Supporting the Physiatrist, Strengthening the Specialty

For the past several years, the Academy has been aggressively collecting input from members regarding future opportunities for the specialty, along with barriers currently impacting practice. During many discussions, members raised concerns regarding current system interpretations of the qualifications for Directors of Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Physicians in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These definitions have implications for our training programs, reimbursement, and physiatry's position of leadership within IRFs. 

Since these concerns were raised, the Quality, Practice, Policy, and Research Committee has been working on how we can address this issue. We have done a lot of research and crafted updated definitions, but we understand that our position and this effort will be more impactful if we have the perspective of all Academy members, not just those of this committee.

Our Request: Please take 10-15 minutes to review proposed, revised definitions for Directors of Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Physicians in IRFs and provide your feedback. We want to know how the current and proposed definitions would impact you and the patients you serve.

To members practicing outside the IRF setting: These definitions impact the future of our specialty and specifically affect who is overseeing the training and development of future physiatrists. Your feedback is incredibly important in this process, so please participate!

An AAPM&R Virtual Town Hall will also be held on November 15 at 11:30 am CST, if you would like to learn more and discuss this important effort with your peers. Click here to register.

If membership is in agreement with our proposed definitions, we will publish a position statement with revised definitions and will send it to CMS by January 2019, so that they can consider our position for the 2020 CMS IRF Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule. 

If you are looking for ways to advocate for our specialty, this is absolutely one way to do it. Thank you for your support and input!

Regards,
Quality, Practice, Policy, and Research Committee (QPPR) Committee

Scott R. Laker, MD, Chair
William A. Adair, III, MD 
Thiru M. Annaswamy, MD, MA 
Lawrence W. Frank, MD
Marc Gruner, DO
Michael Hatzakis, Jr., MD 
Susan Lee Hubbell, MD 
Nneka L. Ifejika, MD, MPH
Cindy B. Ivanhoe, MD 
Valerie A. Jones, MD 
Michael F. Lupinacci, MD 
Annie D. Purcell, DO
Vivian Roy, MD 
Christopher J. Standaert, MD

For the past several years, the Academy has been aggressively collecting input from members regarding future opportunities for the specialty, along with barriers currently impacting practice. During many discussions, members raised concerns regarding current system interpretations of the qualifications for Directors of Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Physicians in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These definitions have implications for our training programs, reimbursement, and physiatry's position of leadership within IRFs. 

Since these concerns were raised, the Quality, Practice, Policy, and Research Committee has been working on how we can address this issue. We have done a lot of research and crafted updated definitions, but we understand that our position and this effort will be more impactful if we have the perspective of all Academy members, not just those of this committee.

Our Request: Please take 10-15 minutes to review proposed, revised definitions for Directors of Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Physicians in IRFs and provide your feedback. We want to know how the current and proposed definitions would impact you and the patients you serve.

To members practicing outside the IRF setting: These definitions impact the future of our specialty and specifically affect who is overseeing the training and development of future physiatrists. Your feedback is incredibly important in this process, so please participate!

An AAPM&R Virtual Town Hall will also be held on November 15 at 11:30 am CST, if you would like to learn more and discuss this important effort with your peers. Click here to register.

If membership is in agreement with our proposed definitions, we will publish a position statement with revised definitions and will send it to CMS by January 2019, so that they can consider our position for the 2020 CMS IRF Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule. 

If you are looking for ways to advocate for our specialty, this is absolutely one way to do it. Thank you for your support and input!

Regards,
Quality, Practice, Policy, and Research Committee (QPPR) Committee

Scott R. Laker, MD, Chair
William A. Adair, III, MD 
Thiru M. Annaswamy, MD, MA 
Lawrence W. Frank, MD
Marc Gruner, DO
Michael Hatzakis, Jr., MD 
Susan Lee Hubbell, MD 
Nneka L. Ifejika, MD, MPH
Cindy B. Ivanhoe, MD 
Valerie A. Jones, MD 
Michael F. Lupinacci, MD 
Annie D. Purcell, DO
Vivian Roy, MD 
Christopher J. Standaert, MD