The Council of Medical Specialty Societies awarded grants to 11 specialty societies seeking to promote diagnostic excellence
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The American Academy of Ophthalmology is one of 11 specialty societies awarded a competitive grant from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), a coalition of 48 specialty societies representing more than 800,000 physicians across healthcare. The grants support a wide range of projects that focus on three categories of conditions that are known to cause a disproportionate share of preventable harm from suboptimal diagnosis, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infection.
“Delayed or missed diagnosis of ocular infection can have devastating consequences,” said Stephen D. McLeod, MD, Academy CEO. “This grant will enable the Academy to identify opportunities to improve patient care and reduce costs through improved diagnostics, and how best we can support implementation in general practice"
The award is the result of a competitive grant program administered by CMSS and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in the amount of $1.26 million for medical specialty societies to support the development of resources and programs to promote the topic of diagnostic excellence for clinician audiences. In addition, The John A. Hartford Foundation, which promotes age-friendly care, is contributing half of the funding to support two of the selected awardee projects that focus on older adults. Proposals were reviewed by an external advisory committee comprised of a diverse group of national experts in diagnostic excellence and patient safety, clinician education, quality improvement and research.
Medical specialty societies are well-positioned to educate and disseminate effective strategies that advance diagnostic excellence among their members through educational programs, including accredited CME, peer-reviewed journals, clinical guidelines, research, and clinical registries.
In addition to the selection and provision of grants to individual societies, CMSS will serve as a coordinating center to monitor and promote cross-specialty learning, improvement, collaboration, and identification of best practices in diagnostic excellence that can be shared with the broader medical community.
“Physicians look to their specialty societies for programs and resources that shape practice and drive improvement in safety, quality, and equity,” said Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, MACP, CEO of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies. “We are very pleased to support the awardees in engaging physicians in diagnostic excellence across the house of medicine.”
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight and empower lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for our patients and the public. We innovate to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. Our EyeSmart® program provides the public with the most trusted information about eye health. For more information, visit aao.org.
The Council of Medical Specialty Societies is the national organization of specialty societies representing more than 800,000 physicians across the house of medicine. CMSS works to catalyze improvement across specialties through convening, collaborating, and collective action to address emerging issues that influence the future of healthcare and the patients we serve. For more information, visit www.cmss.org.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation fosters path-breaking scientific discovery, environmental conservation, patient care improvements and preservation of the special character of the Bay Area. Visit www.Moore.org or follow @MooreFound.
The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan, national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. The leader in the field of aging and health, the Foundation has three areas of emphasis: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. Visit www.johnahartford.org and follow @johnahartford.