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by: William Swallow, DO
Greetings from POMA. Welcome to Summertime with all the many events to attend and opportunities to get families together, whether by way of vacation or just a family picnic on the patio.
POMA is off to a strong start. However, it's difficult to believe we are already nearing the end of the second month of the 2024-25 leadership year. At our first Board meeting held at Kalahari, a major milestone was achieved. Articles of Incorporation for the POMA Foundation were approved by both the POMA Foundation Board Trustees and the POMA Board of Trustees. These Articles were recently signed by leadership and filed during the week of June 17th. I would like to publicly thank our POMA counsel, Larry Beaser, Esq., for his diligence and efficiency in moving this task forward to completion. In so doing, the POMA Foundation will serve a supportive role to POMA, while also enabling the POMA Foundation to continue the grant program, as well as other benefits that the Foundation provides.
Likewise, our committees are already meeting and planning how to implement the high priority objectives of our 2024-2027 strategic plan. The Digital Engagement Committee, chaired by past president Mark Monaco, DO, is already out of the starting gate and nearing the first turn in moving their objectives. The Postgraduate Engagement Committee, chaired by David Kuo, DO, is already working on a program to provide OMM lectures to the Osteopathic residents in the Commonwealth. The Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Hans Zuckerman, DO, has met and is deep in discussion of the many House and Senate bills that would impact Osteopathic physicians in the Commonwealth. There are many more committees meeting next week, and on into the future months. One item of note is that all of this energy expended on behalf of you, the membership, could not occur without the support of our incomparable staff. The very function of POMA would grind to a halt without their tireless efforts.
And, as we close out the month of June, POMA's new CEO, Andy Sandusky, is preparing to take the reins of the POMA “thoroughbred”. However, that also means that we bid “fair winds and following seas” to Diana Ewert as she enters retirement. Thank you Diana for the outstanding seven years of service that you gave to POMA and the Osteopathic profession. You will be missed.
by: Diana Ewert
“How lucky I am to have something that makes
saying goodbye so hard.”
- A.A. Milne
I made it through the POMA House of Delegates. I made it through the board meetings for the association and foundation. I made it through the Annual Clinical Assembly. Why am I having such difficulty writing my last newsletter article? A.A. Milne, a favorite author of mine for creating the 100 Acre Wood and its inhabitants, has the perfect ending quote for this written farewell. Don’t get me wrong… there are some easy things to say goodbye to… barbeque – ya’ll don’t have it… Chiefs games – ya’ll don’t show them (understandable)… cool fountains – ya’ll know that KC is known as the City of Fountains?
But there are things I will definitely miss. The office. It took a while to update the offices to a place of light where the magic happens. The team. This also took a while to build and look at them go! Hershey. The park, the Hotel, the Lodge, the meals. Annual Clinical Assembly. The education, the fellowship, the Mummers. The members. The COMs and deans. The leaders. I received a resolution during the POMA House of Delegates that was signed by the eight POMA presidents I’ve been lucky to collaborate with since I’ve been at POMA. I’m going to frame that puppy and hang it in my office to remind me of how far POMA and the POMA Foundation have come these past seven years. To remind me that I have left these organizations in a better place and prepared to achieve more in the years to come.
None of this would have been possible without a team effort. A group dedicated to the osteopathic profession – physicians, residents, students, and staff – with the guiding mission to promote the distinctive philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine for our patients, our members and the communities we serve. This does not change when I walk out the door. I merely become a blip in POMA’s timeline while this leadership, this team, and these members continue to move POMA forward. Attempt great things, expect great things. You have Phase 3 of the Strategic Plan to guide you. You have a mission to measure against. You have a clear vision of what you want to do, need to do, to remain relevant and ensure value for our community.
Lucky, certainly. And Blessed. And Privileged. And Honored.
by: Andy Sandusky
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs Fight Spills into Budget Season
Pharmacists are trying to advance their scope of practice bill in the final weeks of legislative session in Harrisburg. The pharmacists have amended their bill in an attempt to appease the opposition, but to no avail. POMA and many other medical specialty groups remain opposed. The original version would permit pharmacists and pharmacy techs to “administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations to persons 3 and older.” This is likely to disrupt needed medical care for children in their formative years. Instead of seeing an Osteopathic physician for their child well-visits, they would go to pharmacies. The bill would also give the same privileges to pharmacy techs, who have very limited training after obtaining a high school diploma or GED.
