--
Richard Chudacoff, MD, FACOG
Las Vegas International Center for Advanced Gynecologic Care
(Specializing in minimally and non-invasive surgery)
3150 N Tenaya Way # 270
Las Vegas, NV 89128
Tel: (702) 360-9630
Fax: (702) 228-2343
_____
From: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net [mailto:ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of Lynn
Montgomery
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 9:24 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L
Subject: ACOG
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 me.
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 what.
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
