Osteopathic Founders Foundation

TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF LEARNING.

COMMUNITY GRANTS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK OF THE OSTEOPATHIC FOUNDERS FOUNDATION. SINCE THE SALE OF OUR HOSPITAL IN 1996, THE FOUNDATION'S TRUSTEES HAVE FOCUSED ON UTILIZING OUR RESOURCES IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE FOUNDER'S ORIGINAL INTENT. GRANTS ARE AWARDED TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO SHARE IN OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING CARE TO THE UNDERSERVED AND IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DISEASE. WITH THE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DISPARITIES EXISTING WITHIN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES, PARTICULAR EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO THE MOST BASIC NEEDS OF FOOD, SAFETY AND SHELTER. OKLAHOMA'S POOR RATINGS FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS DEMAND THAT MANY OF OUR RESOURCES BE DIRECTED TO THE SUPPORT OF BASIC NUTRITION SERVICES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH STATUS OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH FOOD VULNERABILITY. A GRANT OF $5,000 WAS PROVIDED TO MEALS ON WHEELS OF METRO TULSA TO PROVIDE HOME DELIVERED MEALS TO VULNERABLE, HOMEBOUND TULSANS. ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF PREGNANT WOMEN, A GRANT WAS PROVIDED TO NUTRITION SERVICES AT SOUTH TULSA COMMUNITY HOUSE. A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE POPULATION IS THOSE PERSONS WITH HIV/AIDS WHO REQUIRE SPECIALIZED NUTRITION SERVICES. A RENEWAL GRANT OF $10,000 WAS PROVIDED TO SPECIALTY FOOD SERVICES AT TULSA CARES TO ASSIST THOSE PATIENTS. CONTINUED SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY FOODBANK, MEALS ON WHEELS, AND IRON GATE TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUING NEED FOR NUTRITION SUPPORT DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE OSU CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES RECEIVED GRANT OF $50,000 TO SUPPORT THE SIMULATION CENTER WHICH PROVIDES MEDICAL STUDENTS WITH EARLY CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AS AN ADJUNCT TO THEIR TRAINING. THE FOUNDATION IS VERY PROUD OF THESE AND OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IN THE TULSA AND NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES.

AS STATED IN THE MISSION STATEMENT, SUPPORT OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION IS CENTRAL TO THE FOUNDATION'S INVESTMENTS. AT THE PRE-DOCTORAL LEVEL, TWO SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED TO OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL STUDENTS BASED ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, PROFESSIONAL AMBASSADORSHIP, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS ARE GRANTED WHICH RECOGNIZE LEADERSHIP ABILITY AS WELL AS MEDICAL RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ALL OF THESE AWARDS ASSIST STUDENTS WITH THE COST OF TUITION, FEES, AND BOOKS. GRANTS WERE ALSO MADE TO THE OSU FOUNDATION AND THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE TO SUPPORT THEIR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. FOR THOSE YOUNG PHYSICIANS IN POST-GRADUATE TRAINING, THE FOUNDATION OFFERS TWO PROGRAMS. EACH RESIDENT AND FELLOW TRAINING AT OSU MEDICAL CENTER IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ONE TEXTBOOK DURING EACH YEAR OF THEIR TRAINING WHICH IS TO BE USED IN THE DIDACTIC ACTIVITIES OF THEIR PROGRAM. STIPENDS WHICH SUPPORT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REQUIRED CONFERENCES, COURSES, AND OUT ROTATIONS ARE GRANTED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS TO OSTEOPATHIC RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS ENROLLED IN AN ACGME ACCREDITED POSTGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM WITH OSTEOPATHIC RECOGNITION WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN A COMPONENT OF SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY DURING THEIR TRAVEL. MUCH OF OUR WORK IS INVOLVED IN THE CREATION AND PRESENTATION OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION FOR PHYSICIANS. THE CME MISSION OF THE OSTEOPATHIC FOUNDERS FOUNDATION IS TO CONTINUALLY IMPROVE PATIENT CARE BY PROVIDING TIMELY, RELEVANT, EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL KNOWLEDGE TO OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. IN 2009 THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED ITS INITIAL ACCREDITATION FROM THE AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION AS A CATEGORY 1-A PROVIDER. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OUR PROGRAMS TO ALLOPATHIC PHYSICIANS, PHARMACISTS, NURSES, COUNSELORS, AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. DURING 2021, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED IN A VARIETY OF SPECIALTIES INCLUDING PSYCHIATRY, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, ONCOLOGY, NEUROLOGY, AND A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS IN PRIMARY CARE. THE CHALLENGES OF CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE PANDEMIC LED TO THE CREATION OF THE ECME MONTHLY MEDICINE PROGRAM WHICH HAS EXPANDED OUR REACH TO PHYSICIANS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO OFFER PROGRAMS ADDRESSING OKLAHOMA'S OPIOID CRISIS BY PRESENTING, WITH OUR PARTNERS, OVER A DOZEN SESSIONS WHICH ALLOWED BOTH DO'S AND MD'S TO MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT OF EDUCATION ON THE PRESCRIBING OF CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO MEET ITS MANDATE OF SERVING THE CONTINUUM OF MEDICAL EDUCATION FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL THROUGH MEDICAL PRACTICE.

HEART DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. IN THE UNITED STATES--SOMEONE HAS A HEART ATTACK EVERY 40 SECONDS. EACH MINUTE, MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES DIES FROM A HEART DISEASE-RELATED EVENT. FEWER THAN 12% OF PATIENTS WHO EXPERIENCE AN OUT OF HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST WILL SURVIVE WITHOUT BYSTANDER-INITIATED CPR. A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, IN ADDITION TO OUR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GO RED FOR WOMEN CAMPAIGN OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, THE FOUNDATION HAS CHOSEN TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR CONTINUED TRAINING OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BY ESTABLISHING AN EMERGENCY CARDIOVASCULAR CARE TRAINING SITE ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. TRAINING IN ADVANCED CARDIOVASCULAR LIFE SUPPORT, PEDIATRIC ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT, AND BASIC LIFE SUPPORT FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IS OFFERED FOR PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. WE ALSO PLACE AN EMPHASIS ON PROVIDING TRAINING IN THE BASIC SKILLS OF CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION TO THE LAY COMMUNITY THROUGH THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY PROGRAM. KIDS CPR PROVIDES FREE INSTRUCTION TO CHILDREN AGES 10 - 16 IN BASIC LIFE SUPPORT DURING SCHOOL BREAKS.