Business of Medicine

“So what do you do all day?”

Everyone asks that, right after they ask, “How do you like retirement?” I tell them I like it fine.

Asking what an emeritus does all day sounds fair, but the question is harder to answer than it sounds. Last year, I asked Dave, who was already retired. He took a day to think about it.

“Sometimes I sit on the back porch and watch the birds,” he said.

Dave has long been an avid bird-watcher. Along with golf and Facebook, watching birds is a pursuit that really engages many people, but I never understood it. I still don’t.

Over the years, I’ve met people whose experience of retirement has ranged from, “I’m so busy, I don’t know how I had time to work!” to, “I miss the gang and I’m bored,” to everything in between. Before I (semi-) retired, I made a plan to not make plans, at least at first: No new hobbies, cooking lessons, or anthropology courses. I figured I would figure it out.

So I am figuring it out. No rush. After a lifetime of rushing, not rushing is part of the point.

One hobby I cultivate is napping. I always get up early, no alarm needed. By late morning I am sometimes inclined to lie down for a bit. Taking a midmorning nap has always struck me as one of life’s great pleasures, though one I could rarely enjoy, unless you count dozing off standing up while a patient described an itch that started 17 years before, on a Thursday.

Now I can shut my eyes for half an hour and wake up refreshed, ready for the rest of the day.

During which I will do ...

An older friend of mine, now long gone, wrote a witty essay on being embarrassed to work at home. He refused to answer the phone during the day and hid from the postman. Contemplating retirement, I was afraid I would also feel that way, picturing myself a pitiful pensioner shuffling abroad at mid-day, looking for a park to poison pigeons in. That of course was before “working remotely” became a goal for cool young strivers. You see them around at all hours, with things sticking out of their ears, talking urgently to no one you can see.

Now I also walk the streets proudly at 11 a.m. or 2:45 p.m. I may get one of those earbuds that stick out at 45 degrees, so people can think my ear fungus has grown branches. Maybe they’ll imagine me a mastermind of an international CBD cartel. What they think doesn’t really matter.

One thing that I actually do all day is wonder why I spent so much of my career worrying about what other people think. Dr. Smith used to refer patients. No longer. Did I fail to meet her expectations? Mr. Trelawney came in weekly with itches and pains. No more. Did I roll my eyes too obviously?

Questions like these used to trouble me. Now I can’t recall why. Instead I worry about more important things, like who will play right field for the Red Sox this year.

Though I never signed up, I am an enrolled Baby Boomer, that navel-gazing cohort now passing from the scene while pretending it won’t. I never understood my generation when it was claiming to overturn the universe in the 1960s. Now its members write and read books with chirpy titles like “Amazing Aging!” as though – because we are so wonderfully special – age, infirmity, and decline will repeal themselves just for us.

Well, anyone can dream.

I go into the office a couple of half-days a week, when I’m in town. I like bantering with the gang and chatting with old patients. They wish me well and hope I’ll refer them to someone worthy when I hang them up for good, as many of their (and my) doctors already have.

Here is one thing I don’t do all day – manage human resource issues in the office. What’s to miss?

Now and then, with lessening frequency, I muse, “Well, if I do get bored, I can always spend more time in the office.”

Time for another nap.

Dr. Rockoff, who wrote the Dermatology News column “Under My Skin,” is now semi-retired, after 40 years of practice in Brookline, Mass. He served on the clinical faculty at Tufts University, Boston, and taught senior medical students and other trainees for 30 years. His second book, “Act Like a Doctor, Think Like a Patient,” is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

“So what do you do all day?”

Everyone asks that, right after they ask, “How do you like retirement?” I tell them I like it fine.

Asking what an emeritus does all day sounds fair, but the question is harder to answer than it sounds. Last year, I asked Dave, who was already retired. He took a day to think about it.

“Sometimes I sit on the back porch and watch the birds,” he said.

Dave has long been an avid bird-watcher. Along with golf and Facebook, watching birds is a pursuit that really engages many people, but I never understood it. I still don’t.

Over the years, I’ve met people whose experience of retirement has ranged from, “I’m so busy, I don’t know how I had time to work!” to, “I miss the gang and I’m bored,” to everything in between. Before I (semi-) retired, I made a plan to not make plans, at least at first: No new hobbies, cooking lessons, or anthropology courses. I figured I would figure it out.

So I am figuring it out. No rush. After a lifetime of rushing, not rushing is part of the point.

One hobby I cultivate is napping. I always get up early, no alarm needed. By late morning I am sometimes inclined to lie down for a bit. Taking a midmorning nap has always struck me as one of life’s great pleasures, though one I could rarely enjoy, unless you count dozing off standing up while a patient described an itch that started 17 years before, on a Thursday.

Now I can shut my eyes for half an hour and wake up refreshed, ready for the rest of the day.

During which I will do ...

An older friend of mine, now long gone, wrote a witty essay on being embarrassed to work at home. He refused to answer the phone during the day and hid from the postman. Contemplating retirement, I was afraid I would also feel that way, picturing myself a pitiful pensioner shuffling abroad at mid-day, looking for a park to poison pigeons in. That of course was before “working remotely” became a goal for cool young strivers. You see them around at all hours, with things sticking out of their ears, talking urgently to no one you can see.

Now I also walk the streets proudly at 11 a.m. or 2:45 p.m. I may get one of those earbuds that stick out at 45 degrees, so people can think my ear fungus has grown branches. Maybe they’ll imagine me a mastermind of an international CBD cartel. What they think doesn’t really matter.

One thing that I actually do all day is wonder why I spent so much of my career worrying about what other people think. Dr. Smith used to refer patients. No longer. Did I fail to meet her expectations? Mr. Trelawney came in weekly with itches and pains. No more. Did I roll my eyes too obviously?

Questions like these used to trouble me. Now I can’t recall why. Instead I worry about more important things, like who will play right field for the Red Sox this year.

Though I never signed up, I am an enrolled Baby Boomer, that navel-gazing cohort now passing from the scene while pretending it won’t. I never understood my generation when it was claiming to overturn the universe in the 1960s. Now its members write and read books with chirpy titles like “Amazing Aging!” as though – because we are so wonderfully special – age, infirmity, and decline will repeal themselves just for us.

Well, anyone can dream.

I go into the office a couple of half-days a week, when I’m in town. I like bantering with the gang and chatting with old patients. They wish me well and hope I’ll refer them to someone worthy when I hang them up for good, as many of their (and my) doctors already have.

Here is one thing I don’t do all day – manage human resource issues in the office. What’s to miss?

Now and then, with lessening frequency, I muse, “Well, if I do get bored, I can always spend more time in the office.”

Time for another nap.

Dr. Rockoff, who wrote the Dermatology News column “Under My Skin,” is now semi-retired, after 40 years of practice in Brookline, Mass. He served on the clinical faculty at Tufts University, Boston, and taught senior medical students and other trainees for 30 years. His second book, “Act Like a Doctor, Think Like a Patient,” is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

“So what do you do all day?”

Everyone asks that, right after they ask, “How do you like retirement?” I tell them I like it fine.

Asking what an emeritus does all day sounds fair, but the question is harder to answer than it sounds. Last year, I asked Dave, who was already retired. He took a day to think about it.

“Sometimes I sit on the back porch and watch the birds,” he said.

Dave has long been an avid bird-watcher. Along with golf and Facebook, watching birds is a pursuit that really engages many people, but I never understood it. I still don’t.

Over the years, I’ve met people whose experience of retirement has ranged from, “I’m so busy, I don’t know how I had time to work!” to, “I miss the gang and I’m bored,” to everything in between. Before I (semi-) retired, I made a plan to not make plans, at least at first: No new hobbies, cooking lessons, or anthropology courses. I figured I would figure it out.

So I am figuring it out. No rush. After a lifetime of rushing, not rushing is part of the point.

One hobby I cultivate is napping. I always get up early, no alarm needed. By late morning I am sometimes inclined to lie down for a bit. Taking a midmorning nap has always struck me as one of life’s great pleasures, though one I could rarely enjoy, unless you count dozing off standing up while a patient described an itch that started 17 years before, on a Thursday.

Now I can shut my eyes for half an hour and wake up refreshed, ready for the rest of the day.

During which I will do ...

An older friend of mine, now long gone, wrote a witty essay on being embarrassed to work at home. He refused to answer the phone during the day and hid from the postman. Contemplating retirement, I was afraid I would also feel that way, picturing myself a pitiful pensioner shuffling abroad at mid-day, looking for a park to poison pigeons in. That of course was before “working remotely” became a goal for cool young strivers. You see them around at all hours, with things sticking out of their ears, talking urgently to no one you can see.

Now I also walk the streets proudly at 11 a.m. or 2:45 p.m. I may get one of those earbuds that stick out at 45 degrees, so people can think my ear fungus has grown branches. Maybe they’ll imagine me a mastermind of an international CBD cartel. What they think doesn’t really matter.

One thing that I actually do all day is wonder why I spent so much of my career worrying about what other people think. Dr. Smith used to refer patients. No longer. Did I fail to meet her expectations? Mr. Trelawney came in weekly with itches and pains. No more. Did I roll my eyes too obviously?

