Democracy in action: D.O. Medical Excellence (DOME) Day in Austin

I joined the DO day in Austin on February 23^rd. It was my very first (somewhat) political event I attended in my life. There were 95 TCOM students, 39 DOs, and 13 others coming from across the state and outside of the state to attend the event. I admire the participation and the spirits of the students because I didn’t make the time to participate in those events as I was trying to survive in medical school.

Texas capitol is a beautiful building and most of the legislators’ offices are located underground. The capitol was crowded with a few dozen groups of different interests. It is very hard to meet the legislators because they are either in committees or meetings unless you have connections to have personal meetings. Appointments are needed to be made way in advance or made by political consultants on short notice, and the appointments are also subjected to changes.

It was a marathon day for me to have meetings with the legislative aides of 4 representatives and 2 senators. Some meetings were taken place even in the hallways outside of the legislators’ offices because there were several groups meeting already inside the offices. I was able to talk to a few TCOM students and get the pulse of the TCOM students on the issue of the UNTMD plan forward.

EyeDrD.org or I have been mentioned in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Daily Report Blogs

February 9th, 2011: AOA Members Reach Out Online

“Speaking of reaching out, AOA members and affiliates are instrumental in connecting with patients and the public in new ways.  AOA member Tayson DeLengocky, DO, has started a website, EyeDrD.org​, to promote DOs and osteopathic medicine as well as to provide a forum for discussion of issues related to the osteopathic medical profession, such as the “MD Option” at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine as well as societal and international currents.  Since its inception in Oct. 2010, the site has generated more than 17,000 hits and is ranked in the top million websites in the world.”

 November 22nd, 2010: AOA Family Members Make News and Gain Publicity

“Osteopathic family members are making headlines in local news outlets also.  The popular physician blog KevinMD.com published commentary from AOA member Tayson DeLengocky, DO​, regarding solutions for fixing the physician shortage in Texas. Dr. DeLengocky does not believe an MD school at UNTHSC is the answer, but that expanding residency program opportunities would be a more effective path and a better use of resources.”

November 16th,2010: Great News from the AOA Family

“AOA member Tayson DeLengocky, DO, has created a blog to help spread the word about osteopathic medicine and his personal experiences as an Asian-American physician and vitreo-retinal surgeon”

May 6th, 2009: Article Advocates for Degree Preservation

“Taylor DeLengocky, DO, a member of the AOA Bureau on International Medical Education and Affairs, wrote an article for the Fort Worth (TX) Business Press supporting preservation of the osteopathic degree at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. The article, “MD Program Push at UNTHSC Sends Wrong Message,” counters several statements made by the University in justifying their exploration of an additional medical school. Rather than using its resources to create a new school, Dr. DeLengocky thinks the UNTHSC should “invest its resources in partnerships with other hospitals to create new GME sites” and “take a stand against prejudice” instead of coercing DOs to become MDs.”

March 24th, 2009: Osteopathic Family Supports DO Degree

An editorial written by Tayson DeLengocky, DO, who serves on the AOA Bureau of International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs, urged those in the TCOM community to “rally to defend this special osteopathic medical school, because Texas residents deserve the holistic and preventive approach to their healthcare that DOs have to offer.”

We are about 3 month-old and has reached a milestone

I would like to report that http://www.eyedrd.org/ has kept growing since the last report on the New Year day. We have posted close to 100 blog entries since the first blog was posted on October 24^th, 2010. The initiative of launching the website was stated in the yesterday’s blog entry. The website would not have come to life without the helps of a few friends. I am deeply grateful to their selfless efforts in helping me to realize my goals.

I would like to thank your readership and the contributions of a few authors. Since the New Year day, the site has generated 9,000 more page-views (total of 19,000 page-views). We have achieved a milestone set out in our last report. Eyedrd.org is ranked below 1 million at Alexa. Alexa tracks the traffic that goes to the websites on the internet and ranks them according to the amount of visitors.  EyeDrD is currently ranked #982,758 in the world according to the three-month Alexa traffic rankings and the site has attained a traffic rank of 178,491 among US sites.

I hope this blog site will be able to provide a forum for discussion of a wide range of issues related to medical/osteopathic medicine, health, eye, alternative medicine, societal and international currents. The survival and the growth of the site depend on your readership and contributions. I hope that http://www.eyedrd.org/ has not failed you in its quality and contents.

What does TCOM mean to you? What does it mean to be an Osteopathic Physician?

The following inaugural speech of John Wright, DO, TCOM alumni association president.

