Week In Review

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3/15/2024

Announcing Board and Nominating Committee Election Results

Today, the American Geriatrics Society announced the results of recent Board and Nominating Committee elections. The following AGS members were elected by the membership:

  • Paul Mulhausen, MD, MHS, FACP, AGSF, AGS President-Elect
  • Reena Karani, MD, MHPE, FACP, AGSF, AGS Board Member (2nd term)
  • Ramona Rhodes, MD, MPH, MSCS, AGSF, FAAHPM, AGS Board Member (2nd term)
  • Steven Barczi, MD, FAASM, AGS Board Member (1st Term)
  • Marie Boltz, GNP-BC, PhD, FAAN, AGS Board Member (1st Term)
  • Helen Fernandez, MD, AGSF, Nominating Committee member (2nd term)

The Board elected the following AGS Board members as officers of the Society:

  • Alison Moore, MD, MPH, FACP, AGSF – AGS Treasurer (2nd term)
  • Judy Beizer, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF – AGS Secretary

"In this recent round of elections, we were privileged to have such a remarkable pool of candidates," remarked outgoing Board Chair Dr. G. Michael Harper, MD, AGSF. "The Board candidates, elected by our members, bring a diverse range of expertise and experience to our cause. I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to our newly elected and our re-elected members of the AGS Board, confident that the Society is well-placed for success as they commence their terms this May.  I am delighted that Helen was elected for a second term on our Nominating Committee. During our upcoming AGS Annual Meeting, I am looking forward to passing the Board Chair baton to Donna Fick, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, AGSF, FGSA, FAAN as she completes her presidency, and congratulating Mark Supiano, MD, AGSF as he steps into his new role as AGS President. My congratulations to Paul Mulhausen on his election to serve as AGS President-Elect and to Alison Moore and Judy Beizer who will be serving as AGS Treasurer and AGS Secretary, respectively."

AGS Q1 Newsletter Now Available!

While the latest edition of the AGS Newsletter is on its way to your mailbox, the digital edition has been published on the AGS website – be sure to check it out today! 

Along with the latest society news and updates, get a preview of the AGS/ADGAP Benchmarking Survey Data we have in hand on topics like demographics, productivity, and compensation in our Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Geriatrics Benchmarking Snapshot.

Remember, your participation is essential to building this rich new data asset that helps geriatrics academic programs and AGS members learn and convey their value!   AGS/ADGAP, in partnership with Phairify, launched the Calendar Year 2023 (CY23) Benchmarking Core Survey along with practice site-specific modular surveys for those who practice in acute care, ambulatory, home care, and long-term care settings. AGS geriatrician members should have received an email invitation from AGS with instructions on how to participate in the surveys. These surveys will allow us to continue to build our data resource-the more AGS/ADGAP members that participate in the surveys, the richer and more meaningful the data will be.   

If you have any questions or if you did not receive the invitation to complete the CY23 surveys, please contact Anna Kim at akim@americangeriatrics.org 

President Releases Proposed Funding Requests for FY 2025

This week, the Biden administration released the fiscal year (FY) 2025 President’s Budget Request, which includes funding and policy recommendations for the entire federal government. Also released was the Department of Health and Human Services Budget in Brief and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) FY 2025 Congressional Justification. Of interest, the President’s Budget proposes $47.2 million for the Title VIII Geriatrics Health Workforce Programs (Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatrics Academic Career Award Program), which represents no change from FY 2023 funding. Since FY 2024 funding for the Health and Human Services Programs has not been finalized by Congress, the FY 2025 budget request compares proposed levels to FY 2023. For the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the President’s budget for FY 2025 seeks $50.1 billion, a $2.4 billion increase from FY 2023. The National Institute on Aging request is for $4.4 billion, an increase of $13.2 million over FY 2023. The budget also proposes $868 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, which is a decrease of 70 million (or 7.5%) from FY 2024 levels. The NIA and VA’s budget justifications are linked here and here. Of note, the President’s budget request is only a blueprint and Congress can increase or decrease appropriations levels. As Congress begins works on its appropriations bills for FY 2025, AGS will continue its advocacy in support of these initiatives, emphasizing the increasing need for training in geriatrics and gerontology and fostering groundbreaking medical research on aging.

Now Available – Recorded webinar on Analytic Techniques for Research on Multiple Chronic Conditions

A new recorded webinar, Brief Overview of Useful Analytic Techniques for Research on Multiple Chronic Conditions is now available on the AGS/AGING LEARNING Collaborative website. The MCC Core Curriculum webinars provide the opportunity to hear live expert presentations on the curriculum topics. Join Drs. Terrence Murphy and Karen Bandeen-Roche as they provide an overview of missing data methods, joint models (survival and longitudinal), risk prediction models, cluster analyses, and propensity score methods. You’ll also get to hear Dr. Michael Griswold (University of Mississippi) present on personalized medicine through interactive visualization and Dr. Thomas Travison (Harvard) discuss the evolving use of interdisciplinary data science in the conduct of aging research.

