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Unlocking the Truth

Doctors:

Now what evaluating physician has not been the recipient of less than complete or honest information? And what would you be willing to give to be able to see through the vail of dishonesty???

Even our representatives still blush about "what the definition of 'is' is".....

Advanced Clinical Skills - SDPM Module 2: When & Why Is It Fraud/Abuse? Faculty Update

Doctors:

Happy Holidays to all.....If you remember, I recently sent to you a message on "Unlocking the Truth"...After talking to FBI agent Lee Howell (retired) - who has replaced Raymond Lauer for the Advanced Skills Session - SDPM Module 2: When and Why Is It Fraud/Abuse?  I really believe this will be a highly enlightening program for all, especially those who work with corporations and businesses, as these issues arise so frequently....but don't take my word for it....come and listen to the first 5 minutes, have some coffee...I think you will find this most enlightening and will help you in your practice....not that anybody would ever lie to us....

Click HERE to see Lee Howell's Agenda

Dave Randolph
AADEP 23rd Annual Meeting Program Chair

Medical Sciencegate

Doctors:

As the use of real science to deny ineffective, expensive, invasive morbidity enhancing procedures to the workers compensation population increases, I am seeing a greater number of certain marginal providers...."Pain Specialists", proceduralists, and "Semioticians" (those who specialize in treating symptoms) migrating to private insurers for their respective activities....They continue to practice their interesting and often refuted practices getting reimbursed through sources which are not as dedicated to science.

Think "Climategate"......now termed "Scientific Fascism"....no matter what your politics might be, we are all interested in learning the truth, however unpleasant it might be.

Editorial on Adverse Events Reporting

Doctors:

Click HERE to read a very short editorial from "The Back Letter" November, 2009.......now, where can you come to hear the truth about these remarkably costly and ineffective interventions?.....Start with Orlando in January......come and hear the real truth, not just what they want you to hear. Our preconference programs are loaded with highly qualified medical scientists (like Suzanne Novak, Bill Nemeth, Jim Talmage, Russell Travis, Trang Nguyen, Gary Freeman, Bob Barth, Mark Finneran to name a few). The nationally recognized Rick Deyo and Eugene Caragee will be providing you a new concept called "Truth"...you may have heard of it.....this stuff you can use every day to help stop adverse events. Come listen and add your voice.

Dave Randolph
AADEP 23rd Annual Meeting Program Chair

More on Crisis and Opportunity

Doctors:

I hope all of you are enjoying the holiday season, even with the growing economic concerns...
As I mentioned in my last message, these changes may open new doors and pathways for us all. We can easily see that a number of interventions provided by some of our painful colleagues are not only less than helpful, they are very expensive, often performed  without scientific scrutiny, and serve to increase morbidity and mortality. They hurt people, and make us ALL look bad.

Do you know why? Are you aware of the science which allows me to make these bold assertions? Could you defend such statements at a deposition or in open court? Could your reports be enhanced by knowing and understanding these issues?

Does it make you angry to learn of Pain specialists billing $1,000,000 a month?????

Perhaps you should consider joining us or inviting a colleague for a few days in January in Orlando. Our voices can be heard by spreading the "Science of Pain Management" and dispelling the voodoo.....this must be stopped.

I would welcome your input...

Dave Randolph
AADEP 23rd Annual Meeting Program Chair

Health Care

Doctors:

Only the cave dwellers among us believe health care will survive unchanged after the past few months. It would seem, however, that a more promising future exists for those who are able to provide scientifically sound critiques of medical care.

There is no doubt that the need for such talent and skill will increase over the next few years, as both medical and administrative needs for such evaluation increase. The ability to address and assess effective interventions can best be accomplished by experienced medically trained physicians, skilled in science and knowledgeable in the published literature.

Armed with such knowledge and experience, such a physician should be able to confront numerous future opportunities....

Perhaps you might know someone who would like to join us in this quest.

Dave Randolph
AADEP 23rd Annual Meeting Program Chair

Click HERE to view the Annual Meeting brochure.

Click HERE to register online.

AADEP Opportunity

I am writing to you to let you know about our upcoming AADEP Annual meeting being held in Orlando, January 7-9, 2010. Our focus this year will be on "Science and Pain Management". I believe you will find this program helpful and informative, especially when you are asked to address the evidence to support some of these practices.

