THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC PEDIATRICIANS
Fall 2016 Issue
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President's Message
Unrest and Hope
By Carl Backes, DO, FACOP, FAAP
ACOP President
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Carl Backes, DO, FACOP, FAAP |
The last six months of 2016. This is a tumultuous time in politics, sports, world issues, and medicine, but I hope to share important words and hopeful answers.
Politics
In a few short months, we will have a new President. I cannot remember an election with two candidates so different in their platforms. How will it affect our patient families and us as individuals?
Sports
We just observed the United States in Brazil for the 2016 Olympic Games. But many athletes chose not to go out of fear for their health (Zika virus) and other athletes were banned for using performance-enhancing drugs.
World Issues
Violence describes the national and international scene. Police killings, racial killings, ISIS, trials and now Pokemon-Go related violence.
Medicine
And now this is where we will have to focus the most. What’s going to change in the coming months in pediatric medicine and medicine overall? The first AOA-HOD conference held recently was on the opioid crisis: use, misuse, and treatment. We are on the forefront of this issue with teen drug abuse and addicted infants. What about the Zika virus and its effects on newborns, Obamacare debates, the care of our special needs children and reimbursement for our practices?
If you will allow me, let’s put the UNREST aside and look at some positive aspects of medicine. YOUR ACOP. WE ARE ONE. The ACOP is US and we stand strong in our movement to practice pediatric osteopathic medicine. I’d like to outline what we are doing as a college to strengthen us in these changing times.
ACGME: Single Accreditation System (SAS)
I sit as your Review Committee (RC) pediatric representative for all osteopathic pediatricians. Dr. Nasca (ACGME director) at the AOA-HOD reinforced his efforts with our AOA board to continue on the SAS road. Remember that the osteopathic students want to continue as osteopathically trained pediatric residents! We at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus are the first Children’s Hospital to apply for the osteopathic recognition track. In mid-September, the ACGME osteopathic recognition committee will hopefully accredit us to be a model program. For your program to join us on this path, remember you will need:
- A physician to work with the residents clinically in their pediatric clinics or hospital wards using OMM in patient care (you or OMM staff).
- A physician willing to do research and/or academic work involving osteopathic topics.
- A physician who has adequate OMM training to teach and grade the resident’s progress.
CME
We anticipate another outstanding program September 17-20 in Anaheim at OMED 2016. The program is finalized and we look forward to all DO pediatricians attending with their families to enjoy the program, the sun, and all the exciting events in Anaheim. For more program information, please click HERE.
We also are working to complete plans for our ACOP 2017 Spring Conference, April 6-9, in Louisville, Kentucky. Another outstanding program is being put together for our members.
Everyone should read the letter from David Nichols, MD, MBA, President and CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics. With SAS, we are facing maintenance of certifications (MOC) and it is an ongoing debate with planned new initiatives for 2017. Dr. Nichols agrees, saying, “The MOC should not be an add-on to the pediatrician’s already busy work life.” We will hear about the MOC, Peds, quality improvement pathways and lifelong learning mechanism. In the same vein, we continue to work on a relationship with the Ohio AAP modules for OCC credit for our members.
General
The ACOP has joined the efforts of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Children, Youth and Families Program by supporting a document to be released by Ellen Kahn, Director, called Understanding Transgender Children.
The ACOP continues to support the AOA Committee on Scholarships and Awards with another pediatric resident chosen for the 2016 AOA/ACOP outstanding resident of the year in pediatric medicine.
The ACOP is signing to support the effort of Congress in their bipartisan work that led to the passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).
The ACOP continues to maintain compliance with the AOA’s Healthy and Viable Affiliate Organizations Program.
Membership
We continue to grow with student and resident members, as well as new osteopathic practicing pediatricians. We must stand together as we demand that all training sites have osteopathic tracks.
In summary, we are excited for our college! The ACOP stands tall to promote our profession. Dr. Levine (AOA-HOD), A.T. Still Memorial lecturer, said it best “We are DOs. We should do OMM on all our patients at every visit. We are aware of the future with OMM research, education and unity.”
We must work to calm the UNREST!
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ACOP Pediatric Track
at OMED 2016
September 16-19, 2016
Anaheim Convention Center
Anaheim, California