Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Despite Known Conflicts, ACC/HRS Endorse MOC

The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and American College of Cardiology (ACC), two organizations who stand to gain handsomely from their NCDR procedural registries, published a carefully-worded combined statement on "Lifelong Learning Requirements for Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology (CCEP) Specialists" in their respective journals this week.

In a glaring ommision, the publication concerned itself with how Relationships With Industry (RWI's) were handled by the authors, but failed to address the many known RWI's of the bodies that "approved" their statement, including the ACCME, ABMS and ABIM. These relationships include the known collusion of the ABIM with CECity, Inc (held by Premier, Inc, the largest hospital purchasing consortium), the Massachusetts Medical Society and its NEJM Group, the multibillion dollar Netherlands publisher and owner of UptoDate, Wolters Kluwer, PearsonVue, and the myriad of test security companies who benefit from the unproven MOC mandate.

These are not minor conflicts.  They strike to the very core of the integrity of our profession and physicians who must place the interests of our patients before all else. Setting the "rules" for lifelong learning is not required, integrity and honesty in dealing with patients is what is needed instead. Those internal principles cannot be simply articulated in the form of a published "guideline."

This blog has carefully articulated the many civil liberties violations and ethical breaches perfomed by the ABIM (all sanctioned by the ABMS and perpetuated by the AMA) for the past four years. Financial cover-ups, tax fraud, HIPAA Business Associate Agreements that are not optional, and the use of a team comprised of a felonious "Director of Investigation", ABIM staff members, and members of the ABIM legal team to obtain physician emails covertly, so they could use that information to discredit and intimidate physicians, are our reality.  Yet the ACC and HRS have decided to turn a blind eye to the corruption because it might disturb their business model.

Using hugely conflicted certifying bodies to certify a professional position statement document is a problem the ACC and HRS have chosen to ignore to their detriment and the detriment of our professional integrity.

-Wes

20 comments:

Mara said...

Whatever is said about the medical boards, societies, and archipelagos of NGOs that cross and dot the healthcare industry, you can believe this: they sold out and sold us out too.

Not Surprised the Doctors and their Patients are Suffering in the US said...

MOC is big money

Who owns PearsonVue, Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer? It seems that many companies from abroad are infiltrating American healthcare, legal, government, and educational markets though buyouts, strong lobbying efforts, and even bribes. The conflicts of interests and nefarious activities at the ABMS medical boards are frightening when you see how much money they are spending on mergers and propaganda about themselves. They appear to have an open door policy on criminal activity and conflicts of interest. ABIM "director of investigations" and his connections with testing security cartels is documented, though not admitted by the ABIM executes and communications officers yet.

Look at who they are partnering with and what they spend their money on.
The executives give physicians' hard-earned money to themselves and laundered it secretly in Foundations to add to their incomes. And now they hide money away in the Caribbean. What have they done? They stab docs in the backs with "their" cleaned-up stashes of Cayman cash. After ten years of bad deeds and serving special interests the "big bosses" exit with a golden parachute - after betraying patients, themselves and their totally victimized "clients".

I can't believe the level of corruption that is tolerated today in the US.

Reed Elsevier the Arms Dealer said...

MOC and the Anglo-Dutch interests in the US healthcare system

How dark are the relationships at the ABMS as powerful publishing conglomerate Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer get in on the MOC money train?

Here's something that should speak to the core of every medical professional and victim of war in the world about Elsevier.

What else do folks at Reed Elsevier (RELX) do besides changing their name and covering their bloody tracks.

Reed Elsevier sold armaments including cluster bombs (Banned munitions that will blow your roof off and tear the flesh off anyone in the vicinity.)

"Defence exhibitions[edit]
Between 2005 and 2007, members of the medical and scientific communities, which purchase and use many journals published by Reed Elsevier, agitated for the company to cut its links to the arms trade. Two UK academics, Dr Tom Stafford of Sheffield University and Dr Nick Gill, launched petitions calling on Reed Elsevier to stop organising arms fairs.[75] A subsidiary, Spearhead, organised defence shows, including an event where it was reported that cluster bombs and extremely powerful riot control equipment were offered for sale.[76][77]
In February 2007, Richard Smith, former editor of the British Medical Journal, published an editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, arguing that Reed Elsevier's involvement in both the arms trade and medical publishing constituted a conflict of interest.[78]
On 1 June 2007, Reed Elsevier announced that they would be exiting the Defence Exhibition business during the second half of 2007.[79]"

Remembering the Fall of "97" said...

