The Pandemic

COVID-19 dominated the OSTEOFACTS headlines again this year. In January, Ohio reached a grim milestone—10,000 deaths from COVID-19—and in June the state death toll surpassed 20,000. Initially, vaccines were in limited supply and rolled out in a phased approach, starting with Ohio’s elderly population. During the month of March more than 1.6 million Ohioans received a vaccine as eligibility gradually opened to everyone 16 and older. In May, Ohio youth ages 12-15 became eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; Ohio discontinued use of the COVID heat map; and the number of new cases continued to decline.

Gov. Mike DeWine lifted the pandemic health orders effective June 2. But in July, the state experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant and in the first week of August, 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties had “high” or “substantial” community transmission rates per the CDC. In September, one in four patients in Ohio’s ICUs was COVID positive.

Boosters became available in November for all fully vaccinated Ohioans age 18 and older and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a rule (which is being challenged in courts) mandating vaccinations of eligible staff at health care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

This month, the first two cases of the Omicron variant in Ohio were confirmed and Gov. DeWine mobilized 1,050 members of the Ohio National Guard to help relieve the hospital staffing strain.

The OOA strived to keep members informed with regular updates in OSTEOFACTS and on social media. We shared information from Gov. DeWine as well as the Ohio Department of Health. We joined the national online campaign #ThisIsOurShot and posted vaccine selfies from OOA members to reassure Ohioans the vaccine is safe and effective. We worked to increase vaccination rates in 10 rural counties where rates were particularly low. We continued to participate in the ODH Vaccination Workgroup. We partnered with ActionPPE.org for a one-time group purchase of COVID test kits and provided details about the State of Ohio supply of rapid antigen testing available to physician offices. We celebrated as Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, in conjunction with Athens City-County Health Department, served as a vaccination site.

Advocating for You 

At every opportunity the OOA works to promote the distinctive philosophy of osteopathic medicine and advocate for Ohio DOs.
 
When someone of your own profession spreads medical misinformation it is disappointing and embarrassing. And while we prefer to focus on the science and not the person, it was deemed necessary to issue a public statement and disavow a DO’s false and completely unfounded claims about COVID-19 vaccines. In testimony before the Ohio House Health Committee, the physician said the vaccinations contain particles that can connect with 5G wireless technology and that they magnetize people, causing metal objects like keys and silverware to stick to their bodies. It became national news. The OOA statement stressed that the profession supports science and evidence based medicine.

The OOA advocates for your personal health and wellness too. To help fight back against workplace violence, we signed-on to a letter from the AOA urging Congress to support the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act and we supported the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bipartisan bill that addresses the high rates of burnout among health care professionals and the high suicide rate among doctors.

We sought to break down the stigma and bring attention to National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, designated on September 17 each year. We continued to publicize resources for physicians and medical students, and as part of the Ohio Physician Wellness Coalition we launched five new videos related to addiction, time management, vulnerability, and therapeutic support.

Providing CME

The Ohio Osteopathic Virtual Symposium, April 23-25, received rave reviews. The event offered 21 hours of Category 1-A credits and the latest in the art and science of patient care. Infectious Disease Specialist and COVID-19 Expert Joe Gastaldo, MD, keynoted the conference.

The OOA partnered with five other state osteopathic associations (Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, and Washington) to develop a unique virtual education series. Simply CME are live, one-day programs offering 8 hours of CME credit. The OOA also participates in The CME Center, a collaboration of state osteopathic societies that provides on-demand education. The CME Center, formerly DO-CME, offers hundreds of online lectures for AOA credit.

Planning is underway for two CME events next year. Registration is open for the Physician Wellness Webinar on January 15, 2022, and a short survey was issued to past attendees of the Ohio Osteopathic Symposium to gauge comfort level for an in-person conference. About 150 physicians completed the survey.

Leading the Way

Henry L. Wehrum, DO, of Columbus, was virtually sworn-in as 2021-2022 OOA president during the annual Symposium.
 
About 70 physicians and three medical students participated in the OOA’s one-day, online House of Delegates this year. Several of them met in two Reference Committees beforehand to review proposed changes to the OOA bylaws and make recommendations on 19 resolutions. The House adopted 10 new policy statements.

Four of the Ohio resolutions were approved, with amendments, by the American Osteopathic Association House of Delegates in July. Thirty-two OOA members were among the 600+ DOs and osteopathic medical students who participated in the virtual meeting. At the meeting Chelsea Nickolson, DO, of Dayton, was elected to the AOA Board to represent new physicians in practice.

State Sen. Matt Huffman was a guest speaker at themOOA Board of Trustees meeting in February. As Senate President, he is responsible for leading the Chamber and setting the policy agenda. He gave an update on his legislative priorities for the two-year General Assembly.

Engaging at the Statehouse

So much legislation! We tracked dozens and dozens of bills that affect the practice of medicine. We issued seven action alerts and OOA members responded in force. The action items centered around two topics: fireworks and vaccinations.
 
