News from AGA

On Aug. 29 and 30, 2015, AGA hosted the 2015 James W. Freston Conference: A Renaissance in the Understanding and Management of IBS in Chicago, IL.

The meeting brought together more than 215 leading experts in IBS research and patient care to explore the latest insights on diagnosing and phenotyping IBS patients.

The meeting also offered young investigators the opportunity to present their IBS research, with eight presenters selected to receive travel grants.

Notable findings include:

• IBS subjects report a high cat dander sensitization rate, suggesting a plausible explanation of high asthma prevalence in IBS subjects.

• Patients with IBS have significantly higher perceived stress than healthy controls.

• A brief intervention that targeted unresolved stress and conflict by enhancing emotional awareness and expression was as successful as relaxation training in improving symptoms, distress and quality of life in IBS.

Visit the AGA website to see social media highlights from the meeting and to learn more. (http://www.gastro.org/news_items/2015/9/1/freston-2015-highlights-latest-in-ibs-research).

View all 13 IBS abstracts presented at the meeting on the pdf. (http://www.gastro.org/education/Freston_2015_Abstracts.pdf).

[email protected]

On Aug. 29 and 30, 2015, AGA hosted the 2015 James W. Freston Conference: A Renaissance in the Understanding and Management of IBS in Chicago, IL.

The meeting brought together more than 215 leading experts in IBS research and patient care to explore the latest insights on diagnosing and phenotyping IBS patients.

The meeting also offered young investigators the opportunity to present their IBS research, with eight presenters selected to receive travel grants.

Notable findings include:

• IBS subjects report a high cat dander sensitization rate, suggesting a plausible explanation of high asthma prevalence in IBS subjects.

• Patients with IBS have significantly higher perceived stress than healthy controls.

• A brief intervention that targeted unresolved stress and conflict by enhancing emotional awareness and expression was as successful as relaxation training in improving symptoms, distress and quality of life in IBS.

Visit the AGA website to see social media highlights from the meeting and to learn more. (http://www.gastro.org/news_items/2015/9/1/freston-2015-highlights-latest-in-ibs-research).

View all 13 IBS abstracts presented at the meeting on the pdf. (http://www.gastro.org/education/Freston_2015_Abstracts.pdf).

[email protected]

On Aug. 29 and 30, 2015, AGA hosted the 2015 James W. Freston Conference: A Renaissance in the Understanding and Management of IBS in Chicago, IL.

The meeting brought together more than 215 leading experts in IBS research and patient care to explore the latest insights on diagnosing and phenotyping IBS patients.

The meeting also offered young investigators the opportunity to present their IBS research, with eight presenters selected to receive travel grants.

Notable findings include:

• IBS subjects report a high cat dander sensitization rate, suggesting a plausible explanation of high asthma prevalence in IBS subjects.

• Patients with IBS have significantly higher perceived stress than healthy controls.

• A brief intervention that targeted unresolved stress and conflict by enhancing emotional awareness and expression was as successful as relaxation training in improving symptoms, distress and quality of life in IBS.

Visit the AGA website to see social media highlights from the meeting and to learn more. (http://www.gastro.org/news_items/2015/9/1/freston-2015-highlights-latest-in-ibs-research).

View all 13 IBS abstracts presented at the meeting on the pdf. (http://www.gastro.org/education/Freston_2015_Abstracts.pdf).

[email protected]

In August, AGA released a proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification, called Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability.

The AGA proposal, available in both Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active and adaptive learning self-directed modules that allow for continuous feedback, and are based solidly on learning theory.

AGA leadership has enjoyed the lively dialogue that our proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification spurred among the GI community, ABIM, and other specialty societies.

Thanks to all AGA members who completed our survey, which is open until November, and let us know their feelings about MOC and our vision of the ideal pathway for recertification.

Here’s what you said:

• The vast majority of respondents think the current MOC model is burdensome and irrelevant to their practice. (93%)

• Most respondents don’t think that a high-stakes exam every 10 years is critical for recertification status. (88%)

• Almost all respondents say the G-APP model is an improvement on the current MOC plan. (87%)

We’re happy to report that the paper also facilitated opening a dialogue with the ABIM about improving the process, methods, and costs of recertification. ABIM invited AGA to present the alternate pathway at its Liaison Committee for Certification and Recertification meeting in late September.

AGA is committed to reforming the recertification process. Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. 

Read the G-APP paper on Gastroenterology online (http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf) and take the survey (www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback).

In August, AGA released a proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification, called Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability.

The AGA proposal, available in both Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active and adaptive learning self-directed modules that allow for continuous feedback, and are based solidly on learning theory.

AGA leadership has enjoyed the lively dialogue that our proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification spurred among the GI community, ABIM, and other specialty societies.

Thanks to all AGA members who completed our survey, which is open until November, and let us know their feelings about MOC and our vision of the ideal pathway for recertification.

Here’s what you said:

• The vast majority of respondents think the current MOC model is burdensome and irrelevant to their practice. (93%)

• Most respondents don’t think that a high-stakes exam every 10 years is critical for recertification status. (88%)

• Almost all respondents say the G-APP model is an improvement on the current MOC plan. (87%)

We’re happy to report that the paper also facilitated opening a dialogue with the ABIM about improving the process, methods, and costs of recertification. ABIM invited AGA to present the alternate pathway at its Liaison Committee for Certification and Recertification meeting in late September.

AGA is committed to reforming the recertification process. Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. 

Read the G-APP paper on Gastroenterology online (http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf) and take the survey (www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback).

In August, AGA released a proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification, called Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability.