On Thursday, January 7th, we will have a number of preconference seminars to help you thaw out. I would ask you to look at Russel Travis's program on "Controversial Diagnoses Including MRIs and the Evidence to Resolve" Russell and his team (Jim Talmage and Trang Nguyen) will provide you with a large selection of about 100 recently published abstracts taken from reputable journals, dealing with various aspects of spine problems. This interactive program will acquaint you not only with the recent  literature, but also on how to take these articles apart and learn the most from them. This will be a rare opportunity for you to sharpen your scientific skills and improve the quality of your reviews, by learning how the pro's do it.

Suzanne Novak and Bill Nemeth will once again provide a half day program dealing with opiates and the increasing problems we see with its' use.

The Annual program is designed to provide you with numerous pearls on the use of new (and old) science to refine your  knowledge and use of the literature. Drs Gene Carragee and Rick Deyo will again join us to report on more recent advances in the Spine, both their own studies and those published by other authors. Jeff Buchalter, an anesthesiologist from the University of Florida, will talk to you about "real" pain management...(as opposed to what some of us have been seeing).

This is only skimming a few of the points about the program. You should soon be getting a brochure about this course in the mail, you may also click HERE to view the brochure, I would encourage you to look at the program and consider coming to Orlando (next to SeaWorld) and thawing out for a few days, while you learn a bit about more recent advances. We have tried hard to provide you with a different type of program this year. I hope you will like what you see and consider joining us for a few days.

Please click HERE to register online.

Dave Randolph
AADEP 23rd Annual Meeting Program Chair

IN MEMORIAM

22nd Annual Scientific Session Update

We have all had time to recuperate from an absolutely terrific 22nd Annual Scientific Session. I have even had a vacation, thank you. We know from your comments and ratings that you really enjoyed the 2009 sessions both in the Advanced Skills Day and particularly during the Annual. Our faculty was outstanding this year. The press said so. Click here to see the article posted on the AADEP website.

Great thanks are due the volunteer Chair of the course, Melissa Tonn, MD, MPH, MBA, FAADEP, and the co-vice chairs, Robert Barth, PhD, Associate Member and David Randolph, MD, MPH, FAADEP. Many thanks also go to our grantors and exhibitors who generously helped support the program. We are also grateful to those who donated auction items and who purchased those items to provide $3,100 for the AADEP foundation, VERITAS MEDICUS. And we had fun as well.

Speaking of comments, we appreciate your bearing with us through our glitches in the new evaluation technology. And to those 35 people who stayed until the very last question on Saturday, we are especially grateful. The new technology provides an outstanding overview in a third of the time. However, some of you actually liked the keypads so much that you neglected to return them to AADEP—we lost a dozen on-site which cost your Academy $600. If you happen to find them, return them to the address on the back, i.e. AADEP, 223 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1104, Chicago, IL 60606-6900. Come on, send them back.

Are you thinking about attending the first half-day session on prevention and disability topics on May 1, 2009, at the Renaissance Worthington, Fort Worth, Texas? Presented as the morning session of the AADEP annual comprehensive course, we invite you to participate at a SPECIAL introductory rate of $250—or register for the entire three-day course on the Sixth Edition of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. We look forward to seeing you there.

Give us your comments on the annual and how we might be able to improve in 2010. You will not want to miss it.

Sandra L. Yost, MBA
AADEP Executive Director

Past President Sergio Delgado and AMA Resolution

Past President Sergio Delgado writes:"After 22 years, the Academy appears to be a continuous force in the Disability Evaluation field." Doctor Delgado retired now at home in Topeka, Kansas, was AADEP's Second President, serving 1990-92. He continues, "I saw your slate of directors--all are great. ...I continue to verbally support the Academy whenever I can. My salute and regards to all the colleagues who have worked for the Academy all these years.

On another note, the AMA is preparing for its Interim Meeting and asks that we consider endorsing the resolution from the Annual Meeting. Please let delegate David C. Randolph, MD, MPH, FAADEP, at your opinion of this resolution.

The resolution asked that the AMA inform all state and specialty societies about "Screen Out!" and encourage them to endorse this program and promote the AMA Alliance's "Screen Out!" website which encourages petition and letter writing campaigns to ask the Motion Picture Association of America to rate all new movies with smoking "R".

By visiting the website you can access all the materials you need to promote and become actively involved in this campaign. To sign the online petition TODAY, please visit: .

Sandy Yost, MBA
AADEP Executive Director