by: Gene M. Battistella, DO

I can hardly believe it has already been nearly 6 months since I was inaugurated POMA President on April 29, 2020 at the POMA Virtual Board Meeting and House of Delegates that occurred in conjunction with the POMA Virtual Annual Clinical Assembly. It truly is my honor to serve and represent POMA this year. Certainly, this year is not what I, nor any of us, have imagined or anticipated when we rang in the New Year. It has been unlike any other with the challenges of the COVID pandemic and all that we have been confronted to continue moving forward with our professional and personal lives. I remain in awe of the resilience of our nation, our state and of course, POMA and our members.

I would just like to take a moment to reflect on these past 6 months. Within the matter of just several weeks of the pandemic surge here in Pennsylvania, the POMA Annual Clinical Assembly was converted to a virtual format, with an amazing attendance of over 1,500 participants, providing needed CME in a license renewal year. Much of this same CME is available on DO-CME. By the way, if you have not already done so, please be sure that you renew your license before the October 31, 2020 deadline.

POMA Committees, Task Forces, Board and Leadership meetings continued with enthusiasm in our new virtual world to continue advancing the mission and goals of POMA for the benefit of our patients and members. The POMA Staff under the leadership of Diana Ewert, MPA, CAE has continued the day to day activities of POMA, being nimble and professional addressing all issues asked of them by POMA members and leadership. We are blessed to have such a wonderful, dedicated and forward-thinking POMA Staff, Board and Membership here in Pennsylvania. I can tell you, having interactions over the years with other state and affiliated organizations, this is not universally the case.

Furthermore, the POFPS had their Annual CME Symposium, also virtually, in August with record attendance and inaugurated their new President, Jessica Masser, DO. Congratulations to her and the entirety of POFPS for a job well done.

LECOM and PCOM have welcomed the Class of 2024 and continue to train the next generation of Osteopathic Physicians, despite all the challenges this year presents. Residents continue with their training, now under the ACGME, while still striving to maintain their Osteopathic distinctiveness, whether or not if they are in an Osteopathic Recognized program. POMA will continue to reach out to all who are in training to try to keep them connected with POMA and our Osteopathic Profession.

Many have participated with POMA Wellness Grants to foster fraternity amongst each other and work towards some degree of life balance outside of their medical duties. Each of us should likewise find some time to take a step back and reconnect with family and friends for our own wellness. It is so easy, again during this year of the pandemic with all the demands and stressors associated, to lose sight of what we need to do to take care of ourselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. If you are having any issues, please reach out to us at POMA, family or friends. We are your Osteopathic Family and will provide whatever assistance we can and if we cannot, we will try to direct you to someone hopefully that can.

POMA continues also with advocacy efforts on behalf of our patients and members. This year has been a challenge with a multitude of issues being addressed but be assured, POMA is continuing to advocate for the Osteopathic Physicians and our patients here in the Commonwealth. POMA is being looked to as a leader and a resource by our state legislators. Please continue to follow the Under the DOme, COVID Newsletter and POMA Newsletter for pertinent and timely information on all matters relevant to us as Osteopathic Physicians in Pennsylvania. The POMA Board is now developing our next three-year Strategic plan and in November we will be holding our Board and House of Delegates Meetings, the latter of which will include conducting the remainder of elections of officers of POMA from our April House of Delegates and Board Meetings, again in a virtual format.

These are just a sampling of all that has continued to occur during the pandemic to meet and, as always trying to exceed, the needs of and for our members and patients. Please reach out to me or any one of our wonderful POMA Staff, Board or District Leaders with any issues or concerns you may have.

Take care and as always stay safe and continue to “Live each day as an example of what an Osteopathic Physician should be!"

by: Diana Ewert

"Damn it, get it right!"  - Me

For every person you’ve reached, there are dozens who remain uninformed. For every person who makes an uninformed judgement, they are followed by dozens of other uninformed hopping on the bandwagon and chirping in with two cents more. Such is the state of social media these days. Such is the inordinate stupidity surrounding the osteopathic profession and those that tweetingly degrade it. Damn it, get it right. Are osteopaths real doctors? No, they are OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS! Real physicians who are better. Better physicians because they treat people. They receive additional (as in more, yes MORE) training than MDs for greater understanding about how the body works and is connected. When the twitterverse lit up with the ongoing commentary generated by a political pundit (that won’t be repeated here), the osteopathic profession went right back at them. Pennsylvania’s own, Thomas Dardarian, DO – tweeted. “Why do you have a bias against Osteopathic Physicians? Your obvious slander and marginalization of Osteopathic physicians is disgusting and offensive.”

This was followed a few days later by a poorly constructed advertisement for scrubs that was met with dismay, disgust, and a strong threat of legal action from the AOA. “@wearfigs REMOVE YOUR DO offensive web ad immediately or the @AOAforDOs will proceed promptly with a defamation lawsuit on behalf of our members and profession.” The jab levied at our female osteopathic physicians who appeared scattered and belonging anywhere but practicing medicine as long as they looked great in pink scrubs. Offense given, profession defended.