The AGA proposal, available in both Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active and adaptive learning self-directed modules that allow for continuous feedback, and are based solidly on learning theory.

AGA leadership has enjoyed the lively dialogue that our proposal for an alternate pathway to recertification spurred among the GI community, ABIM, and other specialty societies.

Thanks to all AGA members who completed our survey, which is open until November, and let us know their feelings about MOC and our vision of the ideal pathway for recertification.

Here’s what you said:

• The vast majority of respondents think the current MOC model is burdensome and irrelevant to their practice. (93%)

• Most respondents don’t think that a high-stakes exam every 10 years is critical for recertification status. (88%)

• Almost all respondents say the G-APP model is an improvement on the current MOC plan. (87%)

We’re happy to report that the paper also facilitated opening a dialogue with the ABIM about improving the process, methods, and costs of recertification. ABIM invited AGA to present the alternate pathway at its Liaison Committee for Certification and Recertification meeting in late September.

AGA is committed to reforming the recertification process. Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. 

Read the G-APP paper on Gastroenterology online (http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf) and take the survey (www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback).

Consuming the equivalent of two slices of bread a day for just 1 week significantly worsened abdominal pain, bloating, foggy mind, depression, and aphthous stomatitis among patients with self-diagnosed gluten intolerance, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study reported in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The study is unique because its patients were referred for intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms of gluten sensitivity, rather than irritable bowel syndrome, said Dr. Antonio Di Sabatino at the University of Pavia (Italy) and his associates. The study also used gluten capsules that had been shown to be indistinguishable from placebo, excluded patients with minimal baseline symptoms, and used global response as the primary outcome measure because that is patients’ major concern, the investigators said.

The existence and definition of nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) remains debatable even as patients in “crowded online forums” diagnose themselves with it, the researchers noted.

To test if NCGS exists and if so, the amount of gluten needed to cause symptoms, they conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 61 self-diagnosed patients with no history of wheat allergy or celiac disease. Patients ingested either 4.375 g of gluten – the equivalent of two slices of wheat bread – or placebo rice starch in capsule form every day for 1 week. Then they followed a gluten-free diet for a week before crossing over to the other study arm. Each day, patients were asked to grade 15 intestinal symptoms and 13 extraintestinal symptoms on a scale of 0 (absent) to 3 (severe and interfering with daily activities). The group averaged 39 years of age, and 87% were female, the investigators said (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2015.01.029).

Among 59 patients who finished the trial, gluten intake was tied to significantly higher overall symptom scores, compared with placebo (median score, 55 vs. 33; P = .034), said the researchers. Patients also reported significantly worse abdominal bloating (P = .04), abdominal pain (P = .047), aphthous stomatitis (P = .025), foggy mind (P = .019), and depression (P = .02) when they ingested gluten, compared with placebo.

“The observation that short-term exposure to gluten induced depression is remarkable,” Dr. Di Sabatino and his associates commented. “This result was supported by a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in which depression was assessed by an ad hoc psychiatric score (Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 May;39:1104-12). The direct, highly significant correlation between symptom score and symptom prevalence at both the intestinal and extraintestinal levels is indirect proof of the validity of our findings.”

The study did not yield data on identifiable biomarkers, nor did it pinpoint pathogenic mechanisms for NCGS, the investigators acknowledged.

“Self-prescription of gluten withdrawal is becoming increasingly common, but this behavior should be strongly discouraged because it may lead to the consequent preclusion of a proper diagnosis of celiac disease and to a high and unjustified economic burden,” they emphasized. “Because a reliable marker of NCGS is not readily available at present, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are mandatory to ascertain this condition.” Their laboratory is working to identify cytokines in the duodenal mucosa of patients in the trial, and early results have not implicated innate or adaptive immune mechanisms for NCGS, they said.

St. Matteo Hospital Foundation supported the research, and Giuliani Pharma provided the capsules used in the study. The investigators reported having no conflicts of interest.

Consuming the equivalent of two slices of bread a day for just 1 week significantly worsened abdominal pain, bloating, foggy mind, depression, and aphthous stomatitis among patients with self-diagnosed gluten intolerance, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study reported in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The study is unique because its patients were referred for intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms of gluten sensitivity, rather than irritable bowel syndrome, said Dr. Antonio Di Sabatino at the University of Pavia (Italy) and his associates. The study also used gluten capsules that had been shown to be indistinguishable from placebo, excluded patients with minimal baseline symptoms, and used global response as the primary outcome measure because that is patients’ major concern, the investigators said.

The existence and definition of nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) remains debatable even as patients in “crowded online forums” diagnose themselves with it, the researchers noted.

To test if NCGS exists and if so, the amount of gluten needed to cause symptoms, they conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 61 self-diagnosed patients with no history of wheat allergy or celiac disease. Patients ingested either 4.375 g of gluten – the equivalent of two slices of wheat bread – or placebo rice starch in capsule form every day for 1 week. Then they followed a gluten-free diet for a week before crossing over to the other study arm. Each day, patients were asked to grade 15 intestinal symptoms and 13 extraintestinal symptoms on a scale of 0 (absent) to 3 (severe and interfering with daily activities). The group averaged 39 years of age, and 87% were female, the investigators said (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2015.01.029).

Among 59 patients who finished the trial, gluten intake was tied to significantly higher overall symptom scores, compared with placebo (median score, 55 vs. 33; P = .034), said the researchers. Patients also reported significantly worse abdominal bloating (P = .04), abdominal pain (P = .047), aphthous stomatitis (P = .025), foggy mind (P = .019), and depression (P = .02) when they ingested gluten, compared with placebo.

