by: Pamela S.N. Goldman, DO

We DO...Innovation

by: Diana Ewert

What can we do for you? What do you need? How can we help? You are not in this pandemic alone. Every day, each member of #TeamPOMA wakes up, boots up, and works on your behalf. Whether it is sending a request to the governor to suspend liability during the pandemic, reaching out to Washington, DC in collaboration with the 50+ osteopathic associations and the AOA seeking financial relief for physicians, moving your licensure required education to virtual setting that is more convenient but still qualifies as AOA Category 1-A, to funding research using 3D printers to provide PPE for healthcare workers. We remain here for you and your patients.

There is anecdotal information about the impact the pandemic and shelter-at-home order is having on physician livelihoods. In an effort to support getting your story heard, we encourage you to participate in the impact survey being conducted through the University of Pennsylvania with results going to the governor’s office for consideration.  We encourage you to take a few minutes and complete this online short survey which will help gather needed real-time information on the economic effects of the pandemic. Questions or concerns directly related to the survey can be addressed to the project lead at: Alison Leff, DO, [email protected].

It seems that every day delivers the unexpected, the unanticipated. We look at these in the positive. How does this impact our members? How can we best address the challenge/opportunity/issue? And we return to…What can we do for you? What do you need? How can we help? Email me and let me know… [email protected].

POMA Requests Liability Immunity Action from Governor Wolf

POMA penned a letter to Governor Wolf this week asking him to declare an Executive Order that would provide immunity for Osteopathic physicians when providing care under the COVID-19 emergency declaration. These are some of the worst circumstances for an Osteopathic physician treating patients on the front line of this epidemic. Working in a pandemic environment can create limited patient knowledge and limited resource situations for Osteopathic physicians making medical diagnoses and treating patients as efficiently as possible. POMA recognizes this and asked Governor Wolf to follow similar declarations by other Governors, including the border state of New York.

If you have a few moments, please answer POMA’s call to action and send a message to Governor Wolf that Osteopathic physicians and other healthcare workers need liability immunity until this crisis has passed.

#POMASeeksVolunteers

“POMA On The Move!” You may have heard this tag line from colleagues or seen it in print on POMA information being relayed to members over the last years. Indeed, much has been happening with YOUR professional organization, on behalf of its members and our patients. Although the accomplishments that have occurred thanks to the efforts of our members over the last several years are profound, there is still so much more that we can accomplish. That leads us to YOU!

We need members like YOU to get involved and share YOUR talents, knowledge and passion with POMA. There are so many committees, task forces, and other areas where YOU could provide invaluable insight and a possible fresh perspective for the benefit of all. As the old saying goes, “Many Hands Make Light Work.” Please consider committing just a little of yourself for the future of POMA, our members and the Osteopathic Profession in Pennsylvania, to help preserve and give back to this great profession which has been so wonderful to me, and I would suspect to YOU as well.

Please join me as YOUR soon-to-be President for the upcoming year, your POMA Board and other POMA volunteer members as we continue building upon the accomplishments of our predecessors.

Click here for more details and to see what may be of interest to YOU. Click here to go directly to the Volunteer Form and sign up today. 

Please strongly consider this opportunity and sign up by April 17. I look forward to collaborating with YOU in the year to come!

Fraternally,

POMA20 Is Going Virtual!

POMA's 112th Annual Clinical Assembly & Scientific Seminar is transitioning from an in-person meeting to a virtual conference!

The 4-day conference will occur during the originally scheduled dates, April 29-May 2, and in roughly the same hours, 8am to 6pm EST. Click here to view the updated virtual schedule.

POMA understands this is a licensure renewal year and that you must have AOA Category 1-A credit. While it is too early to tell whether licensure renewal will change in this uncertain environment, our goal is to provide what you need in the most cost-effective and convenient way possible. POMA20 will offer 34 Category 1-A AOA CME and AMA PRA Category 1 credits and will be utilizing a combination of live streaming sessions and chat forums to facilitate dialogue, questions/answers and interaction. These 1-A AOA CME credits are applicable to Pennsylvania's licensure requirements.

We also realize the unknowns of physician schedules in light of the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to live streaming the lectures in real time, we will also be recording the lectures and making them available for on-demand viewing. The on-demand lectures will be posted after the conference and remain on the virtual platform for registered attendees through May 31.

The virtual conference platform is mobile responsive so you can participate on multiple personal electronic devices - computers, laptops, tablets, phones, etc. - all you need is an internet connection. That being said, we encourage you to use a computer, laptop or tablet for ease of use and visibility. Additional information regarding registrant access to the virtual conference will be sent next week.

Early-bird pricing has been extended through May 2 and refunds are being offered with no administrative fee. Registrants also have the ability to transfer their registration to 2021 or donate their fees.