More aobut why the ABMS/ABIM cartel would like to forget 1997

History of Wolters Kluwer and Reed Elsevier (RELX) and why they may be increasingly dangerous to the American healthcare system.

These two powerful companies are investing in the control of physicians via investing in healthcare publishing in the US and Canada and strangely in the perpetuation of MOC.

The danger lies not in publishing but in who controls them and the powerful money interests behind this Anglo European enterprise (global money including the US)

In 1987, Elsevier, the largest publishing house in the Netherlands, announced its intentions to buy up Kluwer’s stock.[6] Kluwer merged with Wolters-Samson to fend off Elsevier’s take-over bid and formed Wolters Kluwer.[9] The merger made Wolters Kluwer the second largest publishing house in the Netherlands.[6][9]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolters_Kluwer

Who is merging with whom? Wolters Kluwer to be aquired by Reed Elsevier
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/14/business/reed-elsevier-and-wolters-kluwer-merging.html

Ten years later: EU Commission and DOJ hurtles to the Wolters Kluwer/Reed Elsevier merger
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19980316/19733-pw-reed-elsevier-and-wolters-kluwer-call-off-merger.html

Divying up the World: how the merger that never was was
http://wolterskluwer.com/company/newsroom/news/2014/07/wolters-kluwer-legal--regulatory-to-acquire-lexisnexis-legal-business-in-poland-and-divest-canadian-legal-assets.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RELX_Group

Who owns the shares of Wolters Kluwer: click the link; Dutch not required to understand
http://wolterskluwer.com/investors/share-information/shareholders.html

Who owns the owners of the fortune 500 (just a few suggestions to explore)
http://humansarefree.com/2015/06/the-federal-reserve-cartel-rothschild.html

The Individual (as Free Men and Women) versus the Corporation (with their Intimidating Thugs) said...

I believe we need to learn a bit more of the history of these compromised, yet highly influential companies, all of them, before we leap into business or the proverbial bed with them? It is clear that the ABMS is in over their depth at this point. That's what happens when one (ABMS executives and their partners) sells out to corporate interests. You not only harm yourselves, but you compromise the entire health and welfare of everyone in America. Busy physicians have become an easy target up until now.

Ironically, the cunning plan called for physicians to pay for it all. But physicians are waking up, but not yet in sufficient numbers with firm conviction or rage to push the stop MOC button. Not enough righteous indignation to put a cease to the plunder of assets and their livelihoods. Not enough time and energy to help their patients achieve a stasis in the eroding situation and find a way to really improve conditions.

It is evident, whether there is a massive demonstration of resistance or not, the ABMS will soon be on the brink of collapse, if they cannot reform and end MOC. It appears MOC is only the tip of the iceberg and it is just a matter of time before the State Legislatures end it or some state like the State of New York and its attorney general, which has a very solid consumer rights/anti-fraud track record gets a hold of this investigation and indicts several individuals and imposes massive fines that are beyond the capacity of the ABMS or its insurers to pay.

So, it will fall on the corporate sponsors of this white collar criminal activity, the ones who have aided and abetted on their own behalves in the creation and maintenance of the largest and most widespread educational Ponzi schemes in US history.

There must be a new word established in the American dictionary to coin this physician syndrome where one is forced to submit over and over to the ABMS' entrapping and enslaving influence. It is not just regulatory capture, but it has permeated the psychology of physicians to their detriment and to the detriment of all. And important aspect of American moral life has been neutered and emasculated.

All in the name of self-regulation where there is the erasure of self in the equation.

This phenomenon appears linked to the individual losing rights and power, becoming the corporation, and the corporation being given the wrongly ascribed definition and constitutional rights of an individual - along with an inordinate amount of undeserved power.

Keeping the jewells (assets) in the family said...

The high price of protection (and uncanny timing)

Speaking of ABMS and its undisclosed or dark business partners, Wes Fisher wrote:

"No surprise: more #MOC conflicts: ABMS is also in bed with Elsevier publishing: https://www.abmsdirectory.com/abms/static/aboutus.htm … Keep that in mind as you read propaganda from ABMS on the value of MOC."

Reed Elsevier makes its final farewell to arms (deals)

"'The events we have acquired in the defence-and-security sector are a valuable and profitable addition to our portfolio and fit perfectly with our strategy for international expansion,' said Clarion Events' chief executive, Simon Kimble.'"
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/may/30/armstrade.weaponstechnology

Clarion Events to host one of the worlds biggest arms fairs
https://www.opendemocracy.net/kaye-stearman/london-to-host-one-of-worlds-biggest-arms-fairs-and-why-it-shouldnt-happen

Blackstone swoops down like a nighthawk to steal Elsevier's loose jewel (Who paid those protesters wages again?)

