Inside the AOA

Register Now for AOA Webinar on OMT Coding

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:46:28 GMT

May 13, 2013:

On May 23, 2013, the AOA will present a webinar on its Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) Coding Instructional Manual, Second Edition. Boyd R. Buser, DO, will present the webinar, which will focus on key changes in the second edition of the manual. The webinar will take place at 8 p.m. EST; register now.

The second edition of the AOA's OMT Coding Instructional Manual includes:

best practices for OMT coding and documentation
the history of OMT coding
identification of OMT codes in CPT 2012
procedures for handling denied claims

View or download the OMT Coding Instructional Manual, Second Edition.

Earn CME at ROME New England

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:19:40 GMT

May 16, 2013:

Registration is now open for the AOA's Regional Osteopathic Medical Education (ROME) New England conference. The conference will take place Aug. 15-18 in Boston and will offer:

The chance to earn up to 24.5 AOA Category 1-A CME credits, pending the approval of the AOA Council on CME
REMS workshop track; learn more about REMS.
Internal medicine track
State mandates and changes in medical practice track
Medical impacts of disasters and tragedies track
OMT workshops

Visit the AOA's ROME page to register for ROME New England, view a preliminary conference program and view hotel booking information. ROME New England is hosted in partnership with the Connecticut Osteopathic Medical Society (COMS), Rhode Island Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (RISOPS) and Massachusetts Osteopathic Society (MOS).

BIOMEA Poster Session Seeking Student Submissions

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:52:42 GMT

May 10, 2013:

The AOA Bureau on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs' (BIOMEA) 15th Annual International Seminar is currently seeking submissions for its osteopathic medical student poster session and competition. The event will take place at OMED 2013 in Las Vegas. Here are the details:

This year's seminar, "Osteopathic Medicine in Humanitarian Care," will take place at OMED on Monday, Sept. 30.
Posters must deal with research or medical work undertaken overseas after Oct. 8, 2013.
All osteopathic medical students may enter the poster session, but only members of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) can participate in the poster competition.
The competition has two categories: broad outreach experiences and research completed while on outreach programs.
To submit your poster, visit the abstract submission page on Osteopathic.org and select "BIOMEA" from the drop-down menu. The submission deadline is Aug. 23, 2013.
Note that this program is separate from the Research Poster Exhibition that will also be held at OMED.
Osteopathic medical students receive free registration to OMED. Register to attend the conference.

DOs Dish Out Diet Advice

Thu, 09 May 2013 21:02:38 GMT

May 6, 2013:

Many of us have the goal of eating a healthier diet. But there are so many possibilities, it can be hard to sort it all out. Should you be eating a vegan or gluten-free diet? Do you need to eliminate all processed foods or stock up on multivitamins? The DO's article "What's for dinner? How DOs are helping patients figure out what to eat" focuses on how physicians can help patients sort out conflicting nutritional advice. Check out the article to learn what some osteopathic physicians tell their patients about:

gluten-free diets
vegetarian and vegan diets
portion control
organic foods
processed foods
multivitamins

Visit The DO online to read the article and check out other recent coverage of the osteopathic medical profession.

New AOA Online Store Offers Customizable Brochures & More

Wed, 08 May 2013 22:43:57 GMT

Nov. 10, 2011:

To provide AOA members with easy access to customizable promotional materials, the AOA has launched a new online store. Members can order custom print pieces, including informational brochures, like the “What is a DO?” brochure, letterhead, envelopes, business cards, DO pins, and more.

You choose the design and the photos and then personalize the pieces with your own practice information. Visit the online store and place your order today.

Monograph Offers AOA Category 1-B CME Credits

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:43:16 GMT

April 10, 2013:

Read the AOA's newest monograph online, complete the postactivity test successfully, and earn two AOA Category 1-B CME credits. The monograph, "Practical Steps to Improve Outcomes for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): A Whole Patient Approach," should help physicians and other health care providers:

evaluate screening techniques and assessment methods to identify patients with CKD who are at risk for developing cardiovascular disease
assess recent clinical evidence on using lipid-lowering treatment to reduce the risk of premature cardiovascular treatments in patients with CKD
apply evidence-based treatment strategies to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with CKD

To get started, visit DO CME Online. This monograph is jointly sponsored by the AOA, Georgia Osteopathic Medical Society, North Carolina Medical Association, South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society, and Impact Education, LLC.

Road Trip Drawing to an End - Join Now!

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:33:49 GMT

April 29, 2013:

The Are We There Yet? Osteopathic Family Road Trip is on its final leg, but there's still time to hop aboard. Just complete all five legs before May 31 and you'll be entered in the drawing for a $1,000 United Airlines gift card. Throughout the trip, we've examined changes affecting the osteopathic medical profession, including:

To get started, visit our Are We There Yet? page. Be sure to enter your name and email address for each leg you complete.

