CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced the appointments of new chairs to lead two AMA-convened committees charged with ensuring direct physician input into critical efforts that serve in many ways to advance science, improve health, and strengthen the patient-physician relationship.
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) editorial panel
Kenneth P. Brin, M.D., Ph.D., a practicing cardiologist as well as vice president of medical informatics at Advocate Medical Group, a multispecialty medical group in the Chicago area, has been selected by the AMA Board of Trustees to chair the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel. This 17 member panel manages an open, transparent process for practicing physicians, allied health professionals and advisors from more than 100 medical specialty societies to provide direct input into the maintenance of a code set for efficiently communicating vital information across all levels of the health care system.
“Dr. Brin has extensive experience working with the health care community to advance the CPT code set as medicine’s common language for accurately describing medical, surgical and diagnostic services,” said AMA Board Chair Barbara L. McAneny, M.D. “His leadership and dedication will advance the practical enhancements that the CPT code set needs to reflect the demands of the modern health care system."
AMA/specialty society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC)
Peter Smith, M.D., a professor and chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Duke University, has been selected by the AMA Board of Trustees to chair the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). This group of 31 physicians and 300 medical advisors volunteer their highly technical expertise on complex medical procedures and make recommendations to the government on the resources required to provide a medical service.
“Dr. Smith will serve as a strong, unifying voice to a RUC process that allows doctors and medical health professionals to provide direct consultation to the government about the complexities of patient care,” said Dr. McAneny. “His invaluable direction will convey front-line physician recommendations that help the Medicare program understand the changing needs of medicine and speeds the availability of new and updated medical techniques.”
Please visit the websites for the CPT Editorial Panel and the RUC to learn more about how these AMA-convened committees work together with organized medicine to focusthe dedicated input of practicing physicians into important updates that fulfill vital roles in the nation’s health system.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
