by: Joan M. Grzybowski, DO

The first four months of my presidency at POMA has not mirrored the lazy hazy days of summer, nor did I expect it to. Over time, POMA has become an organization that not only can adapt to the current needs of its members but also predict and be ready for issues that face us in the future. I have attended meetings in and out of our state. Wherever I am, I want you to know that I always hear your voice, and remember past conversations and concerns you expressed to me over the years. I want you to know that I blend my decisions and input based on Pennsylvania's needs, and in regards to the continued growth of our profession.

At many of these meetings, other states turn to us and ask our opinion. I am learning the art of dealing with people by reacting to questions by using not just my head but by using my heart when it comes to reacting and dealing with others.

We have very excellent physicians in the state of Pa. To be a great physician you have to examine yourself regularly and question your motives. You need to follow the oath you were sworn to.."do no harm." It means do no harm to patients and also do no harm to yourself. Teddy Roosevelt said, "Knowing what is right doesn't mean much unless you do what is right."

If you stray off that route, find a path back. Programs are available to help yourself and your patients. Be aware of proper prescribing practices. We have an opioid crisis. Direct your patients to programs and facilities that can help them. Your license can be put in jeopardy if you don't. If you yourself need help, we have programs and information to aid you. Contact us or view sources on our website for further info.

Lastly, watch your certification requirements, maintain your CME and renew your license via the state's website.

by: Diana M. Ewert, MPA, CAE 

Membership Matters

We take calls from physicians every day from across the state. The first thing we do is check to see if the caller is a member. Why?  Because membership matters. Membership has privileges. Membership has benefits. It does have value. Members support POMA financially by keeping their dues current. Members support POMA through their volunteerism by serving as district leaders or speakers, or on committees or the board of trustees. Members support POMA through activism when they advocate on behalf of the profession, author an op-ed on scope of practice, or contributes to POMPAC. Member inquiries are given priority. Member questions are addressed as quickly as possible. Frankly, our members come first. Don’t get me wrong, the members of Team POMA are courteous and polite to everyone. We will do our best to address nonmember concerns and questions as swiftly as we can… but members will always come first.

Accessing your CME records and certificates online is a benefit of membership. One that several of you have indicated is well worth the $375 annual membership fee. And we are excited to be able to offer you this wonderful benefit. You’ve made this technology advance possible through your financial commitment to POMA. Nonmembers can still request a CME report, however, there is a fee to research, consolidate and issue the report. Only members can provide POMA certificates for educational programs taken through other organizations and the POMA Team will confirm and add this information to your CME record.

This will be the last newsletter that some of you will receive. Your membership ended on June 30, 2018, along with your benefits and privileges with the exception of our newsletter. We wanted to ensure you had the latest information on licensure renewal and education required to maintain your license. We’ve kept you in the loop for 90 days. We’d like to keep you in the loop for the next year and continue to provide the privileges, benefits, and value you’ve come to expect as a member of POMA. All you need to do is renew.

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.

The District Dish 

A recap of recent District events

District 3

Always check the feet! Even if the patient doesn’t want you to, find a way. The feet are strong indicators for diabetic symptoms and complications. This useful tip was delivered by Rehab Tabchi, DO, POMA District 3 Chair during a one-hour CME event in Orefield on September 18^th.

Providers must continue to educate their patients on how to take control of their own health and care management. The patients must understand activeness, nutrition, environment, and social support systems all affect the patient’s health and diabetes risk.

PGYP Recap

Central Region

The Central Region of the Professional Guidance Committee held its first meeting with ten enthusiastic residents and interns on September 18, 2018, in Harrisburg.  After a spirited game of PGY Bingo to introduce everyone, the residents and interns had an opportunity to voice their concerns about issues that affect them at their level of training and beyond.  Members and staff of POMA offered solutions and are working on the next steps to address these concerns. 

Attendees also gave great insight toward the planning of the annual Professional Guidance forum to be held in conjunction with the annual convention in May in King of Prussia, and elected representatives to the POMA Board of Trustees, House of Delegates, and POFPS Board of Trustees. 

The group will meet again in December, with a specific goal of developing ways that OMT can be a bigger part of post-graduate training.  Attendees demonstrated that our osteopathic profession has a very bright future.

LECOM White Coat Ceremony

On September 8, 2018, Pamela S.N. Goldman, DO attended the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s White Coat and Stethoscope Ceremony, where she addressed approximately 271 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.

 LECOM Earns Accreditation to Expand at Elmira College

Southern Tier campus will host additional site for Erie-based osteopathic medical college.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has received approval to increase class size and offer courses at Elmira College in Elmira, New York.  The announcement was made earlier this week by LECOM President John M. Ferretti, DO and Elmira College President Charles W. Lindsay, PhD.