“The observation that short-term exposure to gluten induced depression is remarkable,” Dr. Di Sabatino and his associates commented. “This result was supported by a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in which depression was assessed by an ad hoc psychiatric score (Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 May;39:1104-12). The direct, highly significant correlation between symptom score and symptom prevalence at both the intestinal and extraintestinal levels is indirect proof of the validity of our findings.”

The study did not yield data on identifiable biomarkers, nor did it pinpoint pathogenic mechanisms for NCGS, the investigators acknowledged.

“Self-prescription of gluten withdrawal is becoming increasingly common, but this behavior should be strongly discouraged because it may lead to the consequent preclusion of a proper diagnosis of celiac disease and to a high and unjustified economic burden,” they emphasized. “Because a reliable marker of NCGS is not readily available at present, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are mandatory to ascertain this condition.” Their laboratory is working to identify cytokines in the duodenal mucosa of patients in the trial, and early results have not implicated innate or adaptive immune mechanisms for NCGS, they said.

St. Matteo Hospital Foundation supported the research, and Giuliani Pharma provided the capsules used in the study. The investigators reported having no conflicts of interest.

Consuming the equivalent of two slices of bread a day for just 1 week significantly worsened abdominal pain, bloating, foggy mind, depression, and aphthous stomatitis among patients with self-diagnosed gluten intolerance, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study reported in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The study is unique because its patients were referred for intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms of gluten sensitivity, rather than irritable bowel syndrome, said Dr. Antonio Di Sabatino at the University of Pavia (Italy) and his associates. The study also used gluten capsules that had been shown to be indistinguishable from placebo, excluded patients with minimal baseline symptoms, and used global response as the primary outcome measure because that is patients’ major concern, the investigators said.

The existence and definition of nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) remains debatable even as patients in “crowded online forums” diagnose themselves with it, the researchers noted.

To test if NCGS exists and if so, the amount of gluten needed to cause symptoms, they conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 61 self-diagnosed patients with no history of wheat allergy or celiac disease. Patients ingested either 4.375 g of gluten – the equivalent of two slices of wheat bread – or placebo rice starch in capsule form every day for 1 week. Then they followed a gluten-free diet for a week before crossing over to the other study arm. Each day, patients were asked to grade 15 intestinal symptoms and 13 extraintestinal symptoms on a scale of 0 (absent) to 3 (severe and interfering with daily activities). The group averaged 39 years of age, and 87% were female, the investigators said (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2015.01.029).

Among 59 patients who finished the trial, gluten intake was tied to significantly higher overall symptom scores, compared with placebo (median score, 55 vs. 33; P = .034), said the researchers. Patients also reported significantly worse abdominal bloating (P = .04), abdominal pain (P = .047), aphthous stomatitis (P = .025), foggy mind (P = .019), and depression (P = .02) when they ingested gluten, compared with placebo.

“The observation that short-term exposure to gluten induced depression is remarkable,” Dr. Di Sabatino and his associates commented. “This result was supported by a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in which depression was assessed by an ad hoc psychiatric score (Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 May;39:1104-12). The direct, highly significant correlation between symptom score and symptom prevalence at both the intestinal and extraintestinal levels is indirect proof of the validity of our findings.”

The study did not yield data on identifiable biomarkers, nor did it pinpoint pathogenic mechanisms for NCGS, the investigators acknowledged.

“Self-prescription of gluten withdrawal is becoming increasingly common, but this behavior should be strongly discouraged because it may lead to the consequent preclusion of a proper diagnosis of celiac disease and to a high and unjustified economic burden,” they emphasized. “Because a reliable marker of NCGS is not readily available at present, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are mandatory to ascertain this condition.” Their laboratory is working to identify cytokines in the duodenal mucosa of patients in the trial, and early results have not implicated innate or adaptive immune mechanisms for NCGS, they said.

St. Matteo Hospital Foundation supported the research, and Giuliani Pharma provided the capsules used in the study. The investigators reported having no conflicts of interest.

To help patients better understand the latest clinical information presented in AGA guidelines, AGA has started creating patient guideline summaries that:

• Provide information for patients on the clinical issue addressed by the guideline.

• Explain the recommendations and their impact on patient care.

• Pose helpful questions for patients to ask their gastroenterologists related to the guideline.

The patient guideline summaries support physicians in their efforts to effectively communicate important information to their patients and empower the patient and physician to work together to make the most informed and appropriate care decisions possible. As they are published, the patient guideline summaries will be available in Gastroenterology and on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org/patient-care/patient-center).

Current patient summaries include:

• Crohn’s disease drugs.

• HBV reactivation.

• IBS drugs.

• Pancreatic cysts.

AGA has a rigorous guideline development process that develops focused, actionable clinical recommendations based on in-depth reviews of all available evidence.

To supplement the robust portfolio of guidelines, each new guideline is supplemented by a clinical decision support tool, an illustrated algorithm based on the evidence presented in the technical review, and a patient summary. These tools can be used at the point of clinical care to help with rapid decision making.

To help patients better understand the latest clinical information presented in AGA guidelines, AGA has started creating patient guideline summaries that:

• Provide information for patients on the clinical issue addressed by the guideline.

• Explain the recommendations and their impact on patient care.

• Pose helpful questions for patients to ask their gastroenterologists related to the guideline.

The patient guideline summaries support physicians in their efforts to effectively communicate important information to their patients and empower the patient and physician to work together to make the most informed and appropriate care decisions possible. As they are published, the patient guideline summaries will be available in Gastroenterology and on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org/patient-care/patient-center).

Current patient summaries include:

• Crohn’s disease drugs.

• HBV reactivation.

• IBS drugs.