I often hear from our seasoned members that students and residents today don’t understand what it means to be in the trenches. The overt and in-your-face discrimination that the profession experienced while establishing itself. They don’t understand that once there were osteopathic hospitals where osteopathic physicians and surgeons could practice because they were not viewed as legitimate by the other physician profession. States refusing to acknowledge and license osteopathic physicians to practice medicine. A movement that offered DOs an opportunity to surrender their DO degree for a certificate making them an MD. In the context of the worst (period) year (period) ever (period), they are getting a crash course.

This is why belonging matters. This is why the AOA matters as well because they have the bandwidth to hit back nationally. This is why POMA matters. As it is your calling to become an osteopathic physician, it is POMA’s calling to support – and defend – the osteopathic profession. Your voice matters and should be heard. The DO has an article to help you get involved. DO it – make sure your osteopathic voice is heard. I’ve done my share of posting on social these past few days. It’s easy and, unfortunately in 2020, still needed.

In closing, I want to share a letter from Jessica Masser, DO, a POMA member and current president of the POFPS. Well said, Dr. Masser, well said.

Final Legislative Week in Harrisburg??

Not so fast! Next week is the last week the House and the Senate are supposed to be in legislative session. However, there is still the “little” issue of completing a budget, which will likely occur after the election sometime in November. Until then, all eyes are focused on next week.

First up is the coupling of two issues: one POMA supports and another it despises. POMA supports legislation that would provide COVID-19-related immunity for physicians, hospitals, manufacturers, and others who worked hard at addressing the pandemic under less than ideal circumstances. However, the House of Representatives added to that bill, legislative language that would enact a state false claims act, something that POMA does not support. Coupling the two has been argued, is the only way the tort reform bill will pass. Which begs the question if the trial lawyers will support COVID-19 immunity (something they have not supported) as long as there is a state false claims act in it, should be telling. A state false claims act will unleash the Attorney General and trial lawyers to come after Osteopathic physicians who treat Medical Assistance patients for billing errors and other issues, they believe are defrauding state government. Even if you are innocent, you will likely need to hire an attorney to represent you and get you through the legal process. POMA has joined with the Pennsylvania Civil Justice Coalition in opposition to the combined bill. POMA will also be keeping a close eye on legislation that would continue healthcare related decisions made by the governor via his executive orders throughout the pandemic, for extra time after the emergency declaration is over. POMA continues to oppose this legislation because it contains scope of practice expansions for pharmacists and nurse anesthetists. There are plenty of other bills that will likely come into play, but rest assured that POMA will be represent Osteopathic physicians every minute the General Assembly is doing business!

Physician Licensure Renewal Reminder

Osteopathic physicians are reminded that the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine requires 100 CME credits for the 2018-2020 licensure cycle, which ends October 31, 2020. 

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: Renewal applications are typically opened 30-60 days prior to expiration dates. Please make sure you allow enough time for processing. Visit the checklist of application materials.

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. Active members can access the system by clicking here.

*If you have not yet paid your 2020-2021 membership dues to maintain your "Active" status, you will no longer have access to POMA’s online CME module. Any requests for a CME record or a reprint of a POMA sponsored CME program will result in a $75 fee per request. 

Need Required CME Credits for License Renewal?

If you are still looking to fulfill CME requirements, visit DO-CME.  It features on-demand programs, webinars and live educational opportunities that are available for purchase.  Courses address a broad spectrum of topics, including content from POMA's 112th Annual Clinical Assembly.

*If you did not attend POMA's 112th Annual Clinical Assembly, the seminars are now available for purchase on DO-CME. Individual lectures are available for purchase, as are specialty bundles. Links to the bundles are below or you can search POMA on www.docme.org.

Bundles:

• Patient Safety
• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• OMT
• Pediatrics

Opioid Lecture:

• Opioids

If you still need to fulfill your Child Abuse credits, please visit www.reportabusepa.pitt.edu.

Visit www.docme.org to start earning 1-A credits online. 

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.

PGYP Recap

Last month, POMA leaders and osteopathic residents from across the state met virtually to launch this year’s Professional Guidance Committee meetings.  These meetings provide an arena for residents to develop leadership skills and network with physicians who work in a variety of practice settings outside of their own residency setting.

Leadership is an essential skill for residents to develop in order to lead a medical team and provide safe patient care.  The PGYP West Region reflected on leadership during their icebreaker by sharing one leadership skill they felt they had and another skill they wished to further develop.  Dr. Lisa Witherite-Rieg shared a list of “17 Hard Things You Have to Do to be a Great Leader” as a reminder that being a leader can be difficult but it can also provide personal fulfillment and satisfaction.  Leadership opportunities within POMA, specifically on the board of trustees, committees/task forces and strategic plan work groups, were also discussed.  Kortnee Koziara, DO is the elected resident voting member on the Board and Smit Shah, DO, is the observer resident representative, both from the Central Region.

