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by: Joan M. Grzybowski, DO
This month at our Clinical Assembly in King of Prussia, the POMA presidential gavel was passed to me, Joan Grzybowski, DO. I am a coalminer’s daughter, originally from a small town called Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Having roots that stem from a smaller town lend itself to some unique perspectives. My town was filled with first and second-generation immigrants from Eastern Europe. They were known for their work ethic and tenacity. Each nationality had unique customs, foods, life styles and needs. They had a common thread despite their differences. They worked hard and tried to make things better for their children, (their future) and yet preserve their culture as they blended into their new home of America.
POMA is a lot like the folks of my old home town. The POMA board and staff are trying to improve the future of our newer physicians while preserving the best of the culture we have.
I am excited to help guide POMA this year as we implement and suggest medical policy to our dedicated legislators at the state and federal levels. I am looking forward to the challenges our profession is facing as we navigate through ACGME and the year 2020. Many hot topics will have to be addressed this year so expect some upcoming columns addressing those issues.
I thank you for your support in advance and promise to address your needs as we move forward together and #POMAProud.
by: Diana M. Ewert, MPA, CAE
Hello, Sun… we’ve missed you! The bright sun and warmer days convey growth.
Your POMA Board of Trustees changes and grows with new people bringing new experience and expertise to benefit the profession. Membership is growing. Osteopathic physicians are noticing that POMA is changing, modernizing, and moving forward.
The profession is growing. May marks commencement ceremonies at LECOM, Seton Hill and PCOM. This wave of newly minted osteopathic physicians is ready to take their place in residency programs across the country along with the stethoscopes we provided.
Education is growing. We are increasing educational offerings through the districts. We are developing on-line content. We are moving closer to ACCME accreditation.
Your staff is growing. There is a new position in the budget approved by the POMA House of Delegates. This individual will focus on public affairs and policy which in turn will continue the growth of our presence in policy conversations among legislators, other physician groups and the public.
We are growing POMA. The board continues to develop our strategic plan - our roadmap for continuing growth. It’s a beautiful day to be in Harrisburg. It’s a beautiful day for the osteopathic profession. Let’s get growing.
Congratulations to the New POFPS Board of Trustees
At the POMA 110th Annual Clinical Assembly, POFPS membership elected their new board of trustees to serve for 2018-2022. The new board of trustees were elected during the POFPS annual business meeting on Friday May 4, from a field of twelve. POFPS membership elected four new board trustees to serve from 2018-2022:
- Michael J. Bradley, DO, the Director of Medical Education at Penn State Health, St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, PA;
- Darlene A. Dunay, DO, FACOFP, an operator of a solo primary care general practice in Old Forge, PA who received her ACOFP Fellow in 2016, earning the Crest Award;
- Jacqueline S. Weaver-Agostoni, DO, FACOFP, a director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh, who received ACOFP Fellow in 2015, earning the Crest Award.
- Michael J. Zawisza, DO, FACOFP, founder of a group practice now based in Orwigsburg, PA, who received his ACOFP Fellow in 2000 and is past president of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association.
POFPS leadership and members thank all who hoped to serve and ask anyone who desires to be a part of a committee to please contact the POFPS office at [email protected].
#POFPS43 Registration is
Now Open!!
*You may register for POFPS 43rd Annual CME Symposium by clicking on the image above or by filling out the registration form attached to this email.
POFPS 3rd Annual Student/Resident Program
Attention Osteopathic Students, Interns,
Residents & Fellows
Join us for the 3rd Annual Student/Resident Program, which will be held August 4, 2018 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This program is held concurrent with the 43rd POFPS Clinical Assembly.
Seminar registration is free to all osteopathic medical students, interns, residents and fellows - register today! Attendees are responsible for cost of their own transportation and lodging.
View the program agenda here.
*Picture from the 2017 2nd Annual Student/Resident Program
by: Bruce Hironimus, Legislative Consultant
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners
The House Professional Licensure Committee Chairs remain in waiting for a response to their recent information request from the Osteopathic, Medical and Nursing Licensing Boards.
School safety and redistricting proposals capture the legislative headlines while behind the scenes the Pennsylvania General Assembly continues to assemble the details of the upcoming budget for the next fiscal year. Having established a spend number with restoration of several specific line items due to increased revenues and new revenue sources, i.e. sports betting.
Read More>>
Missed a legislative update? Find all our updates on the new Legislative Update page.
Mental Health Task Force Grant Program Updates
As we near the conclusion of the academic year, we are starting to receive updates from the 2017-2018 Mental Health Task Force Grant recipients on how their programs went. Participants are sharing what they learned from the experience and how it impacted the participant individually and the residency collectively. Our first update is from the Penn Highlands Healthcare Family Practice.
Penn Highlands Healthcare Family Practice - 54321: Training Our Senses to Calm Our Minds
Our program, entitled 5-4-3-2-1: Training Our Senses to Calm Our Minds, was a 5-hour event on a Friday afternoon at Quiet Creek Herb Farm and Quiet Creek Herb FarmSchool of Country Living. Quiet Creek is a not-for-profit educational facility dedicated to increasing the public awareness of conservation, ecological thinking and healthful sustainable living, located about 8 miles from the residents' continuity of care clinic (quietcreekherbfarm.org). Working with stewards Clair and Rusty Orner, and Claire's sister, Melora McNutt, a certified yoga instructor, we planned an afternoon of reflection, education and stimulation of the senses allowing residents to experience things they have never encountered before.
