See You Next Month!

The Ohio Osteopathic Symposium is fast approaching! The conference is set for April 18-21 at the Columbus Hilton Hotel at Easton Town Center, with an option to attend virtually.

The Symposium, the largest osteopathic CME conference in the state, offers 29 hours of AOA Category 1-A CME along with a mix of lectures on timely topics from engaging speakers:

• The Dermatology Roundtable is back by popular demand. The Dinner & Derm session receives rave reviews every year. This year, the team of DO dermatologists will discuss Skin Concerns that Demand Attention.
• The two-hour Orthopedics Lightning Round, also highly rated each year, features a panel of DOs from OrthoNeuro, an 80-year-old Central Ohio practice.
• OMM faculty at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will present a four-hour hands-on workshop to close out the Symposium on Sunday morning.

Other topics include anti-obesity medications, autoimmune thyroid, adult ADHD, addiction, point of care ultrasound, and more.

Register today! Your OOA membership gets you a discount on registration.

Applications Open for Health Policy Fellowship

The Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship (OHPF) invites passionate leaders to embark on a transformative and experiential ten-month journey. The OHPF is designed to equip osteopathic physicians and other associated health professionals with the knowledge and skills to actively engage in shaping health policy that impacts patients and populations across the nation.

The selection process is highly competitive. Interested individuals should be prepared to submit a strong application that demonstrates their qualifications and passion for health policy. Applicants are expected to have completed three or more years of post-graduate experience for physicians, or a demonstrated history of interest and involvement for non-physicians.

Several OOA leaders are among this distinguished network of health policy experts, including OOA President Nick Hess, DO; Immediate Past President Jennifer Gwilym, DO; Board Trustee Greg Hill, DO; House Speaker David Bitonte, DO; and Past President Paul Scheatzle, DO.

The application is online here. The deadline to apply is March 31.

SMBO Emeritus Status is Changing

The state biennium budget (HB 33), signed into law in July 2023, included several provisions related to the State Medical Board of Ohio. One of the legislative changes impacting physicians is the creation of a new retired status license.

Per Ohio Administrative Code 4731-22-01, all Ohio emeritus status registrations for retired physicians were converted to retired license status. This conversion has automatically taken place. No action is required.

Other details about the new retired license status:

• You will not be charged a fee to convert the license.
• You are not required to complete a two-year renewal.
• You are not required to complete continuing education or keep a professional certification current.
• Similar to emeritus status, you cannot practice your profession in any manner, but may use a title authorized for the holder’s license type as described in the Ohio Revised Code, but only if “retired” is also included in the title.
• You may reactivate your license if you meet certain criteria.

More information is on the SMBO website here.

Upcoming Deadlines for Certifying Boards

Application deadlines are quickly approaching. Below are deadlines in March and April for osteopathic certifying boards.

American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology initial primary exam – April 27 (first deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine initial subspecialty exam – April 21 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians initial primary, subspecialty, and OCC exams – March 16 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Neurology & Psychiatry initial primary, subspecialty, and OCC exams – March 19 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology initial primary written exam – March 19 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology initial primary oral and written qualifying exams – March 15 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery initial primary written exam – April 1 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Surgery initial primary and subspecialty written qualifying exams – April 1 (final deadline)

American Osteopathic Board of Radiology initial primary written exam – March 31 (first deadline)

Pediatric and Adult Allergy and Immunology initial and OCC subspecialty exams – March 22 (final deadline)

For questions, contact Chaunessie Baggett at CBaggett@osteopathic.org.

Sample Messages for Flu Vaccine Uptake

The months of January through May are the extended immunization season for influenza. Targeted messages can be used to educate patients that it is not too late to receive their flu shots and confirm the benefits/safety of the flu vaccine.

Flu activity in Ohio is among the highest in the country. The CDC measures the spread of flu by looking at weekly data: the number of outpatient visits, positive lab tests, and deaths due to flu. In Ohio, the northeast and east central regions have had the highest number of reported flu-related hospitalizations.

Recommended communication channels for physicians, such as text message services and electronic health records, have been effective ways to alert patients about important health information. The AOA has developed target population-specific messages to encourage immunization. See the sample texts here.

Ohioans Cautioned about Medical Supplies Scam

The Ohio Department of Insurance Director issued a consumer alert to warn older Ohioans to watch for fraudulent Medicare claims made with their Medicare number for medical supplies, most notably urinary catheters, back and knee braces, and glucose monitors.

The scammers are using individuals’ Medicare numbers and fraudulently billing Medicare, oftentimes thousands of dollars per fraudulent claim. Affected individuals are not impacted financially but face a confusing and stressful situation, including obtaining a new number and card from Medicare and possible complications in receiving legitimate medical supplies in the future.

Red flags to watch for:

• Patients do not recognize the ordering physician’s name nor have they been seen by the physician.
• The ordering physician is located in another state.
• Patients receive an Explanation of Benefits or Medicare Summary Notice document with a large quantity of supplies they never received.
• Patients do not have a medical condition that would require the supplies.

Ohioans who have been affected should contact the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-293-4767 or go to www.proseniors.org to report the scam and get help obtaining a new Medicare number and card.

State Issues Mental Health Parity Report

The Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and RecoveryOhio have issued the latest annual joint Ohio Mental Health Parity Report. The report details engagement activity with consumers, payers, and other stakeholders, and identifies mental health insurance access and coverage trends and barriers.

The Ohio Department of Insurance handled 2,813 complaints specific to accident and health insurance in 2023. Of those accident and health insurance complaints, 17 were related to coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services. The Ohio Department of Insurance also received 19 requests for external review related to mental health and substance use disorder benefits.