April 21, 2009

Read two letters regarding important issues to Florida members:

The 33rd Annual Florida Suncoast Pediatric Conference is offering a 5% discount
on Conference Registration to FPS Members

The 33rd Annual Florida Suncoast Pediatric Conference will provide state-of-the-art information on current trends in pediatrics and its specialties. Attendees will be able to hear from nationally recognized specialists and learn about the services of All Children's Hospital while enjoying the beautiful and relaxing tropical setting of the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort. The agenda and topics have been specifically developed to address the needs of both the busy physician who is new to practice as well as the seasoned pediatrician and general practitioner.

more info:   http://www.allkids.org/body.cfm?id=157.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children launches In the Zone

The pediatric residency training program Arnold Palmer Hospital recently successfully launched its In the Zone program, a service learning partnership between the residency and its community partners to provide our residents with community-based experiences performing health education, health navigation, mentorship, and child advocacy. Dr. Kevin Sherin, Orange County Health Department had suggested sending the word out the Central Florida Pediatric Society. For more information: Robin Kraich, Media Relations Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, (321) 843-4567, Robin.Kraich@orlandohealth.com

"We hope to provide residents with innovative educational experiences in community settings where they can get to know children, youth, their families and their health concerns and resources better." said Veenod Chulani, MD, Director of the In the Zone program for Arnold Palmer Hospital. "In the Zone will equip residents with competencies to serve as effective leaders and agents of change for children in our community or in communities where their future practices may lead them."

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando. To learn more, visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.org.

The Department of Pediatrics at Arnold Palmer Hospital consists of 11 faculty general pediatricians, community pediatricians who maintain privileges and participate in department-sponsored educational activities, nurse practitioners and support staff who provide a full range of pediatric services. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is the training site for 42 pediatric residents and is the only pediatric residency training program in the greater Orlando area. The department delivers pediatric services from a 158-bed inpatient unit, a 112-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and an outpatient faculty practice that handles more than 20,000 visits each year.

To all members of the Florida Pediatric Society and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians who see Medicaid children.

As I hope you know, AHCA recently announced that they will reimburse physicians for certain limited oral health preventive procedures. The full text of the announcement is at the end of this letter. In order to facilitate your implementation of these procedures, we are offering free in-office education to physicians and their staff. A brief description of this educational program is below and covers all the main steps required for reimbursement from Medicaid. The presentation covers 6 major topics including:

1. Etiology and clinical aspects of Early Childhood Caries (ECC)
2. Performance of an oral screening examination for ECC
3. Risk Assessment for ECC
4. Application of Fluoride Varnish
5. Anticipatory Guidance for Parents/caregivers
6. Referral to a Dental home.