by: Lisa Witherite-Rieg, DO

"COLLABORATION"

Collaboration (noun) col·lab·o·ra·tion [kəˌlabəˈrāSH(ə)n]: the action of working with someone to produce or create something, from the Latin “collaborare” meaning ‘work together’.

In the late 80s, before the times of secure messaging and encrypted emails, anxious medical students would crowd around a designated bulletin board to check their scores on a recent test. Sure, names were not used, but all the scores were listed, highest to lowest, with an “identification” (usually social security) number. The bolder students used their index fingers to run down the list from the top until they stopped at their score and fist-pumped the air. Others would stand a little at a distance and make sure their score was above the dreaded red line. Still others, like myself, would wait until the crowd cleared and in solitude checked their score. By the time one gets to medical school, the culture of competition and the importance of “being number one” is so ingrained, as that is what was needed to actually get into medical school, that the concept of actually working together to help each other thrive was foreign to most.

About a month into my first year of medical school I started working in a small study group of three ladies. All of us from very different backgrounds and all with extremely different skill sets. Tracy is a brilliant artist and what we called in high school, a “brainiac”. Kathy is extremely analytical and can figure out pretty much any problem. I was a great cook, darned good typist, and I had some innovative ways of learning and remembering things. From a “scoreboard” perspective, Tracy was always in the top 4 or 5, Kathy about a quarter of the way from the top, and I would be a bit below Kathy with an occasional scary hover above the red line. (Sometimes, motherhood took precedence.) I spent the majority of my first two years of medical school with Tracy and Kathy. We were in class from morning until mid-afternoon. We would then find our study place, often in a vacated classroom on campus or at one of our apartments, if weather permitted, a peaceful outside location. We ate, studied and socialized with each other long after dark each day.

A very interesting thing happened. By the middle of the first term, the spaces between Tracy, Kathy and me narrowed. Tracy was still near the top, but Kathy and I were pulled up nearer to her. Occasionally, we would all be within a point or two of each other. I never hovered around the red line again. None of us did. Our stress level, though still high, diminished. Medical school was and still is stressful, but, medical school was manageable.

As we work to accomplish POMA’s goals, let us remember that when we work together, drawing from each other’s strengths and unique abilities, making a dedicated effort to support each other, and not concerning ourselves with who is “at the top,” we collectively stay north of the “red line”.

This month, POMA will be collaborating with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) and the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness and Response to review the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Crisis Standards of Care Plan. A POMA work group will meet with other stakeholders from across the state, review the plan and make recommendations to ensure safety for our patients, and all who live and work in our state.

Recently, members from Team POMA and I met with representatives from the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians (PACEP), who will be having their annual conference at Kalahari Resort in the Poconos at the same time of the POMA Annual Clinical Assembly. We are exploring opportunities to enhance each other’s learning experiences. Speaking of learning experiences…

Join POMA at the 2023 District 8 Winter Seminar and Annual Clinical Assembly, attend our Substance Use Disorder online CME series and listen to the POMA DOes podcast series to earn CME. POMA is your source for osteopathic education!

by: Diana Ewert

"The best collaborations create something bigger than the sum of what each person can create on their own."

There was a period when the osteopathic profession stood alone with its own colleges, residencies, examinations, licensing boards and hospitals.  There was a period when the profession was considered “lesser than”.  Students went to osteopathic colleges because they couldn’t get into a “real” medical school. There was a period when you could exchange your degree in osteopathic medicine for a medical degree. There was a time when the profession positioned itself “just like” and “as good as”. DOs are just like the MDs, as good as their specialty counterpart. There were valid reasons to do so. The public did not really understand the osteopathic difference in how you are educated, trained and practice. It was easy to point to something that was understood and compare. It took until 1973 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to grant full practice rights to osteopathic physicians.

Much has changed since 1973, some for the better. Others would argue not so much. There are no longer osteopathic hospitals. There is one accreditation for post-graduate medical education. There are more COCA accredited colleges and medical students are choosing the osteopathic profession first. The profession continues to adapt to new realities created by the single accreditation, osteopathic board certification and training requirements, and the pandemic. There are new challenges on the horizon, one being the examinations that assess your osteopathic knowledge. Identifying and supporting osteopathic residents is another. 

There has never been a greater need or a better time for collaboration. The Osteopathic perspective is being sought. The Osteopathic point of view is being asked for. And POMA is delivering. The collaborations we consider and partnerships we explore have a fundamental understanding they are partnering with the OSTEOPATHIC PROFESSION that is unique and distinct. Our partners and collaborators should expect this perspective. Collaborating with residency programs, the Department of Health, and other physician specialties builds awareness and bridges understanding. There is a greater awareness of the profession and with it a public demand for the way you practice medicine. Today, osteopathic medical students, residents and physicians need to stand firm and celebrate what makes them unique and distinct and eliminate “as good as” and “just like” from the lexicon. You are so much more.

by: Andy Sandusky

Insurance Reform Legislation (SB225) Taking Center Stage Next Week in Harrisburg

Next week is it!  If Osteopathic physicians and their patients are to realize reformation of the insurance processes of prior authorization and step therapy, the do-or-die time is next week.  Next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are likely the end of consideration of any substantive legislation for the session.  POMA is a supporter of Senate Bill 225, along with dozens more patient, physician and hospital groups throughout the Commonwealth.  The bill’s remaining details are still being worked out, but all systems are a go that the PA House of Representatives are set to consider the bill next week.  We expect a vote on the cleanup amendment to the bill Tuesday.  If all goes well, the House will make a final passage vote on Wednesday and send it back to the Senate.  Also on Wednesday, the Senate will need to hold a concurrence vote agreeing to the changes made by the House. It then goes to the Governor’s Desk.

