ISA 2023 Spring CME Conference
Saturday, April 15, 2023
West Des Moines Marriott
West Des Moines, IA 50266
Click here for details and to register.
New Jersey Patients Overwhelmingly Want Physician-Led Health Care
According to a poll conducted by a New Jersey news source, patients there overwhelmingly support having a licensed physician anesthesiologist leading, overseeing, and providing anesthesia care. A majority of New Jersey voters believe ending physician supervision could compromise patient safety.
ISA Statement on Supreme Court Decision in
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Case
The Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists is deeply concerned about government regulation that could interfere with the confidential relationship between patients and their physicians and decisions surrounding a patient’s health. The recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization returns governance of abortion to individual state legislative processes.
As Iowa policymakers consider new laws regarding access to reproductive health care procedures, it is vitally important that they understand the various ways laws can negatively impact reproductive health, especially when carrying a nonviable fetus to term jeopardizes the health of the mother. It is also important to understand that laws that criminalize or impose civil penalties on physicians who assist patients in making reproductive health decisions also negatively impact health. Health decisions are best left to patients and their physicians – laws which legislate reproductive health decision-making may interfere with sound medical practice and place patients at risk.
Iowa Board of Medicine Statement on Referring Patients to an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC)
Pursuant to a recently enacted Iowa law, the Iowa Board of Medicine (IBM) has released a statement and disclosure form for physicians to provide to patients that they refer to an ambulatory surgical center for surgery.
No Surprises Billing Information
ASA, ACEP and ACR File Lawsuit Against the "No Surprises Act" Implementation Rule
Click here for details
CMS Provider Requirements and Resources
Are available here.
CMS Overview of Rules and Fact Sheets
Are available here.
ISA 2021 Fall CME Conference
CME Recordings Available
New LCD on Facet Joint Interventions for Pain Management
WPS recently announced that, effective April 24, 2021, the LCD and Billing and Coding Article - Facet Joint Injections, Medial Branch Blocks, and Facet Joint Radiofrequency Neurotomy - is being retired and replaced with new Local Coverage Determination: L38841 Facet Joint Interventions for Pain Management and Billing. Click here to view the new Facet Joint Interventions for Pain Management LCD.
ASA and APSF Issue Joint Statement on Elective Surgery and Anesthesia for Patients after COVID-19 Infection.
COVID-19 Update
Below are some resources to keep you up to date on the Coronavirus.
- Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Statistics and Research – Our World in Data
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Advice For The Public - World Health Organization
- What to Do if You Are Sick? CDC Information
- CDC Print Resources
- Iowa Department of Public Health
- What to do When a COVID-19 Patient Needs an Operation
- CDC Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19
The Iowa Board of Medicine has adopted amendments to the standards of practice for appropriate pain management, which were effective on November 27, 2019. They reference the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.
These amendments require a physician to register with the Iowa Prescription Monitoring Program at the same time that the physician applies for registration or renews registration to prescribe controlled substances as required by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.
These amendments also require a physician or the physician’s designated agent to utilize the Iowa Prescription Monitoring Program prior to issuing an opioid prescription and, beginning January 1, 2020, to transmit electronically as an electronic prescription every prescription for controlled and noncontrolled substances. This rule making makes it a ground for discipline if a physician prescribes opioids in dosage amounts exceeding what would be prescribed by a reasonably prudent physician in the state of Iowa acting in the same or similar circumstances. This rule making also encourages the use of nonopioid pharmacologic therapy and nonpharmacologic therapy.
A copy of the IBM final rule is available here.
Iowa Pharmacy Board Rules
During the 2018 Legislative Session, the Iowa Code was amended to require the electronic transmission of all prescriptions as of January 1, 2020. The amendments to the Iowa Code provided exemptions for prescriptions which will not be required to be transmitted electronically. The amendments provided that a prescriber, medical group, institution, or pharmacy that is unable to comply with the electronic prescription mandate may petition the Board for an exemption.
A prescriber, medical group, institution, or pharmacy seeking an exemption beginning January 1, 2020, shall submit a completed petition no later than October 1, 2019.
The amendments required the Board to adopt rules to establish the form and specific information to be included in a request for such an exemption and the specific criteria to be considered by the Board in determining whether to approve a request for exemption. This rule making implements the electronic prescription mandate.
A copy of the final rules is available here.
ASA 2019 Legislative Conference
The ISA had a strong contigent of officers, directors and residents that attended the 2019 ASA Legislative Conference. Members were able to discuss key healthcare issues with our Iowa Congressional delegation including out-of-network billing and Medicare for All.
Iowa Dental Board Updates Anesthesia Rules
The Iowa Dental Board has voted to update their anesthesia rules.
This rule making updates requirements for providing moderate sedation, deep sedation and general anesthesia in dental offices. This rule making specifies the conditions under which the administration of the sedation services may be performed by another health care provider, such as an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist.
This rule making establishes a requirement for training in the monitoring of patients under moderate sedation, deep sedation or general anesthesia. Due to the increased risk of these levels of sedation, the training would allow an option to focus on additional training in observation of a patient under sedation and prepare staff to recognize signs of an adverse reaction or occurrence.
This rule making establishes a prohibition of the use of drugs intended for deeper levels of sedation from being employed for the purposes of moderate sedation. This rule making clarifies the facilities and locations subject to inspection and the equipment required to be maintained at each facility where moderate sedation, deep sedation or general anesthesia, or all three, are performed.
A copy of the rules is available here.
Dr. Scott Paulsen, ISA President, and Dr. Frank Cassady, ASA State Director, recently participated on the Simon Conway radio show on WHO. They discussed concerns with the VA Proposed Rule to allow all ARNPs to practice independently within the VA system. They stressed that Veterans deserve, and have earned the right to receive, the best medical care possible. Additionally, they highlighted the fact there is no shortage of physician anesthesiologists in the VA system and that the current team-based model of anesthesia care is serving Veterans safely and effectively.
To listen to the interview, go to: http://tinyurl.com/j6evhj9 and scroll down to the first link, “Simon Conway Show 7/13 Hour 2” and click on the play button.
