Ohio Osteopathic Symposium Kicks Off

The Ohio Osteopathic Symposium is off to a great start! Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, and moderators for making it an excellent first day.

The annual CME conference kicked off with lectures about migraine therapies, COVID-19, compassion fatigue, infant mortality, undergraduate medical education, and much more.

Congratulations to the Osteopathic Poster Competition winners: Eden Taddese, OMSII; Katelyn Lotz, OMSII; and Corrin Pelini, OMSIII. Each presented their research. All are HCOM students.

Tomorrow’s agenda includes the installation of incoming OOA President Henry L. Wehrum, DO; an update from AOA President Thomas L. Ely, DO; the presentation of the JO Watson, DO, Memorial Lecture by Anthony G. Chila, DO, and more. The day caps off with an awards ceremony.

The final day, Sunday, features three panels with a total of 12 DOs and medical students presenting.

OOA HOD Elects Officers, Adopts Policy

Jennifer L. Gwilym, DO, of Athens, was elected President-Elect at the OOA House of Delegates, held via Zoom yesterday. Gwilym is assistant dean for Clinical Education and assistant clinical professor at HCOM.

The elected slate of officers also includes Vice President Nicklaus J. Hess, DO; Treasurer Douglas W. Harley, DO; Speaker of the House David A. Bitonte, DO; and Vice Speaker of the House Michael E. Dietz, DO. Two Ohio Osteopathic Foundation board members were re-elected to three-year terms: John F. Ramey, DO; and M. Terrance Simon, DO.

A total of 70 physicians and three medical students were credentialed to serve. They considered 19 resolutions including a five-year review. Ten new policy statements were adopted:

• Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening
• Availability of Modalities of Prescribing
• Patient Satisfaction Surveys
• Improving State Savings Through Biosimilar Specialty Medicines
• Extension of the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) by the FDA
• Protective Educational Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth
• Elemental Formula Coverage
• Decreasing the Limitations on Prescribing Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Inhibitors in Primary Care
• Direct Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C Limitations
• Following CDC Guidance Regarding Facial Covering for COVID-19

Delegates also approved Constitution and bylaws amendments.

Variants & Vaccinations

Ohio’s coronavirus case rate per 100,000 residents dropped for the first time in a month, though 53 counties remain on Level 3/Red alert or above for concern of spread. Franklin County remained Level 4/Purple on this week’s map from the state Public Health Advisory System. The county was moved to the highest level last week and remains the only Purple county on the alert map.

The new rate of 185.8 cases per 100,000 over the last two weeks is a drop from the rate of 200 per 100,000 reported a week ago.

As of this morning, 38.39 percent of Ohioans have received at least one coronavirus vaccination shot. Although cases have plateaued, virus variants are more contagious among those who have not been vaccinated.

“Just because the numbers are getting better and more people are getting vaccinated, the virus is now more dangerous than it was a few months ago for those who haven’t been vaccinated,” said Gov. Mike DeWine during his briefing this week. Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, chief medical officer at the Ohio Department of Health, noted the virus is now in more contagious forms that put younger people at much greater risk, including the risk of ending up in the hospital.

The vaccine is now more widely available and there is no shortage. Ohioans can visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to look for open appointments or call 833-4-ASK-ODH to book an appointment over the phone. The mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week.

Administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine remains paused pending further study of the rare blood clot, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) in six vaccine recipients. The CDC and FDA recommended the temporary pause. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reconvened today to continue its review.

Legislative Update

On Wednesday, the Ohio Senate passed legislation, SB 6, that would enter Ohio into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The bill, which passed by a vote of 32-1, eases the licensing process for physicians seeking to practice in more than one state. It now moves to the Ohio House for further evaluation.

Thank you to all who have taken the health tech survey. Your responses are helping to formulate a strategy to address HB 193, which would require e-prescribing for all Schedule II drugs except in certain emergency situations. The bill is will have its third hearing before the House Health Committee next week.

If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please do so. It literally takes 90 seconds.

Support Your Osteopathic Family with a Glass of Wine

Do you want to donate to the osteopathic family? Do you think wine is delicious? If so, you’re in luck! The Ohio Osteopathic Foundation is hosting a Virtual Wine Tasting on May 13. Tickets cost $100 and proceeds benefit the osteopathic family through various OOF projects.

You’ll choose three wines—which will be shipped directly to you from Debonne Vineyards, the largest estate winery in Ohio. Then log on to Zoom May 13 to learn about your selections and have an enjoyable evening with your osteopathic family.

Registration and details are at OhioDO.org/wine.

Keep In Touch

Our DO family in Ohio is growing and we want to stay connected with every one of them.

HCOM students getting ready to graduate are invited to let us know where you’re headed! Go to OhioDO.org/nextstep to update the OOA with your training institution and specialty.

Similarly, if you know of a DO who’s moved into the state, or joined your network, or returned to Ohio, let us know! Use this form and we’ll be sure to connect with them.