Reception Tomorrow in Athens

The OOA Board of Trustees is hosting a reception tomorrow, Saturday, February 17, at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens campus. The reception is in conjunction with the Board meeting that day.

The event begins at 4:00 pm and includes networking, prizes, hearty hors d’oeuvres, and a celebration of OOA’s 125th anniversary.

RSVP here.

Last Call for the Live VOC

The Virtual Osteopathic Conference kicked off this morning in the virtual space. But you can still register!

Registration and the schedule for the weekend are here. Remember the times are listed in Central time zone, which is one hour behind Eastern.

Lectures will be available on-demand about an hour after the live viewing. Then you have until June 30 to complete the sessions and submit the CME paperwork.

You can purchase any number of credits (up to 48!) in 8-hour increments.

Your OOA membership gets you a discount on registration!

Resolved, Your Voice Matters

Resolutions are now being accepted for the OOA House of Delegates. Resolutions guide the OOA’s work related to legislative and regulatory issues. In addition to considering new policy statements, the House of Delegates conducts an annual analysis so that every position statement is reviewed every five years.

New resolutions received so far address governance regulations, barriers to CPAP usage, and support for expanded participation at the OOS Poster Competition.

Submit your resolution by March 15 to tcollins@OhioDO.org. See the tips for writing resolutions here.

OOPAC Challenge Underway

As part of the annual House of Delegates meeting, the Ohio Osteopathic Political Action Committee (OOPAC) issues a fundraising challenge every year. It is a friendly competition to see which of the OOA ten district academies contributes the most, in the aggregate and per capita. The winning districts are announced at the HOD.

OOPAC’s purpose is to support candidates for the Ohio General Assembly who have demonstrated their beliefs in and the principles to which osteopathic medicine is dedicated. Along with the donations to candidate campaigns, OOPAC shapes health care policy by educating legislators about issues and how proposed legislation can affect patients and communities. A strong PAC helps to open doors and strengthen the osteopathic voice at the Ohio Statehouse.

Ohio’s primary election is March 19 and will feature many competitive races for state legislative seats.

Make your OOPAC contribution here.

Remind Your Patients about Flu Vaccination

Text messaging in health care streamlines communication between all members of the care team. It’s a fast, efficient, and convenient method to convey information.

If your practice uses text messaging, consider sending patients a reminder that it’s not too late to receive their flu shot. Seasonal influenza activity in Ohio remains elevated. It is designated as “very high” per recent reporting data.

Here are sample texts to send:

For parents of pediatric patients…

• Is your child fully vaccinated against flu? The CDC recommends 2 doses of flu vaccine for children aged 6 months to 8 years who have not been previously vaccinated
• Flu season might be longer than you think – it can last into June. It’s not too late to help protect your child from flu.

For older adults…

• Have a new baby in the family? People who plan to be around newborns should be vaccinated against flu at least 2 weeks beforehand.

All adults…

• Every year, the flu evolves, so vaccines are updated accordingly. Even if you got a flu vaccine last year, you will benefit from getting one this year.

For more information, see the AOA resources here.

Make a Statewide Impact

The State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services (EMFTS) is seeking nominations for seat #15 on its Trauma Committee.

Seat #15 is designated for an administrator of an adult or pediatric trauma center with substantial experience. Of note, EMFTS does not appoint more than one member to the Committee who is employed by or practices at the same hospital, health system, or emergency medical services organization.

The Committee generally meets every other month.

Interested candidates should contact the OOA Office at 614-299-2107. A CV and letter of interest are required as part of the nomination process.

Final Call for Award Nominations

Submit your nominations for OOA and Ohio ACOFP awards by Friday, February 23. Recipients will be honored at the Ohio Osteopathic Symposium in April.

OOA Awards
Read about the awards and submit your nomination here.

• Distinguished Service Award
• Meritorious Service Award
• M. Bridget Wagner, DO, Humanitarian Award
• Trustees Award
• George L. Eckert, Jr, DO, Mentor of the Year

Ohio ACOFP Awards
Read about the awards and submit your nomination here.

• Family Physician of the Year
• Distinguished Service Award
• Young Family Physician of the Year
• Family Medicine Resident of the Year