by: Pamela S.N. Goldman, DO

We DO...Family

by: Diana Ewert

Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. He wrote, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn” and called it his best work. This got me thinking about how members would describe their POMA life in six words.

#TeamPOMA is working on membership. This is the time of year we focus on residents as they start their post graduate medical education. We add the 2023 graduating class members of LECOM, Seton Hill and PCOM. We reach out to members who have not renewed and will lose access to their benefits as of September 30. The team has developed a comprehensive list of member benefits – programs, products and services you receive and perhaps aren’t even aware of. Three of the most highly rated benefits are: Continuing Medical Education (CME); Education Tracking for Licensure; ISMIE.

CME – POMA’s two capstone educational programs (Annual Clinical Assembly and District VIII Winter Program) provide almost 60 AOA Category 1-A credits annually. Add to that over 30 1-A credits offered at no cost through POMA Districts. You may ask yourself, “How can I possibly track this much CME?” That brings us to a second member benefit. We do it for you. POMA tracks all of your continuing medical education credit, whether or not you receive it from POMA. You can look at where you are within the state licensure cycle 24/7. You can see if you’ve met the state requirements, what programs you attended and what you may need to ensure you meet licensure requirements. You won’t need to worry about finding CME certificates for something you attended 18 months ago. Your dues are a small price to pay for this peace of mind. And since we are talking piece of mind, the discount for professional liability insurance through our partnership with ISMIE saves you far more than the cost of dues. ISMIE is a physician led insurer who focuses specifically on the needs of physicians. Peer to peer, ISMIE understand and values you, your practice. You can also receive further reductions by taking ISMIE’s online risk management courses.  

What is your POMA story in six words? Share it on social media – Twitter @POMA_DOs; Facebook @POMADOs, LinkedIn @POMA, Instagram @pomados

#ThankYouforAllYouDO

3 Things You Should Know

October 24 is the deadline to apply for an exemption from complying with Act 96 that requires prescribers of scheduled drugs to use an electronic health record system when doing so.  The exemption can be filed electronically and only take a few minutes.  POMA has fielded many questions and is trying to help as many of its members as possible.  If you have questions about complying with Act 96, please read the frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheet developed by the Department of Health. Please also use POMA as a resource and we will do everything we can to assist you.  Contact [email protected] for additional assistance.

Senate Bill 675, requiring patients receiving prescriptions buprenorphine to receive counseling at a state licensed facility before an office-based physician can write the script, was held over in the House Human Services Committee this week.  POMA sent a letter opposing the current draft of the bill because POMA members who prescribe the drug advise it will decrease access to care for patients recovering from addiction. Instead of moving the bill, the Chairman held the bill so that stakeholders can work to attain a compromise.   POMA will be represented in those discussions.  The Chairman’s position is that buprenorphine should more regulated to prevent diversion, using methadone clinics as a model of how it can be done in Pennsylvania.  POMA will report additional details as available.

Finally, POMA sent a joint letter of support for HB 533, the Health Care Practitioner Credentialing Act, with several physician and hospital groups.  The legislation would cap at 45 days, the amount of time a health insurer could take to make a credentialing decision. HB 533 was voted unanimously by the House Health Committee, sending the bill to the full House. POMA will keep you apprised of any subsequent movement on HB 533.

POMA Membership Status

Active – marked by present movement or use. 
Grace – an act of kindness, courtesy or clemency.

Do you know which you are?

Your current POMA status is 

If your status is active, we have received your dues for the 2019-20 membership year and thank you!

If it is anything else, your membership ends on September 30. This also means you lose access to all member benefits like your CME records, news alerts, and reduced registration fees for conferences.

Active members can access their CME records on-line at their convenience. Active members can print out the CME certificate to the Annual Clinical Assembly with a simple button click. Active members can upload programs they’ve attended accredited by other organizations very soon and have a complete picture of their professional development over the two-year cycle. But if you are ”Graced” it means your access ends on September 30.