• Pancreatic cysts.

AGA has a rigorous guideline development process that develops focused, actionable clinical recommendations based on in-depth reviews of all available evidence.

To supplement the robust portfolio of guidelines, each new guideline is supplemented by a clinical decision support tool, an illustrated algorithm based on the evidence presented in the technical review, and a patient summary. These tools can be used at the point of clinical care to help with rapid decision making.

To help patients better understand the latest clinical information presented in AGA guidelines, AGA has started creating patient guideline summaries that:

• Provide information for patients on the clinical issue addressed by the guideline.

• Explain the recommendations and their impact on patient care.

• Pose helpful questions for patients to ask their gastroenterologists related to the guideline.

The patient guideline summaries support physicians in their efforts to effectively communicate important information to their patients and empower the patient and physician to work together to make the most informed and appropriate care decisions possible. As they are published, the patient guideline summaries will be available in Gastroenterology and on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org/patient-care/patient-center).

Current patient summaries include:

• Crohn’s disease drugs.

• HBV reactivation.

• IBS drugs.

• Pancreatic cysts.

AGA has a rigorous guideline development process that develops focused, actionable clinical recommendations based on in-depth reviews of all available evidence.

To supplement the robust portfolio of guidelines, each new guideline is supplemented by a clinical decision support tool, an illustrated algorithm based on the evidence presented in the technical review, and a patient summary. These tools can be used at the point of clinical care to help with rapid decision making.

AGA members participated in the Alliance of Specialty Medicine’s annual legislative conference July 13-15, during which they met with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of specialty physicians and patients. They also heard from several members of Congress and agency officials.

During the conference, Dr. Joel V. Brill, AGAF, Dr. Michael Kochman, AGAF, Dr. Peter Margolis, AGAF, and Dr. Sarah Streett, thanked Congress for passing legislation to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate. However, they urged legislators to continue to oversee the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to ensure that the quality reporting programs are meaningful to specialty physicians and actually improve patient outcomes. In particular, changes need to be made to the Stage 3 meaningful use program to include measures that are appropriate for specialty physicians and their patients, and not implement a one-size fits all approach.

During their meeting with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a hepatologist and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, AGA leaders discussed alternative payment models that AGA is working on for common GI conditions, as well as how the AGA Center for GI Technology and Innovation (http://www.gastro.org/about/initiatives/aga-center-for-gi-innovation-technology) has designed observation research registries to help generate true comparative effectiveness research for new GI devices.

Sen. Cassidy said he is supportive of the role that observation research registries can play in determining the effectiveness of new treatments and technologies, as well as alternative payment models and ensuring that small practices are able to access and implement these types of models.
AGA and the alliance continue to advocate for sound health care policy that ensures patient access to specialty care.

AGA members participated in the Alliance of Specialty Medicine’s annual legislative conference July 13-15, during which they met with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of specialty physicians and patients. They also heard from several members of Congress and agency officials.

During the conference, Dr. Joel V. Brill, AGAF, Dr. Michael Kochman, AGAF, Dr. Peter Margolis, AGAF, and Dr. Sarah Streett, thanked Congress for passing legislation to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate. However, they urged legislators to continue to oversee the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to ensure that the quality reporting programs are meaningful to specialty physicians and actually improve patient outcomes. In particular, changes need to be made to the Stage 3 meaningful use program to include measures that are appropriate for specialty physicians and their patients, and not implement a one-size fits all approach.

During their meeting with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a hepatologist and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, AGA leaders discussed alternative payment models that AGA is working on for common GI conditions, as well as how the AGA Center for GI Technology and Innovation (http://www.gastro.org/about/initiatives/aga-center-for-gi-innovation-technology) has designed observation research registries to help generate true comparative effectiveness research for new GI devices.

Sen. Cassidy said he is supportive of the role that observation research registries can play in determining the effectiveness of new treatments and technologies, as well as alternative payment models and ensuring that small practices are able to access and implement these types of models.
AGA and the alliance continue to advocate for sound health care policy that ensures patient access to specialty care.

AGA members participated in the Alliance of Specialty Medicine’s annual legislative conference July 13-15, during which they met with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of specialty physicians and patients. They also heard from several members of Congress and agency officials.

During the conference, Dr. Joel V. Brill, AGAF, Dr. Michael Kochman, AGAF, Dr. Peter Margolis, AGAF, and Dr. Sarah Streett, thanked Congress for passing legislation to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate. However, they urged legislators to continue to oversee the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to ensure that the quality reporting programs are meaningful to specialty physicians and actually improve patient outcomes. In particular, changes need to be made to the Stage 3 meaningful use program to include measures that are appropriate for specialty physicians and their patients, and not implement a one-size fits all approach.

During their meeting with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a hepatologist and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, AGA leaders discussed alternative payment models that AGA is working on for common GI conditions, as well as how the AGA Center for GI Technology and Innovation (http://www.gastro.org/about/initiatives/aga-center-for-gi-innovation-technology) has designed observation research registries to help generate true comparative effectiveness research for new GI devices.

Sen. Cassidy said he is supportive of the role that observation research registries can play in determining the effectiveness of new treatments and technologies, as well as alternative payment models and ensuring that small practices are able to access and implement these types of models.
AGA and the alliance continue to advocate for sound health care policy that ensures patient access to specialty care.

CMS heard your voice. Following its announcement regarding the cuts in the 2016 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 8, more than 550 members participated in our poll on colonoscopy pay cuts.

The results of that poll were presented to CMS by AGA, ACG, and ASGE during a meeting in July.

