The authors describe the implementation and first three years (1997-1999) of a department-wide incentive plan of the Department of Family Medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. By using a consensus approach, a representative elected committee designed a clinical relative value unit (explained in detail) that could be translated to equally value and reward faculty efforts in patient care, education, and research and which allowed the department to avoid the imposition of a model that could have undervalued scholarship and teaching. By 1999, the plan's goal of eight patient-care-equivalent points per four-hour session had been exceeded for pure clinical care. Clearly, only a small financial incentive was necessary (in 1999, an incentive pool of 4% of providers' gross salary) to motivate the faculty to be more productive and to self-report their efforts. Long-term productivity for pure clinical care rose from 9.8 points per session in 1997 to 10.4 in 1999. Of the mean total of 3,980 points for the year 1999, the contribution from teaching was 1,146, or 29%, compared with 25% in 1997. For scholarship, the number of points was 775, or 20%, in 1999, compared with 11% in 1997. The authors describe modifications to the original plan (e.g., integration of quality measures) that the department's experience has fostered. Problems encountered included the lack of accurate and timely billing information from the associated teaching hospitals, the inherent problems of self-reported information, difficulties of gaining buy-in from the faculty, and inherent risks of a pay-for-performance approach. But the authors conclude that the plan is fulfilling its goal of effectively and fairly quantifying all areas of faculty effort, and is also helping the department to more effectively demonstrate clinical productivity in negotiations with teaching hospitals.

Use of an edited version of the DPP workbook in an urban, low-income, minority population with type 2 diabetesproduced a significant absolute reduction in HbA1c percentage and weight.

Background: Journal Club at a University-based residency program was restructured to introduce, reinforce and evaluate residents understanding of the concepts of Evidence Based Medicine.

We are sad to say farewell to a great person, Dr. Dwight Jerry Easterly. He has been a good son, husband, father, and a friend and colleague to those in the aerospace and space communi�es. He will be sorely missed and will always be remembered for his con�nued dedica�on to the Canaveral Council of Technical Socie�es, both in its leadership and its organiza�on of several Space Congress symposia, and for his work in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Dr. Dwight Easterly contributed to the aerospace and space industries in the U.S. and Germany, working as an academic and a professional. He earned a bachelor's degree, two master's degrees, and a doctoral degree. Dr. Easterly had many diverse hobbies including scuba diving and hot air ballooning, but most of all he loved traveling and spending �me with family and friends. Along with his accomplishments, Dwight was passionate about the Cape Canaveral Technical Socie�es (CCTS)'s Space Congress. He was involved in decades worth of CCTS's Space Congress symposia, both during the Space Shu�le Era and in the space industry's transi�on to increased commercial spaceflight. He a�ended or organized every Space Congress in existence, even presiding as General Chair of the 43rd Space Congress. Dr. Easterly is survived by his significant other, Karen Rosse�er; four children, K.C. Easterly, Kristen Geeraerts, Jerry Easterly, and Sandy Harlow; and six grandchildren. Dwight, we will miss you! 44th Space Congress® The Journey: Further Exploration for Universal Opportunities May 24-26, 2016 Radisson Resort at the Port Cape Canaveral, Florida Welcome to the 46th Space Congress ® Evening Banquet "Apollo 50th Anniversary Celebration"