We’ve made it easy for you to renew online through the POMA website. Log into www.poma.org, update your profile, and renew. For your convenience, your username is 

It’s as simple as that! It’s easier than ever to remain a part of our osteopathic community.

Questions? Contact [email protected]. 

 District Dish

District 6

Several District 6 members gathered September 17 in Selinsgrove at Isabella Restaurant for a Pfizer presentation on eczema. District Chair, Katherine Horne, DO led discussion on continuing medical education opportunities as well as advance planning for social activities in 2020. Also present was POMA Board Member Steven Kramm, DO and Diana Ewert, POMA CEO to hear directly from the membership. The physicians, consisting from a wide range of practice types and demographics, provided feedback as Ms. Ewert provided an update on legislative and regulatory activities, POMA’s position on filed legislation, and answered questions about the AOA membership requirement to maintain board certification.

READ MORE >>

District 11

A beautiful evening greeting several District 11 physicians as they gathered in Orwigsburg for comradery and conversation. The weather was perfect for the event on the patio overlooking the Pennsylvania mountainside. 

Discussion and conversations were abundant from the beginning. The group talked about regulatory and licensure questions such as what is happening with the venue rule. (The current study on the effects of changing the rule are due back at the end of 2019 early 2020), and whether education on Lyme disease will become a new mandatory education item. The physicians present were not in favor of it. The Physicians additionally talked changes at the AOA, the best way to track your CME, and various rules in other states and if there are any rumbling that may come to Pennsylvania.

READ MORE >> 

LECOM White Coat Ceremony

On September 14, 2019, Pamela S.N. Goldman, DO attended the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s White Coat and Stethoscope Ceremony, where she addressed approximately 267 first-year students. The white coats were provided by the POMA, and the stethoscopes were provided by the POMA Foundation, with a contribution from the Advocates for the POMA.

The white coats, along with the stethoscopes, are important symbols of the transition from students to osteopathic physicians. 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 and use their stethoscopes well. These students have chosen a challenging road, but it is a road that will bring them immeasurable satisfaction and success.

POMA PGYP Meetings Kick Off

The Central Region of the Professional Guidance/Young Physicians Committee held its first meeting of the academic year on Wednesday, September 17 in Harrisburg. No ice breakers were needed for this group of enthusiastic residents - laughter and conversation filled the room all night!

After getting acquainted, the group shared stories about their training experiences and some of the issues they face every day. While every program is different, everyone shared their own struggles of managing the stress of being a resident. POMA has recognized this issue and provides funding for resident wellness events. Residents who benefited from last year's grant shared their experiences and encouraged other programs to apply for the grant. Applications are being accepted online until October 15.

There was also a lot of conversation about the business of medicine. How do you code and bill, what's the deal with RVUs, how do you review the books at a private practice, how do I maintain my license? And what about issues outside of medicine about managing debt, investments and insurance (life vs disability). All of these topics are important and there's so many more! POMA will be working with the PGYP committee to develop the Annual Resident Leadership Program, which will be held April 30 in King of Prussia - watch for more information to come later this year!

Thanks again to everyone who came out! We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on December 17 in Harrisburg!

POMA Resident Wellness Events Grant 

The POMA Committee on Physician Wellness is pleased to announce that applications for Resident Wellness Events are being accepted for the 2019-2020 academic year. POMA’s Committee on Physicians 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 October 15, 2019. Click here to view last year's projects.

ISMIE's Risk Management Symposium – November 1, 2019

Looking to mitigate risk and get additional CME credits?  As a benefit of your POMA membership, POMA members can attend ISMIE’s Risk Management Symposium on November 1, 2019 at the Westin Chicago Lombard at a discounted rate of $300 – AND receive an additional 10% off their registration as well.

Register here before October 1^st to receive this additional 10% discount by using the promo code “POMA”.  This live activity is designated for a maximum of 5.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (full details about CME for this event can be found here).

If you are already insured through ISMIE, we are proud to offer our Risk Management Symposium at no charge.  For more information on the ISMIE Risk Management Symposium, visit https://www.ismierms.com/schedule.html. 