Questions like these used to trouble me. Now I can’t recall why. Instead I worry about more important things, like who will play right field for the Red Sox this year.

Though I never signed up, I am an enrolled Baby Boomer, that navel-gazing cohort now passing from the scene while pretending it won’t. I never understood my generation when it was claiming to overturn the universe in the 1960s. Now its members write and read books with chirpy titles like “Amazing Aging!” as though – because we are so wonderfully special – age, infirmity, and decline will repeal themselves just for us.

Well, anyone can dream.

I go into the office a couple of half-days a week, when I’m in town. I like bantering with the gang and chatting with old patients. They wish me well and hope I’ll refer them to someone worthy when I hang them up for good, as many of their (and my) doctors already have.

Here is one thing I don’t do all day – manage human resource issues in the office. What’s to miss?

Now and then, with lessening frequency, I muse, “Well, if I do get bored, I can always spend more time in the office.”

Time for another nap.

Dr. Rockoff, who wrote the Dermatology News column “Under My Skin,” is now semi-retired, after 40 years of practice in Brookline, Mass. He served on the clinical faculty at Tufts University, Boston, and taught senior medical students and other trainees for 30 years. His second book, “Act Like a Doctor, Think Like a Patient,” is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

Khadija Hafidh, MD, was already booked on a 14-hour, direct flight from Dubai to Los Angeles, when the American College of Physicians (ACP) announced it was canceling its internal medicine meeting scheduled for April.

Canceling her hotel reservation was not a problem, and she was assured a refund for the conference fee, but her airline ticket was another matter, said Dr. Hafidh, an internist and diabetologist with the Dubai Health Authority.

“The airline I booked my ticket with is willing to waive the change fees, but will deduct a cancellation fee if I choose not to take the trip,” Dr. Hafidh said in an interview. “The cancellation fees is $300. A bit steep I must admit.”

Dr. Hafidh now faces a dilemma: Lose the $300 and cancel, or change her flight dates to June for the American Diabetes Association meeting in Chicago.

“But then again, we aren’t sure if that meeting will take place,” Dr. Hafidh said. “A few weeks ago I thought this whole thing was just a storm in a tea cup. However when it was declared a pandemic yesterday, it brought about another dimension.”

More than 25 medical meetings and conferences across the globe have been canceled or postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. The sudden cancellations have caused reservation woes and travel headaches for thousands of physicians who planned to attend the meetings. Some societies are considering the idea of virtual conferences, while other associations have scrapped their meetings until next year.

For physicians facing a canceled conference, the most likely question is, what now? Read on for tips and suggestions.
 

Reservation refunds vary

Refunds on airfare because of conference cancellations differ, depending on the airline and where you were traveling. Some airlines, such as United Airlines, have waived all change fees for tickets issued March 3, 2020, through March 31, 2020, and passengers can change their dates for up to 12 months after the ticket was issued.

Full refunds often depend on whether your ticket was nonrefundable when purchased. Many airlines, such as Delta, are providing full refunds if the airline canceled your flight. JetBlue is waiving all change and cancellation fees for customers scheduled to travel March 10, 2020, through April 30, 2020.

Las Vegas–based dermatologist H.L. Greenberg, MD, was satisfied with the credit he received from Southwest Airlines after the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) canceled its Denver meeting. He and his staff were looking forward to the gathering, but he noted that the meeting would likely have been limited, even if it had take place as scheduled.

“I am disappointed that I won’t be able to meet with colleagues and industry to explore what the latest advances and interests are in dermatology,” he said. “Because many academic institutions were forbidding their faculty from traveling, the content of the meeting was going to be severely diminished. It’s just a rough time for everyone.”

Meanwhile, Asa Radix, MD, PhD, a New York–based internist, received a full refund for his Amtrak ticket to Boston when the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) scheduled for early March was converted to a virtual meeting. Dr. Radix, senior director of research and education at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York, left another meeting in Brazil early to get to the Boston conference, he said.

“I was packed, but really that was a minor inconvenience,” he said in an interview. “I appreciate that they prioritized health concerns and changed to a virtual meeting. I received full refunds, no issues whatsoever. [It was] really great since I had no travel insurance.”

Check with your individual airline or train line for information about ticket refunds and credits. Many airlines are currently making special accommodations because of COVID-19. If your flight was covered by trip insurance, also called travel assistance, you are generally protected against unforeseen financial losses such as cancellations. The U.S. Department of Transportation provides this general online resource about airline refunds.
 

Hotel refunds probable

Most meeting organizations who have made the decision to cancel or postpone a conference also have canceled block hotel reservations reserved for the meeting. Medical associations are not directly refunding the hotel costs, but the majority of hotels are refunding reservations with no questions asked. Physicians interviewed for this story all reported no trouble getting refunds for their hotel reservations. However, attendees who did not book a hotel in official housing blocks should contact the hotel directly to cancel.

What about registration fees?

In response to COVID-19 cancellations, most conference leaders are refunding registration fees in full for both attendees and exhibitors. The refund may not be automatic, some associations such as ACP and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state it may take up to 45 days for the funds to be credited, depending on the payment used.

If the conference you planned to attend was postponed, the registration fee may be assigned to the new meeting dates and the money may not be refunded. Registration fees for the Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium, for example, delayed until an unconfirmed date, and for the European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting, postponed until July, will be automatically credited to the rescheduled meeting, according to the websites. If attendees cannot attend the rescheduled EAU meeting, the association will not provide a refund and the registration will not apply to the 2021 meeting, according to its website. However, the group is providing registrants with a free access code for the EAU20 Resource Centre, which contains websites of sessions and scientific content.

A number of physicians have expressed disappointment with the EAU’s postponement on social media. On Twitter, some doctors wrote that the rescheduled dates were bad timing, while others lamented the refund refusal.

The EAU said it regrets that some delegates will experience financial losses, but that the organization has already experienced a significant outlay that cannot be recovered including venue, logistics, travel, and accommodation costs.  

"We are doing what we can to absorb costs, but we need to be realistic about what is affordable; should the organization have to refund all or even most registrations, it would significantly jeopardize the viability of the organization," the EAU said in a statement.  "These are difficult times, not only for the EAU, but on a global scale. Where there are specific cases of hardship or very extenuating financial circumstances, we will be willing to review individual cases. So far, we believe that we have done what we can do to meet the conflicting demands presented by the postponement of the congress, but this is a situation which changes from day to day, and we need to continuously evaluate what might be the best course of action." * 

Contact your medical association directly for details on postponements.
 

What if I’m a presenter?

In an attempt to save the hard work and time that planners and presenters have invested into now-canceled meetings, some conferences are moving to a digital format. The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was the first to convert its in-person conference to a virtual meeting, held from March 8 to 11, 2020. At-home attendees logged onto CROI’s digital platform to hear plenaries, oral abstracts, themed discussion sessions, and symposia.

Dr. Radix was one of many CROI speakers who changed his presentation on HIV prevalence among transgender men to a virtual format.

“We were provided with detailed instructions from CROI about how to do this,” said Dr. Radix, who tweeted about the experience. “For my presentation, I used the video option in PowerPoint; it seemed the most straightforward and didn’t require buying additional software. It was fairly easy to follow the instructions to create the video but it was disappointing to present to an empty room.”

Matthew Spinelli, MD, an HIV researcher with the University of California, San Francisco, who also presented virtually, said it was remarkable that CROI leaders were able to put together the virtual program in such a short time. He delivered his presentation on the accuracy of a real-time urine tenofovir test using PowerPoint and a podcast microphone.

“It seemed to work pretty well,” he said in an interview. “It’s not the same as being there in person, there’s a lot of networking and chance conversations that happen when you’re all in the same place, but it was the right decision to cancel. If I have to be at home or at work doing social distancing, this was the best possible way of doing it.”

Following in CROI’s footsteps, the National Kidney Foundation’s spring conference has moved to a live virtual conference. The 2020 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) global health conference also will move to a digital format. Other societies are considering similar virtual options. Check with your meeting website for more details on digital options and attendee access.

agallegos@mdedge.com

*The article was updated on 03/16/2020.

Khadija Hafidh, MD, was already booked on a 14-hour, direct flight from Dubai to Los Angeles, when the American College of Physicians (ACP) announced it was canceling its internal medicine meeting scheduled for April.

Canceling her hotel reservation was not a problem, and she was assured a refund for the conference fee, but her airline ticket was another matter, said Dr. Hafidh, an internist and diabetologist with the Dubai Health Authority.

“The airline I booked my ticket with is willing to waive the change fees, but will deduct a cancellation fee if I choose not to take the trip,” Dr. Hafidh said in an interview. “The cancellation fees is $300. A bit steep I must admit.”

Dr. Hafidh now faces a dilemma: Lose the $300 and cancel, or change her flight dates to June for the American Diabetes Association meeting in Chicago.

“But then again, we aren’t sure if that meeting will take place,” Dr. Hafidh said. “A few weeks ago I thought this whole thing was just a storm in a tea cup. However when it was declared a pandemic yesterday, it brought about another dimension.”

More than 25 medical meetings and conferences across the globe have been canceled or postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. The sudden cancellations have caused reservation woes and travel headaches for thousands of physicians who planned to attend the meetings. Some societies are considering the idea of virtual conferences, while other associations have scrapped their meetings until next year.