The message to CMS was clear – cuts of up to 20% to colonoscopy procedures will impact access and threaten to reverse the progress we’ve made in CRC prevention over the past 20 years.

Some statistics from the poll include:

• Over half of the respondents plan to limit new Medicare patients if the proposed cuts are implemented.

• 43% plan to refer patients to the hospital for colonoscopy.

• 55% plan to limit procedures to Medicare patients.

• 15% are considering opting out of Medicare entirely.

Thank you for participating in the poll. However, we still need your help. In the coming weeks, we will issue “calls to action” with more information about how you can get involved using letters, emails, and phone calls to CMS and congressional lawmakers.

The GI societies are working for you. Find out more about AGA’s response to the proposed cuts on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org).

CMS heard your voice. Following its announcement regarding the cuts in the 2016 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 8, more than 550 members participated in our poll on colonoscopy pay cuts.

The results of that poll were presented to CMS by AGA, ACG, and ASGE during a meeting in July.

The message to CMS was clear – cuts of up to 20% to colonoscopy procedures will impact access and threaten to reverse the progress we’ve made in CRC prevention over the past 20 years.

Some statistics from the poll include:

• Over half of the respondents plan to limit new Medicare patients if the proposed cuts are implemented.

• 43% plan to refer patients to the hospital for colonoscopy.

• 55% plan to limit procedures to Medicare patients.

• 15% are considering opting out of Medicare entirely.

Thank you for participating in the poll. However, we still need your help. In the coming weeks, we will issue “calls to action” with more information about how you can get involved using letters, emails, and phone calls to CMS and congressional lawmakers.

The GI societies are working for you. Find out more about AGA’s response to the proposed cuts on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org).

CMS heard your voice. Following its announcement regarding the cuts in the 2016 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 8, more than 550 members participated in our poll on colonoscopy pay cuts.

The results of that poll were presented to CMS by AGA, ACG, and ASGE during a meeting in July.

The message to CMS was clear – cuts of up to 20% to colonoscopy procedures will impact access and threaten to reverse the progress we’ve made in CRC prevention over the past 20 years.

Some statistics from the poll include:

• Over half of the respondents plan to limit new Medicare patients if the proposed cuts are implemented.

• 43% plan to refer patients to the hospital for colonoscopy.

• 55% plan to limit procedures to Medicare patients.

• 15% are considering opting out of Medicare entirely.

Thank you for participating in the poll. However, we still need your help. In the coming weeks, we will issue “calls to action” with more information about how you can get involved using letters, emails, and phone calls to CMS and congressional lawmakers.

The GI societies are working for you. Find out more about AGA’s response to the proposed cuts on the AGA website (http://www.gastro.org).

“The AGA Research Foundation is focused on all research, including basic, clinical, and translational – this means their research is the underpinning of future patient care,” remarked AGA Legacy Society member, Dr. Lawrence S. Kim, AGAF.

Research creates successful practices. Patients benefit from GI research daily within their physician’s practices. Scientists are working hard to develop new treatments, therapies, and discover cures to advance the field and better patient care. But they can’t do this without research funding.

“I give back because I look forward to future work and research by [the next generation of] AGA researchers,” stated Dr. Timothy C. Wang, AGAF, AGA President-Elect and Legacy Society member. “It has been very important in my own career to receive an AGA research grant. I received the AGA–Funderburg Award, which really helped launch my whole career in gastric cancer research. And therefore, I have been a consistent donor to the AGA. I give back because I want to see this process be sustained, with a continuing stream of young, innovative researchers flowing in, with their energy and their ideas, and making important contributions to the research field.”

Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 per year for 5 years or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest.

Legacy Society members and their donations increase the amount of funding available for talented young investigators to embark upon life-long careers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“My long-term aim is to be an independent investigator and a leader in the field of colonic stem cell biology and this award is a critical step toward that goal,” said Anne E. Powell, Ph.D., 2014 RSA recipient. “Without the generous support from this Research Scholar Award from the AGA Research Foundation, this work would not be possible.”

Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected]. More information on the AGA Legacy Society is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.

“The AGA Research Foundation is focused on all research, including basic, clinical, and translational – this means their research is the underpinning of future patient care,” remarked AGA Legacy Society member, Dr. Lawrence S. Kim, AGAF.

Research creates successful practices. Patients benefit from GI research daily within their physician’s practices. Scientists are working hard to develop new treatments, therapies, and discover cures to advance the field and better patient care. But they can’t do this without research funding.

“I give back because I look forward to future work and research by [the next generation of] AGA researchers,” stated Dr. Timothy C. Wang, AGAF, AGA President-Elect and Legacy Society member. “It has been very important in my own career to receive an AGA research grant. I received the AGA–Funderburg Award, which really helped launch my whole career in gastric cancer research. And therefore, I have been a consistent donor to the AGA. I give back because I want to see this process be sustained, with a continuing stream of young, innovative researchers flowing in, with their energy and their ideas, and making important contributions to the research field.”

Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 per year for 5 years or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest.

Legacy Society members and their donations increase the amount of funding available for talented young investigators to embark upon life-long careers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“My long-term aim is to be an independent investigator and a leader in the field of colonic stem cell biology and this award is a critical step toward that goal,” said Anne E. Powell, Ph.D., 2014 RSA recipient. “Without the generous support from this Research Scholar Award from the AGA Research Foundation, this work would not be possible.”

Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected]. More information on the AGA Legacy Society is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.

“The AGA Research Foundation is focused on all research, including basic, clinical, and translational – this means their research is the underpinning of future patient care,” remarked AGA Legacy Society member, Dr. Lawrence S. Kim, AGAF.

Research creates successful practices. Patients benefit from GI research daily within their physician’s practices. Scientists are working hard to develop new treatments, therapies, and discover cures to advance the field and better patient care. But they can’t do this without research funding.

“I give back because I look forward to future work and research by [the next generation of] AGA researchers,” stated Dr. Timothy C. Wang, AGAF, AGA President-Elect and Legacy Society member. “It has been very important in my own career to receive an AGA research grant. I received the AGA–Funderburg Award, which really helped launch my whole career in gastric cancer research. And therefore, I have been a consistent donor to the AGA. I give back because I want to see this process be sustained, with a continuing stream of young, innovative researchers flowing in, with their energy and their ideas, and making important contributions to the research field.”

Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 per year for 5 years or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest.

Legacy Society members and their donations increase the amount of funding available for talented young investigators to embark upon life-long careers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“My long-term aim is to be an independent investigator and a leader in the field of colonic stem cell biology and this award is a critical step toward that goal,” said Anne E. Powell, Ph.D., 2014 RSA recipient. “Without the generous support from this Research Scholar Award from the AGA Research Foundation, this work would not be possible.”

Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected]. More information on the AGA Legacy Society is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.

Bethesda, MD (Aug. 19, 2015) – Frustrated by a maintenance of certification process that doesn’t improve patient care, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) this week released a proposed alternate pathway to recertification that is based on established learning theory. It eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active, adaptive, self-directed learning modules that allow for continuous feedback.

AGA shared the proposed pathway with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), which runs the current maintenance of certification (MOC) process that has drawn ire from the medical community for not meeting physician needs. AGA welcomes feedback and comment by ABIM, AGA members, and leaders of other medical societies.

“There is now a greater emphasis than ever before on disease pathways, clinical guidelines, and quality improvement, making it important for physicians to remain current with newer recommendations and practice standards,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, president, AGA Institute. “Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. We want to work with ABIM and other partners to improve the recertification process.”

Four things to know about AGA’s alternate pathway called The Gastroenterologist: Accountable Professionalism in Practice or G-APP:

• Individual self-assessment pathways allow physicians to demonstrate a high level of competency in one or more areas while maintaining a more general level of competency in other areas.

• Individualized self-assessment activities provide constant feedback and opportunities for learning and replace the secure high-stakes exam now required every 10 years.

• Physicians get credit for activities they are already doing in practice, research, or teaching.

• G-APP is based on principles of competency that are the same as those used to train gastroenterology fellows to independently care for patients.

“AGA does not expect the recertification process to change overnight, but we are getting the conversation started in a substantial, meaningful way that’s based on solid precepts of adult learning theory,” says Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF, councillor to the AGA Institute Governing Board and chair of AGA’s Task Force on MOC. “Adults learn best when education is individualized, tailored to their needs and problem based – which in active medical practice translates to patient-centered. AGA embraces an ideal pathway of continuous professional development within these paradigms as an alternative to the current recertification process.”

G-APP was developed by an AGA task force on MOC charged with defining a recertification process based on educational theory and designed to meet the needs of physicians struggling to meet the demand brought about by monumental changes in health care. After a scholarly review and consideration of these factors, the task force developed G-APP, their vision of the ideal pathway for recertification of gastroenterologists.

Thanks to AGA members who served on the task force:

Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF

Brijen J. Shah, MD

Jane Onken, MD, MHS, AGAF

Arthur J. DeCross, MD, AGAF

Maura H. Davis

Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF

Lawrence S. Kim, MD, AGAF

Kim Persley, MD

Sheryl A. Pfeil, MD, AGAF

Lori N. Marks, PhD

Read the full proposal, Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf, and the editorial, An Alternative to MOC?, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01178-6/pdf. Provide feedback to AGA at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback. Watch Dr. Rose discuss the G-APP at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hV70RlxP3Y.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Wang T. Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

Wang T., Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization.

Contact: Aimee Frank

[email protected]

301-941-2620

www.gastro.org.

Bethesda, MD (Aug. 19, 2015) – Frustrated by a maintenance of certification process that doesn’t improve patient care, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) this week released a proposed alternate pathway to recertification that is based on established learning theory. It eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active, adaptive, self-directed learning modules that allow for continuous feedback.

AGA shared the proposed pathway with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), which runs the current maintenance of certification (MOC) process that has drawn ire from the medical community for not meeting physician needs. AGA welcomes feedback and comment by ABIM, AGA members, and leaders of other medical societies.

“There is now a greater emphasis than ever before on disease pathways, clinical guidelines, and quality improvement, making it important for physicians to remain current with newer recommendations and practice standards,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, president, AGA Institute. “Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. We want to work with ABIM and other partners to improve the recertification process.”

Four things to know about AGA’s alternate pathway called The Gastroenterologist: Accountable Professionalism in Practice or G-APP:

• Individual self-assessment pathways allow physicians to demonstrate a high level of competency in one or more areas while maintaining a more general level of competency in other areas.

• Individualized self-assessment activities provide constant feedback and opportunities for learning and replace the secure high-stakes exam now required every 10 years.

• Physicians get credit for activities they are already doing in practice, research, or teaching.

• G-APP is based on principles of competency that are the same as those used to train gastroenterology fellows to independently care for patients.

“AGA does not expect the recertification process to change overnight, but we are getting the conversation started in a substantial, meaningful way that’s based on solid precepts of adult learning theory,” says Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF, councillor to the AGA Institute Governing Board and chair of AGA’s Task Force on MOC. “Adults learn best when education is individualized, tailored to their needs and problem based – which in active medical practice translates to patient-centered. AGA embraces an ideal pathway of continuous professional development within these paradigms as an alternative to the current recertification process.”

G-APP was developed by an AGA task force on MOC charged with defining a recertification process based on educational theory and designed to meet the needs of physicians struggling to meet the demand brought about by monumental changes in health care. After a scholarly review and consideration of these factors, the task force developed G-APP, their vision of the ideal pathway for recertification of gastroenterologists.

Thanks to AGA members who served on the task force:

Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF

Brijen J. Shah, MD

Jane Onken, MD, MHS, AGAF

Arthur J. DeCross, MD, AGAF

Maura H. Davis

Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF

Lawrence S. Kim, MD, AGAF

Kim Persley, MD

Sheryl A. Pfeil, MD, AGAF

Lori N. Marks, PhD

Read the full proposal, Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf, and the editorial, An Alternative to MOC?, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01178-6/pdf. Provide feedback to AGA at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback. Watch Dr. Rose discuss the G-APP at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hV70RlxP3Y.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Wang T. Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

Wang T., Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization.

Contact: Aimee Frank

[email protected]

301-941-2620

www.gastro.org.

Bethesda, MD (Aug. 19, 2015) – Frustrated by a maintenance of certification process that doesn’t improve patient care, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) this week released a proposed alternate pathway to recertification that is based on established learning theory. It eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active, adaptive, self-directed learning modules that allow for continuous feedback.

AGA shared the proposed pathway with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), which runs the current maintenance of certification (MOC) process that has drawn ire from the medical community for not meeting physician needs. AGA welcomes feedback and comment by ABIM, AGA members, and leaders of other medical societies.

“There is now a greater emphasis than ever before on disease pathways, clinical guidelines, and quality improvement, making it important for physicians to remain current with newer recommendations and practice standards,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, president, AGA Institute. “Maintaining certification should be a process of active learning, not high-stakes testing. AGA supports continuous education and professional development that enhances patient care. We want to work with ABIM and other partners to improve the recertification process.”

Four things to know about AGA’s alternate pathway called The Gastroenterologist: Accountable Professionalism in Practice or G-APP:

• Individual self-assessment pathways allow physicians to demonstrate a high level of competency in one or more areas while maintaining a more general level of competency in other areas.

• Individualized self-assessment activities provide constant feedback and opportunities for learning and replace the secure high-stakes exam now required every 10 years.

• Physicians get credit for activities they are already doing in practice, research, or teaching.

• G-APP is based on principles of competency that are the same as those used to train gastroenterology fellows to independently care for patients.

“AGA does not expect the recertification process to change overnight, but we are getting the conversation started in a substantial, meaningful way that’s based on solid precepts of adult learning theory,” says Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF, councillor to the AGA Institute Governing Board and chair of AGA’s Task Force on MOC. “Adults learn best when education is individualized, tailored to their needs and problem based – which in active medical practice translates to patient-centered. AGA embraces an ideal pathway of continuous professional development within these paradigms as an alternative to the current recertification process.”

G-APP was developed by an AGA task force on MOC charged with defining a recertification process based on educational theory and designed to meet the needs of physicians struggling to meet the demand brought about by monumental changes in health care. After a scholarly review and consideration of these factors, the task force developed G-APP, their vision of the ideal pathway for recertification of gastroenterologists.

Thanks to AGA members who served on the task force:

Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, AGAF

Brijen J. Shah, MD

Jane Onken, MD, MHS, AGAF

Arthur J. DeCross, MD, AGAF

Maura H. Davis

Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF

Lawrence S. Kim, MD, AGAF

Kim Persley, MD

Sheryl A. Pfeil, MD, AGAF

Lori N. Marks, PhD

Read the full proposal, Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01177-4/pdf, and the editorial, An Alternative to MOC?, at http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01178-6/pdf. Provide feedback to AGA at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gappfeedback. Watch Dr. Rose discuss the G-APP at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hV70RlxP3Y.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Wang T. Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Gastroenterology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 19 August 2015.

Rose S., et al. Bridging the G-APP: Continuous Professional Development for Gastroenterologists: Replacing MOC with a Model for Lifelong Learning and Accountability. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

Wang T., Camilleri C. An Alternative to MOC? Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 20 August 2015.

About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization.

Contact: Aimee Frank

[email protected]

301-941-2620

www.gastro.org.

Join IBD experts and representatives from FDA for the first conference developed by the new AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics – Endoscopic Disease Activity Evaluation in IBD:

Factors Influencing Disease Activity Interpretation in Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials

The conference will take place Oct. 2, 2015, in Washington, D.C. at the Court Hotel on Capitol Hill.

Take advantage of this unique forum to examine the process of reading images in IBD clinical trials of medical therapy and related topics where endoscopic outcomes are integrated with patient-reported outcomes as coprimary endpoints.

The conference fosters a collaborative approach to standardizing and validating how endoscopic images are evaluated.

By attending, you will be able to:

• Understand the appropriate steps necessary to validate the endoscopic index for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease.

• Recognize and review current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Review the benefits and limitations of current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Discuss appropriate endoscopic endpoints that might be used for regulatory approval in patients with Crohn’s or UC.

• Review possible benefits and limitations of central and local reading of endoscopic images from patients with Crohn’s or UC.

We hope to see you this fall in Washington, D.C. The early registration and hotel reservation deadline is Sept. 3, 2015.

To learn more and register today, visit www.gastro.org/cdt15 or visit the AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics by visiting gastro.org and selecting the “About” section.

Join IBD experts and representatives from FDA for the first conference developed by the new AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics – Endoscopic Disease Activity Evaluation in IBD:

Factors Influencing Disease Activity Interpretation in Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials

The conference will take place Oct. 2, 2015, in Washington, D.C. at the Court Hotel on Capitol Hill.

Take advantage of this unique forum to examine the process of reading images in IBD clinical trials of medical therapy and related topics where endoscopic outcomes are integrated with patient-reported outcomes as coprimary endpoints.

The conference fosters a collaborative approach to standardizing and validating how endoscopic images are evaluated.

By attending, you will be able to:

• Understand the appropriate steps necessary to validate the endoscopic index for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease.

• Recognize and review current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Review the benefits and limitations of current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Discuss appropriate endoscopic endpoints that might be used for regulatory approval in patients with Crohn’s or UC.

• Review possible benefits and limitations of central and local reading of endoscopic images from patients with Crohn’s or UC.

We hope to see you this fall in Washington, D.C. The early registration and hotel reservation deadline is Sept. 3, 2015.

To learn more and register today, visit www.gastro.org/cdt15 or visit the AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics by visiting gastro.org and selecting the “About” section.

Join IBD experts and representatives from FDA for the first conference developed by the new AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics – Endoscopic Disease Activity Evaluation in IBD:

Factors Influencing Disease Activity Interpretation in Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials

The conference will take place Oct. 2, 2015, in Washington, D.C. at the Court Hotel on Capitol Hill.

Take advantage of this unique forum to examine the process of reading images in IBD clinical trials of medical therapy and related topics where endoscopic outcomes are integrated with patient-reported outcomes as coprimary endpoints.

The conference fosters a collaborative approach to standardizing and validating how endoscopic images are evaluated.

By attending, you will be able to:

• Understand the appropriate steps necessary to validate the endoscopic index for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease.

• Recognize and review current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Review the benefits and limitations of current endoscopic assessment instruments used for regulatory approval in Crohn’s and UC.

• Discuss appropriate endoscopic endpoints that might be used for regulatory approval in patients with Crohn’s or UC.

• Review possible benefits and limitations of central and local reading of endoscopic images from patients with Crohn’s or UC.

We hope to see you this fall in Washington, D.C. The early registration and hotel reservation deadline is Sept. 3, 2015.

To learn more and register today, visit www.gastro.org/cdt15 or visit the AGA Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics by visiting gastro.org and selecting the “About” section.

Thomson Reuters’ Impact Factor results for 2014 have been released, and AGA is pleased to announce that its journals Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH) have both achieved their highest-ever rankings.

Gastroenterology remains the highest-ranked digestive disease journal in the field with an impact factor of 16.7.

CGH maintains seventh place with a score of 7.9. The impact factor measures the number of citations that articles receive and is a widely regarded tool for determining journals’ overall importance and influence. “While the impact factor should not be used to evaluate scientific research, be it basic science or clinical, we are humbled by the just-released numbers,” said Bishr Omary, M,D,, Ph,D,, editor in chief of Gastroenterology.

“Credit goes to our authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff, who help us publish the highest quality research, reviews, and special sections that encompass all the subdisciplines of our field.”

Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., editor in chief of CGH, said “We are pleased with the increase in the impact factor for CGH, especially during a time [when] the number of papers published at CGH has considerably increased, and the number of submissions to the journals is at an all-time high. The board of editors and editorial staff deserve a lot of credit in making the journal thicker, more readable, and now more citable.”

AGA congratulates the respective board of editors of both Gastroenterology and CGH on this significant achievement.

Thomson Reuters’ Impact Factor results for 2014 have been released, and AGA is pleased to announce that its journals Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH) have both achieved their highest-ever rankings.

Gastroenterology remains the highest-ranked digestive disease journal in the field with an impact factor of 16.7.

CGH maintains seventh place with a score of 7.9. The impact factor measures the number of citations that articles receive and is a widely regarded tool for determining journals’ overall importance and influence. “While the impact factor should not be used to evaluate scientific research, be it basic science or clinical, we are humbled by the just-released numbers,” said Bishr Omary, M,D,, Ph,D,, editor in chief of Gastroenterology.

“Credit goes to our authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff, who help us publish the highest quality research, reviews, and special sections that encompass all the subdisciplines of our field.”

Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., editor in chief of CGH, said “We are pleased with the increase in the impact factor for CGH, especially during a time [when] the number of papers published at CGH has considerably increased, and the number of submissions to the journals is at an all-time high. The board of editors and editorial staff deserve a lot of credit in making the journal thicker, more readable, and now more citable.”

AGA congratulates the respective board of editors of both Gastroenterology and CGH on this significant achievement.

Thomson Reuters’ Impact Factor results for 2014 have been released, and AGA is pleased to announce that its journals Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH) have both achieved their highest-ever rankings.

Gastroenterology remains the highest-ranked digestive disease journal in the field with an impact factor of 16.7.

CGH maintains seventh place with a score of 7.9. The impact factor measures the number of citations that articles receive and is a widely regarded tool for determining journals’ overall importance and influence. “While the impact factor should not be used to evaluate scientific research, be it basic science or clinical, we are humbled by the just-released numbers,” said Bishr Omary, M,D,, Ph,D,, editor in chief of Gastroenterology.

“Credit goes to our authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff, who help us publish the highest quality research, reviews, and special sections that encompass all the subdisciplines of our field.”

Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., editor in chief of CGH, said “We are pleased with the increase in the impact factor for CGH, especially during a time [when] the number of papers published at CGH has considerably increased, and the number of submissions to the journals is at an all-time high. The board of editors and editorial staff deserve a lot of credit in making the journal thicker, more readable, and now more citable.”

AGA congratulates the respective board of editors of both Gastroenterology and CGH on this significant achievement.