by: Joan M. Grzybowski, DO

A leprechaun is well known in Irish folklore. He has a history of being a trickster whose main form of communication is deception. They are known to accumulate wealth and covet and hide their pot of gold. The reason I mention this creature is not so much that we are approaching St. Patrick’s Day but because of their resemblance to many of the CEO’s of big Pharma companies... let me explain.

This past February, seven big Pharma CEO’s were called to Capitol Hill. Many did not come themselves but sent a representative to take the flack. The Committee on Finance and Drug Pricing led by a bi-partisan group of senators asked them some pointed questions on pricing practices.

The problem brought forth was that drug companies continue to make huge profits on drugs sold to patients, and prices continue to rise year after year. For example, Humira is the largest selling drug in the world. Prices over the years have gone from $19,000 dollars a year to $38,000 dollars a year for it. Unaffordable to most of us, yet strategic legal strategies have made it very difficult to have generic versions of this drug available to the open market.

Pharmaceutical prices are drastically less in many European countries for the same drugs Americans pay exceedingly higher prices for. Yet our patients have to skimp and save for medications that should be an affordable part of their health care.

Of course, many of the executives who testified said research and development costs of the drugs are part of the reason for the high prices. Yet even after those costs are met or exceeded the cost of the drugs do not come down. The drug makers also said they have discount programs and coupons available. Yet many drug discounts have so many restrictions on them that the benefit never gets passed down to our patients. Finding a way for a patient to get a discount or getting a prior authorization approval can be harder than finding the leprechaun's gold. Many discounts go to the insurance company and never see the inside of our patients’ pockets.

Big Pharma also played a villainous role in the opioid crisis through the misrepresentation of the addiction potential of drugs like oxycodone. Today, through the more accurate dissemination of knowledge, fewer prescriptions are being written and more oversight has been implemented. We now have tools like the PDMP to help guide us in our prescribing.

The CDC is hopeful this next year’s report on the amount of opioid deaths will show a slight decline through the efforts of state and federal regulations put in place and smarter prescribing practices.

Many physicians no longer see pharmaceutical reps. I think that practice should be up to the individual physician, but they must be aware of the sales reps motives, which can sometimes be disguised, or as well-hidden, as the leprechaun’s gold.

by: Diana M. Ewert, MPA, CAE 

Moving Forward

"Sometimes you need to take one step back in order to go two steps forward." - Britta Nickel

Pause. Take a deep breath. Exhale. I was named as POMA’s CEO right about this time almost two years ago. It was before the Clinical Assembly. Much has changed since then. I’ve written about it before. 

Even through the most transformative times, you need to pause and reflect upon the journey. Perhaps it is the hope of spring after the winter that never seems to end after the summer of rain that has me stopped. Regardless, I find myself pondering. Have I made the right decisions on behalf of POMA’s members? Have I supported the staff team in the best ways possible? Are we gaining recognition within the state as the organization of choice for Osteopathic physicians? Are we executing the appropriate strategies to meet if not exceed the goals in the strategic plan? Is the education being provided relevant, evidence-based and of value? Am I the right person right now to serve? There are many more such questions I’m asking these days and not all of them have answers.

Stepping back is a good thing. So is being ready to take those next two steps forward.

  Call for Volunteers

A Call for Volunteers will be sent out Friday, March 15!!

Start thinking now about how to be a servant leader in the following areas:

Communications - Publications Committee, Public Relations Committee, Technology Workgroup

Community - Membership Committee, Committee on Professional Guidance/Young Physicians, Committee on Physician Wellness, Foundation Scholars Workgroup, Mentor Database

Education - Clinical Assembly and Convention Planning Committee, Committee on Continuing Medical Education Programs, Speaker's Bureau

Influence - Committee on Legislation, Committee on Public Policy, Committee on Geriatrics, Public Service Positions

Register Today for POMA's 2019 CME Conference!

Early-Bird Pricing Ends March 31!

POMA Annual Clinical Assembly · May 1-4 · Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia

Registration is OPEN! 

Click here for more information, including a schedule of events.

If you have any questions, please contact Deb Cargill-Roan at (717) 939-9318 ext 170 or email [email protected].  We look forward to seeing you there!

Mandatory E-Scripts for Scheduled Drugs

Act 96 of 2018 requires electronic prescriptions for scheduled drugs II-V. The public policy intent is a very good one, which is to mitigate scheduled prescriptions falling into the wrong hands. It is likely that many POMA members already use e-scripts for their scheduled drug prescriptions. In these cases, Act 96 merely codifies in the law what you are already doing. However, what if you are a small independent POMA member? This was the exact concern expressed by a POMA member at last month’s meeting of the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine when it reviewed the Act.

READ MORE>> 

 District Dish

District 2

Advancements in technology are happening every day. Some procedures that were once considered group breaking are now ancient. The advancements in medical technology were on District 2 members' minds on Wednesday, March 6th.

District 2 members gathered at the Dilworth Tavern Inn in West Chester, PA and educated each other on new technologies they are seeing the field. They discussed how the use of robotics was changing pulmonary surgery in significant ways. The group was amazed at how far things have come and they see significant potential in the future. 

READ MORE>>

District 4 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Symposium

Thanks to the efforts of co-chairs Karen Arscott, DO and Darlene Dunay, DO, District 4’s 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Symposium was another great success!  40 DO’s from the district and surrounding area gathered on February 23 at the Courtyard Scranton Wilkes-Barre in Scranton, PA.  Local experts presented lectures on opioids, sports medicine, patient risk assessments, immunizations, pain management, and stroke.  Over the lunch break, the district held its annual business meeting, which included elections and updates on association and legislative activities.  It was a great day of learning, networking, and fellowship and the district is looking forward to its 4th annual symposium in 2020. 