If you are asking yourself is that is a tight timeframe for a lot of action and where a lot that can go wrong, the answer is yes!  This is why POMA needs the help of individual Osteopathic physicians like you to contact their House members over the next few days, up to and including next Wednesday.  There are 203 members in the House chamber.  At the time this is being written, Osteopathic physicians have reached out to 40% of them.  We need to get that to 100% with your help!  Please take a few minutes and visit POMA’s action center and email your letter in support of SB 225, today!

2022 OSTEOPATHIC LICENSE RENEWAL PERIOD EXTENDED

Due to the ongoing issues with the PALS system, the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs has extended the renewal period for licenses under the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine from October 31 to November 30, 2022.  Note, CMEs must still be earned by October 31, 2022. Check your email for more information on this important announcement.

Visit www.pals.pa.gov to renew your license or check the status of your renewal.

 Need CME for License Renewal?

2022 is a license renewal year for Pennsylvania's osteopathic physicians. The deadline to earn credits is October 31, 2022. Licensees are responsible for maintaining and tracking their own CME credit hours. POMA is here to help track credits for the licensure cycle and provide sources to earn credits if needed.

CME Tracking
POMA members have access to the POMA CME Module which helps track credits earned within the state licensure cycle. This includes the total credit hours earned, 1-A AOA credits and the required credits for patient safety, opioid and child abuse education. All POMA-sponsored credits are automatically uploaded into the module. Credits earned outside of POMA can be manually entered into the module by the member or TeamPOMA. Take advantage of this member benefit and see what is in your CME record - your username is

Need CME?
POMA is leveraging technology to extend access to the 2021 and 2022  Clinical Assembly programming. We also launched our new Substance Use Disorder CME series this month and released an accredited CME podcast episode on August 26.

• The 2022 POMA Clinical Assembly offered 34 Category 1-A AOA CME credits and includes 7.5 patient safety credits, 1 opioid credit and 2 child abuse credits. Register for POMA22.
• The 2021 POMA Clinical Assembly offered 34 Category 1-A AOA CME credits and includes 8 patient safety credits and 1 opioid credit. Register for POMA21.
• The Substance Use Disorder Education Series – launched September 2022
• Episode 16 of the POMA DOes podcast series
  

Reminder of CME Requirements for License Renewal
Osteopathic physicians must earn at least 100 CME credits for the 2020-2022 licensure cycle. As part of the 100 credits, physicians must earn at least 20 Category 1-A AOA CME credits and at least 12 patient safety credits, at least 2 hours of opioid education and 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting education. The requireds can be Category 1 or Category 2. For more information, click here or visit the SBOM website.

District Dish

District 14

District 14 members gathered in person at Rosa Bianca Trattoria in Yardley, PA on Wednesday, October 18 for a CME event and business meeting. District 14 member David Chesner, DO presented on “Diagnostic Work-Up of Rheumatic Disease in the Primary Care Setting.” POMA President Lisa Witherite-Rieg, DO attended and provided an overview of the current osteopathic happenings and information on upcoming POMA events. Members also discussed ideas for future local CME and social events.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting on November 17th at Harvest Seasonal-Grill in Newtown, PA.

 Life After Retirement?

Are you retired or looking to retire in the coming years?  The POMA Mentor committee is looking to connect retired physicians with physicians approaching retirement. The purpose is to share knowledge about life after retirement. Retirement is supposed to be enjoyable, not stressful. Let the POMA wellness committee help you navigate these waters.

CLICK HERE to complete a short survey discussing your interest as a retired physician or soon-to-be retired physician.  Both are very important in supporting this program and the greater osteopathic community as a whole.

Preventing Physician and Student Burnout

Here are a few simple tips and reminders to prevent burnout as an osteopathic physician or student: set firm boundaries, practice mindfulness, and practice what you preach with a healthy diet, exercise, and adequate sleep.

Leaving work at the office is an important boundary to set as a practicing physician, and as a student, it’s important to set a cut-off time to stop studying. Practicing mindfulness each day such as learning a new skill, meditating, or doing breathing exercises to relax and focus during the day can help alleviate stress. It can be difficult to fit exercise into a busy schedule but breaking exercise up into 5-10 minute timeframes throughout the day can be very beneficial to your well-being while not having to schedule an exercise session. As we all know, incorporating a better diet into your life can have a large impact on how you feel. Start by swapping out unhealthy items for healthier options and drinking more water. Lastly, use an app to track your sleep to make sure you are getting an adequate amount of sleep and practicing a regular bedtime.

These simple changes are sometimes easier said than done, but making it a point each day to accomplish these simple tips can help your mental well-being.

View the
newsletter online!

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Policy Points
4. License Renewal Extended
5. CME for License Renewal
6. District 8 Winter Seminar
7. District Dish
8. Life After Retirement?
9. How Are You DOing?
10. Upcoming District Events
11. COVID-19 News Update
12. Welcome New Members
13. Classified Ads
14. Under the DOme
15. POMPAC
16. Follow POMA on Social Media
17. District Competition
18. POMA DOes... Podcast
19. Facts on Vax

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