Clarion was just acquired by Blackstone four months ago
http://www.conference-news.co.uk/2017/07/clarion-events-acquired-by-blackstone-for-a-reported-600m/

Blackstone buys back TeamHealth
https://www.thestreet.com/story/13873675/1/another-mega-health-care-deal-blackstone-buys-back-teamhealth.html

Robert Wachter caught in bed with IPC's Adam Singer with allegations of Medicare fraud

TeamHealth and then Blackstone coming to the rescue for the ABIM/ABMS spokesman Wachter and Singer

Coming full circle remembering the Hospitalist Company and the other Big Patient Safety Scandal involving Robert Wachter as Safety Chairman of IPC, the Hospitalist Company. Bob Wachter, Safety Chair, and Adam Singer, CEO, were not investigated or indicted. They were not even forced to pay a fine! In fact the timing of the buyout by TeamHealth and then the Blackstone repurchase of TeamHealth makes you scractch your head about the timing and where they get all their money.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/healthcare-service-provider-pay-60-million-settle-medicare-and-medicaid-false-claims-act

Blackstone's Chicago? said...

Blackstone at the AMA, NQF, ABIM Foundation and ABMS (controlling healthcare costs with payers)

Does the Blackstone Group have any vested interest in the ABMS or AMA? They appear to be quite strong in Chicago. Equity Healthcare founded by them in 2008 has a model for cost controls at assets under management and partners, so it is reasonable to assume that they have an interest in the continuance of MOC, Choosing Wisely, and any policies or resolutions that the AMA may present or represent. With hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and the growth of those investments at stake, healthcare costs is one of the driving factors in investment strategy.

Of course they have an interest.

Given all the conflicts of interests that have been uncovered, it would not surprise me to see more than a few Blackstone-types or actual affiliates floating at large at the ABMS, NQF, or AMA and the innumerable medical societies and large payers and institutions. ABIM for example has replaced the CMO position with strong-arming non-physicians and of late they hired a PricewaterHouseCooper financial advisor as liaison on MOC of all ridiculous things. Pearson has a partnership with the ABMS as well as Wolters Kluwer. Glaxo had a Chief of Staff political operative for the former mayor of Philly inside the ABIM. Now they have an ally of the former mayors and former governor of PA, the district attorney, and on and on.

Is this really a testing corporation founded out of the sod of Iowa in 1936? Do they think the public and media are stupid? Or what?

The Blackstone Group L.P. is an American multinational private equity, alternative asset management and financial services firm based in New York City. As the largest alternative investment firm in the world,[3] Blackstone specializes in private equity, credit and hedge fund investment strategies.[4] As of September 30th, 2017 Blackstone has $387 billion under management[5].

It is important to know these conflicts as the quality assurance cartel has a history of doing nothing but hiding important relationships. If they have insiders the public should be informed of it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blackstone_Group


Mayor Emanuel "joins" Blackstone
https://www.blackstone.com/media/press-releases/mayor-emanuel-joins-blackstone-and-equity-office-to-unveil-visionary-modernization-plans-for-willis-tower

Equity Healthcare 2008
https://www.equityhealthcare.com/about-us/history

Blackstone creates dedicated healthcare team 2003
https://www.blackstone.com/media/press-releases/blackstone-takes-on-dedicated-healthcare-team

Glaxo helps Blackstone cash out of Stiefel in a 3.6 billion dollar deal
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-glaxo-stiefel/glaxo-to-buy-stiefel-labs-for-up-to-3-6-billion-idUSLK13861420090420

Did the AMA fall short in its recommendations said...

AMA Analyses Support Blocking the Anthem-Cigna, Aetna-Humana Mergers
For immediate release: Sep 21, 2016

Why did the AMA go further and recommend a breakup of the top five insurers given their acquisition sprees over the past two decades. The largest United Health Group is over twice as big as its nearest rival. UHG made huge gains in 2016. Note the Medicare and Optum growth.
http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/4F32B92CA7D74B509F37B32D0B649845.ashx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedHealth_Group

"Based on data from April of 2017, here is a rundown of the top five largest health insurance payers in the US.
1.United Health Group. 2016 Net Revenues: $184.8B. ...
Anthem (formerly Wellpoint-Anthem) 2016 Net Revenues: $89.1 B. ...
Aetna. 2016 Net Revenues: $63.1B. ...
Humana. 2016 Net Revenues: $54.3B. ...
Cigna. 2016 Net Revenues: $39.7B"

MOCRWI said...

