NYS SOciety of ORTHOPAEDIC Surgeons

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) is taking important steps to improve practitioner utilization of the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Registry. This essential public health tool plays a vital role in saving lives, improving patient care, and keeping New York State communities healthy.

Legal Requirement:

In New York State, providers are required by law to consult the PMP Registry before writing a prescription for a controlled substance, with a limited number of exceptions. *

In January 2024, the NYSDOH BNE distributed a survey to identify barriers to checking the PMP Registry and opportunities for improvement of provider compliance with New York State law. Based on responses to this survey, educational materials were developed to bridge gaps in knowledge around PMP Registry use.

To refresh your knowledge on the PMP Registry, please follow this link to view the first of such materials:

New York State Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Registry: Legal Duty to Consult.

* 10NYCRR Part 80 Section 80.63(2)

Snowbird patients - those who travel to warmer states for the winter - pose unique challenges for healthcare providers.

Read advice from MLMIC experts on how to navigate these issues.

The Workers’ Compensation Board (Board) continues its CMS-1500 webinar series this week, providing guidance to health care providers ahead of the August 1, 2025, deadline to electronically submit the CMS-1500 universal medical billing form through an approved electronic submission partner.

Webinar Details
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Here

What You’ll Learn
This free, one-hour session will cover:

• An overview of the CMS-1500 form
• Benefits of electronic submission
• Available submission partners
• The submission process

There will also be a Q&A session at the end.

Additional Resources

• Visit the CMS-1500 section of the Board’s website for more details.
• Explore the What Providers Need to Know section to navigate the workers’ compensation system, including topics like billing, treating injured workers, and provider updates.
• Sign up for email or text updates to stay informed about this initiative, future webinars, and provider news.

Questions or Issues?
Email: MDO@wcb.ny.gov
Check the Webinar FAQs for troubleshooting help.

Have you recently checked your Physician Profile in your Health  your Health Commerce System Account? Maintaining an up to profile is part of your re-registration process. 

Key requirements:

• Your Physician Profile must be updated every two years
• Updates must be completed within the six months prior to your re-registration date

How to Check:

• Login to your HCS account to ensure your profile is current.

For more information about the New York State Physician Profile requirement, click here.

Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize will lead three virtual sessions on Saturday, February 1st, Sunday, March 2nd, and Saturday, March 15th, from 7:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

These sessions will focus on Designing Your Medical Career, Enhancing Physician Wellness and Wellbeing, and The Importance of Networking. Upon completing the three sessions, participants can earn up to nine continuing medical education (CME) credits.

To register, please see the links below:

• February 1: Designing Your Medical Career
• March 2: Enhancing Physician Wellness and Wellbeing
• March 15: The Importance of Networking

We are excited to announce that the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (NYSSOS) is now accepting submissions from medical students to our poster competition, which will take place at our Annual Meeting on November 9, 2024, at the Opus Westchester in White Plains, NY.

This competition provides a unique opportunity for medical students interested in orthopaedics to showcase their research, clinical case reports, or advocacy efforts. We welcome submissions in the following categories:

• Clinical Case Reports: Highlighting new disease entities or unusual clinical features of known conditions.
• Research: Focused on clinical or laboratory-based research related to orthopaedics.
• Quality, Advocacy, and Public Policy: Addressing health systems improvement, patient safety, quality of care, or advocacy efforts in orthopaedic care.

Abstract Submission Guidelines:

1. Abstracts are limited to 450 words and should clearly state the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions of the study.
2. All submissions must be submitted online by Friday, September 20, 2024. Late submissions will not be accepted.
3. At least one co-author must be a NYSSOS member and you must be enrolled in a NYS medical school.
4. Selected abstracts will be chosen for poster presentation at the Annual Meeting.  Registration fee to attend the meeting for medical students is: $75.00
5. One submission per author is allowed.

To submit an abstract and review detailed submission guidelines, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/nyssosmedstudent.

Please note that all abstracts must follow the structure outlined in the competition regulations.

 This is a wonderful opportunity to present your work to a distinguished audience of orthopaedic professionals and gain valuable feedback.

We encourage you to participate and showcase your contributions to the field of orthopaedics.

We are excited to announce a new addition to this year’s New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting and Symposium scheduled for November 9, 2024 at the Opus Westchester in White Plains, NY.

Alongside our traditional clinical sessions that focus on optimizing patient care and enhancing your practice's business management strategies, we are introducing an opportunity for you to engage with your peers like never before.

Submit a Challenging Case for Group Discussion!

This is your chance to present a complex or unique case that you've encountered. You'll have 15 minutes to present your case, followed by a moderated discussion, allowing you to gain insights and perspectives from fellow orthopaedic surgeons.

Our member's insights and experiences were crucial to guiding the NYS Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (NYSSOS) advocacy efforts this year. We remain committed to representing our orthopaedic community's interests effectively in 2025, and to do that, we need to hear from you directly.

We invite you to take a few minutes to complete this brief 5-question survey. Your responses will help us identify the key advocacy priorities that matter most to you and your practice. This is your opportunity to influence the direction of our efforts in Albany and beyond.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/advocacypriorities

Thank you for your time and continued commitment to our society. Together, we can ensure the voice of orthopaedic surgeons and their patients across New York State are heard loud and clear.

Legal Alert provided by Garfunkel Wild

A Texas Federal Judge issued a decision blocking the FTC’s proposed ban on non-compete agreements, which was set to go into effect on September 4, 2024.  

The Court found that the FTC improperly exceeded its authority by creating a new rule banning non-compete agreements. 

The FTC has said that it is seriously considering appealing the Court’s ruling, and that it would continue to review non-compete agreements on a case-by-case basis for enforceability. 

For now, however, the non-compete ban is stalled and will not go into effect on September 4, 2024. 

What does this mean going forward?

Mark your calendars: Submissions will be accepted through September 13, 2024.
Submit Your Abstract

Whether your passion lies in groundbreaking research, clinical excellence, or the critical intersections of quality, advocacy, and public policy, we want to see your work. This is your moment to shine, present your ideas to an audience of your peers, and gain recognition for your contributions to the orthopaedic field.

Not only can residents submit an abstract, but for the first time, physicians who are engaged in a full-time fellowship program in orthopaedic surgery are eligible to submit an abstract and have a chance to present their posters.

We are aware this date may conflict with residents who may be taking their OITE exams, therefore we are offering the opportunity for a chance to display your research in our online gallery. Please indicate this option on the submission form. 

If your abstract is selected, you’ll have the unique opportunity to present your poster at the Annual Meeting, where a team of judges will  review all entries. The top four posters will move on to an oral presentation round, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place up for grabs!

This is not just a competition—it's a platform to elevate your work and connect with the best minds in orthopaedics. We can't wait to see the innovative and impactful projects you bring forward.