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, 2020. The Foundation board will review all applications and awards will be made late February/early March.

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 #POMAF20 and tag us on Twitter, @POMA_DOs and Facebook, @POMADOs.

by: Desire Guthier, DO

Don't Sacrifice Your Creativity for Medicine; It Makes You a Better Doctor

“Art is the queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.”

If this statement hadn’t already been so eloquently articulated by Leonardo Da Vinci, it would have been my own. These words perfectly illustrate my view of the relationship between art and science, and how this relationship has fueled my unique path towards a career in medicine.

As an undergraduate, I focused my studies on medical illustrating, a career that would incorporate my passion in both science and art. I aspired to be like Dr. Frank H. Netter, my artistic icon, because of his technical expertise to teach and communicate medical information through detailed drawings. However, after college I realized my true interest was in medicine and science taught through visual aid.

READ MORE >>

View the
newsletter online!

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. POMA ISMIE Affinity Program
4. Policy Points
5. POMA Membership Status
6. District Dish
7. LECOM White Coat Ceremony
8. POMA PGYP Meetings Kick Off
9. POMA Resident Wellness Events Grant
10. ISMIE's Risk Management Symposium
11. POMAF Scholarships
12. How Are You DOing?
13. Upcoming District Events
14. Upcoming Young Professionals Meetings
15. POMA Urges Toomey/Casey to Support THCGME
16. Welcome New Members
17. Classified Advertisements
18. Follow POMA on Social Media
19. POMPAC
20. Save the Date - Upcoming CME Conferences
21. Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program Fee Schedules
22. National Health Month - September
23. Online CME Available

Upcoming District Events 

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

PHYSICIANS WANTED:

PART-TIME PRACTITIONER NEEDED IN PHILADELPHIA.18 hours per week. Excellent compensation. Call 215-669-4001.

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. Email CV to [email protected] or visit http://bit.ly/CrozerPAFP for more information.

ROWANSOM SEEKS A CHAIR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS. The position provides leadership, director and development of all teaching, clinical, research, community, and support activities within the Department of Pediatrics. Candidates must hold a DO or MD degree, be either AOA or ABMS board certified in pediatrics, and have five years of professional experience. The RowanSOM clinical campus is located in South Jersey, 8 miles from Philadelphia, 1 hour from the Atlantic Ocean and 2 hours from New York City. Click here for more information and to apply online. 

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!

POMPAC is 
the collective voice of the osteopathic profession in Pennsylvania.

Send your personal check today 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.

SAVE THE DATE - Upcoming CME Conferences

POMA District 8 33rd Annual Educational Winter Seminar
Jan. 30 – Feb. 2, 2020
Nemacolin Woodlands, Farmington, PA
Registration will open fall 2019!

POMA 112th Annual Clinical Assembly
Apr. 29 – May 2, 2020
Radisson Valley Forge, King of Prussia, PA
Registration will open winter 2019!

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 soon! 

Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program Fee Schedules

The Pennsylvania Medical Assistance program in the state Department of Human Services has updated its fee schedules, coding system and fee adjustments, and prior authorization requirements.

If interested, please review and let us know if you have any questions.

National Health Month
September

September is National Recovery Month.  DOH Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine reminds us that “Substance use disorder is a disease, not a moral failing. The opioid crisis does not discriminate, and it can affect anyone regardless of their background or where they come from.” 

In celebration of recovery month, the Wolf Administration is hosting Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now events across the state.  Residents will be able to go to a state health center or their local pharmacy to get naloxone on September 25.  Individuals seeking recovery resources can call 1-800-622-4357, text 717-216-0905 or visit www.ddap.pa.gov. Physicians can visit the DDAP website and access resources such as get help cards and posters.

Looking for Online CME?

On-demand programs, webinars and live educational opportunities that address a wide variety of topics are available on DO-CME.

DO-CME is an online collaborative education center with the osteopathic state societies and AOSED.

Visit DO-CME.org to start earning credits today!

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