
Thank you for the honor of serving you this upcoming year as your president. My presidency timeline includes the following important events:
1. The end of June will be the Supreme Court decision concerning the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA). No matter what the decision, we must be ready for change.
2. Tuesday November 6th marks the presidential election and the election of many new state and national legislators. These elections will shape our battlefields in the defense of medicine and the practice of anesthesiology.
3. Saturday November 10th is the annual MAC Conference with many nationally known speakers, even some of them are fellow ISA members.
4. The “Lame Duck Sessions” in Springfield and DCoccuring between the November elections and before the new officials start in January are times of necessary vigilance. We are at the mercy of legislators with nothing to lose in passing bills that may be harmful to the practice of medicine and anesthesiology.
5. During the winter is when ISA members travel to Springfield to speak to the legislators about important health care issues affecting our specialty. Please be ready to respond to any requests for calls-to-action such as letter writing, phone calls or even visits to a legislator.
6. April 13, 2013 will be the next House of Delegates meeting.
Our ad hoc committees with a legislative agenda will continue to work toward our goal of high quality care and patient safety. Please join us in our many endeavors. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email president@isahq.org.
ASAPAC and IMAPAC donations are critical to our legislative activities. Last year for the third year in a row, ASA was the number one physician PAC (contribution rate: 19.7%). Although Illinois anesthesiologists gave $59,000 in 2011, our contribution rate was only 18.2%. We must work harder to keep up with other professional organizations (i.e. trial lawyers, etc.). There is no question that the government has their hands in our pockets all in the name of improved quality of care. Anesthesiologists are the leaders in patient safety and quality of care. We have kept our Medicare costs flat. Yet there are persistent yearly attempts to reduce Medicare reimbursements.
The Anesthesia Quality Institute is now over three years old. Your ISA Board and other ISA members will continue to approach all legislators to impress upon them the services that we provide to all of our patients so that they may better understand our value in the field of medicine. Furthermore, we must demonstrate to them that it is our many years of education and experience that contribute to the safety of the citizens of Illinois. Not just anyone can do our job and do it well.
Thank you all for your past, present, and future commitment to medicine and the specialty of anesthesiology which includes our lifelong mission to improve the quality of care of our patients- the citizens of Illinois.
Ted Yaghmour, MD 
Thank you for the honor of serving you this upcoming year as your president. My presidency timeline includes the following important events:
1. The end of June will be the Supreme Court decision concerning the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA). No matter what the decision, we must be ready for change.
2. Tuesday November 6th marks the presidential election and the election of many new state and national legislators. These elections will shape our battlefields in the defense of medicine and the practice of anesthesiology.
3. Saturday November 10th is the annual MAC Conference with many nationally known speakers, even some of them are fellow ISA members.
4. The “Lame Duck Sessions” in Springfield and DCoccuring between the November elections and before the new officials start in January are times of necessary vigilance. We are at the mercy of legislators with nothing to lose in passing bills that may be harmful to the practice of medicine and anesthesiology.
5. During the winter is when ISA members travel to Springfield to speak to the legislators about important health care issues affecting our specialty. Please be ready to respond to any requests for calls-to-action such as letter writing, phone calls or even visits to a legislator.
6. April 13, 2013 will be the next House of Delegates meeting.
Our ad hoc committees with a legislative agenda will continue to work toward our goal of high quality care and patient safety. Please join us in our many endeavors. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email president@isahq.org.
ASAPAC and IMAPAC donations are critical to our legislative activities. Last year for the third year in a row, ASA was the number one physician PAC (contribution rate: 19.7%). Although Illinois anesthesiologists gave $59,000 in 2011, our contribution rate was only 18.2%. We must work harder to keep up with other professional organizations (i.e. trial lawyers, etc.). There is no question that the government has their hands in our pockets all in the name of improved quality of care. Anesthesiologists are the leaders in patient safety and quality of care. We have kept our Medicare costs flat. Yet there are persistent yearly attempts to reduce Medicare reimbursements.
The Anesthesia Quality Institute is now over three years old. Your ISA Board and other ISA members will continue to approach all legislators to impress upon them the services that we provide to all of our patients so that they may better understand our value in the field of medicine. Furthermore, we must demonstrate to them that it is our many years of education and experience that contribute to the safety of the citizens of Illinois. Not just anyone can do our job and do it well.
Thank you all for your past, present, and future commitment to medicine and the specialty of anesthesiology which includes our lifelong mission to improve the quality of care of our patients- the citizens of Illinois.
Ted Yaghmour, MD | |
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The Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists (ISA) is the professional association of about 1900 Illinois Anesthesiologists. The mission of ISA is to advance and further patient safety and the practice of Anesthesiology in Illinois through education, representation and advocacy of the Illinois Anesthesiologist. ISA is the leader in defining and advancing the standards of anesthesiology in our state.
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 | Support "Interventional Surgical Pain Procedures for Chronic Pain Act”
| Current Issue: Summer 2012
| New Officers to the Resident Section
The ISA Resident Section held their annual elections Tuesday, June 5 at the Park Grill in Millenium Park.
Thank you to Eric Fanaee, MD from University of Chicago for serving as President for the 2011-2012 year. Co-President Elects Javier Pena, MD and Savio D'Souza, MD from Rush University Medical Center and Melanie Wilson, MD from University of Chicago will proceed to President for the 2012-2013 year.
The position of President-Elect for 2012-2013 was filled by Keith Rodriguez, MD from the University of Chicago. Please join us in congratulating them all on their new positions!
Those residents interested in becoming more involved in the ISA resident section should contact the ISA. There are many committee and delegate positions available.
| 2012 Distinguished Service Award
Congratulations to John Szewczyk, MD, the recipient of the ISA 2012 Distinguished Service Award, presented by President Eric Werner, MD.