The new version of the bill will require a prescription before the child can be treated and the age has been amended and lowered to 5 and up. Finally, the pharmacy techs were limited to Covid and influenza vaccine only in the latest draft. This is still not an acceptable form of the bill for POMA. The chain pharmacists are leading this effort, but POMA and other physician organizations are working hard to kill it. It will be a challenging and long couple of weeks of legislative session with at least a half dozen other bills that have impact on Osteopathic medicine, positioned to be considered. Stay tuned.
POMA is your extended family. POMA is more than education, more than advocacy, we are a community. New physician or seasoned professional, POMA is every osteopathic physician. With the summer fun in the air, POMA is out and about, hosting a full slate of family activities to engage everyone.
Our osteopathic family is attending baseball games, knocking down pins at bowling alleys, and hosting cookouts. We're at amusements parks, zoos, golf courses, and more! It is about the whole family, the whole person – mind, body and spirit – the osteopathic way. That is what makes our community so special.
POMA is the community that will always be there for you. As you move through your osteopathic journey, POMA supports you. That is what makes our professional community better than any other. Now, let’s get out there and enjoy the summer together as we truly embody the spirit of osteopathic medicine.
District Dish
Districts 4 & 6
On a beautiful Saturday, your osteopathic colleagues hopped to Clyde Peeling's Reptiland Zoo for family fun and CME. The families enjoyed a reptile show “Venom! Nature’s Chemical Weapon” and the physicians earned additional CME from “Venom in the Valley, Poisons in Pennsylvania: A Case Review” presented by Kira Galleano, DO, and Derek Fikse, DO, from Lehigh Valley Health Network.
District 7
POMA members and their families from District 7 gathered at UPMC Park in Erie on Friday, June 7 to cheer on the Erie Seawolves as they battled the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Though the Seawolves didn’t clinch the victory, attendees scored big with a fantastic evening of camaraderie among friends, family, and colleagues – topped off with postgame fireworks! District leadership thanks all who were able to attend. Stay tuned to POMA’s online calendar for future district events!
District 10
District 10 members returned to Panache Wood Fire Grill on Tuesday, June 18th where they met to discuss POMA business and attend a CME lecture on Osteoporosis presented by District 10 member Meera Shah, DO. During the meeting, District Chair, Carol Bowes-Lawlor, DO and POMA President-elect George Wolters, Jr., DO, shared updates on topics including government affairs, foundation activities, and upcoming events.
The next District 10 meeting will be on September 13th at the Blue Bell Inn - hope to see you there!
District 14
District 14 members gathered in record numbers at Harvest Seasonal Grill on Wednesday, June 19th where they met to discuss POMA business and attend a CME lecture on Melanoma presented by POMA District 10 member David Kasper, DO. During the meeting, District Chair, Richard Purse, DO, offered updates on upcoming events, POMA Past President and POMA Foundation Chair, Pamela Goldman, DO, delivered updates on foundation activities, and POMA Board Member Jonathan Oline, DO, shared updates on government affairs. Thanks to all District 14 members and guests that attended.
Save the date for our next business meeting and product theater at Harvest Seasonal Grill in Newtown, PA on Thursday, September 12, 2024 starting at 6:30 pm. We hope to see you there!
District 8 is celebrating their victory of the 2023-24 POMA District Competition at the National Aviary on June 29th. The event is open to all District 8 members and their families. The District Champions trophy will also be touring Southwest Pennsylvania this year, so watch for it to appear at upcoming District 8 events!
Across the remainder of the state, the fourth annual POMA District Competition is already entering its second month and the competition is fierce!
