the high-quality publications that you expect. Find out more.