|
by: Gene M. Battistella, DO
I hope that as this holiday season approaches, you and your family are safe and healthy. I am sure that we all look forward to 2021 with the hope of a better year than we have endured in 2020, especially with all that has occurred including, most notably, the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. As I have previously reflected in this column, and will not again recount all here today, much has occurred positively this past year, especially regarding POMA and our mission and goals. However, one such example that I would like to share is recently I, and our POMA CEO, Diana Ewert, had the privilege and honor to virtually participate in LECOM’s White Coat Ceremonies, and will similarly do the same for PCOM later this month. We continue to be energized by these students’ enthusiasm and devotion to Osteopathic Medicine and their desire to continue its legacy.
I’m sure we all can use the memory of that time in our own lives as an inspiration and motivation to begin this next year with renewed vigor for the benefit of our patients, our own self, and our profession. It is too easy in this stress-filled time to lose sight of the awesome privilege that is ours to be involved so intimately with our patients for their health and well-being, especially when considering all that is being asked of us presently. We in healthcare are being asked to continually see more patients, work longer hours, and endure the extremes of COVID, among other duties, all of which can affect our own sense of well-being and ability to effectively not only care for others but also ourselves. Please, if any of you are being consumed by increasing stress, depression or anxiety do not hesitate to ask for help. Similarly, if you have observed a colleague struggling with these issues, reach out and offer support to them or offer to assist them in getting to those that can be of aid. That is what we as an Osteopathic Family should and need to do to support each other.
The POMA has a Wellness Committee to help us promote life balance and well-being outside of our practice of medicine and has been providing virtual events aside from CME and directed more towards these goals of physician well-being in our Districts Go Digital (DGD) series. These are available to all members and easily accessed in our virtual world no matter your location. Most recently the POMA and the POFPS hosted the POMA/POFPS Holiday Hoopla virtual event to bring us all together in a social, stress free environment. What a great experience! We all enjoyed reconnecting with each other and getting away from life’s stress, at least for a brief time. Thank you to the organizers and those who participated. We hope that those that have participated in this or any of our other sponsored events will consider reaching out to others who may not have attended to do so for future events. Continued and increased member engagement will benefit us all. Furthermore, please stay connected to POMA on any of our multiple social media platforms and if you are not on our email list, please provide that information as well so that we are better able to stay engaged with you and provide further member benefit as well as so much more additional meaningful information in the future.
In closing, I thank you for “Living Each Day as an Example of What an Osteopathic Physician Should Be” and I ask you as always to remain safe and especially now to take some time with your family and friends (as is safe to do so under present pandemic circumstances) to recharge and enjoy the Holiday Season that is upon us.
Happy Holidays!
by: Diana Ewert
"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Bill Vaughn
I received a text message from a friend recently. She said she had to stay up on New Year’s Eve to make sure there was no such thing as December 32, 2020. Given everything experienced over this last year, it wouldn’t surprise me. An executive order adding more days to the month that extends this annus horribilis. We’ve all experienced the devastation of this year. It might be a loss within your family or a friend’s family or a colleague or someone you met in passing. It might be the illness – your own or someone you love, know, respect. It might be the exhaustion of constant efforts to care for your patients and their families and getting some to recognize that this virus is very real. This virus kills with no regard.
Optimistic pessimist. It is how I describe myself after a 25+ year career working with physicians. I have hope but recognize preparations for the worst are necessary. So, it goes with 2020. We know there are things we can do to prepare for worse. Stay home. Wear a mask. Limit engagements. And hope. The vaccine is here, but we must be patient. Life as we knew it in 2019 will not be back. Life as we know it in 2020 will continue for a while. Life as we hope for in 2021 is all up to us and what we decide to make of it. As that optimistic pessimist, I will always have a stash of masks and never run low on toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox or Lysol. But I also know that in 2021, I will be hugging my family and friends, traveling again, and continuing to work with the best damn group of people in the world – osteopathic physicians and our #TeamPOMA.
We will all bid adieu to 2020 with the losses foremost in our minds. And we will look forward to a new year, doing all we can to support each other with a heartful of hope for the osteopathic hugs to come.
by: Andy Sandusky
I wanted to start this article with a pithy statement and title about saying goodbye (or good riddance) to 2020 and all the hardships we are facing as a society. But the more I thought, the more I felt appreciative for what we have accomplished, even with the suffering we have faced. So, thank you! Thank you, for entrusting me to advocate on your behalf as POMA members and for your patients. Thank you, for getting involved with the Legislative Action Alerts we send for you to communicate with your elected officials. Thank you, for making donations to POMPAC to increase POMA’s influence in the state political process. Thank you, for reading the POMA Newsletter and Under the DOme publications to keep yourself informed of POMAs advocacy work. Most importantly, thank you, for being there for your patients, treating them, answering their questions with kindness, and making them feel comforted in some dark times.
