Bladder Cancer Academy 2017: Why LUGPA Embraces Managing Advanced Genitourinary Cancers
Dr. Shore continued to describe the role LUGPA will play in these issues. LUGPA is a national association solely dedicated to the preservation and promotion of independent urology practices. LUGPA’s mission is to protect independent urology practices and advocate for their futures by engaging with healthcare policymakers. Its main goal is to provide patients with the utmost quality healthcare in the most cost-effective scenario with optimal efficiency and accessibility. There is also ongoing membership communication to facilitate business/clinical real world applications. Additionally, LUGPA advocates the patient-physician shared decision making in its proposed advanced payment model. Lastly, LUGPA’s role is to develop current and future leaders.
The legislative priorities of LUGPA include maintaining the in-office ancillary service exemption (IOASE), prompting Stark law reform to allow independent practices to fulfill The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) goals, championing the reform of the US preventative task force (USPTF), to allow for greater transparency and stakeholder engagement, prompting optimal prostate cancer evaluation, supporting neutrality of physician reimbursement regardless of site of service, and lastly, advocating for physician’s ability to continue to provide integrated services.
Approximately 60 LUGPA member practices are participating in ongoing reviews of more than 500 patient charts with combined pathway development exercises. In tandem with Oregon Urology institute, LUGPA jointly developed first of its kind urology based quality measures and submitted them to CMS. This finalized submitted measure focuses on bone density evaluation for patients with prostate cancer who are receiving androgen deprivation therapy. LUGPA plans to submit 4 additional quality measures to CMS.
The LUGPA regional meetings/integrated practice forums provide LUGPA practices a geographically convenient, live and smaller scale forum to engage peers on a multitude of clinical and business integration topics.
Young LUGPA is a newly established membership committee, identifying and interacting with members with fewer than 10 years as a practicing urologist. This new committee will also introduce innovative initiative: leadership development, broadening demographic diversity and more. According to Dr. Shore it is truly the future of independent urology.
LUGPA also plans to start virtual crossfire education series, beginning on June 27th 2017, with the first one titled, “Developing an effective, advanced prostate cancer clinic.” Programs are planned on a 2-3 month basis, with live online virtual discussion with audience interactivity.
LUGPA also plans to have its second annual prostate cancer academy in October 13-14, 2017 in Los-Angeles, CA. This aims to promote prostate cancer clinical excellence and combines senior urology residents, urology oncology fellows and early career urologist in a unique setting. Topics of presentations will include latest developments for diagnosis, evaluation and management for all stages of prostate cancer.
Dr. Shore concluded his presentation by revealing that LUGPA has just recently published its own guidebook for practice management, with collaboration of expert advice authored by urology specialists and invited experts. This guidebook aims to provide insight and instruction on clinical and operational topics essential for all member practices.
Presented By: Neal D. Shore, MD, Carolina Urologic Research Center, Atlantic Urology Clinics, Myrtle Beach, SC
Written By: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Twitter: @GoldbergHanan
at the 2017 Bladder Cancer Academy - June 9 - 10 - Schaumburg, Illinois, USA