Don't Miss ACNP's 2012 National Nurse Practitioner Health Policy Conference!

  Registration and Housing - Now Open!

  Click here to register and reserve your hotel to ensure early registration fees and hotel availability.

  Click here for information postcard.  Print a copy for your Department's Activity Board or forward to your colleagues.

Knowledge of current health care policy, legislation, and practice issues is critical to advancing the nurse practitioner role.  The conference provides knowledge and leadership development to take advantage of expanding opportunities for innovations in the NP role, education and healthcare delivery.

The focus of this conference is on foundational and current policy information of vital importance to Nurse Practitioners. An exciting feature of the 2012 health policy conference is the addition of an intense one-day “policy boot camp” featuring “core” policy content underlying NP practice. This session will feature key information on the role of CMS and other regulatory agencies, as well as an exploration of historic barriers which could interfere with NPs’ ability to provide comprehensive care of their patients. 

After the first day of policy core content, the focus will switch to current Congressional and regulatory policy activity impacting nurse practitioner practice. Experts will guide discussions on ACOs, EHRs, health care reform status, the IOM Future of Nursing Report, and the APRN Consensus paper. Additionally, state NP leaders will update participants on state level challenges and successes. The content and activities of this unique conference will be of particular interest to DNP students.

Students who wish to apply to their university for academic credit click here for sample health policy course outline.

The American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) invites abstract submissions for the 2012 ACNP National Clinical Conference - Nurse Practitioners: Shaping Policy, Improving Practice.

To submit an abstract, please visit http://wams.jspargo.com/acnpwams12/abstract/.  Don't wait! The deadline for submission is February 10, 2012!

• 2010 and 2011 Clinical Conference Attendees: To obtain your CE certificate, please send an email request to acnp@acnpweb.org.  Please provide your full name and registration number in the request. 

ACNP Names David Hebert as CEO

The American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) has announced that David E. Hebert, JD, a veteran Washington, D.C. government relations executive, has been named as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2012.

“David Hebert is an outstanding choice to lead the ACNP,” said Jill Olmstead, MSN, NP-C, president of ACNP. “David’s strong senior management background, combined with his extensive legislative and regulatory experience in healthcare issues, makes him a tremendous asset to the ACNP. In addition, David’s stellar previous record representing a professional nursing organization gives him valuable insight into the ACNP’s unique goals and challenges.”

David Hebert has more than 25 years of legislative and regulatory experience, and has served in senior positions on Capitol Hill, in professional associations and at a prominent law firm. He most recently served as the Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Relations for the American Health Care Association, which represents nearly 11,000 for- and not-for-profit nursing homes, assisted living residences, and facilities for the care of people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

Previously, Hebert was the Director of Federal Governmental Affairs in the Washington, D.C. office of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists for eight years, and expanded its political action committee into one of the largest non-physician provider PACs in the nation.

On Capitol Hill, Hebert served as Chief of Staff for then-House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), and was a legislative director/legislative assistant for two other members of Congress. He served as counsel in the Washington, D.C. health care practice at Alston & Bird, LLP. Hebert also has been an Adjunct Professor in the Liberal Studies Program at Georgetown University.

Hebert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon and earned his juris doctorate from Pepperdine University.

2012 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program

Educational Products Are Now Available!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce the posting of 2012 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program educational products to the eRx web page at http://www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive on the CMS website.   

• 2012 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Measure Specifications and Release Notes – provides guidance on the 2012 eRx measure specifications for claims or registry-based reporting and release notes describing changes from the 2011 eRx Measure Specifications.
• Claims-Based Reporting Principles for the 2012  Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program – provides guidance on the principles for reporting the eRx measure on claims for the 2011 eRx Incentive Program.
• 2012 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program CMS-1500 Claim Example – a detailed sample of an individual NPI reporting the eRx measure on a CMS-1500 form
• 2012 Electronic Health Record (EHR) Measure Specifications for Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program and Release Notes – provides guidance on the 2012 EHR measure specifications for eRx and release notes. In addition, the specifications contain a detailed description of data element names and codes.
• 2012 Electronic Health Record (EHR) Downloadable Resource Table and Release Notes – an Excel spreadsheet and release notes listing 2012 EHR information.
• 2012 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program GPRO Measure Specifications and Release Notes – provides guidance on the specifications for the eRx measure for use in 2012 eRx GPRO and release notes.