After looking at the lineup at the ACC CMC, it is impossible to see any but a few claiming to be without RWI.

It's hard to find anyone on the ABIM's governance exam committees who are free of industry relationships, apart from the ABIM's obvious conflicts.
Besides big pharma and device manufacturers and so on, we see also see WoltersKluwer (UpToDate) and Elsevier relationships popping up in the ABIM exam-writing committees.

http://www.abim.org/about/governance/exam-committees/cardiovascular-disease-exam-committee.aspx

Natch- said...

The ACC is no longer member driven; it is corporate driven.

Lisa said...

These are all excellent comments on this "electronic water cooler"
*Not Surprised the Doctors and their Patients are Suffering in the US* makes a good point: "It seems that many companies from abroad are infiltrating American healthcare, legal, government, and educational markets"

There is no other country like the United States, no other place that has our freedoms that veterans like Wes have fought to defend. That makes USA the #1 target and obstacle to a New World Order of global Communism. By far on the top of the list is healthcare: control healthcare and everything else falls into place for the NWO. That's why Obamacare to be perfectly honest. The people who signed that into law don't care about the well-being of Americans. Perhaps a few were naive and deceived, thinking those mandates were good medicine. Jon Gruber said if we really knew what was in it then it could never have passed, only deception allowed it to go through.

ACA is not a healthcare system, but a tool to implement back-breaking control over physicians and every American. MOC is just one piece of the puzzle. The totality of destroying healthcare is intended to force everyone to our knees, accept the savior of globalist rule and this NWO. Even the Pope is saying USA needs to just give it up and cave to NWO. They already have their replacement constitution, as the United Nations pushes hard with replacement migration (get rid of Americans and it's just easier to end the American way) See: http://worldparliament-gov.org/constitution/the-earth-constitution/

It's an amazing time in history to be an American, because it's a moment when we either rise up and reclaim our roots or completely fall into communism & USSR 2.0. Many of the young people are either liberal socialists or conservative socialists, not realizing that we aren't a socialist nation. If you find Trump abrasive or annoying, nonetheless be extremely grateful we have a businessman sitting in the White House. While his communication style is too direct for some without the smooth polish of a politician this is the one time when more than any other, we need a President who is completely up to the task of telling people to F- off. Sometimes that's what needs articulating. I love his tweets, hope he does more.

Also, sorry to break it to you Wes, but the "big news" is for the UK. The Canadian pharmacies also send out viagra--and that's just an extra perk. If you see their websites it's "bonus viagra included with your order". Pricing is far better than in USA (though some say quality control is a lower standard). If anything this might get more people pushing for prescription purchases from Canada. But, I'm sure you don't personally need the extra help & were just happy for some of your less fortunate friends...

Lisa continued said...

There it is--great find Wes
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20171121.748789/full/

"Perhaps more convincingly, the CMS does not require board certification for provider enrollment in the Medicare program, which covers over 55 million elderly, disabled, and otherwise vulnerable Americans."

MOC is intentionally too burdensome, so even doctors will cave to "Medicare for All"
It's not the best way to provide healthcare, with lowest value per dollar than any other healthcare model
It's not great for physicians, with burdensome requirements including intrusive collection of copious amounts of data (on both Doctor & Patients) and a low reimbursement rate
It IS a brilliant Cloward-Piven strategy to grab everyone by the short hairs and force CMS all around, easing the pathway into Communism.

Symbols of Corruption said...

Trillions served

ABMS MOC is not knowledge or practice; it's nothing but a chunk of cheap ground husks slapped on the grill. And they keep passing off their hypocritical husks as medical science. Their social manipulations and franchised Ponzi schemes will soon demoralize the entire profession of medicine and leave it in shambles.
The house of medicine is imploding. Everyone is on fire, and the ACC leadership, instead of doing something to save the house, keeps selling their blinded souls for a raw sandwich that's not worth a bloody dime.

MOC Street: the ABMS and Associates on Trial said...

Lisa quoted an FTC attorney/reviewer of ABMS MOC

"Perhaps more convincingly, the CMS does not require board certification for provider enrollment in the Medicare program, which covers over 55 million elderly, disabled, and otherwise vulnerable Americans."

The HHS/CMS has lawyers who know federal laws inside and out. To require MOC is 'illicitly discriminatory' and it creates 'unlawful trade restraints and barriers'.

Anonymous said...

One of the most damning facts that the FTC reviewer did not touch upon is that none of the ABMS' related international organizations, ABMS International and ABMS Singapore, nor their business partners ACGME International or The Joint Commission International have a mandated ABMS MOC program or financial association with such as has been created here in the United States. A mandatory MOC program which has been adopted through guile, proprietary propaganda and regulatory capture.