| Resources for Out-of-Network Claims
| ISA joins Facebook
| Members Only Access Now Available ISA members may now log in to the web site to access additional content. All members will be receiving instructions with the dues statement that is going out in the mail during the week of August 24. If you need help please call the ISA office at 312-853-2244 or email contact@isahq.org.
| Member Directory - Now available online
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Medicare Update - Tuesday, November 20, 2012 On September 27th, CMS awarded the Medicare carrier contract for our jurisdiction (6A/B MAC) to National Government Services. On October 9th however, a protest was filed by Wisconsin Physician Services, and it will be business as usual with Wisconsin Physician Services (current carrier) until a final decision is made on the protest/appeal (January 2013 being the proposed date of the decision). If you are interested in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, please go to www.CMS.gov 100-04 chapter 12 section 50 (internet only manuals).
| 2012 Resident Jeopardy - Friday, November 09, 2012 The winning Resident Jeopardy team-Illinois Masonic! Pictured below are the participants: Edward Yang, MD, Farzad Ebrahimi, MD & Siavosh Saatea, MD. They are joined by the Resident Jeopardy host: Eric Matten, MD & Louis Alford, MD.


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Medicare Update - Tuesday, November 20, 2012 On September 27th, CMS awarded the Medicare carrier contract for our jurisdiction (6A/B MAC) to National Government Services. On October 9th however, a protest was filed by Wisconsin Physician Services, and it will be business as usual with Wisconsin Physician Services (current carrier) until a final decision is made on the protest/appeal (January 2013 being the proposed date of the decision). If you are interested in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, please go to www.CMS.gov 100-04 chapter 12 section 50 (internet only manuals).
| 2012 Resident Jeopardy - Friday, November 09, 2012 The winning Resident Jeopardy team-Illinois Masonic! Pictured below are the participants: Edward Yang, MD, Farzad Ebrahimi, MD & Siavosh Saatea, MD. They are joined by the Resident Jeopardy host: Eric Matten, MD & Louis Alford, MD.


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ISA-ASA Conference Nov 9-10, 2013 |
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ISA is proud to announce that it will be co-sponsoring a conference with the ASA titled: Creating and Measuring Quality in Anesthesiology on November 9-10, 2013 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Rosemont, IL. Don't miss this chance to get 12 hours of CME credit on the basics of quality data collection and reporting. ISA is proud to announce that it will be co-sponsoring a conference with the ASA titled: Creating and Measuring Quality in Anesthesiology on November 9-10, 2013 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Rosemont, IL. Don't miss this chance to get 12 hours of CME credit on the basics of quality data collection and reporting. |
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The Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists is now on facebook. Like our page to stay informed about upcoming events, news and networking opportunities.
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The Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists is now on facebook. Like our page to stay informed about upcoming events, news and networking opportunities.
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April 13, 2013 House of Delegates, Chicago, IL May 6-8 2013 ASA Legislative Conference, Washington, DC
May 16, 2013 Practice Management Dinner, Glenview, IL
October 12-16, 2013 ASA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA
November 8, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting, Chicago, IL
November 9-10, 2013 ISA-ASA Quality Meeting, Rosemont, IL
April 13, 2013 House of Delegates, Chicago, IL May 6-8 2013 ASA Legislative Conference, Washington, DC
May 16, 2013 Practice Management Dinner, Glenview, IL
October 12-16, 2013 ASA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA
November 8, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting, Chicago, IL
November 9-10, 2013 ISA-ASA Quality Meeting, Rosemont, IL
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 Are you interested in getting more involved with ISA? Please consider serving as a Key Contact between ISA and your group practice. As a Key Contact you will be given the information you need to keep your practice informed of ISA’s advocacy initiatives and educational events.
How to sign up? Simply forward your name and group affiliation to contact@isahq.org.
Are you interested in getting more involved with ISA? Please consider serving as a Key Contact between ISA and your group practice. As a Key Contact you will be given the information you need to keep your practice informed of ISA’s advocacy initiatives and educational events.
How to sign up? Simply forward your name and group affiliation to contact@isahq.org.
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The ISA Grassroots Network provides members an opportunity to get involved in the specialty’s advocacy efforts and provides anesthesiologists a strong and effective voice in legislative and regulatory affairs. The ISA Grassroots Network educates and activates members when the collective voices of anesthesiologists are needed to influence legislation, regulation or other actions that impact the specialty. As an ISA Grassroots Network member, you will receive notifications to respond to action alerts and updates to keep you informed on important legislation. Interested? Please let us know at contact@isahq.org.
The ISA Grassroots Network provides members an opportunity to get involved in the specialty’s advocacy efforts and provides anesthesiologists a strong and effective voice in legislative and regulatory affairs. The ISA Grassroots Network educates and activates members when the collective voices of anesthesiologists are needed to influence legislation, regulation or other actions that impact the specialty. As an ISA Grassroots Network member, you will receive notifications to respond to action alerts and updates to keep you informed on important legislation. Interested? Please let us know at contact@isahq.org.
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