by Tim Gieseke MD, CMD

AMDA, The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, has been my professional home for many years.  I was privileged to be in one of the last class of physicians attending the 3- part certification course in Minneapolis chaired by Dr. James Pattee in 1995-96.  Since then, I have regularly attended AMDA’s annual meetings and found them to be extremely valuable for the work I do on behalf of my patients and homes.  At these meetings, I have been exposed to leaders in our field who are committed to sharing what they have learned in very practical ways.

However, these meetings are only once a year.  Because of that, I have come to appreciate AMDA Webinars, which provide a 90- minute session on an important topic in our field on about roughly a monthly basis.  I suspect that many of you like me already have full schedules, but these sessions are really worth your time.  The Q&A time with an expert at the end of the Webinar is an added bonus.  In addition, if something happens and I can’t attend the initial offering, the recorded Webinar will be available within days, so I can pick it up at another time and still receive the educational benefit and CME.

For AMDA members, these webinars are free.  If not, the price is $99.  However, as an AMDA member, you can invite members of your team to view these webinars live with you.  AMDA has partnered with Pro-libraries, an internet company which that stores all of AMDA’s educational offerings.  This allows the webinars to become a part of your electronic library for future use, readily available over the internet.  You can then view the Webinars with your team at another time that works better for them.

Recent Webinars that I have found particularly timely and helpful were Dr. Steven Levenson’s on “The Role of the Medical Director”, and Dr. Susan Levy’s with Key CMS Requirements of Participation Phase II 2 Implementation experts on that subject.

To explore what’s available, go to: https://paltc.org/webinars

If your Medical Director isn’t an AMDA member, encourage them to join.  They and you will greatly benefit.  And don’t forget 2018’s annual meeting at the Gaylord Texan near Dallas from March 21-25 (CALTCM will host a state chapter reception on Friday night).  Let’s represent at AMDA with a mighty CALTCM contingent!