by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 6, 2026 | Fight the Good Fight
I had the pleasure of working with an amazing group of podiatrists, biostatisticians and public health experts on a paper that was just published in Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, entitled “Walking the Line: How Social Forces Shape Diabetic Foot...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 4, 2026 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Dear Manufacturer of Cellular Tissue Product (CTP) Skin Substitutes, In the past few weeks, the CTP/skin sub market has completely changed and the roadmap for the clinical use of your products is completely different. I thought I’d say the quiet part out loud about...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 2, 2026 | Fight the Good Fight, Quality Payment Program
The problem with boring documents is that they might be vital to your survival – like drug package inserts or the fine print of legal contracts. The situation is made more frustrating because special knowledge is required to understand the fine print and avoid...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 29, 2026 | Field Test Report
CMS has posted the Cost Measure Field Test reports on the QPP website! It’s time for you to download yours! Here’s a step by step guide: Here’s a reminder of how to determine whether you might have a Field Test: Below is a step by step guide showing you how to obtain...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 27, 2026 | Field Test Report, Quality Payment Program
Official CMS press release: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and its contractor, Acumen, LLC, will conduct field testing from January 29 to February 27, 2026, for three episode-based cost measures. The measures will undergo field testing before...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 26, 2026 | Field Test Report, Healthcare Payment Policy, Quality Payment Program
This is an official CMS release: Upcoming Specialty Society Office Hours We are holding office hours with specialty societies and organizations to provide information about the upcoming field testing period. These office hours are intended as an informal opportunity...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 26, 2026 | Field Test Report
First in an Ongoing Series About the Field Test I have been longing to think about something other than CTPs/skin subs, but believe me that another attempt by CMS to create a “non-pressure ulcer” cost measure was not what I wanted to think about. This subject is a...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 21, 2026 | Fight the Good Fight
One of my favorite songs is “A Puzzlement” from “The King and I,” because, as the song says, “I am no longer sure of what I absolutely know.” At least I am no longer sure of what I have been taught. We are taught that there are wounds, and then there are ulcers...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 16, 2026 | Pyoderma Gangrenosum
Let me say at the outset that I love my pharmacist, Calvin, who is a wealth of knowledge. And, often when I have phoned in a prescription for a patient, the pharmacist to whom I spoke has warned me about a potential drug interaction that I didn’t know about and been...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 15, 2026 | Fight the Good Fight
I attended the Noridian informational call on the WISeR model. They provided the content of the slides with permission to share as follows: This information release is the property of Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC. It may be freely distributed in its entirety,...