For physicians facing a canceled conference, the most likely question is, what now? Read on for tips and suggestions.
 

Reservation refunds vary

Refunds on airfare because of conference cancellations differ, depending on the airline and where you were traveling. Some airlines, such as United Airlines, have waived all change fees for tickets issued March 3, 2020, through March 31, 2020, and passengers can change their dates for up to 12 months after the ticket was issued.

Full refunds often depend on whether your ticket was nonrefundable when purchased. Many airlines, such as Delta, are providing full refunds if the airline canceled your flight. JetBlue is waiving all change and cancellation fees for customers scheduled to travel March 10, 2020, through April 30, 2020.

Las Vegas–based dermatologist H.L. Greenberg, MD, was satisfied with the credit he received from Southwest Airlines after the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) canceled its Denver meeting. He and his staff were looking forward to the gathering, but he noted that the meeting would likely have been limited, even if it had take place as scheduled.

“I am disappointed that I won’t be able to meet with colleagues and industry to explore what the latest advances and interests are in dermatology,” he said. “Because many academic institutions were forbidding their faculty from traveling, the content of the meeting was going to be severely diminished. It’s just a rough time for everyone.”

Meanwhile, Asa Radix, MD, PhD, a New York–based internist, received a full refund for his Amtrak ticket to Boston when the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) scheduled for early March was converted to a virtual meeting. Dr. Radix, senior director of research and education at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York, left another meeting in Brazil early to get to the Boston conference, he said.

“I was packed, but really that was a minor inconvenience,” he said in an interview. “I appreciate that they prioritized health concerns and changed to a virtual meeting. I received full refunds, no issues whatsoever. [It was] really great since I had no travel insurance.”

Check with your individual airline or train line for information about ticket refunds and credits. Many airlines are currently making special accommodations because of COVID-19. If your flight was covered by trip insurance, also called travel assistance, you are generally protected against unforeseen financial losses such as cancellations. The U.S. Department of Transportation provides this general online resource about airline refunds.
 

Hotel refunds probable

Most meeting organizations who have made the decision to cancel or postpone a conference also have canceled block hotel reservations reserved for the meeting. Medical associations are not directly refunding the hotel costs, but the majority of hotels are refunding reservations with no questions asked. Physicians interviewed for this story all reported no trouble getting refunds for their hotel reservations. However, attendees who did not book a hotel in official housing blocks should contact the hotel directly to cancel.

What about registration fees?

In response to COVID-19 cancellations, most conference leaders are refunding registration fees in full for both attendees and exhibitors. The refund may not be automatic, some associations such as ACP and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state it may take up to 45 days for the funds to be credited, depending on the payment used.

If the conference you planned to attend was postponed, the registration fee may be assigned to the new meeting dates and the money may not be refunded. Registration fees for the Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium, for example, delayed until an unconfirmed date, and for the European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting, postponed until July, will be automatically credited to the rescheduled meeting, according to the websites. If attendees cannot attend the rescheduled EAU meeting, the association will not provide a refund and the registration will not apply to the 2021 meeting, according to its website. However, the group is providing registrants with a free access code for the EAU20 Resource Centre, which contains websites of sessions and scientific content.

A number of physicians have expressed disappointment with the EAU’s postponement on social media. On Twitter, some doctors wrote that the rescheduled dates were bad timing, while others lamented the refund refusal.

The EAU said it regrets that some delegates will experience financial losses, but that the organization has already experienced a significant outlay that cannot be recovered including venue, logistics, travel, and accommodation costs.  

"We are doing what we can to absorb costs, but we need to be realistic about what is affordable; should the organization have to refund all or even most registrations, it would significantly jeopardize the viability of the organization," the EAU said in a statement.  "These are difficult times, not only for the EAU, but on a global scale. Where there are specific cases of hardship or very extenuating financial circumstances, we will be willing to review individual cases. So far, we believe that we have done what we can do to meet the conflicting demands presented by the postponement of the congress, but this is a situation which changes from day to day, and we need to continuously evaluate what might be the best course of action." * 

Contact your medical association directly for details on postponements.
 

What if I’m a presenter?

In an attempt to save the hard work and time that planners and presenters have invested into now-canceled meetings, some conferences are moving to a digital format. The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was the first to convert its in-person conference to a virtual meeting, held from March 8 to 11, 2020. At-home attendees logged onto CROI’s digital platform to hear plenaries, oral abstracts, themed discussion sessions, and symposia.

Dr. Radix was one of many CROI speakers who changed his presentation on HIV prevalence among transgender men to a virtual format.

“We were provided with detailed instructions from CROI about how to do this,” said Dr. Radix, who tweeted about the experience. “For my presentation, I used the video option in PowerPoint; it seemed the most straightforward and didn’t require buying additional software. It was fairly easy to follow the instructions to create the video but it was disappointing to present to an empty room.”

Matthew Spinelli, MD, an HIV researcher with the University of California, San Francisco, who also presented virtually, said it was remarkable that CROI leaders were able to put together the virtual program in such a short time. He delivered his presentation on the accuracy of a real-time urine tenofovir test using PowerPoint and a podcast microphone.

“It seemed to work pretty well,” he said in an interview. “It’s not the same as being there in person, there’s a lot of networking and chance conversations that happen when you’re all in the same place, but it was the right decision to cancel. If I have to be at home or at work doing social distancing, this was the best possible way of doing it.”

Following in CROI’s footsteps, the National Kidney Foundation’s spring conference has moved to a live virtual conference. The 2020 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) global health conference also will move to a digital format. Other societies are considering similar virtual options. Check with your meeting website for more details on digital options and attendee access.

agallegos@mdedge.com

*The article was updated on 03/16/2020.

Khadija Hafidh, MD, was already booked on a 14-hour, direct flight from Dubai to Los Angeles, when the American College of Physicians (ACP) announced it was canceling its internal medicine meeting scheduled for April.

Canceling her hotel reservation was not a problem, and she was assured a refund for the conference fee, but her airline ticket was another matter, said Dr. Hafidh, an internist and diabetologist with the Dubai Health Authority.

“The airline I booked my ticket with is willing to waive the change fees, but will deduct a cancellation fee if I choose not to take the trip,” Dr. Hafidh said in an interview. “The cancellation fees is $300. A bit steep I must admit.”

Dr. Hafidh now faces a dilemma: Lose the $300 and cancel, or change her flight dates to June for the American Diabetes Association meeting in Chicago.

“But then again, we aren’t sure if that meeting will take place,” Dr. Hafidh said. “A few weeks ago I thought this whole thing was just a storm in a tea cup. However when it was declared a pandemic yesterday, it brought about another dimension.”

More than 25 medical meetings and conferences across the globe have been canceled or postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. The sudden cancellations have caused reservation woes and travel headaches for thousands of physicians who planned to attend the meetings. Some societies are considering the idea of virtual conferences, while other associations have scrapped their meetings until next year.

For physicians facing a canceled conference, the most likely question is, what now? Read on for tips and suggestions.
 

Reservation refunds vary

Refunds on airfare because of conference cancellations differ, depending on the airline and where you were traveling. Some airlines, such as United Airlines, have waived all change fees for tickets issued March 3, 2020, through March 31, 2020, and passengers can change their dates for up to 12 months after the ticket was issued.

Full refunds often depend on whether your ticket was nonrefundable when purchased. Many airlines, such as Delta, are providing full refunds if the airline canceled your flight. JetBlue is waiving all change and cancellation fees for customers scheduled to travel March 10, 2020, through April 30, 2020.

Las Vegas–based dermatologist H.L. Greenberg, MD, was satisfied with the credit he received from Southwest Airlines after the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) canceled its Denver meeting. He and his staff were looking forward to the gathering, but he noted that the meeting would likely have been limited, even if it had take place as scheduled.

“I am disappointed that I won’t be able to meet with colleagues and industry to explore what the latest advances and interests are in dermatology,” he said. “Because many academic institutions were forbidding their faculty from traveling, the content of the meeting was going to be severely diminished. It’s just a rough time for everyone.”

Meanwhile, Asa Radix, MD, PhD, a New York–based internist, received a full refund for his Amtrak ticket to Boston when the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) scheduled for early March was converted to a virtual meeting. Dr. Radix, senior director of research and education at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York, left another meeting in Brazil early to get to the Boston conference, he said.

“I was packed, but really that was a minor inconvenience,” he said in an interview. “I appreciate that they prioritized health concerns and changed to a virtual meeting. I received full refunds, no issues whatsoever. [It was] really great since I had no travel insurance.”

Check with your individual airline or train line for information about ticket refunds and credits. Many airlines are currently making special accommodations because of COVID-19. If your flight was covered by trip insurance, also called travel assistance, you are generally protected against unforeseen financial losses such as cancellations. The U.S. Department of Transportation provides this general online resource about airline refunds.
 

Hotel refunds probable

Most meeting organizations who have made the decision to cancel or postpone a conference also have canceled block hotel reservations reserved for the meeting. Medical associations are not directly refunding the hotel costs, but the majority of hotels are refunding reservations with no questions asked. Physicians interviewed for this story all reported no trouble getting refunds for their hotel reservations. However, attendees who did not book a hotel in official housing blocks should contact the hotel directly to cancel.

