NAMCP: National Association of Managed Care Physicians Forum

In the presentation Overcoming Challenges in the Management of Obesity: A Closer Look at Emerging Therapeutic Options, Trissa Reid, MD, an endocrinologist from the Columbia University Medical Center, reviewed the current concepts and practices around medical weight management.

With healthcare change comes challenge, but change also creates opportunity. This year's keynote general session for the NAMCP Spring Managed Care Forum was presented by Jacques Sokolov, MD, chairman and CEO, SSB Solutions, Inc, in Orlando, Florida.

Jacques Sokolov, MD, chairman and CEO, SSB Solutions Inc, says CIOs and ACOs are the foundation for many value-based products.

Martin Edelman, MD, Greenbaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, says that organizations like NCCN and ASCO have guidelines for the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Check out photos from this year's Fall Managed Care Forum which took place from November 8-9. The meeting was held at the Bellagio Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In this video, Robin Gelburd, President, FAIR Health, says that cost transparency has been well received by consumers. Consumers are being asked to take on more control of the costs with their health plans. It is important for them to understand what the out-of-pocket costs will be.

Susan Urba, MD, Medical Director, Symptom Management & Supportive Care Program, University of Michigan, says that treatment-related factors used to stratify patients to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are the actual chemotherapy drugs.

Robin Gelburd, President of FairHealth, gave the keynote presentation on Friday at the NAMCP Fall Managed Care Forum. Her presentation, Cost Transparency: How Educated Consumers Are Driving Change, covered a number of reasons that illustrate why data transparency can lead to a chain reaction involving better consumer decisions and lowered costs.

Gary Owens, MD, Gary Owens Associates, says that trends in rheumatoid arthritis management are coming from the new 2012 American College of Rheumatology guidelines that call for earlier and more aggressive treatment of new patients as well as patients who are not doing well on existing therapies.

Thomas Stinchcombe, MD, assistant professor of clinical research, UNC Lineberg Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

New revenue models in healthcare are causing innovative payer-provider partnerships. John Harris, MBA, spoke about some of these new partnerships and how all stakeholders must consider each other's mindsets when choosing a model that works for them.

Richard Stefanacci, DO, Associate Professor, Health Policy & Public Health, University of the Sciences, says there are 2 cost concerns associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Technology continues to advance at such an incredible pace that it can be hard for many industries to keep up with the ways in which new systems and processes can help them be more effective. In this morning's session, Your Next Provider Will Be an Avatar, presenter Thomas Morrow, MD, explained why it's necessary for the healthcare industry to not only keep pace with technological innovations, but also to integrate these technologies into several aspects of care.

Dr. Jacque Sokolov, MD, Chairman & CEO, SSB Solutions, Inc, says that value-based products and the revenue flow associated with them is evolving on the commercial side as well as the Medicare and Medicaid sides.

Implementing an accountable care organization model can be a rigorous process. With so many stakeholders, it is necessary for all those involved in the process to collaborate and communicate effectively throughout the transition. For these reasons, it is essential for any organization to have the proper leadership in place to ensure a smooth implementation.