To access the 2012 eRx Incentive Program educational products, visit the Spotlight section on the eRx Incentive Program webpage at http://www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive/02_Spotlight.asp on the CMS website to view the listing of educational products and their corresponding section pages.

Further information on the 2012 eRx Incentive Program may be found in the final 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 28, 2011.  The final rule can be found on the Statute/Regulations/Program Instructions section page at http://www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive/04_Statute_Regulations.asp on the CMS website.

ACNP Renews Push for Home Care Legislation

As the 112th Congress gears up for its 2012 session, ACNP is urging nurse practitioners to resume efforts to build support for the “Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011” (H.R. 2267 and S. 227).  A bipartisan group of 78 Representatives and 13 Senators signed on to cosponsor the legislation last year, but more endorsements are needed to improve the bill’s chance of passage.

If you haven’t contacted your Senators or Representative about supporting the bill, it’s time for you to take action.  Check the list of current cosponsors if you’re not sure whether your Members of Congress have endorsed the bill.

House Votes to Expand NP Role in Federal Workers Comp
 
The U.S. House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation November 29 aimed at enhancing the workers’ compensation program for federal employees, including authorizing nurse practitioners, other advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants to certify disability for traumatic injuries during an employee’s initial treatment period.  Congressman John Kline (R-MN), Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee and sponsor of the “Federal Workers’ Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act” (H.R. 2465), called the bill “a first step toward modernizing the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act,” adding that workers in rural areas often have limited access to medical care and the medical professionals can certify a worker’s disability.  The House bill goes to the Senate, where the outlook for action is unclear.  

NP Roundtable Letter to Joint Select Committee

Dear Senator Murray and Congressman Hensarling:
On behalf of the 148,000 nurse practitioners across the country represented by the undersigned organizations, we write to express our appreciation for the important work you have undertaken to reduce our federal budget deficit in a prudent, bipartisan manner. As you examine various options to address spending on health care, we urge you to make significant changes that will improve access to care and the cost-efficient delivery of services by eliminating barriers that currently prevent nurse practitioners from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical preparation. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are integral to an improved delivery system – better access, better care, and lower cost. They are essential providing a cost effective solution to the shortage of physicians. In order to achieve potential savings, barriers to practice and participation must be removed and funding for education and training must be preserved and improved. The committee should take action to achieve these efficiencies.

Read entire letter to the Joint Select Committee here

Sanofi Announces Nursing Recognition Program

Sanofi and its partnering organizations, the International Council of Nurses (ICN); the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation (NPHF); le Secrétariat International Des Infirmières et Infirmiers de l'Espace Francophone (SIDIIEF); and l’Association Française pour le Développement de l'Education Thérapeutique (AFDET) are delighted to announce the CARE CHALLENGE  recognition programme (www.care-challenge.com), inviting nurses to submit their innovative patient care ideas and projects. Nurses from anywhere around the world can share, exchange, and nominate projects and ideas for the CARE CHALLENGE initiative and be eligible to receive an award. To accommodate the international scope of this programme, the deadline for submissions online at www.care-challenge.com has been extended to March 31, 2012.

CARE CHALLENGE provides 20 awards to outstanding nurse innovators in two categories:  Nurse in the Limelight Awards, and Helping Hands Awards. A total of 20 awards will be offering the recipients an opportunity to develop the project, and to communicate it globally. Helping Hands Awards include a 3,000 Euros prize (~ US$4,140).   

