Registration is now open for the 2023 NJOS Symposium!

Register now for the NJOS Spring Symposium scheduled for April 21st.  We have changed format and location and are excited about the 1 day event this year at The Palace at Somerset 333 Davidson Avenue Somerset, NJ 7am-3pm.

Check out our registration site for more details.  www.njosmeeting.com

COVID-19: Information for Healthcare Professionals

New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) Monitoring and Movement Guidance for Healthcare Personnel (HCP) Exposed to Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 (March 9, 2020)

Purpose: Due to their often extensive and close contact with vulnerable individuals in healthcare settings, NJDOH recommends a conservative approach to HCP monitoring and restrictions from work to quickly identify early symptoms and prevent transmission from potentially contagious HCP to patients, HCP, and visitors.  Healthcare facilities (HCFs) should have a low threshold for evaluating symptoms and testing symptomatic HCP, particularly those who fall into the high- and medium-risk categories described in this guidance. HCFs, in consultation with public health authorities, should use clinical judgment as well as the principles outlined in this guidance to assign risk and determine need for work restrictions.Continue reading

BOC Now!

July 2018

Welcome to BOC Now!

BOC Now highlights recent BOC related activities that occur at the AAOS Annual Meeting, National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference (NOLC), and Fall Meeting in a concise and easy to read format. The purpose of the communication is to share information and communicate effectively with state societies, practicing orthopaedic surgeons, colleagues, residents and fellows.

Table of Contents:

  • Hill Visits
  • Award Presentations
  • Symposia Summaries
  • Committee Updates
  • Advisory Opinion Outcomes
  • BOC Awareness and Future Meeting Information

Click here for the complete article – BOC Now

NEW: A PowerPoint slide deck compliments this text summary and will soon be posted online, so please use whatever version works best for you and share this content.

HHS reviewing opioid prescribing guidelines amid concerns from chronic pain patients

By Brianna Ehley

08/06/2018 12:20 PM EDT

The Trump administration could soon provide additional guidance for doctors on how to safely limit prescription painkillers following complaints that the national crackdown on opioids has created barriers to treatment for patients with chronic pain.

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir told POLITICO several agencies within his department are in early discussions about potentially expanding upon opioid prescribing guidelines the CDC issued two years ago that advised primary care doctors to use opioids as a last resort for pain treatment.

The influential 2016 guidelines represented a consensus that doctors needed to curtail opioid prescriptions as overdose deaths were skyrocketing. But in some cases, doctors have cited them as reason to abruptly cut off prescriptions for chronic pain patients, leaving them with no alternative ways to cope with their pain or potential withdrawal symptoms.

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CMS Global Codes Affecting NJ

This is a reminder of the CMS rule that will impact NJ practices starting from July 1st. Below are two links that also talk about the G-Codes issue.

https://www.aaos.org/AAOSNow/2017/Jun/Managing/managing02/

Medicare Sharpens Focus on the Global Surgical Package
www.aaos.org

On Wednesday, November 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates payment policies and payment rates for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after January 1, 2017. CMS finalized a number of new PFS policies that will improve Medicare payment for those services provided by primary care physicians for patients with multiple chronic conditions, mental and behavioral health issues, and cognitive impairment conditions.

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ALERT: Opioid Emergency Regulations Adopted

NJOS Logo

Good afternoon:

The State Board of Medical Examiners yesterday, March 2nd, adopted emergency regulations to implement the new opioid prescribing limitations law recently signed into law by Governor Christie immediately. Please note that you and your physician colleagues should immediately comply with these regulations. Please find the emergency regulations here: http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/bme/Documents/BME-Emergency-Adoption-and-Concurrent-Proposal.pdf. In addition, please find an update to the bulletin we recently provided below. Again, the law’s prescribing requirements are now in effect. These emergency rules are effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days, and are being concurrently proposed for re-adoption to permit the submission of comments concerning the rules and the intention of the Attorney General and Board to make these rules permanent. Comments may be submitted after March 20th when this rule is officially published. We will remind you when that date approaches. contact us with any questions.

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