READ MORE>>

District Election Results

The following district officers and trustees were recently elected to represent their colleagues for the 2019-2021 term.

District 2

Chair: Christopher Davis, DO
Vice Chair: Donna Delfin, DO
Secretary: George Wolters, Jr., DO
Treasurer: Glenn Ortley, DO
Trustee: Thomas Dardarian, DO

District 6

Chair: Kathleen Horne, DO
Vice Chair: Scott Vaughan, DO
Secretary/Treasurer: John Bulger, DO
Trustee: Steven Kramm, DO

by: Lisa Witherite-Rieg, DO

Taking Time for Yourself 

With the demands of practicing medicine coupled with balancing personal responsibilities, how easy it is to get caught up in our obligations and what I call the “have-tos”? No wonder we feel ourselves needing a vacation from it all!

One definition of “vacation” is “a period of suspension of work, study or other activity usually used for rest, recreation or travel; recess or holiday.” After a well-planned and executed vacation, you feel refreshed and energized. Making it a priority to have something pleasurable to look forward to each day, some rewarding activity to anticipate each week, and an event to plan for each month will help maintain balance in an often physically and emotionally demanding life.

READ MORE>>

Get to Know Your Advocates

Liz Swallow, Secretary of the APOMA

Being an advocate for osteopathic medicine came easily to me as I have been married to Dr. William (Bill) Swallow for 45 years. Over that time, I have been involved with the Student Wives (now known as Student Spouses), during Bill's four years at PCOM. I also served APOMA as President for two years and currently is Secretary. The past four years I have also served as a Board of Director and Secretary of the AAOA. 

Volunteering has always been a part of my adult life, having served as President of the Evangelical Community Hospital Auxiliary and serving on the Hospital Board of Directors in Lewisburg, PA. Recently, I became an Assistant Chaplain at that same hospital. During the time we lived in Milton, PA, I served as VP for the Milton Chamber of Commerce, and Governor of the Pennsylvania-Upper Delaware District of Optimist International. While living in North Carolina, I volunteered at Fort Bragg with the JAG Office as assistant to the Inspector of Medical Records Claims, as well as with the Red Cross as Coordinator of the Volunteers supporting the departing and returning soldiers and their families.

When not volunteering, I love spending time as a master gardener, traveling, antiquing, fishing and spending precious time with our six grandchildren. We have three grown children, Jason, Jennifer and Matthew, and six grand dogs—this crew keeps us busy and young. I have been a self-employed Senior Mary Kay Consultant for the past 12 years.

View the
newsletter online!

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Call for Volunteers
4. Save the Date
5. POMA ISMIE Affinity Program
6. Policy Points
7. District Dish
8. District Election Results
9. How Are You DOing?
10. Get to Know Your Advocates
11. Former Nurses Needed
12. Upcoming District Events
13. Upcoming PGYP Meetings
14. Classified Advertisements
15. POMPAC
16. What Do You DO?
17. Call for Clinical Writing Submissions

Former Nurses Needed!

Were you a nurse or nurse practitioner before you became a physician? If so, we need you!

Click here to send us an email and let us know.

Upcoming District Events 

Please address all correspondence for POMA Box Letters to: c/o POMA, 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA  17111-2395.

PHYSICIANS WANTED:

ATTENTION DOs! MD AT HOME, Inc., is in need of a part-time doctor (great for retired doctors) one to two days a week making home visits to the elderly and the disabled that are homebound.  Chauffeured by a medical assistant in a company vehicle to scheduled appointments. Email [email protected] for more information.

Family Medicine Residency Core Faculty Position — Crozer-Keystone Health System, in suburban Philadelphia, is seeking a Family Medicine Physician for a Core Faculty position in our nationally recognized Residency Program. Must have broad-based inpatient and outpatient clinical skills and strong interest in teaching residents and medical students. Excellent benefits, generous CME allowance and malpractice insurance with tail coverage. For more info, visit  http://bit.ly/CrozerFamMed or send CV to [email protected]

OPPORTUNITY — PHYSICIAN POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Media and Lancaster. Flexible hours, private practice, 3-4 hour shifts, no on-call, malpractice insurance needed. For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or call 610-566-8885

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!

   

IS 
The Collective Voice of the Osteopathic Profession

 Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Political Action Committee

Send your personal check today to POMPAC in care of the Central Office, 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17111-2395, or charge your contribution to your VISA or MasterCard! 
PAC contributions are not tax-deductible.

What Do You DO?

The POMA Newsletter is adding a new feature section. In the second edition of each monthly newsletter, we will be featuring a Pennsylvania DO, student, or resident and highlighting what they do outside the profession. So, if you or someone you know is doing something extraordinary, out of the box, or just straight up awesome outside of their professional work, we want to know about it. 

You can contact Jason Leeper at [email protected] to give him details. The first story will be published in the February 22 issue of our newsletter. We look forward to hearing about what else you all DO! 

Call for Clinical Writing Submissions

The 45th Annual POMA Clinical Writing Contest is Accepting Submissions!  Winners will be announced during the 2019 POMA Clinical Assembly, May 1-4 in King of Prussia. 

The deadline for submissions has been extended to March 15, 2019.  Click here for contest rules/regulations and to access the online submission form. 

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