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Vol. XLIV, Issue 19

October 5, 2018

President's Perspective
by: Joan M. Grzybowski, DO

The White Coat Ceremony is a relatively new ceremony in many medical schools. It marks a transition from a study of preclinical to clinical health science. Typically, it involves a ceremony of a formal coating of medical students with their first white coat. It is usually witnessed by their professors, colleagues, and families and is marked by speeches from their upperclassmen, deans, and president. The speeches usually touch on the meaning of the white coat and the emotions associated with wearing it.

Sir William Osler said, "Medicine is learned at the bedside.” During these ceremonies, our students of Seton Hill, LECOM, and PCOM take a big step away from books and computers and instead, step toward the patient. I agree with Osler—although data is important and needed, our patient interactions and experiences shape what kind of physicians you will be.

I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at PCOMs White Coat Ceremony. It was a very emotional event for the students and their families. POMA provides the students with their first white coat. The POMA name is embroidered on the arms of the coat. I am sure it is located there because the arm has been traditionally used as a part of the body that gives support to others. It abducts to extend a helping hand or a welcome. POMA wants all of its students to know we are there for them now and when they become physicians—in just four short years.

To the Class of 2022, I say welcome to POMA and to your new Osteopathic family.

Joan M Grzybowski DO speaking at PCOM


Executive Opinion

by: Diana M. Ewert, MPA, CAE 

I consider myself privileged. I am privileged to work with some of the finest osteopathic physicians in Pennsylvania. I am privileged to work with a team of individuals committed to POMA, to the osteopathic profession, and who deliver, spectacularly I might add, on service and support. I am privileged to work with two of the most respected colleges of osteopathic medicine in the country, their deans and teachers. I am privileged to work with residency program directors and their residents. I am privileged to work with osteopathic medical students, in all of their eagerness and desire to embrace the osteopathic difference they want to provide for their patients. Through these relationships, I see what POMA was, is and can be.

POMA was a very well-run organization for decades. Leadership and staff, over time, turned it into one that is well funded with significant reserves. POMA is moving into the 21st century with upgrades in technology. We are emphasizing members and membership value, supporting the districts, and enhancing our social media presence. We are now ready to build the future and what POMA can be.  We look to build the future using four supporting action pillars – Community, Communication, Education and Influence. The POMA Board of Trustees will be discussing each area in the coming weeks. Objectives will be developed, strategies discussed, deliverables determined, and resources allocated. You’ll hear more about the strategic plan following the November board meeting.

What do you think? Share your thoughts and email me at, [email protected].


 POMAF Scholarships

The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association Foundation (POMAF) is pleased to announce several new 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. Applications can also be downloaded and mailed to the POMA Foundation. Scholarship amounts will be determined by the Foundation board. The deadline for applications is January 14, 2019. The Foundation board will review all applications and awards will be made late February/early March 2019.

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 #POMAF19 and tag us on Twitter, @POMA_DOs and Facebook, @POMADOs.


POMA-ISMIE Affinity Program


The District Dish 

A recap of recent District events

District 10 CO*RE REMS CME Event

District 10 Core REMS Event

How do I safely taper a patient currently taking opioids? How do I prescribe appropriate pain medication for a 12-year old? How do I connect with my state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)? What are my state’s Naloxone regulations?

Practicing physicians like you often struggle to manage their patients’ pain and prescribing regulations. Extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioids are a valuable element of the pain management plan for some patients. Unfortunately, the misuse and abuse of ER/LA opioids have resulted in a serious public health crisis of addiction, overdose, and death. Clinicians must play a role in prevention.

Read more



District 11 CME Event

District 11 CME Event

Over 20 POMA members gathered in Pottsville on Saturday, September 22 for an educational opportunity. District 11 hosted their second CME event of the year. The event, eligible for 4.5 Category 1-A credits, included the topics of Kyphoplasty, Osteoporosis, Cancers and orthopedic surgery.  POMA members received free CME credit as a benefit of membership.  The event was co-sponsored by Lehigh Valley Health network. District 11 plans to host another CME event for spring 2019.

District 11 Car Seat Inspection

To help kick off Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, POMA District 11 partnered with the Orwigsburg Police Department to provide free car seat checks for the community on September 23.  During the event, held at the office of POMA Past President Michael Zawisza, DO, approximately 20 checks were completed.  Children had the opportunity to meet a police officer and see a real police vehicle.  Parents and grandparents who participated were able to get solutions to issues they were having with child safety seats specific to their vehicle. Information was distributed regarding all aspects of vehicle safety. 

As a result of the success of the event, District 11 and the OPD have decided to make this an annual event to provide a beneficial service to our community.

District 11 Car Seat Inspection


PGYP Recap

West Region

PGYP West Region

After an ice-breaking/leadership activity (“resident BINGO”) and an opportunity to meet attendees, the year’s first meeting of the Professional Guidance/Young Professionals – West Region was called to order. Residents discussed topics they would like included in upcoming forums, including Direct Primary Care, Leadership in Medicine, Tie Management/Organization, Interpersonal Relationships, Functional Integrative Medical Fields, ACGME Impact.

Residents were encouraged to access information through the POMA website, in particular, information and application for POMAF scholarships and the MHTF Wellness Grant.

Read more

 


PCOM White Coat Ceremony

PCOM White Coat

On Sunday, September 30, Joan M. Grzybowski, DO attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony where proud friends and family gathered at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue to see their loved ones from the class of 2022 receive their first white coats, signifying their first step toward becoming competent, caring physicians. The white coats were provided by the POMA.

