Current state of the fellowship hiring process: Are we in 1957 or 2007?

Anil Ranawat, MD; Ryan M. Nunley, MD; James W. Genuario, MD; Alok D. Sharan, MD; Samir Mehta, MD; the Washington Health Policy Fellows

In 2005, approximately 90 percent of the 620 graduating orthopaedic residents matriculated into an orthopaedic subspecialty fellowship program. In January of that same year, the match process for two of the largest orthopaedic fellowship subspecialties—sports medicine and spine surgery—was dissolved by the National Resident Match Program (NRMP).

CMS isues final ‘Stark III’ rules

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued final regulations prohibiting physicians from referring Medicare patients for certain items, services, and tests provided by businesses in which they or their immediate family members have a financial interest. These final regulations are the third phase of implementing the physician self-referral prohibition commonly referred to as the Stark law.

From the states: 2007 legislative wrap-up

Charlene K. MacDonald, MPP

Legislatures address scope of practice, quality of care, reform issues Scope of practice Physical therapists, podiatrists, and chiropractors all sought to expand their scopes of practice through state legislation. The American Physical Therapy Association continues to push for state laws permitting direct access to physical therapy services without physician evaluation or oversight.

Tort reform in West Virginia

Robert L. Ghiz, MD

How do you measure the beneficial effects of legislation? Is it an increase in the number of physicians in the state? Is it the ease of recruiting physicians who are willing to visit and consider practicing here? Is it the ability to attract highly specialized physicians for tertiary care? Is it the lowering of premiums for liability insurance? Is it the reduction in the number and severity of claims? Is it the number of liability carriers who are willing to write insurance in the state?