Washington Osteopathic Medical Association

TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ART AND SCIENCE OF OSTEPATHIC MEDICINE.

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY: WOMA EMPLOYED A FULL TIME LOBBYIST TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OSTEOPATHIC PROFESSION IN WASHINGTON STATE. WOMA PROVIDED REPRESENTATION TO VARIOUS STATE AND FEDERAL HEALTH PROGRAM ADVISORY GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CMS CARRIER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BREE COLLABORATIVE, L&I MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE, WASHINGTON STATE PRESCRIPTION MONITORING PROGRAM AND UNINTENTIONAL POISONING WORKGROUP AND THE HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY PHARMACY AND THERAPEUTICS COMMITTEE. WOMA ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE AND SURGERY CONCERNING RULES PERTAINING TO THE LICENSING, SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND DISCIPLINING OF OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS.ANNUAL CONVENTION: THE 108TH NORTHWEST OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD SEPTEMBER 22-25, 2022, PROVIDING UP TO 22 AOA, AMA AND AAFP CREDITS. THE CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN-PERSON ON THE CAMPUS OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES LOCATED IN YAKIMA, WA. THE PROGRAM WAS STREAMED VIRTUALLY FOR THOSE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE IN-PERSON EVENT, AND SESSIONS WERE MADE AVAILABLE LATER FOR VIEWING ON THE CE-21 PLATFORM. WOMA ALSO OFFERED A JOINT VIRTUAL ON-LINE CME SEMINAR PROGRAM OFFERING 8 AOA AND AMA CME CREDITS, BEGINNING LIVE ON AUGUST 27, 2022, AND AVAILABLE ONLINE VIRTUALLY THROUGH OCTOBER 11, 2022. COMMUNICATIONS & ASSISTANCE: UPDATES ENTITLED "NEWS YOU CAN USE" WERE PROVIDED ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, STATE AGENCY INFORMATION, RULES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING THE PRACTICE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE AND PRACTICE-RELATED TOPICS AND WERE EMAILED TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS FOR WHICH WE HAD EMAIL ADDRESSES AND POSTED THIS INFORMATION ON THE WOMA WEBSITE. FORWARDED EMAILS CONTAINING INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND BOARD OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE AND SURGERY TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS IN WASHINGTON STATE. UPDATED THE WEBSITE TO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND USER-FRIENDLY SITE FOR MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER PHYSICIANS, STUDENTS, PATIENTS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.MAINTAINED A LIST OF DOS WILLING TO SHADOW/INTERVIEW PRE-MED STUDENTS. ASSISTED SEVERAL PATIENTS BY PHONE SEEKING A REFERRAL TO AN OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN. MAINTAINED AN ON-LINE REFERRAL DIRECTOR, "FIND A DO". PRESENTED THE HISTORY OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE IN WASHINGTON TO MEDICAL STUDENTS AT PNWU AND ATSU-SOMA.