What about registration fees?

In response to COVID-19 cancellations, most conference leaders are refunding registration fees in full for both attendees and exhibitors. The refund may not be automatic, some associations such as ACP and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state it may take up to 45 days for the funds to be credited, depending on the payment used.

If the conference you planned to attend was postponed, the registration fee may be assigned to the new meeting dates and the money may not be refunded. Registration fees for the Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium, for example, delayed until an unconfirmed date, and for the European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting, postponed until July, will be automatically credited to the rescheduled meeting, according to the websites. If attendees cannot attend the rescheduled EAU meeting, the association will not provide a refund and the registration will not apply to the 2021 meeting, according to its website. However, the group is providing registrants with a free access code for the EAU20 Resource Centre, which contains websites of sessions and scientific content.

A number of physicians have expressed disappointment with the EAU’s postponement on social media. On Twitter, some doctors wrote that the rescheduled dates were bad timing, while others lamented the refund refusal.

The EAU said it regrets that some delegates will experience financial losses, but that the organization has already experienced a significant outlay that cannot be recovered including venue, logistics, travel, and accommodation costs.  

"We are doing what we can to absorb costs, but we need to be realistic about what is affordable; should the organization have to refund all or even most registrations, it would significantly jeopardize the viability of the organization," the EAU said in a statement.  "These are difficult times, not only for the EAU, but on a global scale. Where there are specific cases of hardship or very extenuating financial circumstances, we will be willing to review individual cases. So far, we believe that we have done what we can do to meet the conflicting demands presented by the postponement of the congress, but this is a situation which changes from day to day, and we need to continuously evaluate what might be the best course of action." * 

Contact your medical association directly for details on postponements.
 

What if I’m a presenter?

In an attempt to save the hard work and time that planners and presenters have invested into now-canceled meetings, some conferences are moving to a digital format. The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was the first to convert its in-person conference to a virtual meeting, held from March 8 to 11, 2020. At-home attendees logged onto CROI’s digital platform to hear plenaries, oral abstracts, themed discussion sessions, and symposia.

Dr. Radix was one of many CROI speakers who changed his presentation on HIV prevalence among transgender men to a virtual format.

“We were provided with detailed instructions from CROI about how to do this,” said Dr. Radix, who tweeted about the experience. “For my presentation, I used the video option in PowerPoint; it seemed the most straightforward and didn’t require buying additional software. It was fairly easy to follow the instructions to create the video but it was disappointing to present to an empty room.”

Matthew Spinelli, MD, an HIV researcher with the University of California, San Francisco, who also presented virtually, said it was remarkable that CROI leaders were able to put together the virtual program in such a short time. He delivered his presentation on the accuracy of a real-time urine tenofovir test using PowerPoint and a podcast microphone.

“It seemed to work pretty well,” he said in an interview. “It’s not the same as being there in person, there’s a lot of networking and chance conversations that happen when you’re all in the same place, but it was the right decision to cancel. If I have to be at home or at work doing social distancing, this was the best possible way of doing it.”

Following in CROI’s footsteps, the National Kidney Foundation’s spring conference has moved to a live virtual conference. The 2020 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) global health conference also will move to a digital format. Other societies are considering similar virtual options. Check with your meeting website for more details on digital options and attendee access.

agallegos@mdedge.com

*The article was updated on 03/16/2020.

In his book, “Scam Me If You Can,” fraud expert Frank Abagnale relates the case of a 5-year-old boy whose pediatrician’s computer was hacked, compromising his name, birth date, Social Security number, insurance information, and medical records. The result was a bureaucratic nightmare that may well continue for the rest of that unfortunate young patient’s life. One can only speculate on the difficulties he might have as adult in obtaining a line of credit, or in proving his medical identity to physicians and hospitals.

tomprout/E+

Medical identity theft is increasingly popular with scam artists, because it is so lucrative. Everything a crook needs to commit ordinary identity theft – your Social Security number, bank account numbers, etc. – sells for about $25 on the black market; add health insurance and medical records, and the price can jump to $1,000 or more. That’s because there is a far greater potential yield from medical identity theft – and once your personal information and medical records are breached, they are in the Cloud for the rest of your life, available to anyone who wants to buy them. Older patients are particularly vulnerable: Medicare billing scams cost taxpayers more than $60 billion a year.

If your office’s computer system does not have effective fraud protection, you could be held liable for any fraud committed with information stolen from it – and if the information is resold years later and reused to commit more fraud, you’ll be liable for that, too. That’s why I strongly recommend that you invest in high-quality security technology and software, so that in the event of a breach, the security company will at least share in the fault and the liability. (As always, I have no financial interest in any product or industry mentioned in this column.)

Even with adequate protection, breaches can still occur, so all medical offices should have a breach response plan in place, covering how to halt security breaches, and how to handle any lost or stolen data. Your computer and security vendors can help with formulating such a plan. Patients affected by a breach need to be contacted as well, so they may put a freeze on accounts or send out fraud alerts.

Patients also need to be aware of the risks. If your EHR includes an online portal to communicate protected information to patients, it may be secure on your end, but patients are unlikely to have similar protection on their home computers. If you offer online patient portal services, you should make your patients aware of measures they can take to protect their data once it arrives on their computers or phones.

Patients should also be warned of the risks that come with sharing medical information with others. If they are asked to reveal medical data via phone or email, they need to ask who is requesting it, and why. Any unsolicited calls inquiring about their medical information, from someone who can’t or won’t confirm their identity, should be considered extremely suspicious.

We tell our patients to protect their insurance numbers as carefully as they guard their Social Security number and other valuable data, and to shred any medical paperwork they no longer need, including labels on prescription bottles. And if they see something on an Explanation of Benefits that doesn’t look right, they should question it immediately. We encourage them to take advantage of the free services at MyMedicare.gov, including Medicare Summary Notices provided every 3 months (if any services or medical supplies are received during that period), to make sure they’re being billed only for services they have received.

Your staff should be made aware of the potential for “friendly fraud,” which is defined as theft of identity and medical information by patients’ friends or family members. (According to some studies, as much as 50% of all medical identity theft may be committed this way.) Staffers should never divulge insurance numbers, diagnoses, lab reports, or any other privileged information to family or friends, whether by phone, fax, mail, or in person, without written permission from the patient. And when callers claiming to be patients request information about themselves, your employees should be alert for “red flags.” For example, legitimate patients won’t stumble over simple questions (such as “What is your birth date?”) or request test results or diagnoses that they should already know about.
 

Dr. Eastern practices dermatology and dermatologic surgery in Belleville, N.J. He is the author of numerous articles and textbook chapters, and is a longtime monthly columnist for Dermatology News. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

In his book, “Scam Me If You Can,” fraud expert Frank Abagnale relates the case of a 5-year-old boy whose pediatrician’s computer was hacked, compromising his name, birth date, Social Security number, insurance information, and medical records. The result was a bureaucratic nightmare that may well continue for the rest of that unfortunate young patient’s life. One can only speculate on the difficulties he might have as adult in obtaining a line of credit, or in proving his medical identity to physicians and hospitals.

tomprout/E+

Medical identity theft is increasingly popular with scam artists, because it is so lucrative. Everything a crook needs to commit ordinary identity theft – your Social Security number, bank account numbers, etc. – sells for about $25 on the black market; add health insurance and medical records, and the price can jump to $1,000 or more. That’s because there is a far greater potential yield from medical identity theft – and once your personal information and medical records are breached, they are in the Cloud for the rest of your life, available to anyone who wants to buy them. Older patients are particularly vulnerable: Medicare billing scams cost taxpayers more than $60 billion a year.

If your office’s computer system does not have effective fraud protection, you could be held liable for any fraud committed with information stolen from it – and if the information is resold years later and reused to commit more fraud, you’ll be liable for that, too. That’s why I strongly recommend that you invest in high-quality security technology and software, so that in the event of a breach, the security company will at least share in the fault and the liability. (As always, I have no financial interest in any product or industry mentioned in this column.)

Even with adequate protection, breaches can still occur, so all medical offices should have a breach response plan in place, covering how to halt security breaches, and how to handle any lost or stolen data. Your computer and security vendors can help with formulating such a plan. Patients affected by a breach need to be contacted as well, so they may put a freeze on accounts or send out fraud alerts.

Patients also need to be aware of the risks. If your EHR includes an online portal to communicate protected information to patients, it may be secure on your end, but patients are unlikely to have similar protection on their home computers. If you offer online patient portal services, you should make your patients aware of measures they can take to protect their data once it arrives on their computers or phones.

Patients should also be warned of the risks that come with sharing medical information with others. If they are asked to reveal medical data via phone or email, they need to ask who is requesting it, and why. Any unsolicited calls inquiring about their medical information, from someone who can’t or won’t confirm their identity, should be considered extremely suspicious.

We tell our patients to protect their insurance numbers as carefully as they guard their Social Security number and other valuable data, and to shred any medical paperwork they no longer need, including labels on prescription bottles. And if they see something on an Explanation of Benefits that doesn’t look right, they should question it immediately. We encourage them to take advantage of the free services at MyMedicare.gov, including Medicare Summary Notices provided every 3 months (if any services or medical supplies are received during that period), to make sure they’re being billed only for services they have received.