On a personal note, I speak for myself and my family when I say, thank you to my father’s primary care physician who, knowing his patient best, ordered my father to go to UPMC McKeesport Hospital. Thank you to the many specialist physicians, nurses, nursing aides, respiratory therapists, and countless others, who attended to his care and delivered him safely home after testing positive for COVID-19 and being diagnosed with double pneumonia. Sure, we have many more hills to climb in 2021, but for now, I choose to be thankful.
Registration Open for the District VIII Winter Seminar!
Mark your calendars and join us for POMA District VIII's first virtual winter seminar!
With concern for the safety of our attendees, faculty, families and patients, the District VIII leadership has made the difficult decision to transition the in-person conference to a virtual event. The POMA District VIII 34th Annual Educational Winter Seminar will be held VIRTUALLY over the same dates - January 28-31, 2021.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! Online registration is preferred. Click here to register online or call (717) 939-9318 x170 to register over the phone. A form can be downloaded and returned via fax to 717-939-7255.
This year's seminar offers up to 24 Category 1A AOA CME credits and 24 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Click here for the current conference schedule. Please note, the schedule is subject to change.
If you have any questions, please contact Deb Cargill-Roan, membership specialist, at (717) 939-9318 ext 170 or e-mail [email protected].
Holiday Hoopla
Hosted by POMA & POFPS
POMA and POFPS members gathered to celebrate the holiday season virtually on Wednesday, December 9th. The members were able to come together to decompress from the stresses of the season. The group shared recipes, told jokes, shared holiday secrets, and had a rambunctious trivia game which included "Name that Tune" and "Name that Movie Quote." Could you answer the question: From what movie is the quote – “For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be”? Only one member could.
Amazon gift cards were awarded to Dr. Jessica Masser for winning trivia, Dr. Darlene Dunay for winning best dressed, and Dr. Robert Dolansky for the holiday attendee drawing. POMA and POFPS members are looking forward to more social events after the new year.
Save the Date!
The 113th VIRTUAL Annual Clinical Assembly and Scientific Seminar will be held April 28 - May 1, 2021.
The POMA Clinical Assembly Committee and the Education Coordinators have been meeting over the past few months to plan and prepare for the event. In total, 34 1-A AOA CME credits and AMA PRA Category 1 credits are anticipated.
Registration will be opening soon so keep an eye out for that announcement.
|
View the
newsletter online!
From your POMA family, we wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday.
We have heard from physicians, in particular those in private practice, who have questions regarding the COVID vaccine. We are trying to obtain information and will publish an update in the COVID Newsletter next week.
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.
Table of Contents...
- President's Perspective
- Executive Opinion
- Policy Points
- POMA ISMIE Affinity Program
- Registration Open for the District VIII Winter Seminar
- Holiday Hoopla
- POMA21 Save the Date
- SoFi
- COVID-19 Updates
- Upcoming PGYP Meetings
- Under the DOme
- Classified Ads Information
- Follow POMA on Social Media
- POMPAC
- Download the POMA App
- POMAF Scholarships
Upcoming PGYP Meetings
East Region
Thursday, March 11
6:00 PM
Central Region
Tuesday, March 23
6:00 PM
West Region
TBD
Under the DOme
Did you catch POMA's new advocacy newsletter, Under the DOme?
Under the DOme is a new member benefit providing you with an update of the advocacy work POMA is engaged and/or monitoring to ensure DOs and their patients have the best possible opportunity for strong physician-patient relationships and care. POMA is THE organization that represents you as a DO in the state in all areas of advocacy.
We hope you find Under the DOme to be a valuable advocacy tool. Send your feedback to [email protected].
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
PRN Medical Space – ready exam rooms for Drs on the go! Five locations in Philadelphia and Bristol. Call 215-669-4001.
PRACTICES WANTED:
Retiring physicians, part-time or full-time practices, call 215-669-4001.
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.
Download POMA’s Mobile App Today!
POMA’s free mobile app can be used all year long to find information on advocacy, education, association events, member benefits and more!
- Be in the know
- Get engaged
- Stay connected
- And many more valuable resources
Search POMA in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to download the free app today!
The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association Foundation (POMAF) is pleased to announce several scholarships are now open for application. Pennsylvania students who are enrolled as an OMS II, OMS III, or OMS IV and residents are eligible to apply as long as they meet the criteria. The scholarships and applications are accessible online. Scholarship amounts will be determined by the Foundation board. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2020. The Foundation board will review all applications and awards will be made in March 2021.
We would greatly appreciate your help in circulating this among your student and resident contacts. Feel free to share the information and link in social media, newsletters, etc. Make sure to use the hashtag #POMAF21 and tag us on Twitter, @POMA_DOs and Facebook, @POMADOs.
|
