Re: ACOG
From: Charlie Chambers (ricechaz@earthlink.net)
Wed May 30 17:41:17 2007
Doesn't it seem like these are redundant systems. If we are being
tested by more and more measures for current competency than what's
the purpose of the current CME system, other than to give lecturers a
stipend and free room and board at resorts?
On May 30, 2007, at 2:55 PM, Meenan, Anna wrote:
> Congratulations. ABFM handed me a packet as I walked out of my
> recert exam back in '03, telling me that I was now part of the
> first group members to experience the revised recertification
> procedure, which of course involves considerably more work and
> expense on my part, but so far not much benefit. The biggest
> change was an annual "SelfAssessment Module" to be completed on the
> computer. The first attempt to complete this involved HOURS on the
> phone with tech support, ironing out bugs, starting with the fact
> that they didn't even make it clear to folks starting the module
> that only certain operating systems and certain browsers were
> supported, which involved a complete upgrade to my system before I
> could even BEGIN the module. I suggested several times that they
> ought to give the first group a break on price as payement for beta
> testing the thing for them. *sigh*
>
> Good luck with it, guys, it's the wave of the future.
>
> Anna Meenan, MD, FAAFP
>
>> I feel I must vent here a little and y'all are my sounding board.
>> I have been a member in good standing of ACOG since my second year
>> of residency. Over the course of the years, I have paid my dues,
>> totally expecting that this is "my" organization and it would look
>> out for my best interest as a practicing obstetrician in the
>> trenches. I continued my membership despite practicing with a
>> grand old partner who never belonged and was freely professed that
>> he would never give money to an organization who would do nothing
>> for him. I was proud when I passed my boards and could now be
>> officially known as a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics
>> and Gynecology.
>>
>> All that said, I must have missed the memo regarding ACOG's
>> initiative with ABOG regarding the re-vamping of the boards and
>> recertification program. In the recent pamphlet I received from
>> ABOG there is an extremely hard to follow description of the new
>> recertification process. In that pamphlet, it clearly states that
>> both ABOG and ACOG cooperated in designing this process. I, as a
>> "fellow" certainly was not allowed to have a say in changing this
>> process. If this is a collegial organization, why is the
>> "membership" asked whether or not they desire a change in any
>> certification process. Maybe these are mandates set forth by the
>> collective medical boards, but could not our organization have
>> communicated the proposed changes, requested input and then
>> described what the changes will entail. I am certainly not alone
>> in this in that several months ago, I inquired of this list if
>> anybody was aware of the changes coming and got no response.
>> Further, my young partner had no idea regarding the changes until
>> recently.
>>
>> So, I currently spend my approximate $600/year for fellowship dues
>> and my approximate $600/year for recertification so that Norman
>> Gant can have a fancy building in Dallas for testing - when every
>> other "board" entity is moving toward computer testing held in
>> multi-use "testing centers" located across the country. Further,
>> I attend obstetric medical management meetings and continually
>> hear how OB/GYN is behind other specialties in coding initiatives
>> (I am familiar with this acutely in MFM coding, while Neo has all
>> of their codes). In addition, I repeatedly see reports regarding
>> excessive charging on the part of medical liability insurance
>> companies and the reporting groups are not ACOG, but rather other
>> interest groups.
>>
>> Rather than deal with the issues that directly reflect on my day-
>> to-day practice, ACOG spends its time coming up with "immediately
>> available", mandating prenatal testing for ALL pregnant patients,
>> mandating hep B vaccination for ALL pregnant patients, mandating
>> CF testing for ALL obstetric patients. How about mandating some
>> protections for meŠ
>>
>> I know it has been said here before, but I must say it again -
>> "ACOG, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?" Maybe we should start
>> with some financial accountability - how much of our dues goes to
>> the top and for whatŠ
>> Lynn
>>
>> Lynn D. Montgomery, M.D.
>> Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
>> The Birth Center/Rocky Mountain Women's Health
>> 1211 S. Reserve St.
>> Missoula, Montana, 59801
>> 406-549-0978
>> fax 406-549-0987
>> e-mail: apgar10@thebirthcentermt.com
>>
>
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Charlie Chambers
Hood River, OR
cchamber@alumni.rice.edu
"Almost anything you do will seem insignificant but it is very important
that you do it....You must be the change you wish to see in the world"
-- Mahatma Ghandi.
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