Your staff should be made aware of the potential for “friendly fraud,” which is defined as theft of identity and medical information by patients’ friends or family members. (According to some studies, as much as 50% of all medical identity theft may be committed this way.) Staffers should never divulge insurance numbers, diagnoses, lab reports, or any other privileged information to family or friends, whether by phone, fax, mail, or in person, without written permission from the patient. And when callers claiming to be patients request information about themselves, your employees should be alert for “red flags.” For example, legitimate patients won’t stumble over simple questions (such as “What is your birth date?”) or request test results or diagnoses that they should already know about.
 

Dr. Eastern practices dermatology and dermatologic surgery in Belleville, N.J. He is the author of numerous articles and textbook chapters, and is a longtime monthly columnist for Dermatology News. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

In his book, “Scam Me If You Can,” fraud expert Frank Abagnale relates the case of a 5-year-old boy whose pediatrician’s computer was hacked, compromising his name, birth date, Social Security number, insurance information, and medical records. The result was a bureaucratic nightmare that may well continue for the rest of that unfortunate young patient’s life. One can only speculate on the difficulties he might have as adult in obtaining a line of credit, or in proving his medical identity to physicians and hospitals.

tomprout/E+

Medical identity theft is increasingly popular with scam artists, because it is so lucrative. Everything a crook needs to commit ordinary identity theft – your Social Security number, bank account numbers, etc. – sells for about $25 on the black market; add health insurance and medical records, and the price can jump to $1,000 or more. That’s because there is a far greater potential yield from medical identity theft – and once your personal information and medical records are breached, they are in the Cloud for the rest of your life, available to anyone who wants to buy them. Older patients are particularly vulnerable: Medicare billing scams cost taxpayers more than $60 billion a year.

If your office’s computer system does not have effective fraud protection, you could be held liable for any fraud committed with information stolen from it – and if the information is resold years later and reused to commit more fraud, you’ll be liable for that, too. That’s why I strongly recommend that you invest in high-quality security technology and software, so that in the event of a breach, the security company will at least share in the fault and the liability. (As always, I have no financial interest in any product or industry mentioned in this column.)

Even with adequate protection, breaches can still occur, so all medical offices should have a breach response plan in place, covering how to halt security breaches, and how to handle any lost or stolen data. Your computer and security vendors can help with formulating such a plan. Patients affected by a breach need to be contacted as well, so they may put a freeze on accounts or send out fraud alerts.

Patients also need to be aware of the risks. If your EHR includes an online portal to communicate protected information to patients, it may be secure on your end, but patients are unlikely to have similar protection on their home computers. If you offer online patient portal services, you should make your patients aware of measures they can take to protect their data once it arrives on their computers or phones.

Patients should also be warned of the risks that come with sharing medical information with others. If they are asked to reveal medical data via phone or email, they need to ask who is requesting it, and why. Any unsolicited calls inquiring about their medical information, from someone who can’t or won’t confirm their identity, should be considered extremely suspicious.

We tell our patients to protect their insurance numbers as carefully as they guard their Social Security number and other valuable data, and to shred any medical paperwork they no longer need, including labels on prescription bottles. And if they see something on an Explanation of Benefits that doesn’t look right, they should question it immediately. We encourage them to take advantage of the free services at MyMedicare.gov, including Medicare Summary Notices provided every 3 months (if any services or medical supplies are received during that period), to make sure they’re being billed only for services they have received.

Your staff should be made aware of the potential for “friendly fraud,” which is defined as theft of identity and medical information by patients’ friends or family members. (According to some studies, as much as 50% of all medical identity theft may be committed this way.) Staffers should never divulge insurance numbers, diagnoses, lab reports, or any other privileged information to family or friends, whether by phone, fax, mail, or in person, without written permission from the patient. And when callers claiming to be patients request information about themselves, your employees should be alert for “red flags.” For example, legitimate patients won’t stumble over simple questions (such as “What is your birth date?”) or request test results or diagnoses that they should already know about.
 

Dr. Eastern practices dermatology and dermatologic surgery in Belleville, N.J. He is the author of numerous articles and textbook chapters, and is a longtime monthly columnist for Dermatology News. Write to him at dermnews@mdedge.com.

It can be tough for doctors to find happiness in the office, but dermatologists are the best at it, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

About 41% of dermatologists reported being very happy at work, making their specialty the only one to break the 40% barrier. While dermatologists weren’t the happiest outside of work – that honor went to rheumatologists – dermatology was only 4 percentage points behind (60% vs. 56%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the percentage of dermatologists who were burned out was lower than that of physicians overall (36% vs. 41%). The biggest factors leading to burnout in dermatologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (58%), increased time devoted to EHRs (38%), and compliance with government regulations (35%).

Dermatologists dealt with burnout through a variety of ways, with the most common being exercise (44%), talk with family/friends (44%), and isolation from others (40%). In addition, dermatologists took slightly more vacation time than did physicians overall, with 51% of dermatologists taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% for physicians overall.

About 16% of dermatologists have contemplated suicide; however, none reported attempting suicide, and 72% of dermatologists have never felt suicidal. Most dermatologists also plan to deal with burnout or depression on their own, with only 31% reporting that they are currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or are not currently looking but have been treated in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

lfranki@mdedge.com

It can be tough for doctors to find happiness in the office, but dermatologists are the best at it, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

About 41% of dermatologists reported being very happy at work, making their specialty the only one to break the 40% barrier. While dermatologists weren’t the happiest outside of work – that honor went to rheumatologists – dermatology was only 4 percentage points behind (60% vs. 56%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the percentage of dermatologists who were burned out was lower than that of physicians overall (36% vs. 41%). The biggest factors leading to burnout in dermatologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (58%), increased time devoted to EHRs (38%), and compliance with government regulations (35%).

Dermatologists dealt with burnout through a variety of ways, with the most common being exercise (44%), talk with family/friends (44%), and isolation from others (40%). In addition, dermatologists took slightly more vacation time than did physicians overall, with 51% of dermatologists taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% for physicians overall.

About 16% of dermatologists have contemplated suicide; however, none reported attempting suicide, and 72% of dermatologists have never felt suicidal. Most dermatologists also plan to deal with burnout or depression on their own, with only 31% reporting that they are currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or are not currently looking but have been treated in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

lfranki@mdedge.com

It can be tough for doctors to find happiness in the office, but dermatologists are the best at it, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

About 41% of dermatologists reported being very happy at work, making their specialty the only one to break the 40% barrier. While dermatologists weren’t the happiest outside of work – that honor went to rheumatologists – dermatology was only 4 percentage points behind (60% vs. 56%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the percentage of dermatologists who were burned out was lower than that of physicians overall (36% vs. 41%). The biggest factors leading to burnout in dermatologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (58%), increased time devoted to EHRs (38%), and compliance with government regulations (35%).

Dermatologists dealt with burnout through a variety of ways, with the most common being exercise (44%), talk with family/friends (44%), and isolation from others (40%). In addition, dermatologists took slightly more vacation time than did physicians overall, with 51% of dermatologists taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% for physicians overall.

About 16% of dermatologists have contemplated suicide; however, none reported attempting suicide, and 72% of dermatologists have never felt suicidal. Most dermatologists also plan to deal with burnout or depression on their own, with only 31% reporting that they are currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or are not currently looking but have been treated in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

lfranki@mdedge.com

Recently, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that taking statins and blood pressure medications doesn’t lead to healthier lifestyles.

copyright Jeffrey Hamilton/Thinkstock

This should surprise no one practicing medicine today. With absolutely no scientific data to back up the next statement, I’m willing to bet a study on oral antiglycemics for type 2 diabetes would yield similar results.

The problem here is that these drugs don’t change human nature, and I’m not belittling their ability to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Developed nations nowadays live in a world of plenty. For most of us, there’s not only no shortage of food options, but the majority of what’s out there is the worst stuff for your health. Salty, dense calories, high-fat, sweetened – for most of us that’s a normal day of eating. It tastes good. Two million years of evolution have programmed us to eat similar stuff because in the wild it sustains survival.

In the city and suburbs, however, that’s not the case.

Food manufacturers make it and stores sell it because, quite bluntly, it makes money. The profit margin for unhealthy stuff is higher than that for fruits and vegetables. If you’re trying to run a successful business, which one would you choose to sell?

As long as people are going to eat unhealthy stuff, others will sell it to them. All the medical breakthroughs in the world won’t change that.

Same with exercise. Some people love to exercise. Some people catch the bug to do it consistently. But most try for a few weeks, usually in January-February, then give up because they don’t have time, or the will, or both.

Medical breakthroughs won’t fix that, either.

There’s also, I suspect, a component of misplaced faith in modern medicine. Like the mysterious “anti-calories” in a can of diet soda. You really do encounter people who think that drinking a diet soda and having a slice of chocolate cake will cancel each other out. Any doctor or nutritionist will scoff at this, but it’s amazing how many people think that doing one good thing (health wise) means you can equally do one bad thing at no penalty. Humans love magical thinking like that.

