AMSSM LISTSERV POLICY The AMSSM Listserv provides a forum for members to circulate and share information. The AMSSM Listserv is owned and operated by AMSSM. The goals of the AMSSM Listserv include: (1) facilitating discussion of challenging clinical case presentations, evaluation and management; (2) circulating useful resources within the membership; (3) discussing issues relevant to the clinical practice of sports medicine; and (4) building broad social and professional ties between members. Certain uses of the AMSSM Listserv are inconsistent with the purposes for which it was created. Such uses include, but are not limited to, those that: (1) are illegal or fraudulent; (2) inaccurately imply endorsement, approval or sponsorship by AMSSM; or (3) involve mass distributions for any personal, commercial (e.g., ads or spamming) or political activity. In addition, the AMSSM Listserv is not intended for distribution of research surveys, find-a-health care provider postings, or the posting of conferences. The AMSSM Listserv is intended to foster a diversity of perspectives in a climate of civility and mutual respect. This requires respect for others' viewpoints and individuality and obligates all users of these services to exercise discretion and maintain civility in their communications on the AMSSM Listserv. To that end, all those individuals utilizing the AMSSM Listserv agree not to engage in abusive, harassing, threatening or hostile communications that demean, intimidate or result in injury to another individual because of personal characteristics or beliefs, particularly those including, but not limited to, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability or handicap. Furthermore, members will agree to avoid posting content which is maliciously sarcastic, antagonistic and/or condescending. Not condoning censorship, AMSSM cannot protect individuals against the existence or receipt of materials that may be offensive to them. However, if AMSSM believes, in its sole discretion, that a user's participation in the AMSSM Listserv creates the potential for liability for AMSSM or violates any AMSSM policy, procedure or guideline, AMSSM reserves the right to take any and all actions it deems necessary and appropriate including, but not limited to: deleting a posting, or limiting or denying a user's access to the AMSSM Listserv. Listserv users who violate this policy, the AMSSM Listserv User Etiquette Guidelines or any AMSSM policy applicable to the AMSSM Listserv are subject to disciplinary action, including the termination or suspension of listserv privileges. The following procedures will be followed to identify etiquette infractions and take disciplinary action: 1. Upon receiving notification from moderators or others stating concern over etiquette violations, the Chair of the Internet Committee will contact the member in order to (1) inform him or her about the concerns and (2) ask him or her to conform to the guidelines. 2. If the member continues to violate the guidelines, the Chair of the Internet Committee will notify the offender that he or she has been placed on probation for four weeks, during which time the Internet Committee will monitor the member’s behavior. 3. If, during or after the probationary period, the member continues to violate the guidelines, the Internet Committee will report to the President a concern that a member is abusing a member benefit or privilege. The President may choose to review the matter following AMSSM's Guidance for Resolution of Concerns about Member Conduct. Immediate disciplinary action may also be taken. AMSSM reserves the right to discontinue any and all online services at any time or to unilaterally revise the terms of this policy without advance notice. Use of the AMSSM Listserv constitutes your understanding of an agreement to abide by all applicable AMSSM policies, procedures and guidelines, including without limitation this policy or the AMSSM Listserv User Etiquette Guidelines. Disclaimer. The AMSSM Listserv is provided as a service of AMSSM. AMSSM accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted. AMSSM disclaims all warranties with regard to information posted on the AMSSM Listserv, whether posted by AMSSM or others; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall AMSSM be liable for any special, indirect, punitive or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on the AMSSM Listserv. AMSSM LISTSERV USER ETIQUETTE GUIDELINES We ask that you carefully read and follow the guidelines below; your ongoing participation in the AMSSM Listserv is contingent upon this. Violators will be warned, while repeat offenders will lose privileges or be banned permanently from the AMSSM Listserv. • Be courteous. Discussion should be courteous even when disagreement may be vigorous. Respond to the subject and not to the person, using the same courtesy you would show when speaking face-to-face with someone. Flames, insults and personal attacks will not be tolerated. • Be kind. Listserv members should be able to post without having their motives, intelligence, or other personal characteristics questioned by others. Members who post in a manner that makes other members unwelcome or who conduct themselves in a manner that undermines the listserv community will lose privileges. • Think before you post. Be aware that what you write on the listserv is archived and is searchable. Think before you post. • Respect private communications and applicable law. Please do not post copyrighted material on the listserv. Fair use allows brief excerpts, e.g., a sentence or two, from copyrighted material for the purposes of review and commentary but please do not post extensive excerpts from any source. In such cases, posting a link to the original content may be appropriate. Ensuring that your post complies with copyright, antitrust and other laws is solely your responsibility. Also, please do not quote the text of private communications without permission; such material may be paraphrased (if not privileged or confidential) but should not be reproduced verbatim on the listserv. Similarly, postings from the listserv should not be reposted elsewhere without the permission of all of the original authors. • Appropriate topics. Post only information appropriate for the listserv. If you see posts that you think may violate these guidelines, please notify the Chair of the Internet Committee (internet@amssm.org). GUIDANCE FOR RESOLUTION OF CONCERNS ABOUT MEMBER CONDUCT The AMSSM's Complaint & Resolution Procedure provides one means for the resolution of complaints against members. As it expressly provides, the Complaint & Resolution Procedure may not be appropriate for all situations. Even when the Complaint & Resolution Procedure is not used, AMSSM's goal is to resolve concerns about member conduct in a measured manner. This guidance, which may need to be revised or otherwise tailored to a particular matter, sets forth an exemplar of an approach that AMSSM may use in appropriate circumstances. 1. A concern regarding a member is brought to the attention of the President. This may include abuse of a member benefit or privilege, an ethics concern or member conduct. The situation does not appear appropriate for the Complaint & Resolution Procedure. 2. The President convenes a Review Panel of three members, which will ordinarily include at least one past Board member as chair (current members of the Board/officers will not serve on this committee). 3. The President refers the concern to the appropriate committee or task force, which prepares and provides the Review Panel with a written report of the matter, which should include a description of the issue and surrounding circumstances, excerpts from any relevant source documents and a proposed resolution, which may include recommending discipline of the member. The written report should not exceed three pages in length. 4. The Review Panel provides the report to the member. The member has two weeks to submit a written response, which should not exceed three pages in length. 5. The Review Panel reviews the report of the Committee and any response by the member, then makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Review Panel's recommendation is not limited in any manner by the proposed resolution. 6. The Board of Directors receives and reviews the Review Panel's recommendation as well as all reports reviewed by the Panel. Absent unusual circumstances, the Board will not consider any additional materials. The Board may ratify the Review Panel's recommendation, impose a different or no disciplinary action, refer the matter to the Complaint & Resolution Procedure, or take any other action the Board deems appropriate. The decision of the Board of Directors is final. In the case of flagrant violations or in circumstances that require prompt corrective action, the Board, Executive Committee or appropriate Committee may take immediate disciplinary action. Such action may be reconsidered if the President convenes a Review Panel.
I Agree With the Terms Stated Above.
Sports Medicine Practice Tools (Billing and Coding Issues - AMSSM MEMBERS ONLY)