Sign up for free today to access the curriculum and utilize the full suite of products.

Webinar Recording Available: RSV & COVID Vaccine Updates

The AGS Older Adults Vaccine Initiative released a new recording from their team webinar on-demand series, which focused on updates from the most recent CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting regarding the RSV and COVID vaccines. Dr. Kenneth Schmader of the Duke University School of Medicine and member of the AGS Older Adults Vaccine Initiative’s Advisory Committee provided these updates, and Dr. Timothy Farrell of the University of Utah (health system partner) and co-PI of the vaccine initiative served as the moderator. Click here to access the recording and slides!

2023 MIPS Data Submission Deadline Extended

Due to the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attack, CMS has extended the 2023 MIPS data submission deadline until April 15, which was originally scheduled to close on April 1. You can submit and review your 2023 MIPS Data by following the steps outlined directly below:

  1. Go to the Quality Payment Program sign in page.
  2. Sign in using your QPP access credentials.
  3. Submit your MIPS data for the 2023 performance year or review the data reported on your behalf by a third party. (You can’t correct errors with your data after the submission period, so it’s important to make sure the data submitted on your behalf is accurate.)

CMS issues FAQs on Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption

CMS has published FAQs related to the Change Healthcare/Optum payment disruption for accelerated and advance payments. These go into detail about what services qualify for accelerated and advance payments, application criteria, terms of repayment, financial concerns, and other topics. The American Medical Association (AMA) also has a website on the Change Healthcare cybersecurity issue that provides ongoing updates for clinician practices.

Round 3 of STAT Madness is Underway

Round 3 of STAT Madness  - a bracket-style tournament designed to discover the top innovations in science and medicine from institutions across the nation - is underway. You can vote daily for the most innovative institutions until the conclusion of round 3 on March 21, 2024.

Remembering Norman H. Volk

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Norman H. Volk, a long-standing champion of improving care for older adults. Norman Volk's profound impact spans decades of dedicated service as a trustee of The John A. Hartford Foundation, where his leadership shaped grants that have improved countless lives. Beyond his professional roles, Volk's generosity and passion for the well-being of older adults touched many hearts, leaving an enduring legacy of compassion and advocacy in the field of aging and health. Watch The John A. Hartford Foundation’s video tribute to Mr. Volk on the occasion of his retirement as a trustee of the foundation in 2015.

#AGS24 Session Sneak Peek: Public Policy Plenary

As the National Institute on Aging (NIA) celebrates its 50th anniversary, NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes will share major aging research advances that have been made possible by NIA’s support and leadership in the field during this year’s public policy plenary session at #AGS24. This presentation will include advancements in key areas — such as aging biology and geroscience, Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and care and caregiving — and implications for the health and well-being of older adults. Dr. Hodes will also review NIA’s commitment to reducing health disparities through research and building a more inclusive research workforce.

Learn more about this session and others at #AGS24! 

New Opportunities for Investigators & to the MyAGSOnline Calendar

The AGS Opportunities for Investigators resource serves as a central location for geriatrics and aging-related opportunities such as grant funding, presentation or publication submissions, travel stipends for scholarly meetings, networking events, comment periods, and in-person or virtual meetings and webinars. Upcoming opportunities we'd like to highlight include:

  • Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 BRAINS (Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience) cohort! Applications will be accepted through 11 pm (PT) on April 18, 2024. BRAINS uses a unique cohort-based professional development approach to explicitly address the inclusion, retention, and advancement of early career neuroscientists from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. 
  • The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications to support research on patient-centered clinical decision support (PC CDS), a nascent area within the larger field of CDS. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. The NOFO is expected to be published in late Spring 2024 with an expected application due date in Summer 2024.

The MyAGSOnline Events Calendar is a valuable resource to discover and register for upcoming events, webinars, and other opportunities. We'd like to highlight the following upcoming events: 

  • The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program presents Better Caregiving for All, a new monthly virtual series accessible via Zoom. This month's webinar will take place on March 20th from 1-2 pm PST and focus on the topic of Male Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia (PLWD).
  • Join experts in a lively, informative discussion related to memory loss, caregiving tips, and what you can do to help June 1, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (CT) for the Caring for People with Memory Loss Conference. The conference is free for those not seeking Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Pre-registration is required for all. 
Have an opportunity or event you'd like to see listed? Email the details to Jennifer Fisher at  jfisher@americangeriatrics.org

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