Unintentionally, the medications contribute to this belief. People figure if they’re lowering blood sugar or lipids, maybe they can eat more steak and ice cream. That’s an unintended consequence of modern medicine. It’s not even limited to nonmedical people. When Lipitor came to market in the late 1990s, one of my attendings called it “a license to eat.” Sadly, as the new study proves, he wasn’t that far from the truth.

People want an easy cure. A pill that makes it all better. That’s human nature. But the real problem, for all the great work we’ve done in medications, is that many patients don’t want to be an active participant in their own care. Exercising and maintaining a healthy diet are hard work, in spite of all the evidence showing their benefits (especially when combined with modern medicine, which is the whole idea in the first place). So it’s much easier for them to place all the responsibility on doctors and medications, and just take a simple pill to fix everything.

As this study shows, it doesn’t work that way.
 

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Recently, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that taking statins and blood pressure medications doesn’t lead to healthier lifestyles.

copyright Jeffrey Hamilton/Thinkstock

This should surprise no one practicing medicine today. With absolutely no scientific data to back up the next statement, I’m willing to bet a study on oral antiglycemics for type 2 diabetes would yield similar results.

The problem here is that these drugs don’t change human nature, and I’m not belittling their ability to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Developed nations nowadays live in a world of plenty. For most of us, there’s not only no shortage of food options, but the majority of what’s out there is the worst stuff for your health. Salty, dense calories, high-fat, sweetened – for most of us that’s a normal day of eating. It tastes good. Two million years of evolution have programmed us to eat similar stuff because in the wild it sustains survival.

In the city and suburbs, however, that’s not the case.

Food manufacturers make it and stores sell it because, quite bluntly, it makes money. The profit margin for unhealthy stuff is higher than that for fruits and vegetables. If you’re trying to run a successful business, which one would you choose to sell?

As long as people are going to eat unhealthy stuff, others will sell it to them. All the medical breakthroughs in the world won’t change that.

Same with exercise. Some people love to exercise. Some people catch the bug to do it consistently. But most try for a few weeks, usually in January-February, then give up because they don’t have time, or the will, or both.

Medical breakthroughs won’t fix that, either.

There’s also, I suspect, a component of misplaced faith in modern medicine. Like the mysterious “anti-calories” in a can of diet soda. You really do encounter people who think that drinking a diet soda and having a slice of chocolate cake will cancel each other out. Any doctor or nutritionist will scoff at this, but it’s amazing how many people think that doing one good thing (health wise) means you can equally do one bad thing at no penalty. Humans love magical thinking like that.

Unintentionally, the medications contribute to this belief. People figure if they’re lowering blood sugar or lipids, maybe they can eat more steak and ice cream. That’s an unintended consequence of modern medicine. It’s not even limited to nonmedical people. When Lipitor came to market in the late 1990s, one of my attendings called it “a license to eat.” Sadly, as the new study proves, he wasn’t that far from the truth.

People want an easy cure. A pill that makes it all better. That’s human nature. But the real problem, for all the great work we’ve done in medications, is that many patients don’t want to be an active participant in their own care. Exercising and maintaining a healthy diet are hard work, in spite of all the evidence showing their benefits (especially when combined with modern medicine, which is the whole idea in the first place). So it’s much easier for them to place all the responsibility on doctors and medications, and just take a simple pill to fix everything.

As this study shows, it doesn’t work that way.
 

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Recently, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that taking statins and blood pressure medications doesn’t lead to healthier lifestyles.

copyright Jeffrey Hamilton/Thinkstock

This should surprise no one practicing medicine today. With absolutely no scientific data to back up the next statement, I’m willing to bet a study on oral antiglycemics for type 2 diabetes would yield similar results.

The problem here is that these drugs don’t change human nature, and I’m not belittling their ability to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Developed nations nowadays live in a world of plenty. For most of us, there’s not only no shortage of food options, but the majority of what’s out there is the worst stuff for your health. Salty, dense calories, high-fat, sweetened – for most of us that’s a normal day of eating. It tastes good. Two million years of evolution have programmed us to eat similar stuff because in the wild it sustains survival.

In the city and suburbs, however, that’s not the case.

Food manufacturers make it and stores sell it because, quite bluntly, it makes money. The profit margin for unhealthy stuff is higher than that for fruits and vegetables. If you’re trying to run a successful business, which one would you choose to sell?

As long as people are going to eat unhealthy stuff, others will sell it to them. All the medical breakthroughs in the world won’t change that.

Same with exercise. Some people love to exercise. Some people catch the bug to do it consistently. But most try for a few weeks, usually in January-February, then give up because they don’t have time, or the will, or both.

Medical breakthroughs won’t fix that, either.

There’s also, I suspect, a component of misplaced faith in modern medicine. Like the mysterious “anti-calories” in a can of diet soda. You really do encounter people who think that drinking a diet soda and having a slice of chocolate cake will cancel each other out. Any doctor or nutritionist will scoff at this, but it’s amazing how many people think that doing one good thing (health wise) means you can equally do one bad thing at no penalty. Humans love magical thinking like that.

Unintentionally, the medications contribute to this belief. People figure if they’re lowering blood sugar or lipids, maybe they can eat more steak and ice cream. That’s an unintended consequence of modern medicine. It’s not even limited to nonmedical people. When Lipitor came to market in the late 1990s, one of my attendings called it “a license to eat.” Sadly, as the new study proves, he wasn’t that far from the truth.

People want an easy cure. A pill that makes it all better. That’s human nature. But the real problem, for all the great work we’ve done in medications, is that many patients don’t want to be an active participant in their own care. Exercising and maintaining a healthy diet are hard work, in spite of all the evidence showing their benefits (especially when combined with modern medicine, which is the whole idea in the first place). So it’s much easier for them to place all the responsibility on doctors and medications, and just take a simple pill to fix everything.

As this study shows, it doesn’t work that way.
 

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Medicare Part D prescription drug plan beneficiaries could see lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin under a new model launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

roobcio/Thinkstock

The plan, dubbed the Part D Senior Savings Model, would lower out-of-pocket costs to a maximum of a $35 copay for a 30-day supply throughout the plan year. The agency estimates that beneficiaries enrolling in a plan that is participating in the model would save an average of $446 annually in out-of-pocket costs for insulin.

The maximum copay will apply to all phases of the Part D benefit, including the deductible, initial coverage, and coverage gap phases, according to a fact sheet issued March 11 by the agency. CMS will be proving additional risk corridor protections to Part D plan sponsors to encourage participation in the voluntary model.

The agency has released two requests for application to participate in the model, one for Part D sponsors and one for insulin manufacturers, both of which can be found on a CMS web page providing more details on the program.

The agency said in the fact sheet that, on or around March 20, 2020, it will announce the manufacturers that are participating in the model for the 2021 plan year.

gtwachtman@mdedge.com

Medicare Part D prescription drug plan beneficiaries could see lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin under a new model launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

roobcio/Thinkstock

The plan, dubbed the Part D Senior Savings Model, would lower out-of-pocket costs to a maximum of a $35 copay for a 30-day supply throughout the plan year. The agency estimates that beneficiaries enrolling in a plan that is participating in the model would save an average of $446 annually in out-of-pocket costs for insulin.

The maximum copay will apply to all phases of the Part D benefit, including the deductible, initial coverage, and coverage gap phases, according to a fact sheet issued March 11 by the agency. CMS will be proving additional risk corridor protections to Part D plan sponsors to encourage participation in the voluntary model.

The agency has released two requests for application to participate in the model, one for Part D sponsors and one for insulin manufacturers, both of which can be found on a CMS web page providing more details on the program.

The agency said in the fact sheet that, on or around March 20, 2020, it will announce the manufacturers that are participating in the model for the 2021 plan year.

gtwachtman@mdedge.com

Medicare Part D prescription drug plan beneficiaries could see lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin under a new model launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

roobcio/Thinkstock

The plan, dubbed the Part D Senior Savings Model, would lower out-of-pocket costs to a maximum of a $35 copay for a 30-day supply throughout the plan year. The agency estimates that beneficiaries enrolling in a plan that is participating in the model would save an average of $446 annually in out-of-pocket costs for insulin.

The maximum copay will apply to all phases of the Part D benefit, including the deductible, initial coverage, and coverage gap phases, according to a fact sheet issued March 11 by the agency. CMS will be proving additional risk corridor protections to Part D plan sponsors to encourage participation in the voluntary model.

The agency has released two requests for application to participate in the model, one for Part D sponsors and one for insulin manufacturers, both of which can be found on a CMS web page providing more details on the program.

The agency said in the fact sheet that, on or around March 20, 2020, it will announce the manufacturers that are participating in the model for the 2021 plan year.

gtwachtman@mdedge.com

The American College of Rheumatology decided to cancel its upcoming Division & Program Directors Conference and State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium because of “the escalation in the number of people affected [by the COVID-19 situation], and the likelihood of potentially increasing the exposure to COVID-19.”

The Division & Program Directors Conference was slated to take place March 13-14 in Chicago, while the State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium was scheduled to happen March 27-29 in New Orleans. In both cases, the organizers are exploring alternative ways to deliver or present the content.