READ MORE>>

 District Dish
Districts Go Digital Series

Therapeutic Uses for Medical Marijuana - Hosted by Districts 3 & 14

Over 100 POMA members from across the country participated in the inaugural Districts Go Digital Event on Thursday October 1st. The membership came together to participate in a timely and intriguing CME lecture on “Therapeutic Uses for Medical Marijuana” presented by Katherine E. Galluzzi, DO.  The event was hosted by POMA Districts 3 and 14. The lecture was followed by POMA leadership updating the membership on legislative issues and POMA updates.

Wine with the President - Hosted by District 8

Around 40 POMA members, family and staff gathered for Wine with President on Thursday, October 15^th.  POMA President Gene Battistella, DO, and his wife Michelle, invited the POMA family into their home for a robust wine tasting event. Not everyone was partaking in the wine, some enjoyed other beverages such as milk, but everyone enjoyed the comradery,  comedy, and connecting with others.  Nobody was talking business, everyone was just enjoying the company.

This was the second event in the POMA Districts Go Digital Series. The next event will be on Thursday October 29^th. We look forward to seeing you there. 

by Angela Zawisza, DO

Usually to restore wellness, one seeks activities that are peaceful and tranquil. Such activities might include yoga, meditation, exercise, or reading.

Four young boys chasing each other through the house, yelling and wrestling, would certainly not be described as peaceful. And yet, for myself, our loud and rambunctious household is what I turn to the vast majority of the time to restore my wellness.

Parenting in a two-physician household of course does present a unique set of challenges and stressors. Leaving a sick child at home while I go out to care for someone else’s sick child will always be an emotional challenge for me. And on more than one occasion, I’ve said good night prayers with my boys over the phone rather than in person, because I’m at the hospital waiting to attend a delivery.

But these children of mine, in a very simple way, don’t allow me to get stuck in a quagmire of guilt or sadness for too long. I once received a phone call at home for an admission regarding a patient who would likely need surgery. I was already starting to stress over the details in my mind before I even got off the phone, only to hang up and find that the four of them had heard me mention surgery and had immediately gone to find their (toy) power tools and were performing surgery on each other. The ensuing laughter immediately eased my mind.

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.

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Policy Points
4. POMA ISMIE Affinity Program
5. Physician Licensure Renewal Reminder
6. Need Required CME Credits for License Renewal?
7. POMAF Scholarships
8. PGYP Recaps
9. District Dish
10. How Are You DOing?
11. COVID-19 Updates
12. Upcoming District Events
13. Upcoming PGYP Meetings
14. Under the DOme
15. Welcome New Members
16. Classified Ads Information
17. Follow POMA on Social Media
18. POMPAC
19. Download the POMA App
20. Resident Wellness Grants
21. Calling All Writers
22. POMA's Going Pink
23. APOMA News
24. SoFi

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!

Attention Residents - Apply Now for Wellness Event Grants!

The POMA Committee on Physician Wellness is pleased to announce that applications for Resident Wellness Events are being accepted for the 2020-2021 academic year. POMA’s Committee on Physician Wellness is committed to encouraging osteopathic family mental health/well-being through focused activities sponsored and supported by POMA and the POMA Foundation. Our goal is to start the conversation and open dialogue regarding personal well-being in all levels of the osteopathic profession from students to attending physicians.

Click here to complete the online application - the deadline for submission is November 1, 2020. Click here to view past projects. 

Calling All Writers!

POMA is seeking writers for both the Journal of the POMA and the blog, "How Are You DOing?"

The Journal of the POMA is published four times a year and the blog is published each month in our newsletter.

If you are interested in submitting an article either now or in the future, please contact Brenda Dill at [email protected]. 

 POMA’s Going Pink

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, POMA’s social medial will be going pink on October 23rd. We will be posting photos of us in our pink and ask that you join us!

Get your family, friends, pets and office involved! Snap a photo of you in your pink and either tag us in the photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or email it to [email protected] and we’ll post it for you.

Thank you in advance for participating and helping us raise awareness! 

 APOMA News

APOMA will attend the virtual AAOA HOD Meeting on Sunday October 18, 2020. At that time APOMA members Caryn Tabby will be sworn in as the next AAOA President, Lori Hildebrand is slated for Vice President and Kristina Eisenhardt will join the board as a Director.

Please join APOMA for a virtual board meeting on November 8, 2020 at 11:00 am. Agenda will be posted shortly, but the main topic will be approving the Bylaw changes.  Please see the website for the current Bylaws, The redline version, and the non-redline version.  The meeting will be held using Zoom. Please see the meeting info below

Join Zoom Meeting

• Meeting Link
• Meeting ID: 718 891 0002
• Passcode: 636276

Should you have any questions please contact us. We look forward to seeing everyone virtually.

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