LECOM has received formal notification that at a meeting in Chicago in late August, the Council on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association gave approval to the opening of an additional LECOM location at Elmira College.  The Elmira campus joins LECOM campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and in Bradenton, Florida and the College expects to have the first Elmira medical students start in late July 2020 pending final approval by the New York Department of Education Board of Regents.

BPOA License Status Update

POMA received notice this week that physicians who have renewed their license are beginning to receive confirmation to this effect and that the online verification reflects the correct status of the license.  However, due to the high volume of renewals, there is a delay in the printing of the licenses.  Please be patient as the state processes the printed licenses.

POMA continues to work with the State Board and BPOA to address issues that arise with the application and renewal process. They have provided us with a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may help you as you are working on your renewal.

If you are experiencing difficulty obtaining a license, email [email protected].  Provide the date you applied, any outreach you’ve made to the board (email, phone calls, etc.), and if there are any extenuating circumstances leading to a hardship if the license is not received.  Check POMA’s newsletter and website for the most up-to-date information. 

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 recognitions 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. Haven’t renewed yet? Click here to pay now.

by: Bruce Hironimus, Legislative Consultant 

The General Assembly reconvenes on Monday, September 24, 2018.  There are currently nine session days planned in the 39 days before the General Election.  Virtually all attention will be on the statute of limitation legislation regarding the sexual misconduct claims against the Catholic Church.

Telemedicine may be the only POMA priority legislation seeing conclusive action and it still requires amendments and passage by both chambers in the few remaining days of session.

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.

2018 POFPS Symposium CME Certificates
CME certificates are now available on POMA’s CME module.  All attendees who are active members of POMA were e-mailed instructions on how to access the certificate.  Non-members of POMA received an e-mail with their certificate on September 20th.  

2018 POMA Clinical Assembly Certificates
CME certificates are available in POMA’s CME module.  Login to the POMA website and click “My CME” in the Quick Links menu to retrieve the certificate. Need help accessing your CME certificate?  Click here for instructions or view our CME Module video here for step-by-step instructions.

As a reminder, if you have not yet paid your 2018-2019 membership dues, you do not have access to POMA's online CME module. Any requests by a non-member for a CME record or reprint of a POMA sponsored CME program certificate will result in a $75 fee per request. Click here to pay now to gain access to this valuable tool.

Comments Submitted to CMS on Physician Fee Schedule

The AOA recently submitted comments on the 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. The proposed rule, if adopted, would collapse payment for levels 2-5 of both new and established patient office visit codes into two payment rates and apply a 50 percent reduction to the least expensive procedure or visit billed using Modifier 25.

While the AOA applauds CMS for attempting to reduce paperwork, they strenuously oppose the proposed payment cuts for evaluation and management (E/M) visits, as well as cuts to certain procedures conducted in the same visit.

The rules are likely to result in unintended consequences for patients by potentially limiting the number of clinical issues that can be handled at one time, the AOA Bureau of Socioeconomic Affairs found. AOA’s delegates and advisors to the AMA RUC also highlighted DOs’ opposition to the sweeping payment changes proposed in comments earlier this month.

View the
newsletter online!

POMA Membership Status

If you have not yet paid your 2018-2019 membership dues to maintain your "Active" status, you will no longer have access to POMA’s online CME module effective August 25, 2018. Any requests for a CME record or a reprint of a POMA sponsored CME program certificate will result in a $75 fee per request.

Your current membership status is  for 2018-2019. 

Click here to pay now.

 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. LECOM White Coat Ceremony
8. LECOM Earns Accreditation to Expand 
9. BPOA License Status Updates
10. Physician CME Requirements 101
11. Government Affairs
12. CME Certificate Updates
13. Comments Submitted to CMS on Physician Fee Schedule
14. POMA Membership Status
15. Upcoming PGYP Meetings
16. Upcoming District Events
17. Free CME Events
18. Car Seat Inspections
19. Applications for Membership
20. Use of OMM in Seriously Ill Patients Survey
21. Classified Ads
22. POMPAC
23. ACGME Review Committees Seeking Resident Member and Public Member Nominees

Upcoming PGYP Meetings

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.

OPPORTUNITIES WITH FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN OPPORTUNITIES: The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) seeks qualified physicians for our primary care and urgent care practices located in Philadelphia, PA and Sullivan County, PA. There are full time and part time positions available within our Department of Family Medicine. Must have a D.O. degree and be residency trained. Must have experience in clinical primary care and teaching medical students. For more information, please go to our employment page and apply.

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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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