“CARE CHALLENGE was developed through an exciting collaboration of nursing organisations and Sanofi, with the intent to give nurses a platform to communicate innovation. We are delighted at the terrific interest the CARE CHALLENGE enjoys amongst nurses”, says David Benton, Chief Executive Officer of ICN. “We are certain that the wide-ranging project sharing will enhance nursing practice and ultimately benefit patient care”, says Hélène Salette, General Secretary of SIDIIEF. “Nurses from French speaking countries have been very active in proposing and submitting innovative ideas, and CARE CHALLENGE is of growing popularity”, added Brigitte Sandrin-Berthon, AFDET. “We are excited to see that this initiative is taking off so rapidly.” Phyllis Zimmer, President of the NPHF added, “CARE CHALLENGE champions the care innovations of nurses around the world and provides a way for those innovations to be shared so that everyone -nurses, patients, caregivers, clinical practices and health systems- benefits. CARE CHALLENGE is a marvelous opportunity for nursing’s contributions to healthcare to be showcased and celebrated.”

The Journal for Nurse Practitioners Now Reaches 90,000

Elsevier is pleased to announce that the circulation for JNP, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, has been increased to 90,000, effective with the October 2011 issue. Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a vital role in primary care, and JNP provides a highly credible resource to help them stay current with the clinical and policy concerns affecting their practice. As licensed registered nurses with advanced education, NPs work with physicians to provide health care services to patients, including assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, and ordering tests as part of disease management. NPs are committed to patient advocacy, teaching, and counseling and are recognized health care providers in every state.  

JNP covers all facets of NP care - family, adult, pediatric, acute, geriatrics, dermatology, cardiology, and more.  In addition to peer-reviewed clinical and research articles, JNP features continuing education opportunities and commentary on pressing legislative, regulatory, and clinical practice issues.  The official journal of the American College of Nurse Practitioners, JNP also includes organizational information in each issue.

The Journal for Nurse Practitioners is published 10 times a year by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Nurse Practitioners. The editorial focus for 2012 is management of chronic disease. For more information, go to www.npjournal.org.

CMS Exempts Some NPs From 2012 E-Prescribing Penalties

Responding to concerns raised by the American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published new electronic prescribing regulations September 6 that protect nurse practitioners who do little or no e-prescribing from payment penalties in 2012.
 
ACNP joined the American Nurses Association and other organizations in urging CMS to exempt non-prescribing NPs from penalties.  The agency delayed implementation of the rule in a June 1 announcement that exempted clinicians with limited prescribing activity – fewer than 10 prescriptions over a six-month period.
 
This exemption is part of the final regulations for 2012, and last week the agency posted an on-line application for eligible NPs to apply for the exemption, in addition to a mail-in process.  The on-line application is available at https://www.qualitynet.org/portal/server.pt/community/communications_support_system/234.  Applications for the 2012 exemption are due by November 1.

APRNs Achieve Comparable or Better Outcomes Than Physicians, Review Suggests

How do advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) patient outcomes compare with those of physicians and other health care teams without APRNs? A systematic review to be published in the September/October 2011 issue of Nursing Economic$ suggests APRNs garner similar and in some ways better outcomes than their physician counterparts.

This special report, which is being published online ahead of the print issue, reinforces that APRNs provide effective, high-quality patient care and play an important role in improving the quality of care in the United States. The article, "Advanced Practice Nurse Outcomes 1990-2008: A Systematic Review," is available online for free.

In this systematic review, Robin P. Newhouse, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, and co-authors compare APRN processes and outcomes to those of physician providers. Sixty-nine studies published between 1990 and 2008 were analyzed and 28 outcomes were summarized for nurses practicing in APRN roles.

Newhouse and her co-authors describe patient outcomes for each of three groups: nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and clinical nurse specialists. Outcomes with similar or better grades than those of physician comparison groups include:

• Nurse practitioners: Glucose control, lipid control, patient satisfaction, functional status, mortality
• Certified nurse-midwives: Cesarean, low APGAR score, episiotomy, labor analgesia, perineal lacerations
• Clinical nurse specialists: Satisfaction, length of stay, cost

The results indicate that APRNs provide safe, effective, quality care and play a significant role in promoting health and health care. Newhouse and her co-authors write that the results "could help address concerns about whether care provided by APRNs can safely augment the physician supply to support reform efforts aimed at expanding access to care."

