08/01/2008

Membership Update - August 1, 2008

OAPA Annual Conference Registration Now Open

October 10-12, 2008
Holiday Inn Dayton/Fairborn I-675
Fairborn, OH

The conference will include pharmacokinetic CME as well as disease state CME.

Member: $275, Non-Member: $390
Student Member: $25, Student Non-Member: $40

Single day rates also available.

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Hotel: $94.00 per night. Mention OAPA when contacting the hotel at 937/426-7800

Bring Your Family! There are plenty of area activities available including The Mall at Fairfield Commons, The Greene (shopping and dining), Young's Jersey Dairy, Frank Lloyd Wright's Westcott House and the Dayton Bombers vs Cincinnati Cyclones on October 11th.

Thank You PAC Contributors

OAPA expresses its sincere gratitude to those of you that contributed to the PAC after a recent request. We were able to make a modest contribution to Representative Wachtmann's campaign to recognize his efforts on our behalf in the continuing challenge to resolve the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) rules issue.

Since our recent PAC request, OAPA met again with ODJFS and, though they have not agreed to any changes yet, they were forthcoming with their rationale and offered to review the rules again and get back to OAPA. The rules give an unfair advantage to APNs in the areas of reimbursement, consultation, hospital admissions and discharges and assisting in surgery. These rules will have a public hearing and eventually go back to a committee made up of State Senators and Representatives.

Representative Wachtmann (the sponsor of the PA bill when he was a Senator) supports PAs and rightfully shares our concerns with the ODJFS rules. OAPA will need his continued support, and that of other legislators, to convince ODJFS to rewrite the rules to reflect the intent of the law.

If you haven't done so as of yet, please help OAPA by contributing to the OAPA-PAC by check to OAPA-PAC, 579 High Street, Worthington, OH 43085 or by registering below.

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Thank you PAC Contributors:

Judith Adamich
Leah Barmasse
Teri Barnes
Zina Becker
Alyson Beecher
Michelle Bodie
Barry Brownstein
Sharon Carpenter
Joseph Checca
Mark Crager
Dana Domer
Douglas Eulberg
Jeffrey Fisher
Jennifer Goodwin
Patricia Hogue
Priscilla Hood
Ruth Kohstall
James Kuhn
Louann Lauer
John Lemmo
Joyce Maden
Amie Rinaldi
Michael Roche
Howard Sutcliffe
Natalie Talboo
Kathleen Thatcher
JP Thompson
John Tomasi
John Trimbath
Cheryl Wayman
Karen Whitney

PPAP Outcome Addresses Committees

OAPA held a "Planning for PA Association Progress" (PPAP) meeting on July 19th that was well attended by the OAPA Board, five students and a number of members-at-large.

The Board of Directors decided to utilize this AAPA program after realizing that OAPA has been a one issue (PA prescribing and other legislative issues) association for too long and needs to focus on other important areas including reimbursement, student affairs, membership and public relations.

At the end of the session, those in attendance had a clear idea of OAPA priorities and the areas that needed improvement. It became apparent that the current committee structure was perhaps too cumbersome and it was recommended that OAPA realign the committees to better address activities that had been identified as important.

The Board of Directors is currently working on the committee realignment and developing specific activities and goals for the new structure which will be announced at the annual conference with the hope that many of you will decide to become involved in the activities that the committees will be working on.

Board of Directors Takes Action

The Board of Directors met the day after the PPAP session and immediately began instituting some of the suggestions that were made at the PPAP session.

The website now lists board minutes and future board meeting dates and has direct links to each of the Board members. All of this can be found at the "About" page on the website (www.ohiopa.com). The website committee will begin planning future changes to the website including some sort of Forum or Chat Board.

In order to encourage more participation in the regions, the Board authorized funding for regional meetings and activities. The meetings will not include participation by pharmaceutical representatives. The regional directors have been asked to schedule these meetings to update the member on OAPA activities, and perhaps plan some regional activities, and to address topics of interest such as hospital bylaws or reimbursement issues. No, there won't be a steak dinner but there will be refreshments. It is hoped that this type of meeting will facilitate greater participation by regional members.

The Board also authorized funding for PA Week activities in the regions. If you are planning an activity in your area and would like funding assistance, please send a written proposal to the OAPA office outlining the activity and what the funding would be used for. Send the proposal to oapa@ohiopa.com, fax to 614/436-4451 or mail to OAPA, 579 High Street, Worthington, OH 43085.

In final action, the Board authorized the philanthropic support of one cause per year. They decided to support the Lupus Foundation this year and create policies and procedures for soliciting, reviewing and selecting philanthropic causes for future years. OAPA will make a financial donation to the Lupus Foundation and will promote support of the cause.

The Board will next meet on Thursday, October 9 at 2:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Fairborn/I. 675. All members are welcome to attend.

OAPA Supports the Lupus Foundation

In addition to a financial contribution to the Lupus Foundation, OAPA is also assisting in promoting the cause in support of Board Member Cheryl Wayman whose daughter Ali suffers from Lupus.

There will be a 2008 Walk For Lupus Now in Piqua, OH in September to raise money for the Lupus Foundation of America - Northwest Ohio Chapter. Donations can be made by visiting Firstgiving at http://www.firstgiving.com/aliwayman

You can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to Lupus Foundation of America - Northwest Ohio Chapter by Firstgiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation.

Cheryl will also be conducting fundraising activities for the Lupus Foundation at the Annual Conference in Dayton in October.