What Will the Sunshine Act Mean for You?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:55:19 GMT

April 24, 2013:

The AOA is partnering with Partners for Healthy Dialogues to provide clear, useful information on what the Physician Payments Sunshine Act will mean for patients, health care professionals and biopharmaceutical professionals. The measure, commonly called the Sunshine Act, is a provision of the Affordable Care Act that will make information about interactions between physicians and biopharmaceutical professionals available to the public.

Visit the AOA's Sunshine Act page for:

An overview of how the Sunshine Act will work, including dates and timelines.
Summaries of the Sunshine Act final rule and the definitions it includes.
Information on the AOA's advocacy leading up to the Sunshine Act final rule.
Resources for patients, health care professionals and biopharmaceutical professionals from Partners for Healthy Dialogues

OMED 2013 Registration Now Open!

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:03:41 GMT

April 17, 2013:

Online registration for the AOA's Osteopathic Medical Conference & Exposition (OMED) 2013 is now open! OMED 2013 will take place Sept. 30 - Oct. 4 in Las Vegas and offers the chance to earn more than 40 AOA CME credits. To learn more, visit our OMED 2013 section, where you can:

JAOA Releases Osteopathic Medical Education Issue

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:01:35 GMT

April 15, 2013:

The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) osteopathic medical education issue examines a wide range of education-related topics. Here's a glimpse at what you'll find inside:

Overview of new policies and procedures for developing new colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs), plus COMs that have received accreditation status since 2008
An article on developing osteopathic competencies in geriatrics for medical students and an editorial on why this effort is so important
Updates on osteopathic graduate medical education, AOA contrinuing medical education, AOA specialty board certification, and osteopathic postdoctoral training institutions and academic sponsorship

To read these articles and more, visit the JAOA website.

DO CME Online Gets New Look

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:15:39 GMT

March 1, 2013:

If you've visited DO CME Online lately, you may have noticed the site looks a little different. The site's streamlined new look makes it easier than ever to find information like:

Continuing medical education (CME) courses you're working on or have completed
Your CME report
CME opportunities through the AOA's publications and web programs
The AOA's Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) for Physicians and CAP for the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)
CME reporting forms
Upcoming meetings and events where you can earn CME

Visit DO CME Online today to see the new look for yourself and get a head start on completing your CME for the 2013-2015 CME cycle.

Earn 1-B CME with JAOA Webcast on Obesity Management

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:15:23 GMT

March 13, 2013:

Earn one AOA Category 1-B CME credit by participating in a new webcast from The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA). The webcast, titled "What's the Skinny: New Pharmacologic Treatment Options for Obesity Management," focuses on different treatment options to help overweight patients achieve sustained weight loss. Participating in the webcast and completing its post-activity test and evaluation will help you:

Recognize the negative impact of obesity on patients' overall health.
Apply techniques to engage patients in open conversations focused on specific weight loss goals, including the reasons for sustaining weight reduction.
Implement appropriate weight-loss strategies for different patient subgroups.

This webcast is supported by an independent educational grant from VIVUS, Inc. and sponsored by the AOA and the American Osteopathic Association of Medical Informatics.

DOs & Students Rally for Change on Capitol Hill

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:15:00 GMT

Australia Grants DO Degree Recognition

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:14:44 GMT

March 19, 2013:

After previous meetings with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA), the AOA is pleased to report the MBA has decided to accept the U.S. DO degree for medical registration purposes in Australia. Documents posted on the MBA website indicate the Board has "agreed to accept the DO USA as a primary medical qualification for the purposes of medical registration provided that the DO USA was awarded by a medical school which has been accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.”

However, the measure does not provide carte blanche recognition for U.S. DO degree holders. Under Australian law, all international medical graduates in the country must meet the requirements of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and must comply with the Medical Board’s registration standards to be eligible for medical registration.

Be a Part of NOM Week 2013!

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:14:30 GMT

March 20, 2013:

National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) Week 2013 is just around the corner! From April 14-20, DOs, osteopathic medical students and supporters of the osteopathic medical profession will join in promoting DOs and osteopathic medicine in communities across the country.

To take part in NOM Week, try these easy ideas:

Update your Facebook cover photo with an "I Love DOs" or NOM week cover photo or the profile photo above.
Wear your DO pin with pride; pins are available at the AOA Online Store.
Submit a NOM Week proclamation to your local government.
Display the NOM Week poster at your practice or event.
Use hashtags #NOMWeek and #ILoveDos on Twitter and Facebook posts.
Starting April 15, take the NOM Week pledge on Osteopathic.org.

To access these resources and more, visit our NOM Week page.