Roughly 270 students participated in this year’s White Coat Ceremony, which is a rite of passage in the medical field, designed to establish a psychological contract for beginning medical students that stresses the importance of compassionate care for the patient and professionalism as well as scientific proficiency.

The white coat features the letters P-O-M-A on the sleeve which serves as a reminder that the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association is with them all the way. We hope the students wear their white coats with pride. These students have chosen a challenging road, but it is a road that will bring them immeasurable satisfaction and success.

Read more and view a video about the day's festivities.   

PCOM Class of 2022 White Coat Ceremony


Government Affairs - Bruce Hironimus

by: Bruce Hironimus, Legislative Consultant 

Six days of session remain for the State House of Representatives, three days remain for the State Senate. Numerous bills of marquee standing await conclusive action before the adjournment prior to the General Election. Of the 2630 House Bills that were introduced, 115 have been enacted into law. Of the 1135 Senate Bills that were introduced, 75 have been enacted into law. Chances are several more will be formally enacted into law before adjournment on October 17.

Read more




Physician CME Requirements 101

The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine requires physicians to participate in continuing medical education in order to renew their license.

 

Below are the CME requirements for an osteopathic physician with an active license wishing to renew the license with an active status:

·   Complete at least 100 credit hours during the 2-year license period (Nov. 1, 2016 – Oct. 31, 2018)

·   As part of the 100 credit hours, physicians must complete:

o    At least 20 credit hours of Category 1-A AOA approved activities.

Activities must be formal, face-to-face educational programs sponsored by an AOA-accredited CME sponsor.

o    At least 12 credit hours of activities related to patient safety or risk management.

Approved topics include: improving medical records and record keeping, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, improving communications, preventive medicine, health care quality improvements. Activities may be Category 1 or 2.

o    At least 2 credit hours of education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements.

Verification of education must be submitted to the state directly from the course provider. Activities may be Category 1 or 2.

o    At least 2 credit hours of education in pain management, identification of addiction or the practices of prescribing opioids.

Must be taken from a board-approved education provider. Activities may be Category 1 or 2.

o    All remaining credit hours can be completed in any Category (AOA Category 1-A, 1-B or 2; AMA Category 1 or 2)

 

Clarifying points:

·   The child abuse recognition and reporting credits cannot be counted toward the hours of education for patient safety and risk management.

·   The pain management, identifying addiction and prescribing opioids credits cannot be counted toward the hours of education for patient safety and risk management.

·   The patient safety credits; child abuse recognition and reporting credits; and the pain management, identifying addiction and prescribing opioids credits can be counted toward the hours of Category 1-A credit or the bucket of remaining credit hours.

 

Physicians wishing to renew an active/retired license must complete the continuing education requirements for 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting requirements. Additionally, the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program Act (ABC-MAP Act) allows for exceptions from the opioid continuing education requirement for “a prescriber who is exempt from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s requirements for registration number…and does not use the registration number of another person or entity as permitted by law to prescribe controlled substances in any manner.” They are exempt from the remaining education requirements.

Physicians who completed residency or fellowship training between November 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018, are exempt from the continuing education requirements. A letter containing the start and end dates of training should be obtained from the training program and kept in your personal records in case the board requests such information. 

 

Remember, the POMA team is here for you! As a service to active POMA members, you have access to POMA’s online CME module and we can help clarify where you stand for license renewal. It’s important to be proactive – email [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

View the
newsletter online!


In This Issue...

  1. President's Perspective
  2. Executive Opinion
  3. POMAF Scholarships
  4. POMA-ISMIE Affinity Program
  5. The District Dish
  6. PGYP Recap
  7. PCOM White Coat Ceremony
  8. Government Affairs
  9. Physician CME Requirements 101
  10. Upcoming District Events
  11. Upcoming PGYP Meetings
  12. CME Certificate Updates
  13. OMM Survey
  14. Classified Ads
  15. POMPAC
  16. ACGME Review Committees

Upcoming District Events

Districts 4 & 6
Wednesday, 10/24/18
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Wilkes-Barre, PA

District 5 
Thursday, 11/15/18
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
The First Post Restaurant
York, PA

District 10
Friday, 10/19/18

6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Blue Bell Inn
Blue Bell, PA


Upcoming PGYP Meetings

East Region
Wednesday, December 5
6:30 PM
Location TBD

West Region
Thursday, December 6
6:00 PM
Location TBD

Central Region
Tuesday, December 18
6:00 PM
Location TBD

Interested in joining us for the PGYP Meetings?

Contact Tammy Keller at [email protected] or 
(717) 939-9318 ext. 130 to RSVP.


CME Certificate Update

All CME certificates for POMA-sponsored CME programs held in 2017 and 2018 were electronically sent to attendees.  Please check your e-mail for these documents prior to calling POMA.

Need help accessing your CME certificate?  Click here for instructions or view our CME Module video here for step-by-step instructions.


Use of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) in Seriously Ill Patients

Dear Physicians,

Please participate in a 5 minute research study called "Use of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) in Seriously Ill Patients." This study is designed to identify and quantify trends in physician use of OMM. To participate in this survey, click the link below. 

Survey>>


CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

Please address all correspondence for POMA Box Letters to: 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

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.


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POMPAC Logo

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.


ACGME Review Committees Seeking Resident Member and Public Member Nominees

Check out a list of four ACGME Review Committees seeking resident and public nominees for open positions.

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