CAPcast from the College of American Pathologists

This month we’ll review the proposed 2023 Medicare Payment Regulations released by the CMS, the technical reporting changes made to CLIA proficiency testing regulations, as well as the declaration of Monkeypox as a global health emergency and a public health emergency in the United States. We will also be joined by Theresa Emory, MD, FCAP to talk about good faith estimate requirements as they relate to surprise medical bills.

With so much structural change happening in the world right now, it’s easy to be uncertain and weary. It also means adapting to broaden the scope of individuals who have historically been left behind by the innovations and advances of modern medicine. In this sense, Heather McGhee’s book, The Sum of Us: What racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together, addresses what it means make sure health care includes everyone. We spoke about how structural inequities have held back advances in the medical system, why racism still impacts systems like health care today, and what professionals in the medical field can do to find success while reducing disparities and improving equity in care.

This month we’ll look at updates on the VALID Act, examine the CDC announcement for Monkeypox specimen guidelines, and review the decision by the CMS to retain diagnostic codes for next generation sequencing. We'll also be joined by Dr. Mark Synovec to recap the American Medical Association’s annual meeting and what the CAP-led delegation advocated for during the event.

This month we’ll be focusing on the VALID Act and its impact on laboratory developed tests. We sat down with CAP President Dr. Emily Volk to get some background on the legislation and what to expect moving forward.

Pathologists are responsible for developing safe and efficient blood selection policies for routine and emergency bleeding situations, in a variety of clinical scenarios and in different practice settings, explains Monica Pagano, MD, FCAP, in this CAPcast interview. Dr. Pagano is Medical Director, Transfusion Service Laboratory at the University of Washington Medical Center and led the development of a Clinical Pathology Improvement Program case-based course on this topic (https://capatholo.gy/3wglhvN).

This month we recognize National Minority health month, look at the request for additional COVID funding, learn about new efforts in pandemic preparedness, and review highlights from this year’s pathologists leadership summit with Vaishali Pansare, MD, FCAP.

We spoke with Jonathan Myles, MD, FCAP, Chair of the Council on Government and Professional Affairs. to get a preview of what to expect at this years' Pathologists Leadership Summit.

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness month. The National Cancer Institute estimates that head and neck cancers comprise 4% of cancers diagnosed each year. In 2021, more than 65,000 people impacted by newly diagnosed head and neck cancers. These cancers are diagnosed more often in women and also more often among people over age 50. CAP Cancer Protocols play an important role in disease management, ensuring that all pathology reports contain necessary data elements to improve patient care. The CAP has nine protocols for head and neck related cancers (https://capatholo.gy/2OkNDkZ), as Raja Seethala, MD, FCAP, explains in this CAPcast episode. Dr. Seethala is Director of the Head and Neck/Endocrine Pathology Center of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Seethala is also a member of the CAP Cancer Committee and Biomarker Committee serving as a subject matter expert on cancers of the head and neck.

It's one thing to talk about the advocacy pathologists engage in, but it's another to get started in that advocacy, especially in a time where getting in contact with elected officals can be more difficult than ever. Bekra Yorke, MD, FCAP, Houston Methodist Hospital Pathology invited three residents: Chiraag Gangahar, MD, FCAP, Ashley Holloman, MD, and Lukas Cara, MD, to participate in their first virtual fly in. We sat down with the four of them to discuss their experience and how other pathologists can work with the CAP to get involved in effective advocacy. If you are a pathology resident (or a CAP fellow teaching residents), and would like to experience teachable moments like this, make sure you register for the Pathologists Leadership Summit which culminates with the CAP’s Hill Day on May 3. This year’s Hill Day is taking place virtually, so you can participate alongside colleagues, from the convenience of your home or office.

The financial lifeblood of a pathology group relies on the efficiency of its billing operation. Assessing whether to insource or outsource a practice’s billing operations is the focus of this CAPcast episode, which features a recording of a Practice Management Committee Roundtable Discussion moderated by Committee Chair Karim Sirgi, MBA, MD, FCAP. In this discussion, Dr. Sirgi talks to two pathologists--A. Joe Saad, MD, FCAP, who is Chairman of Pathology at Methodist Health System in Dallas, Texas and Sang Wu, MD, FCAP, Medical Director of North Dallas Pathology Services, as well as pathology practice advisory Al Harrison Sirmon. (This discussion was originally in June 2021.) For more Practice Management resources, please visit the Practice Management section of CAP.org: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/practice-management.