Current Standings as of June 17th:
1st Place - District 4
2nd Place - District 14
3rd Place - District 10
Help your District climb to the top of the leaderboard by getting involved! Districts receive points for holding qualifying events, recruiting and retaining POMA members, community involvement, participating in surveys, getting original pieces published (POMA and external); and more. Contact your district leadership to learn more!
The POMA Foundation continues to expand programs that promote the osteopathic tenets of mind, body and spirit for patient care and for the physicians who treat them.
We gift first-year osteopathic medical students with their first white coat, stethoscope and learning scholarships. We award over $22,000 annually to residency programs to fund wellness activities and combat burnout. We gifted 47 portable OMT tables to osteopathically recognized residency programs across the state. We awarded over $115,000 to grant recipients to make a difference in their communities.
Donate today to the POMA Foundation's fiscal year-end giving campaign. Your tax-deductible gift will make a huge difference to help the POMA Foundation continue accomplishing its mission.
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View the
newsletter online!
Table of Contents...
1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Policy Points
4. Community Collaborative
5. District Dish
6. District Competition Update
7. Donate Today to the POMA Foundation's Fiscal Year-end Giving Campaign
8. Upcoming District Events
9. Membership Renewal Cycle Open
10. Welcome New Members
11. Military Appreciation
12. Classified Ads
13. Check Out the POMA DOes... Podcast
14. POMPAC
Membership Renewal
Now Open!
Check your inbox for your POMA membership renewal materials - our current membership year ends June 30th!
Renew today to remain an active member of your osteopathic community!
Thank you for your continued commitment to POMA. Together, we can DO more!
Welcome New Members!
The following physicians have applied for membership in the POMA. According to Article VI, Section 2 of the POMA bylaws, if no written objection is received within 30 days after publication, the following will be accepted for membership.
Edward J. Ausman, DO
1820 Penn Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652
Active Member – District 5
Travis R. Berger, DO
601 Mayflower Drive
Myerstown, PA 17067
Active Member – District 5
Matthew L. Bertolet, DO
17 Golfview Lane
Reading, PA 19606
Active Member – District 11
Marie T. Brislin, DO
49 Blue Stone Drive
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Active Member – District 2
Robert M. Cherrey, DO
3544 Parkview Drive
Bensalem, PA 19020
Active Member – District 14
Daliborka M. Danelisen, DO
Geisinger Medical Center
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822
Active Member – District 6
Jason E. Kaplan, DO
1648 Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18104
Active Member – District 3
Michael A. Kochik, DO
5200 Centre Avenue, Suite 312
Shadyside, PA 15232
Active Member – District 8
Elizabeth C. Kurian, DO
101 Washington Street, Apt 454
Conshohocken, PA 19428
Active Member – District 10
Paul G. Little, DO
500 East 4th Street
Chester, PA 19013
Active Member – District 2
Adam K. Lucich, DO
3025 Baywoods Drive
Sharpsville, PA 16150
Active Member – District 9
Keren C. McCarthy, DO
8813 Tyson Road
Wyndmoor, PA 19038
Active Member – District 10
Wendy S. Olinick, DO
860 First Avenue, Suite 4-B
King of Prusia, PA 19406
Active Member – District 10
Alexander Petron, DO
45 Monument Road, Suite 100
York, PA 17403
Active Member – District 9
Peggy Jo Schell, DO
530 Montour Boulevard, Suite C
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Active Member – District 4
POMA wants to support and honor our military members!
Whether you are active duty, reservist or retired; Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marines or Coast Guard; POMA wants to hear from you! Click here to share your military history with us or email [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 or visit prnmedical.space.
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: all caps or all bold type.
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.
POMA DOes...Podcast
Have you tuned into the POMA DOes... podcast series? You can catch them on YouTube and everywhere you listen to podcasts. June features a two-part series focusing on "Prepping for Clinical Rotations." Be sure to share this resource with the students you know!
Have an episode idea? Let us know! New episodes for POMA DOes... are released on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Subscribe so you never miss an episode!
POMPAC is the collective
voice of the osteopathic profession in Pennsylvania.
Send your personal check to POMPAC c/o POMA, 1330 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17111, or charge your contribution to your credit card!
PAC contributions are not tax-deductible.
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