Contradictions of policy on three levels: that which is officially and admittedly voluntary cannot fall under the rules pertaining to mandatory or regulatory action.

Anonymous said...

A voluntary certification program, such as the ABMS describes in its official and legal descriptions cannot be mandated or regulated. Nor can the ABMS have partners who require MOC in order for a doctor to practice medicine. This violates the right to work and serve the population, which is a sacred social obligation for all who are culled and pledge to server others.

This is the most absurd and primitive thing about MOC is that it is not voluntary and through conflicts of interest and deep-seated collusion among affiliates/associates/partners it smacks of racketeering in no uncertain terms. Self-appointment, insider grooming, revolving door practices between affiliated organizations, egregiously conflicted administration where and associates sit on each others boards, improper relationships with industry and even nepotism are just few of the findings.

Anonymous said...

Correcting issues through state and federal action involving law enforcement

A patient should not and cannot be discriminated against (nor the physician) in receiving (and providing) healthcare. Laws intended to address artificial restraints on trade were carefully designed to prevent the monopolization of markets and manipulation of the labor force and desecration of 'consumer' rights. The anti-discrimination and labor laws legislated from 1964 onward do not just apply to the beneficiaries of the Social Security Act of 1965. They apply to all who live, work and need medical care in the United States.

Anonymous said...

MOC, elite protection and the extinction of life

To the proponents of equity in healthcare and universal care at the ABIM and ABMS, you are in violation of fundamental human values and social tenants. You are in violation of your own professional standards and ethics. You act outside the margin of laws which were created to protect individuals from external violatory acts or psychological mistreatment.

You are in fundamental discord with spirit of laws written to protect the individual and society in general.

It is time to apply law in American equally to all. It is time to indict and prosecute executives and officers and other high ranking individuals of high net worth, and not just their corporations. It is time to stop giving legal protection to those of elite status and their affiliates.

Why do this? Because corruption and bullying has penetrated the United States to the degree that it threatens the existence of this nation and other nations on the earth. The ones with greatest visibility and distinct wealth are adding to this corruption on a daily basis. Pushing, playing the edge.

It sends the wrong signal to prosecute petty criminals when the elite masters of financial and political corruption/manipulation are untouched.

Only when we have a moral and lawful country do we (and the world) have a chance to survive. Our survival is at stake right now like no other time in history through immense expenditures and heinous confrontational posturing. We are distracted by a perpetual war machinery and its industrial complexes that have reached unprecedented levels of expenditure today. Governments, corporations, and elites who are behind various special interest, have placed us on an inevitable collision course with more wars and possibly nuclear annihilation. If one does not see this today, we have no chance of stopping it.

If we can't stop the MOC button, how can we possibly stop the war or nuclear button from being pushed. It is on the table right now, the offensive nuclear war plans and options. And the defensive response has been on the table for decades that will end it all.

Ending MOC is only a first step in the evolution of self-governance (we never had it except in theory)

MOC happened while everyone was too busy or asleep. Not enough people protested and put a stop to the ABMS' MOC madness and the ABMS' clever self-enrichment program.

It will be the same state of stupor or busyness when the powerless people of the earth feel the vaporizing radioactive wind blasts after the immense flash of light and powerful chain reactions.

Anonymous said...

We are taught to ignore rather than explore reality.

This is part of the problem as we find ourselves dominated by organizations under the ABMS MOC banner. Their actions and policies threaten the health of our nation. With their greed and desire to control they sow disorder in medicine, such as we see described on this blog and elsewhere in the news media.

Medicine is fundamental to life. ABMS stands between medicine and life as a false arbiter.

A vast network of waste has been created by this ABMS quality/testing bureaucracy, which now stamds starkly between the physician and patient in unprecedented ways that violate everyone. This bureaucracy such as the ABMS represents is nothing other than financial and political bullying cartel. A bullying machine.

Anonymous said...

Learning to see reality again

The ABMS medical boards are simply a franchise of companies selling their proprietary propaganda and tests. The notion of self-regulation was their invention in order to sell their products and theories about the organization of medicine. They are not a legal authority of anything. They have not particular powers. They like to pretend they do, though.

And they have gone to extreme efforts to intimidate physicians to keep their corrupt business models going.

Every email or communication from the members of the ABMS is literally a form of bullying and propaganda. Nothing more than 'white collar thugs' at this point in time. The ABMS and their medical boards has devolved into the lowest common denominator. Raw exercise of power through the use of fear.