The ACR has not made a decision on the status of its Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium, April 29-May 2, New Orleans, but plans to do so by March 30.

jevans@mdedge.com

The American College of Rheumatology decided to cancel its upcoming Division & Program Directors Conference and State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium because of “the escalation in the number of people affected [by the COVID-19 situation], and the likelihood of potentially increasing the exposure to COVID-19.”

The Division & Program Directors Conference was slated to take place March 13-14 in Chicago, while the State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium was scheduled to happen March 27-29 in New Orleans. In both cases, the organizers are exploring alternative ways to deliver or present the content.

The ACR has not made a decision on the status of its Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium, April 29-May 2, New Orleans, but plans to do so by March 30.

jevans@mdedge.com

The American College of Rheumatology decided to cancel its upcoming Division & Program Directors Conference and State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium because of “the escalation in the number of people affected [by the COVID-19 situation], and the likelihood of potentially increasing the exposure to COVID-19.”

The Division & Program Directors Conference was slated to take place March 13-14 in Chicago, while the State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium was scheduled to happen March 27-29 in New Orleans. In both cases, the organizers are exploring alternative ways to deliver or present the content.

The ACR has not made a decision on the status of its Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium, April 29-May 2, New Orleans, but plans to do so by March 30.

jevans@mdedge.com

The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) has canceled its annual conference that was scheduled to take place April 20-22 in Glasgow.

“After careful monitoring of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation ... [and] in light of increasing demands on health services, our Board of Trustees felt it was no longer appropriate to host a large-scale event nor to take medical professionals away from where they may be needed most in the coming weeks,” the organization announced on its website.

The BSR said that it will soon have more information available for people affected, including “details of how we will showcase some of the content that would have been celebrated at the event.”

jevans@mdedge.com

The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) has canceled its annual conference that was scheduled to take place April 20-22 in Glasgow.

“After careful monitoring of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation ... [and] in light of increasing demands on health services, our Board of Trustees felt it was no longer appropriate to host a large-scale event nor to take medical professionals away from where they may be needed most in the coming weeks,” the organization announced on its website.

The BSR said that it will soon have more information available for people affected, including “details of how we will showcase some of the content that would have been celebrated at the event.”

jevans@mdedge.com

The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) has canceled its annual conference that was scheduled to take place April 20-22 in Glasgow.

“After careful monitoring of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation ... [and] in light of increasing demands on health services, our Board of Trustees felt it was no longer appropriate to host a large-scale event nor to take medical professionals away from where they may be needed most in the coming weeks,” the organization announced on its website.

The BSR said that it will soon have more information available for people affected, including “details of how we will showcase some of the content that would have been celebrated at the event.”

jevans@mdedge.com

The U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide by the end of the summer whether a controversial Louisiana abortion law that imposes restrictions on physicians can stand.

AndreyPopov/ThinkStock

Justices heard oral arguments March 4, 2020, in June Medicare Services v. Russo, which centers on a Louisiana law requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Doctors who perform abortions without admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles face fines and imprisonment, while clinics that violate the law can have their licenses revoked, according to the state law, originally passed in 2014. In 2016, the Supreme Court in 2016 heard a similar case – Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt – concerning a comparable law in Texas. In that case, the justices struck down the measure as unconstitutional.

During oral arguments, Julie Rikelman an attorney representing June Medical Services, said that the Louisiana law is identical to the abortion law in Texas, and she argued that justices should reach the same conclusion.

“The district court found this law would leave Louisiana with just one clinic in one state to serve about 10,000 people per year,” Ms. Rikelman said during oral arguments. “That would mean that hundreds of thousands of women would now live more than 150 miles from the closest provider. And the burdens were actually more severe than this court found in Whole Woman’s Health.”

Elizabeth Murrill, solicitor general of Louisiana, argued that the Louisiana law was justified, and that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was correct when it reversed a district court decision and upheld the law.

“The 5th Circuit correctly held that the plaintiffs in this case failed to carry their burden – their heavy burden of proof that is required to facially invalidate a state law,” Ms. Murrill said during oral arguments. “Louisiana’s decision to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges was justified by abundant evidence of life-threatening health and safety violations, malpractice, noncompliance with professional licensing rules, legislative testimony from postabortive women, [and] testimony from doctors who took care of abortion providers’ abandoned patients.”

During arguments, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the reasoning behind the 30-mile privileges rule, expressing doubt at the state’s justification for the requirement. “What sense does the 30-mile limit make, considering that – certainly for medication abortions and for the overwhelming number of other abortions ... if the woman has a problem, it will be her local hospital that ... she will need to go to for the care, not something 30 miles from the clinic.”

Ms. Murrill responded that the Louisiana regulation is consistent with surgery and ambulatory surgery regulations and aligns with the state’s regulatory structure.

“We had evidence in the record of women who did require transfers,” Ms. Murrill said. “[An abortion provider] testified unambiguously that he had to transfer four patients who had punctured uteruses and were hemorrhaging.”

Whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue is a key question. As a general rule, a plaintiff can only sue to protect their own rights, unless the plaintiff has a close relationship with a third party and there are barriers that prevent the third party from suing. Attorneys for Louisiana contend that the plaintiffs – the medical clinic and several physicians – have no right to sue because their rights are not at stake, and that there is no obstacle to patients suing over the law.

Since the Louisiana law is intended to protect women from “unscrupulous and incompetent abortion providers,” the state argues also that there is a conflict of interest between the physicians and the patients on whose behalf they are suing.

During arguments, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. repeatedly questioned Ms. Rikelman on the plaintiffs’ right to sue, conveying doubt that the plaintiffs were on solid legal ground.

“Would you agree with the general proposition that a party should not be able to sue ostensibly to protect the rights of other people, if there is a real conflict of interest between the party who is suing and those whose rights the party claims to be attempting to defend?” Associate Justice Alito asked during oral arguments.

The hearing ended with no clear picture of how some justices were leaning. Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch remained silent during arguments and asked no questions. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., and Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether all admitting privileges laws were unconstitutional or if a state-by-state analysis is required. Near the end of the hearing, Justice Stephen Breyer stressed that more research and fact-finding is necessary before the court can reach a decision.

“We’re not going to solve this at oral argument,” he said.

A decision by the Supreme Court is expected by August 2020.

agallegos@mdedge.com

The U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide by the end of the summer whether a controversial Louisiana abortion law that imposes restrictions on physicians can stand.

AndreyPopov/ThinkStock

Justices heard oral arguments March 4, 2020, in June Medicare Services v. Russo, which centers on a Louisiana law requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Doctors who perform abortions without admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles face fines and imprisonment, while clinics that violate the law can have their licenses revoked, according to the state law, originally passed in 2014. In 2016, the Supreme Court in 2016 heard a similar case – Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt – concerning a comparable law in Texas. In that case, the justices struck down the measure as unconstitutional.

During oral arguments, Julie Rikelman an attorney representing June Medical Services, said that the Louisiana law is identical to the abortion law in Texas, and she argued that justices should reach the same conclusion.

“The district court found this law would leave Louisiana with just one clinic in one state to serve about 10,000 people per year,” Ms. Rikelman said during oral arguments. “That would mean that hundreds of thousands of women would now live more than 150 miles from the closest provider. And the burdens were actually more severe than this court found in Whole Woman’s Health.”

Elizabeth Murrill, solicitor general of Louisiana, argued that the Louisiana law was justified, and that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was correct when it reversed a district court decision and upheld the law.

“The 5th Circuit correctly held that the plaintiffs in this case failed to carry their burden – their heavy burden of proof that is required to facially invalidate a state law,” Ms. Murrill said during oral arguments. “Louisiana’s decision to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges was justified by abundant evidence of life-threatening health and safety violations, malpractice, noncompliance with professional licensing rules, legislative testimony from postabortive women, [and] testimony from doctors who took care of abortion providers’ abandoned patients.”

During arguments, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the reasoning behind the 30-mile privileges rule, expressing doubt at the state’s justification for the requirement. “What sense does the 30-mile limit make, considering that – certainly for medication abortions and for the overwhelming number of other abortions ... if the woman has a problem, it will be her local hospital that ... she will need to go to for the care, not something 30 miles from the clinic.”

Ms. Murrill responded that the Louisiana regulation is consistent with surgery and ambulatory surgery regulations and aligns with the state’s regulatory structure.

“We had evidence in the record of women who did require transfers,” Ms. Murrill said. “[An abortion provider] testified unambiguously that he had to transfer four patients who had punctured uteruses and were hemorrhaging.”

Whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue is a key question. As a general rule, a plaintiff can only sue to protect their own rights, unless the plaintiff has a close relationship with a third party and there are barriers that prevent the third party from suing. Attorneys for Louisiana contend that the plaintiffs – the medical clinic and several physicians – have no right to sue because their rights are not at stake, and that there is no obstacle to patients suing over the law.

Since the Louisiana law is intended to protect women from “unscrupulous and incompetent abortion providers,” the state argues also that there is a conflict of interest between the physicians and the patients on whose behalf they are suing.

During arguments, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. repeatedly questioned Ms. Rikelman on the plaintiffs’ right to sue, conveying doubt that the plaintiffs were on solid legal ground.