Read the complete article on the Nursing Economic$ Web site. This article will appear in the print version of Nursing Economic$, September/October 2011 (Vol. 29, No. 5). Readers may access the article online now; they may also subscribe to Nursing Economic$.

HHS Standardizes Health Care Transactions, Saves Time and $12 Billion

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently introduced an interim final rule standardizing certain electronic transactions to save $12 billion and give providers better access to patients’ health care information.

The rule requires health plans, health care clearinghouses and certain health care providers to implement by Jan. 1, 2013, standards (“operating rules”) for two electronic health care transactions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): eligibility for a health plan and health care claim status. It implements certain administrative simplification provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, P.L. 111-148 and P.L. 111-152).

ACNP Responds to CMS on ACO Proposed Rule

Click here to read the NP Roundtable letter to CMS regarding the ACO rules.

ACNP urges members to be aware of the proposed rules for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and the profound implications for nurse practitioners.  ACOs were conceptualized by health reform legislation as a cost effective model for providing patient-centered care.   We encourage you to read the comments submitted to CMS by the NP Roundtable regarding the posted ACO rules. 

APRNs Included in Joint Commission Definition of Primary Care Clinician

The Approved Standards & Elements of Performances for The Joint Commission Primary Care Medical Home Option – Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program is now public.  The ACNP congratulates the Joint Commission on this publication, standards effective July 1.  ACNP is pleased to see consistent use of the term “primary care clinician” throughout the 18-page document. This term and its provider neutral definition mirrors an important core value of the the ACNP: "Interdisciplinary non-hierarchial team care is the highest quality of care".

Joint Commission definition of primary care clinician:

 “Primary care clinicians have the educational background and broad-based knowledge and experience necessary to handle most medical and other health care needs of the patients who have selected them, including resolving conflicting recommendations for care. The primary care clinician works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team and in partnership with the patient to address the patient’s primary health care needs. The primary care clinician is selected by the patient and serves as the primary point of contact for the patient and family. A primary care clinician operating within the primary care home is a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant.”

This definition facilitates access to primary care services provided by APRNs, and allows nurse managed health centers to be eligible to become primary care medical homes.  The document (title "Pre-Publication Primary Care Medical Home Pre-Publication Standards") can be accessed at:
 http://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/prepublication_standards.aspx

ACNP Online Learning Center - Featuring over 80 Clinical Conference CE Opportunities!

Visit the Online Learning Center and sign up to view new CE opportunities

There IS a solution to the primary care shortage! Click here to find the answer.

AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER (ANCC)
ACNP Student Members Receive Additional Discount on ANCC Board Certification Exam Fees - Extended Deadline
ACNP and ANCC are pleased to provide ACNP student members an extra $50 off the fee for nurse practitioner certification, in addition to the already discounted fee!  The coupon expiration date has been extended through December 31, 2011.  A new coupon is anticipated but until then, please use one of the coupons with the 3/1/2009 expiration date.

• Print the $50 discount coupon
• Join ACNP today!
• More information on this limited-time offer

JOURNAL FOR NURSE PRACTITIONERS (JNP)

Full access to all JNP content online is available only to ACNP Members and Premium Qualified Subscribers. To read any of the content from our official journal The Journal for Nurse Practitioners (JNP), you must now LOGIN through the ACNP members only area.  This is a fantastic member benefit - take advantage of the great JNP and Elsevier content today!  If you do not know your member ID number, please email acnp@acnpweb.org or call 703-740-2529 x225.

The JNP is now available online, where you can access all articles, continuing education, ACNP news, etc. If your copy of the JNP has a card attached asking you to please return it, please do so. By returning the postcards, it will allow the publisher to hold down postage rates, and include additional pages of content in the journal.

	JNP Wins National Award for Editorial Series