Practice Management Tip of the Month: Resuming Allergy Practice
As stay at home restrictions begin to ease and your patient volume increases, make sure your office has protocols in place to ensure the safety of staff, patients, and physicians.
The AAAAI COVID-19 Response Task Force has created a list of Suggestions or Considerations for Resuming Practices that includes staff safety protocols, practice space logistics, and a classification of low, medium and high-risk procedures. These suggestions presume that the actual infectious state of your patients is unknown and that asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic patients can spread the virus. You can find the document on the AAAAI COVID-19 Resources Page under AAAAI Original Resources.
The Practice Management Tip of the Month is a feature that appears in Practice Matters, the AAAAI’s semimonthly newsletter with information and resources tailored for the practicing allergist. If you are an AAAAI member and have not been receiving Practice Matters, contact practicematters@aaaai.org.
Read This Featured Coding Question from Practice Matters
Question: Can a nurse practitioner see a new Medicare patient in the office if the supervising physician participated via telemedicine?
Answer: For Medicare, the physician must do the key components of the encounter to charge under his/her own provider number. This would mean that the history of present illness, exam, and medical decision making must be performed by the physician to be billed by the physician. If this can be done remotely, then yes, you could bill for a new patient encounter under the physician.
If you have a coding question of your own, send it to coding@aaaai.org. A coding question is also featured in every issue of Practice Matters.
Templates and Talking Points for Local Media Outreach During COVID-19
It is critical for the practicing allergist to be seen as the expert when it comes to how COVID-19 may impact patients with allergies, asthma and immunologic disorders.
The AAAAI has created a template media alert describing the unique perspective an allergist can offer, a template press release on what patients need to know about asthma and COVID-19, and a set of talking points.
Update the templates and send them to media contacts in your local area and use the talking points to prepare for interviews. Please note that while the AAAAI is providing these materials to help you, you will be speaking on your own behalf in any interviews you may give.
These communication and outreach tools have been posted to the AAAAI Original Resources section of the COVID-19 resources page at education.aaaai.org/resources-for-a-i-clinicians/covid-19.
Over the past several months we’ve been continually adding resources. Just some of the resources you will find include:
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Special Article: Suggestions or Considerations for Resuming Practices
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COVID-19 podcast episodes
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Patient resources, including infographics and a symptom comparison chart
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Ask the Expert questions about COVID-19
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Coding information for COVID-19
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Telemedicine resources
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A special Virtual Journal Club Webinar recording, which discusses two COVID-19 papers meant to address concerns in your practice
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Physician wellness resources
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And much more
Registration Open for the 2020 AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Board Certification Review Course
The 2020 AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Board Certification Review Course, originally scheduled to be held May 2020 in Rosemont, Illinois, is moving to an online format.
The online course will include recordings of the presentations originally scheduled for the live course, as well as downloadable handouts. You will also have the opportunity to post questions and get answers from the presenters.
Recordings were made available in June and CME credit will be offered for completion of the online course. You can register at education.aaaai.org/2020JBCRC.
Submit 2021 Annual Meeting Abstracts by August 27
Visit annualmeeting.aaaai.org by August 27 to submit your abstracts for consideration at the 2021 AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 26 – March 1, 2021.
Research presentations are an important part of the Annual Meeting, contributing significantly to the overall scientific content of the meeting and providing an excellent opportunity to share findings with other delegates. Accepted abstracts will also be published in a supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).
Only complete abstract submissions will be considered for programming and no extensions will be given. Any questions regarding abstract submission and programming may be directed to cme@aaaai.org.
Take this Virtual Atopic Dermatitis Course for CME Credit
Atopic dermatitis is common, affecting up to 30% of children and up to 10% of adults in industrialized nations, and it’s likely you’ve received referrals, especially for patients with more severe cases. It’s a complicated disease, and perhaps you’ve struggled to make a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Together with The France Foundation, the AAAAI is pleased to present Updates in Atopic Dermatitis: The Allergist's Guide to Optimizing Care. This new educational initiative is intended for non-dermatology specialists and designed to increase knowledge, competence and confidence in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis.
There are two courses—one focusing on adults, the other on infants and children—packed with interactive content. Immersive, practical, and personalized to your needs, they are designed to boost your confidence and skills, with the ultimate goal of improving care of your patients with atopic dermatitis. These new courses are ideal not just for the practicing allergist/immunologist, but also for fellows-in-training, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other allied health professionals.
A companion article to this CME activity, packed with practical information about diagnosing, assessing and treating atopic dermatitis, was published by JACI: In Practice. It is a non-CME supplement to the material you will find in the courses.
Access the Updates in Atopic Dermatitis: The Allergist's Guide to Optimizing Care courses at education.aaaai.org/ADUpdates.
Updates in Atopic Dermatitis is supported by an educational grant from Pfizer.
Lay Organizations.
The AAAAI places a high value on its relationships with patient advocacy organizations in support of our mutual concern for the needs of people with allergy, asthma and immunologic disease and their families. In particular, the AAAAI has an ongoing relationship with a group of organizations with whom we partner on various projects as needs and opportunities arise. We encourage you to visit these organizations’ websites for more information on their initiatives and missions.
Allergy & Asthma Network:
American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED):
Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA):
Alaska Chapter: aafaalaska.com
California Chapter: aafa-ca.com
Greater Kansas City Chapter: aafakc.org
Maryland/Washington DC Chapter: aafa-md.org
Michigan Chapter: aafamich.org
New England Chapter: asthmaandallergies.org
Texas Chapter: aafatexas.org
St. Louis Chapter: aafastl.org
Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease (CURED):
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT):
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE):
Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF):
International FPIES Association:
The Mastocytosis Society (TMS):
US Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA):