AGA Institute Practice Management and Economics Committee

This Organizational Statement was last revised by the AGA Institute Governing Board, (6) VOTED, February 2020. 

Mission

To meet the economic and operational needs of members across the spectrum of practice.

Committee Structure

The committee consists of 10 members (including a chair), plus a trainee.

  • One member shall be a non-physician practice manager from a private practice setting.
  • One member shall be a practice manager from a hospital setting.
  • One member shall be a GI Hospitalist.

In addition, the following shall be participants but not count against the maximum membership: 

  • The course director and course director-elect for the annual GI Practicon meeting shall serve as non-voting liaisons if they are not currently on the committee roster as regular members. 
  • The chairs of the AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee and the AGA Institute Quality Committee shall serve as ex-officio members.  
  • A chair-elect shall be appointed one year before the end of the term of the chair. 
  • A practice councillor shall serve as the governing board’s liaison to the committee and shall attend all committee meetings.  
  • Additional members of the governing board may be assigned as team members to the committee but are not intended to attend any committee meetings. 

The appointment term of all committee members shall be for two years, with the opportunity to be renewed for an additional year based on attendance and performance. One-third of the maximum terms shall expire annually. 

The committee chair is authorized to create small, temporary subgroups consisting of members and nonmembers of the committee to address policy development and oversight of specific issues within the committee’s mission. Costs of all such subgroups must be included in the committee’s approved budget. 

Special Qualifications, Members

  • Members should have expertise in management, administration, coding, and reimbursement policies, as well as some health economics/financing experience.
  • A majority of committee members must be members in private practice.

Special Qualifications, Committee Chair

A physician who:

  • Has extensive knowledge and experience in private clinical practice.
  • Understands coding, nomenclature and reimbursement concepts and issues.
  • Understands the managed care environment.
  • Has a strong understanding of health-care economics.
  • Has knowledge and understanding of Medicare policy.
  • Has previously served on an AGA Institute/AGA committee, task force, or Clinical Practice Section activities.

 

Committee Functions

The committee will focus on defining optimal clinical practice and help gastroenterologists provide high-value care.  

  • Objective 1: Translate the value-based model into clinical practice.  
  • Objective 2: Measure and assess the impact of value-based tools to continuously improve the model. Create a flexible model for high-value care for GI disorders. 

The committee’s charge is to embrace the concept of the “medical business” model by identifying, developing, and promoting innovative tools, products, lines of service, and financial models that advance the efficiency, effectiveness, and success of gastroenterology practices.  

The committee’s charge is to embrace the concept of the “medical business” model by identifying, developing, and promoting innovative tools, products, lines of service, and financial models that advance the efficiency, effectiveness, and success of gastroenterology practices.  

  1. Develop and implement value-based payment initiatives, working with the quality committee, the clinical guidelines committee, and other relevant committees within the AGA. 
  2. Work with Medicare and commercial payers to advance the interests of gastroenterologists in the areas of coverage, reimbursement, and payment models. 
  3. Maximize the usefulness of information technology to create tools, products, and educational materials that are relevant and accessible and will equip gastroenterologists to succeed in today’s practice environment. 
  4. Work with the quality committee to identify opportunities for improvement of existing measures and creation of new measures. 
  5. Provide recommendations to the AGA Institute Governing Board regarding policies and programmatic actions on reimbursement, value-based payment initiatives, and business and administrative practices that maximize efficiency and assure compliance with laws affecting academic and private practices. 

Meetings

The committee is authorized to hold two face-to-face meetings per year, one in September and one at Digestive Disease Week®. Teleconferences may be scheduled throughout the year as needed.

Members

  • Michael L. Weinstein, MD, AGAF (governing board liaison)
  • Dominique Howard, MD
  • Sameer K. Berry, MD, MBA (trainee member)
  • Brian Cruddas
  • Linda A. Lee, MD, AGAF
  • Junsuke Maki, MD
  • Steve Serrao, MD, MPH, PhD (early career member)
  • Christine Weinstein
  • David A. Leiman, MD, MSHP (ex-officio)
  • Siddharth Singh, MD (ex-officio)
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