Tom Tape, M.D., chief of the UNMC division of general internal medicine, recently was honored with a Mastership in the American College of Physicians (ACP), during its annual scientific conference in San Diego.
Drs. Tape, O’Dell honored
Tom Tape, M.D., and James O’Dell, M.D., recently were honored with a Mastership in the American College of Physicians (ACP), during its annual scientific conference in San Diego.
The ACP, which is the largest specialty organization in medicine that represents internal medicine specialists, bestows the Mastership for recognition of outstanding and extraordinary career accomplishments. It includes teaching, clinical medicine (research or practice), improvements in health care, contributions to the medical literature and to ACP officers on completion of their term.
“The department of Internal Medicine is thrilled to have Drs. O’Dell and Tape join the elite ranks of those recognized as Masters in the ACP,” said Debra Romberger, M.D., Henry J. Lehnhoff Professor & Chair of the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine. “Only those internists who have a major impact on the care of adult patients are given this distinction. The state of Nebraska now has five physicians who have achieved this recognition from ACP and four of them are here at UNMC. Dr. Rowen Zetterman and Dr. Lyn Klassen have previously achieved this status as well.”
To read about Dr. O’Dell’s election, see UNMC Today on Tuesday.
Dr. Tape’s election to Mastership reflects the years of his officer positions in the ACP in Nebraska and nationally starting with governor of the Nebraska chapter from 2008-2012, as chair of the national board of governors from April 2012-2013. In April 2013, he was elected regent of the national ACP followed by chair of board of regents from 2016-17.
“The Mastership is very meaningful to me. It’s the ultimate recognition that ACP can give to its members,” said Dr. Tape, who just completed the position of chair of the Board of Regents. The board manages the business and affairs of the ACP and is the main policy-making body of college.
In his latest role as chair of the board, he guided the ACP in health policy and advocacy, continuous professional development resources, medical ethics, and high value care.
During the time he served as chair of the ACP’s national health and public policy committee, he worked on issues like universal health care access, team-based care, and reducing firearm injuries and death.
“It’s been called the ‘conscience of the medical profession’ because we advocate for patient care,” Dr. Tape said. “I feel like work the ACP has done over the past 10 years made a difference. For example, the ‘Patients Before Paperwork’ initiative seeks to reduce administrative burdens so physicians can spend more time with patients.
“We have the opportunity to advocate — with members of Congress on health care committees as well as house and leadership itself. I feel the ACP is greatly respected and some of the ideas we’ve put forward have helped shape health care legislation.”
He said he’s proud of the work he and the ACP did in helping Congress pass the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Plan Reauthorization Act of 2015 — calling it probably the biggest change to health care delivery since Obamacare.
Up until then, he said, Medicare threatened to cut payments to physicians sometimes as high as 30 percent.
“Instead of the emphasis on fee for service, we’ll be looking at quality measures, patient satisfaction, cost of care and reward physicians who participate in new kinds of advanced payment models,” Dr. Tape said. “A lot of ideas incorporated into legislation were suggestions from ACP.
“It’s gratifying to me to think some involvement I’ve had nationally is improving the health care system,” he said.
Congratulations Dr. Tape!
Congratulations Tom Tape! Well deserved recognition and you are a true asset to your profession!
What a well-deserved honor, Tom. Congratulations.
Kudos to Dr. Tape. He is truly one of our star physicians. Well deserved!