Read more >>
State Boards Transitioning to Online Licensing System
The Pennsylvania Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs (BPOA) is implementing a new online licensing system called the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) starting in June.
On June 15, 2018, the State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine will no longer accept paper initial applications for licensure with exception to the following licenses:
- State Board of Medicine: Institutional License
- State Board of Medicine: Nurse-Midwife Prescriptive Authority
- State Board of Medicine: Perfusionist
- State Board of Medicine: Temporary Emergency Perfusionist
- State Board of Medicine: Temporary Provisional Perfusionist
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine: Osteopathic Temporary Emergency Perfusionist
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine: Osteopathic Temporary Provisional Perfusionist
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine: Osteopathic Perfusionist
Initial applications, other than the above mentioned, must be completed through PALS. For more information on the new online system, please visit https://www.pals.pa.gov/#/page/default.
SBOM Requests Input
The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine is interested in providing public input on any rules and regulations proposed by the Board. A draft regulatory annex, pertaining to the Schedule of Fees increase for an application for a license, certificate, registration or service, can be found here for your review.
In order for the Board to solicit meaningful public input, the Board desires your comments on this draft. Please send or email your comments by no later than June 10, 2018, to Wesley J. Rish at [email protected] or 2601 North Third Street, P. O. Box 69521, Harrisburg, PA 17106, so they may be forwarded to the Board for its consideration at the August 8, 2018, meeting.
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View the
newsletter online!
The POMA Central Office will be closed for the Memorial Day weekend beginning at 12:00 p.m. Friday, May 25. We will return to regular business hours on Tuesday, May 29.
Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for all that you DO!
In This Issue...
- President's Perspective
- Executive Opinion
- Congratulations to the New POFPS Board of Trustees
- POFPS Registration
- POFPS Student/Resident Program
- Government Affairs
- Mental Health Task Force Program Updates
- State Boards Transitioning to Online System
- SBOM Requests Input
- Upcoming District Events
- New Medicare Card
- Classified Advertisements
- Facebook Group
- Licensure Renewals
- POMPAC
Upcoming District Events
6:45 PM
Friday, 6/1/18
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Blue Bell Inn
Blue Bell, PA
District 14
Wednesday, 6/20/18
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Harvest Seasonal Grill
Newtown, PA
New Medicare Card
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began mailing new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare on a flow basis by geographic location and other factors. Additional details on timing will be available as the mailings progress.
Current Mailing Schedule
- April - June 2018
Jurisdiction L - Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the Washington D.C. Metro Area (Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia, the city of Alexandria, VA, the District of Columbia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland)
- After June 2018
Jurisdiction L – New Jersey,
Jurisdiction H - Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indian Health Service (IHS) and Veterans Affairs (VA)
For more information, please reference this article.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
Please address all correspondence for POMA Box Letters to: Box __, c/o POMA, 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17111-2395.
PHYSICIANS WANTED:
CORRECT CARE SOLUTIONS: HIRING MEDICAL DIRECTORS in these cities: Cambridge Springs, Mercer, Huntingdon, Somerset, Waymart. For details call Robert Cross at 717-216-2055 or 570-954-0479.
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
Seeking family physician or internist, board certified MD or DO, for independent multi-specialty Johnstown, PA group established in 1984. Currently comprised of twelve physicians and physician assistants practicing family practice, podiatry, gynecology, medical psychology and non-narcotic pain management. Imaging, clinical trials, lab and numerous other on-site ancillary services available. Offering a four ten-hour day work week with no hospital work. Submit CV to [email protected] or call 814-288-1418 extension 7.
Looking for a part time Physician in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine in Philadelphia. Please contact me @ 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!
  
PA DOc Talk - Facebook Group
The votes are in and the new name for POMA's Facebook Group is "PA DOc Talk."
This private group is a place to ask questions and receive answers from other POMA DOs across the state just like you. Additionally, it is a place to network and get to know other POMA DOs.
Join the group here.
Physician Licensure Renewal Reminder
Osteopathic physicians are reminded that the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine requires 100 CME credits for the 2016-2018 licensure cycle, which ends October 31, 2018.
As part of the 100 credits, physicians must earn at least 20 Category 1A AOA CME credits, at least 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting (Category1 or Category 2), at least 2 hours of opioid education (Category1 or Category 2), and at least 12 patient safety credits (Category 1 or Category 2). The credits for child abuse recognition/reporting and opioid education are counted into the sum of 100 credits and/or sum of 20 Category 1A credits but do not overlap into patient safety.
Additionally, the child abuse recognition/reporting course must be documented and reported to the Pa. Department of State by an approved course provider. Topics that qualify for opioid education include pain management, identification of addiction or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The credits for opioid education and patient safety credits must also be documented by an AOA, ACCME, AMA or AAFP accredited sponsor (institution, health system, professional association, etc.)
Please note: If you are a POMA member, we can affirm how many credits you have earned for all POMA-sponsored programs. However, if you have not completed your CME reporting forms and returned them to the Central Office, you will not receive credit. Any credits earned outside of the POMA must be sent to the Central Office in order for us to record them. POMA's new and improved CME module is now available! Active members can access the system by clicking here.
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.
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