• If you have already registered for POMA20 and wish to participate in POMA20 Virtual, no action is needed as your registration will be automatically transferred to the virtual conference. You should have received an email confirming your registration this week. You will receive an email next week with additional information regarding registrant access.
• Still need to register? Click here - your username is , fax your registration form to (717) 939-7255 or call (717) 939-9318 x170 or x160. Please note, mail is not preferred as TeamPOMA is working remotely.
• Need to cancel? Email [email protected] or call (717) 939-9318 ext.170.

We look forward to joining you at the POMA20 Virtual Conference!  Please direct any questions you have to [email protected] and we will respond to you as soon as we can.

 PGYP Recap

East Region

The POMA Committee on Professional Guidance – East Region held its spring meeting on February 27, 2020 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Ten residents, 3 physicians and one POMA staff member were in attendance. After brief introductions, the residents shared where they would be for the next academic year – a few were moving on to fellowship programs, a few were finishing their training and starting positions as attendings, and the rest were moving on to the next year in their training. Those who were completing their residency training provided some helpful tips about the fellowship and job interview process based on their own experience. The physician mentors also provided insight from their own involvement in the workforce. The group also discussed the importance of being satisfied with their work life and the ability to change the direction of their professional life.

READ MORE >>

Central Region

The POMA Committee on Professional Guidance – Central Region held a meeting on March 24, 2020. This was a virtual meeting because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved to be a very successful format. Two residents, four staff physicians, and one POMA staff member were in attendance. Dr. Joseph M.P. Zawisza provided an update of the POMA Board of Trustees including about POMA's new legislative consultant. The group discussed getting involved in their district, as well as opportunities to complete scholarly activity by giving presentations at district meetings. There was also discussion about the Wellness Grant Program. Attendees were encouraged to apply next year even if their program has allopathic residents.

READ MORE >> 

by: Joseph M.P. Zawisza, DO

How are you doing?  This is usually the first question I ask my patients when I see them in the office.  I suspect like many of you, the typical answers I get now (terrified, I don’t know, bad) are different than what I would have gotten six months ago (good, ok, not bad).  What hasn’t changed is the thing that patients most need from us – information.

It’s no secret we live in an age of information overload.  Some of the information that’s out there is correct, some of it’s not.  Opinions disguise themselves as facts.  Celebrity status (or lack thereof) may define the weight of your words.  And with the ease of publishing information (including social media), the information people get may be nothing close to what was actually said.  The COVID-19 pandemic is not immune to misinformation either.  Patients have told me that it’s just “this year’s flu” or “Coronavirus was invented in China.”

READ MORE >>

View the
newsletter online! 

POMA continues to monitor the rapidly changing information surrounding the spread of COVID-19. Please visit www.poma.org/covid-19 for all of our updates, as well as resources we are finding to be most useful and accurate at this time.

POMA's Annual Clinical Assembly is less than 2 weeks away. The planning committee is diligently working to put together the educational content and governance meetings virtually. We will continue to provide status updates on a weekly basis to keep you informed. 

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Policy Points
4. POMA ISMIE Affinity Program
5. Call for Volunteers
6. POMA20 Is Going Virtual
7. PGYP Recaps
8. APOMA Board of Directors Elections
9. APOMA is Going Virtual
10. How Are You DOing?
11. Classified Ads
12. COVID-19 Updates
13. NOM Week
14. Under the DOme
15. Medical Records Copying Fees 2020 - Update on ACT 26
16. POMA Urges Toomey/Casey to Support THCGME
17. Welcome New Members
18. Congratulations POMAF Scholarship Winners
19. Classified Ads Information
20. Follow POMA on Social Media
21. POMPAC

CLASSIFIED AD
RATES
— Per insertion —

Member Ads*: $10 for the first 20 words, $.25 for each additional word. $2 each for special services: box letter, all caps or all bold type, boxing an ad in.

Non-member Ads: (Payment must be received in advance.) $50 for the first 20 words, .50 each additional word. $5 for each special service (listed above).

*Please Note: Member ad rate to be used only by POMA members and only for their medicine- or practice-related ads. Charges for other types of members’ ads will be calculated using the non-member ad rate.

POMA does not take a position of endorsing any organizations, individuals or services whose classified advertisements appear in this publication. The POMA Newsletter reserves the right to select and edit all advertisements submitted.

Follow POMA on social media for all the latest news!

POMPAC is the collective
voice of the osteopathic profession in Pennsylvania.

Send your personal check to POMPAC c/o POMA, 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17111, or charge your contribution to your credit card!

PAC contributions are not tax-deductible.

Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association | 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17111  (717) 939-9318 | www.poma.org