News from ACOI

With the new year comes more uncertainty. As you know, flexibility for telehealth services under Medicare was set to expire on December 31, 2024. Expiration of the flexibility would have meant that most telehealth visits conducted with patients since shortly after declaration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), would not be eligible for payment. Telehealth visits would once again be subject to geographic and originating site restrictions.

Remembering those who have passed on.

Join ACOI at the 2025 Spring Meetings, April 21-25. Experience a rich series of educational updates, receive CME credits, and expand your base of knowledge!

Nominations are now open for the ACOI Annual Awards. Please consider nominating a qualified member. The deadline for all nominations is Friday, May 31, 2025.

ACOI is honored to open the nominations for our memorial awards recognizing the legacy and the remarkable contributions of David Susser, DO, MACOI, and Anthony J. Malcoun, DO, MACOI. Eligible medical students, residents, and fellows may submit nominations through May 31, 2025.

Nominations are now open for the ACOI Fellowships. The deadline for all nominations is May 31, 2025.

ACOI members have a wide spectrum of educational needs and goals. Fortunately, the Online Learning Center has options to meet them all.

Student Doctor Khatri was nominated for his exemplary commitment to patient care and his relentless pursuit of excellence. Ahad consistently goes above and beyond in his role as a student physician and demonstrates an unwavering dedication to his patients that sets him apart from his peers. His most commendable qualities is his willingness to put in extra hours to ensure he has a comprehensive understanding of each patient’s needs. He does not view his role as a mere obligation, but instead he approaches it with a genuine passion for making a positive difference in patients lives.

The ACOI reported on Nov. 6, 2024 publication of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule that finalized a 2025 conversation factor of $32.35, a decrease of 2.83 percent from CY2024. That cut took effect on Jan. 1, 2025. The final rule includes several other Medicare policy changes that were the subject of ACOI comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ACOI is providing its members with a resource that summarizes key provisions.

As we enter 2025, the tradition of setting New Year's resolutions is as strong as ever. While many resolutions focus on personal goals such as losing weight or saving money, we often overlook our own wellness. We dedicate our careers to caring for others, often at the expense of our own well-being. In 2025, it’s crucial that we not only recognize the importance of physician wellness but also commit to resolutions that can improve our mental, emotional, and physical health.

At ACOI 2024, a lecture on AI and Medicine drew a great deal of attention – unsurprisingly, given the rapid nature with which AI has grown and found its way into different fields, including health care. That talk was given by Charlene LePane, DO, MBA, MSPH, FACOI, FACG, an internist, gastroenterologist, and ACOI Board Member who serves as Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) at AdventHealth-Central Florida Division.

In 2024, we launched the David Susser Award and the Anthony J. Malcoun Award for two trailblazers in the field. Dr. Susser was one of the first DOs to subspecialize and paved the way for DOs for generations to come to subspecialize within Internal Medicine. Dr. Malcoun’s compassionate delivery of care and sense of excellence in his clinical teaching of nephrology stood out and defined his career.