I would like to thank the alumni association for this great opportunity to serve the organization and its members. I would like to thank Dr. Stephen Laird for his leadership and service over the past year. Thank you, Stephen, you did a wonderful job. I would also like to thank the alumni board. Please raise your hands so you may be recognized. Thank you.

There is a Chinese proverb which states:  "May you live in interesting times." For those of us involved with the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and UNTHSC, these are very interesting times. It is no secret that a threat to TCOM exists. This threat is extremely serious because, in time, it could lead to the end of TCOM.

The proposal to open an allopathic medical school alongside TCOM is the greatest threat our beloved school has ever faced. Scott Ransom, Lee Jackson and the Board of Regents at UNT do not see a future where two medical schools exist side by side; they see a future where they can slowly manipulate funding and resource allocation to increase the size of their pet project at the expense of TCOM. We must continue to accelerate our efforts to oppose those who would have TCOM wither on the vine.

While their report analyzes the cost projections involved in opening an allopathic school at UNTHSC, Dr. Tayson DeLengocky (TCOM ’02), and Brian Bartoz outline the many fallacies, factual errors and myths that this plan stands upon. [Editor’s note: The report – “A Cost Analysis of the Proposed MD Program at UNTHSC: Spending More and Getting Less” – is posted on the TOMA website.]  If Scott Ransom and Lee Jackson were actually concerned about increasing the number of medical school graduates state wide, they would favor allocating more to existing programs. Their estimates of starting costs for a new program are so unrealistically low, it can only be seen as a bait and switch tactic to gain enough support for an allopathic school to be opened, only to reveal the true cost when it is too late.

A Call for Action to protect the foundations of TCOM

The Following Letter from Jim Froelich, DO, TOMA TCOM Task Force Chair.

To Friends of Osteopathic Medicine and Defenders of TCOM

Thank you so much for sending letters to Texas elected officials warning them about the dangers to the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the osteopathic profession in general, if the University of North Texas is allowed to literally "plop" an M.D. Medical school right on top of our Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.  The damage to one of the best Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine in the nation is already apparent to those who are willing to recognize the truth.  The potential for additional degradation and damages to TCOM are staggering.

I cannot tell you how appreciative we are for all of your letters and support.  You have been effective! The Governor and many Texas Legislators now know about and support our side of the issue.  It is wonderful to be a part of an osteopathic family that understands the situation and has pulled together across the nation.  Because of dedicated members like you, we will win.

As a follow up to the first round of letters (in which you participated), we have prepared new letters to send to Texas officials.  The Governor's office has received about 250 letters so far (we hear that in order to have any issue noticed, it takes at least 200 letters). We would like to increase that number to 500.  Also, we need to jog the memory of our supporters (and others) in the Legislature; that's where you come in. We are asking all of you, as stalwart supporters, to go back to the TOMA website and participate in a second intense salvo of letters.

Please take a few minutes to send follow-up letters by going to the TOMA website, which now has an "Easy" button right on the home page.  Go to http://www.txosteo.org/  and click the "Easy" button; that will take you to a menu (http://capwiz.com/txosteo/home/) where you can select the second letter on the list, which is a new follow up letter.  Be sure to PRINT THE LETTER AND SEND IT AS SNAIL MAIL with your signature. 

For out-of-state supporters, just print the Governor’s letter; it is also a new version.  We want Governor Perry to know that we as a profession are opposed to the narrow-minded goals of some motivated by their own interests.

In-state stalwarts, please print all 4 letters to Gov. Perry, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst and your Senator and Representative.

Thank you all for your time and your love of osteopathic medicine.

                     Fraternally,

                     Jim Froelich, D.O.

                     Chair, TOMA TCOM Task Force

D.O.s Serving on the State and Federal Levels-Part III

The follow list is from AOA source

 

 

 

New Hampshire

• Board of Medicine – Vacant

New Jersey

• Task Force on Child Abuse & Neglect - Martin A. Finkel, DO
• Advisory Committee on Alternatively Accredited Medical School Clinical Clerkships – Shari Robin Fine, DO
• Board of Medical Examiners – Kathryn Lambert, DO, George Scott, DO, DPM

New Mexico

• Opthalmological Society – Kristin Reidy, DO
• Governor’s Advisory Panel on Pain – Randle Adair, DO, Tom Lindsey DO
• Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners – Gary Jackson, DO, Tom Lindsey, DO

