March 1997
Volume 61 |
Number 3
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ASA NEWS
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| 1997 RVG and CROSSWALK™
Available in Print and on Disk |
The 1997 ASA Relative Value Guide (RVG) has been published and
is available from the ASA Executive Office for $10 per copy.
In addition to the booklet format, the RVG now can be obtained
on disk (for both DOS- and Macintosh-based systems). It is in
ASCII format, ready for use with any software program that imports
ASCII files. The cost for the electronic version is $50 for members
and $60 for nonmembers, which includes a copy of the printed version.
Check with your data processing professional to ensure compatibility
with your software.
Included in the 1997 RVG are changes in terminology and Current
Procedural Terminology Fourth Edition (CPT-4) codes approved by
the ASA House of Delegates at the 1996 ASA Annual Meeting. Additionally,
the RVG contains changes in code numbers and descriptors approved
by the American Medical Association CPT-4 Editorial Panel.
The 1997 CROSSWALK™ document, which relates current procedural
terminology between surgical and anesthesia codes, is also available
from the ASA Executive Office. The CROSSWALK™ document may
be purchased at the price of $50 for a hard copy or on computer
diskette for $100 ($200 for nonmembers), which includes a hard
copy.
Those purchasing the 1997 edition CROSSWALK™ should keep
in mind that it is entirely unofficial, representing only the
collective best judgment of members of the ASA Committee on Economics,
and that these members' judgment may not necessarily be accepted
by Medicare or other payers. Contact the publications
department for more information.
Deadlines Set for Annual Meeting
ASA members are invited to submit an abstract of a scientific
paper for possible presentation at the 1997 ASA Annual Meeting
in San Diego, California, on October 18-22, 1997. All abstracts
must be submitted on special forms available from the ASA Executive
Office. The deadline for abstract receipt is April 1, 1997.
For more details on application procedures, please refer to the
January 1997 NEWSLETTER.
Member Dues Waivers Available
Members are reminded that dues for 1997 may be waived for applicants
for retired membership if a properly completed application is
received by the ASA Executive Office prior to May 1, 1997, and
if the application receives component society approval by December
31, 1997.
To qualify for retired status, a member must have a minimum of
10 years active membership and be completely retired from the
clinical practice of anesthesiology.
A member who is unable to practice for a period of six months
or more because of a disability can also apply for a waiver of
dues. Please contact the ASA Membership Department for
the appropriate form. Disability waivers must have component
society approval and be received by ASA prior to May 1, 1997.
E-mail: <membership@ASAhq.org>
Open Forums Set for New Preop Guidelines
The ASA Task Force on Preoperative Fasting, chaired by Mark A.
Warner, M.D., and the ASA Task Force on Preoperative Testing,
chaired by L. Reuven Pasternak, M.D., are inviting comments to
their proposed practice guidelines.
An open forum on the proposed preoperative fasting guidelines
will be held on Friday, May 2, 1997, from 3 p.m.
to 5 p.m. during the Society
for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) 12th Annual Meeting in Lake
Buena Vista (Orlando), Florida. A second open forum on the proposed
preoperative testing guidelines will be held on Saturday, May
3, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the SAMBA meeting.
All ASA members are invited to share their comments and feedback
during this important forum. The new guidelines should be ready
for consideration by the ASA House of Delegates in October 1997
during the ASA Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.
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