It is now legal in Ohio to discharge fireworks including bottle rockets, firecrackers, and missiles, on certain holidays with minimal safety restrictions in place. The OOA and the Ohio Fireworks Safety Coalition worked to defeat SB 113 and were successful getting Gov. Mike DeWine to veto the bill. But HB 172, also a fireworks bill, was signed into law months later.
 
HB 218, HB 435, and HB 248 all weaken Ohio’s vaccination laws and undermine ongoing pandemic recovery efforts. Each bill has gained traction at various times throughout the year and the OOA has submitted opposition testimony on multiple occasions. In July, Gov. DeWine signed HB 244 prohibiting public universities from mandating vaccinations under emergency use authorization—which was the current status of all three COVID-19 vaccines at the time. In addition, we are part of the Ohio Vaccine Coalition, a group of 100+ business and health care organizations.
 
Other critical pieces of legislation include:

SB 22 curbs the authority of the Ohio Department of Health director and allows legislators to rescind public health orders. The OOA opposed the bill. In March, DeWine vetoed the bill, which was then overridden by the legislature. It became effective in June.
 
HB 135 combats the efforts by many health insurance plans to exclude co-pay coupons and other assistance from counting toward a patient’s deductible—a policy called a co-pay accumulator. The OOA continues to push for action on the bill.
 
SB 6 creates an expedited path for physicians to practice in multiple states through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The bill was signed into law. The State Medical Board has until September 29, 2022, to implement the system.

HB 221 expands the scope of practice for APRNs. The bill has been dormant so far this session.
 
HB 193 is meant to address ongoing concerns of the state’s opioid crisis by reducing situations where individuals try to obtain Schedule II drugs from pharmacies with stolen or fraudulent prescriptions. The bill has passed the Ohio House. The OOA issued a health care technology survey to inform our work.
 
HB 122 establishes requirements regarding telehealth services. Supporters say the bill codifies the expansion of telehealth access implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been sent to the Governor for his signature.
 
SB 150 would ban noncompete agreements for Ohio physicians as a condition of employment. The bill would also allow current or prospective physician employees to sue an employer that violates this prohibition. The bill has not proceeded past the committee stage. The OOA issued a short survey to better understand how pervasive these agreements are.
 
HB 469 designates a portion of State Route 87 in Geauga County as the “Dr. Steven Takacs Memorial Highway.” Dr. Takacs was a proud OOA member and a 1986 graduate of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. The OOA provided testimony in support of the bill.
 
HB 110, the $74.1 billion state budget bill, included a “medical conscience clause” which allows physicians, hospitals and health insurance companies to refuse to provide or pay for a medical service if it violates their moral beliefs. Gov. DeWine vetoed 14 items including changes to the Medicaid managed care procurement process.
 
While most of our legislative work is done at the Ohio Statehouse, we did partner with the AOA this year on numerous national issues, including the Veterans Administration Federal Supremacy Project new regulations; the use of the title “Doctor” by physician assistants and non-physician clinicians; the No Surprises Act; and legislation to prevent a 9.75% cut to Medicare payment rates.

Building the Future

Our osteopathic family in Ohio is growing. Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine received over 5,700 applications for the 256 spots in the Class of 2025. All first-year medical students continue to receive their short white coat compliments of the OOA/Ohio Osteopathic Foundation and individual donors. OOA President Henry L. Wehrum, DO, participated in the Convocation & White Coat Ceremony, a livestreamed event held across all three campuses with safety protocols in place. Dr. Wehrum then followed up with a welcome email.

The OOA further memorialized its commitment to osteopathic medical students by naming the Student Government Association office in the new Heritage Hall at the HCOM campus in Athens. The state-of-the-art medical education facility was funded by a major gift from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations.
 
Early in the year, the OOA Board of Trustees hosted small group discussions with students over Zoom and then in-person receptions later in the year (with masking and distancing).

The OOA strongly supports the Osteopathic Recognition designation and encourages medical students to prioritize these programs. In November, a survey was sent to all Ohio residency programs with OR.
 
Members of the HCOM Class of 2021 received a graduation gift from the OOA along with a request to keep us informed of their training institution and specialty. Nationwide, Match Day 2021 saw a total of 6,327 osteopathic medical students and 270 past DO graduates match into PGY1 residency positions. That is a net increase of 359 DO students from the prior year.
 
Many of the student-focused activities, including the White Coat Fund, are supported by the Ohio Osteopathic Foundation, the OOA’s charitable arm. To raise funds this year, the OOF hosted a virtual wine tasting in May and participated in #GivingTuesday in November.

Enhancing Membership

The initiative developed last year in partnership with the AOA to provide a complete solution for student loan needs was further refined this year. SoFi, a leading student loan refinancing provider, offers additional discounts as well as quality service and an easy application process.

The OOA continues to offer a workers comp group rating program, now provided by Sedgwick as of March 1, 2021. Sedgwick can help you mitigate risk and reduce costs.

We continue to offer plenty of opportunities to get involved: working on committees, hosting students, volunteering as a special advocate, allowing a pre-med student to shadow, and more.