Re: ACOG
From: Charlie Chambers (ricechaz@earthlink.net)
Wed May 30 12:35:35 2007
I also liked how the bulletin states that there will be a charge for
the new written computer exam. I'm looking forward to how convenient
these locations are around the country.
On May 30, 2007, at 9:24 AM, Lynn Montgomery wrote:
> 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
>
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Charlie Chambers
Hood River, OR
cchamber@alumni.rice.edu
"... all good things, trout as well as eternal salvation,
come by grace and grace comes by art
and art does not come easy."
-Norman Maclean
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