It’s White Coat Season

The start of medical school is just around the corner for first-year students at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. With that, comes the invitation to personally welcome the Class of 2028 by sponsoring the purchase of a white coat. The Ohio Osteopathic Association and individual donors provide each student with their first white coat as a gift to commemorate the beginning of their academic career as a medical student.

With a $45 donation, you can sponsor the purchase of a coat to connect with these newest members of the Ohio osteopathic family. When you make your donation, you have the opportunity to write a short note to a new student. Your words of encouragement, advice, or any message of your choice will be printed onto an OOA notecard and tucked in the coat pocket. Students will receive their coats and notes at the Convocation & White Coat Ceremony in August.

The coats have OOA and HCOM patches.

Make your donation online here. Be sure to write your message in the comment box.

OOS Follow-Up

An email with a link to all of the recordings for the 2024 Ohio Osteopathic Symposium was sent to all registrants. There is one recording for each day. In addition, registrants also received a link to speakers’ PowerPoint presentations.

If you haven’t already, please submit your CME attestation form by Monday, July 1. That form and the evaluation form are online. You will receive a CME certificate verifying your credits via email and credits will be reported to the American Osteopathic Association.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the next Symposium! It’s April 10-13, 2025, at the Columbus Hilton at Easton.

Health Committee Holds Hearing on Pharmacy Vaccine, Child Medical Record Bills

Earlier this week, the Ohio House Health Provider Services Committee held a hearing to discuss two notable pediatric health care bills.

The first was sponsor testimony on HB 463, introduced by State Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery). Dubbed the My Child – My Chart Act, this bill seeks to guarantee parental access to electronic health records for children to the greatest extent permitted under federal and state law. The bill also requires parents to be made aware on an annual basis of any services that a minor child can receive without parental consent. Additional hearings are expected in June and OOA will be reviewing the bill in the coming weeks.

The other item on the Committee’s agenda was a third hearing on SB 144, sponsored by State Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario). This bill passed the Ohio Senate in December 2023 and is expected to clear the Ohio House before the summer recess. SB 144 expands the scope of practice for pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians to provide vaccines to children as young as five years of age. Current state law permits pharmacists to administer vaccines to children as young as 13, except for the seasonal flu vaccine which can be given to kids as young as 7.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal emergency rules issued under the PREP Act allowed pharmacy-based providers to administer any ACIP-recommended vaccines to children as young as 3, though that authority expired in May 2023.

Some physician groups have expressed concerns with how SB 144 could adversely impact well-child visit rates. Expect more details as SB 144 moves through the legislative process.

Senate Continues Review of Off-Label Prescribing

The Ohio Senate Health Committee held a second hearing this week on HB 73, sponsored by State Reps. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) and Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta). HB 73 would modify state laws related to off-label prescribing, denial of nutrition and fluids to a patient, and liability concerns related to off-label drug use.

HB 73 passed the Ohio House of Representatives by a vote of 75-17, with many Democrats voting against the measure. Supporters of the bill include various medical freedom groups and anti-vaccine advocates, while opponents include the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio Pharmacists Association.

The committee is expected to hold additional hearings in June, though a vote is unlikely until Lame Duck session. HB 73 was introduced in response to allegations against hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic that certain medications were denied to patients as they were not supported for treatment by state and federal public health agencies. HB 73 seeks to strengthen the ability for physicians to prescribe drugs such as ivermectin to patients without conflicting with hospital protocols. OOA continues to monitor this legislation and will coordinate with other physician groups on potential amendments.

The Senate Health Committee also held a second hearing on SB 234, sponsored by State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green). SB 234 would designate the month of May as Food Allergy Awareness Month in Ohio. Gavarone was motivated to introduce the bill after learning that one of her own children had a severe food allergy. The bill should move quickly before summer recess and see House consideration later this year.

Call for Volunteers

We are seeking a few members for a new Editorial Committee to assist with Buckeye Osteopathic Physician. The Committee will meet via Zoom on Monday, June 3 at 11:00 am.

Committee members will help shape the direction of the magazine, identify topics of interest to the osteopathic community, suggest articles, and review content.

The magazine was first published in 1923, as the Buckeye Osteopath. It was renamed in 1936.

To volunteer, email cmarkino@OhioDO.org.

Research Abstracts Due June 17

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) announced a call for research abstracts for OMED24. The virtual poster session provides an opportunity for researchers to share their research with a broad audience. In addition, approved abstracts are published on the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine website.

OMED is September 20-22 in San Antonio. The virtual poster session and student competition is September 20. The submission deadline is June 17.

More information is here.

Please Complete the Survey

A national survey of physician practices led by the American Medical Association and Mathematica is underway and we urge your cooperation with this effort. The objective of the Physician Practice Information (PPI) survey is to gather accurate data on practice costs and the hours of patient care that physicians provide to support fair and accurate physician payment.

Participation in the survey is voluntary but important. We urge you to complete the questionnaire if you receive it. The information you share will be kept private and reported in aggregate only.

The survey closes June 30.