“Would you agree with the general proposition that a party should not be able to sue ostensibly to protect the rights of other people, if there is a real conflict of interest between the party who is suing and those whose rights the party claims to be attempting to defend?” Associate Justice Alito asked during oral arguments.

The hearing ended with no clear picture of how some justices were leaning. Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch remained silent during arguments and asked no questions. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., and Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether all admitting privileges laws were unconstitutional or if a state-by-state analysis is required. Near the end of the hearing, Justice Stephen Breyer stressed that more research and fact-finding is necessary before the court can reach a decision.

“We’re not going to solve this at oral argument,” he said.

A decision by the Supreme Court is expected by August 2020.

agallegos@mdedge.com

The U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide by the end of the summer whether a controversial Louisiana abortion law that imposes restrictions on physicians can stand.

AndreyPopov/ThinkStock

Justices heard oral arguments March 4, 2020, in June Medicare Services v. Russo, which centers on a Louisiana law requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Doctors who perform abortions without admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles face fines and imprisonment, while clinics that violate the law can have their licenses revoked, according to the state law, originally passed in 2014. In 2016, the Supreme Court in 2016 heard a similar case – Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt – concerning a comparable law in Texas. In that case, the justices struck down the measure as unconstitutional.

During oral arguments, Julie Rikelman an attorney representing June Medical Services, said that the Louisiana law is identical to the abortion law in Texas, and she argued that justices should reach the same conclusion.

“The district court found this law would leave Louisiana with just one clinic in one state to serve about 10,000 people per year,” Ms. Rikelman said during oral arguments. “That would mean that hundreds of thousands of women would now live more than 150 miles from the closest provider. And the burdens were actually more severe than this court found in Whole Woman’s Health.”

Elizabeth Murrill, solicitor general of Louisiana, argued that the Louisiana law was justified, and that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was correct when it reversed a district court decision and upheld the law.

“The 5th Circuit correctly held that the plaintiffs in this case failed to carry their burden – their heavy burden of proof that is required to facially invalidate a state law,” Ms. Murrill said during oral arguments. “Louisiana’s decision to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges was justified by abundant evidence of life-threatening health and safety violations, malpractice, noncompliance with professional licensing rules, legislative testimony from postabortive women, [and] testimony from doctors who took care of abortion providers’ abandoned patients.”

During arguments, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the reasoning behind the 30-mile privileges rule, expressing doubt at the state’s justification for the requirement. “What sense does the 30-mile limit make, considering that – certainly for medication abortions and for the overwhelming number of other abortions ... if the woman has a problem, it will be her local hospital that ... she will need to go to for the care, not something 30 miles from the clinic.”

Ms. Murrill responded that the Louisiana regulation is consistent with surgery and ambulatory surgery regulations and aligns with the state’s regulatory structure.

“We had evidence in the record of women who did require transfers,” Ms. Murrill said. “[An abortion provider] testified unambiguously that he had to transfer four patients who had punctured uteruses and were hemorrhaging.”

Whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue is a key question. As a general rule, a plaintiff can only sue to protect their own rights, unless the plaintiff has a close relationship with a third party and there are barriers that prevent the third party from suing. Attorneys for Louisiana contend that the plaintiffs – the medical clinic and several physicians – have no right to sue because their rights are not at stake, and that there is no obstacle to patients suing over the law.

Since the Louisiana law is intended to protect women from “unscrupulous and incompetent abortion providers,” the state argues also that there is a conflict of interest between the physicians and the patients on whose behalf they are suing.

During arguments, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. repeatedly questioned Ms. Rikelman on the plaintiffs’ right to sue, conveying doubt that the plaintiffs were on solid legal ground.

“Would you agree with the general proposition that a party should not be able to sue ostensibly to protect the rights of other people, if there is a real conflict of interest between the party who is suing and those whose rights the party claims to be attempting to defend?” Associate Justice Alito asked during oral arguments.

The hearing ended with no clear picture of how some justices were leaning. Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch remained silent during arguments and asked no questions. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., and Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether all admitting privileges laws were unconstitutional or if a state-by-state analysis is required. Near the end of the hearing, Justice Stephen Breyer stressed that more research and fact-finding is necessary before the court can reach a decision.

“We’re not going to solve this at oral argument,” he said.

A decision by the Supreme Court is expected by August 2020.

agallegos@mdedge.com

The American College of Cardiology has canceled its annual scientific sessions scheduled for March 28-30 in Chicago because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it announced on March 9.

Alblec/Thinkstock

The “difficult decision” to cancel ACC.20/WCC, held together with the World Congress of Cardiology this year, was made not only in consideration of information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, but also because institutions are increasingly putting travel restrictions on personnel.

“With an ever-increasing number of ACC members on the front lines of preparing and reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, it is in the best interest of everyone to cancel the meeting and ensure our members are able to do what they do best – help and heal,” ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, said in a press statement.

Here are key points from the college, according to an FAQ page created for attendees:

• The meeting is canceled, not postponed. The meeting’s tremendous size and years-long organizational requirements make rescheduling in 2020 impossible.
• All ancillary events are canceled. This includes independent certified sessions and noncertified prime-time exhibitor events, run by the ACC, exhibitors, nonprofits, universities, and others.
• Registration fees will be refunded, but no travel or hotel expenses. If you booked your hotel through ACC’s housing block, Experient will automatically cancel the reservation. You’ll have to cancel your flight directly. The major airlines are rolling out refund and change fee policies in response to the COVID-19–related cancellations, Market Watch reported.
• Late-breakers and simultaneous publications, virtually. Organizers are working on virtual presentations. Priorities listed include embargoed Late-Breaking Clinical Trial presentations, and studies to be published simultaneously with presentations in journals. Whether other presentations will occur as scheduled has yet to be worked out.
• Presenters, stay tuned. If you were planning on presenting science, the organizers stress that you should continue your preparations as options for virtual presentations are worked out.

MDedge Cardiology will bring you the latest news from ACC.20/WCC as usual.


chackett@mdedge.com

The American College of Cardiology has canceled its annual scientific sessions scheduled for March 28-30 in Chicago because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it announced on March 9.

Alblec/Thinkstock

The “difficult decision” to cancel ACC.20/WCC, held together with the World Congress of Cardiology this year, was made not only in consideration of information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, but also because institutions are increasingly putting travel restrictions on personnel.

“With an ever-increasing number of ACC members on the front lines of preparing and reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, it is in the best interest of everyone to cancel the meeting and ensure our members are able to do what they do best – help and heal,” ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, said in a press statement.

Here are key points from the college, according to an FAQ page created for attendees:

• The meeting is canceled, not postponed. The meeting’s tremendous size and years-long organizational requirements make rescheduling in 2020 impossible.
• All ancillary events are canceled. This includes independent certified sessions and noncertified prime-time exhibitor events, run by the ACC, exhibitors, nonprofits, universities, and others.
• Registration fees will be refunded, but no travel or hotel expenses. If you booked your hotel through ACC’s housing block, Experient will automatically cancel the reservation. You’ll have to cancel your flight directly. The major airlines are rolling out refund and change fee policies in response to the COVID-19–related cancellations, Market Watch reported.
• Late-breakers and simultaneous publications, virtually. Organizers are working on virtual presentations. Priorities listed include embargoed Late-Breaking Clinical Trial presentations, and studies to be published simultaneously with presentations in journals. Whether other presentations will occur as scheduled has yet to be worked out.
• Presenters, stay tuned. If you were planning on presenting science, the organizers stress that you should continue your preparations as options for virtual presentations are worked out.

MDedge Cardiology will bring you the latest news from ACC.20/WCC as usual.


chackett@mdedge.com

The American College of Cardiology has canceled its annual scientific sessions scheduled for March 28-30 in Chicago because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it announced on March 9.

Alblec/Thinkstock

The “difficult decision” to cancel ACC.20/WCC, held together with the World Congress of Cardiology this year, was made not only in consideration of information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, but also because institutions are increasingly putting travel restrictions on personnel.

“With an ever-increasing number of ACC members on the front lines of preparing and reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, it is in the best interest of everyone to cancel the meeting and ensure our members are able to do what they do best – help and heal,” ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, said in a press statement.

Here are key points from the college, according to an FAQ page created for attendees:

• The meeting is canceled, not postponed. The meeting’s tremendous size and years-long organizational requirements make rescheduling in 2020 impossible.
• All ancillary events are canceled. This includes independent certified sessions and noncertified prime-time exhibitor events, run by the ACC, exhibitors, nonprofits, universities, and others.
• Registration fees will be refunded, but no travel or hotel expenses. If you booked your hotel through ACC’s housing block, Experient will automatically cancel the reservation. You’ll have to cancel your flight directly. The major airlines are rolling out refund and change fee policies in response to the COVID-19–related cancellations, Market Watch reported.
• Late-breakers and simultaneous publications, virtually. Organizers are working on virtual presentations. Priorities listed include embargoed Late-Breaking Clinical Trial presentations, and studies to be published simultaneously with presentations in journals. Whether other presentations will occur as scheduled has yet to be worked out.
• Presenters, stay tuned. If you were planning on presenting science, the organizers stress that you should continue your preparations as options for virtual presentations are worked out.

MDedge Cardiology will bring you the latest news from ACC.20/WCC as usual.


chackett@mdedge.com