New York

• State Board of Medicine Licensing Board – Jerry Baletine, DO, Brenda Connolly, DO, Robert Corona, DO, Steven Sherman, DO, Donald Teplitz, DO, Paul Twist, Jr, DO
• Board for Professional Medical Conduct – Ralph Levy, DO, Paul F.Twist, DO, Cindy Hoffman, DO, Donald H. Teplitz, DO, Robert J. Corona, Jr, DO,  Theodore A. Spevack, DO, Thomas A. Scandalis, DO, Steven I. Sherman, DO
• New York City Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee – Allen Cherson, DO
• Nassau Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee - Allen Cherson, DO
• Carrier Advisory Committee – Robert B. Goldberg, DO

North Carolina

• Medical Board – Donald Jablonski, DO

North Dakota

• State Board of Medical Examiners – Gordon Leingang, DO

Ohio

• Governor’s State Health Coverage and Quality Council, Richard J. Snow, DO
• State Medical Board – Anita M. Steinbergh, DO
• Student Loan Commission – David Bitonte, DO
• Nursing Board’s APN Prescriptive Governance Committee – Deborah Cole Sedivy, DO
• Medical Board’s PA Policy Committee – John M. Jonesco, DO
• Pharmacy Board Rule Review Committee – Katherine A. Clark, DO
• Department of Health Public Health Council – David A. Bitonte, DO
• Medical Quality Foundation- John F. Uslick, DO, Richard J. Snow, DO
• Stroke Council – Albert Salomon, DO
• Bureau of Workers Compensation Quality Committee – John Dunne, DO
• Department of Health’s Compassionate Care Committee – Cleanne Cass, DO
• ODJFS Pharmaceutical/Therapeutics Committee – Robert L. Hunter, DO, Ioanna Z. Giatis, DO
• Medicaid DUR Committee – Lenard Presutti, DO
• Higher Education Study Committee – John F. Brose, DO
• Department of Health Medical Surge Committee – Brian A. Kessler, DO
• Paulding County Health Department – Larry Fishbaugh, DO
• Lawrence County Health Department – Kurt Hofmann, DO
• Tuscarawas County Health Department – James Hubert, DO
• Warren City Health Department – James Lazor, DO
• Findlay City Health Department – Stephen Mills, DO
• Medina County Health Department – Daniel Raub, DO
• Gurernsy County Health Department – Janice Schram-Wayne, DO
• Preble County Health Department – Mark Vosler, DO
• Department of Insurance Real Time Claim Adjudication Advisory Committee – Martha Simpson, DO
• Department of Insurance Most Favored Nation Clauses Study Committee, Stuart Chesky, DO, JD

D.O.s Serving on the State and Federal Levels-Part II

 The following list is from AOA source.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

§  National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality–  Silvia M. Ferretti, DO (March 25, 2010- November 30, 2012)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

§  Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices – Stanley E. Grogg, DO (September 2006- indefinite term) Dr. Grogg represents the AOA as a Liaison Representative to this advisory panel.   

§  Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee – Dale W. Bratzler, DO (January 7, 2010 – June 30, 2013)

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

§  Practicing Physicians Advisory Council – Joseph A. Giaimo, DO (February 28, 2008-February 28, 2012) *Disbanded*

Department of Defense (DOD)

§  Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences – Ronald R. Blanck, DO (Chair)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

§  National Vaccine Advisory Committee – Christine Nevin-Woods, DO, MPH (October 1, 2007-October 1, 2011)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

§  Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel – George Mychaskiw II, DO (July 8, 2007 – July 7, 2011) Dr. Mychaskiw is a consultant to this advisory panel.

§  Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel – Kenneth J. Steier, DO (July 8, 2007 – July 7, 2011) Dr. Steier is a consultant to this advisory panel.

§  Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel – Sandra Willsie, DO

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

§  National Practitioners Data Bank (NPDB), Executive Committee – Edward Loniewski, DO (December 1, 1999 – indefinite term)

§  Primary Care Residency Grant Peer Review Committee – Kenneth J. Steier, DO (April 1998 – indefinite term)

§  Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry – Eugene Mochan, DO, PhD (indefinite term)

§  Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry –  Stephen C. Shannon, DO, MPH (indefinite term)

§  Council on Graduate Medical Education – Kendall Reed, DO (term ending September 30, 2010)

§  National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps  –  John Everett, DO (December 31, 2008- December 31, 2011)

§  Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry – Anne Jones, DO (term ending 2013)

§  Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Community Based Linkages -   Jay H. Shubrook, DO  (term ending 2013)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

§  National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Advisory Council – Boyd W. Bowden II, DO (term ending 2010)

§  National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Education and Training Review Committee – Murray Goldstein, DO, MPH (2007-2011)

AOA PARTNERSHIPS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

§  U.S. Preventive Service Task Force – Robert S. Juhasz, DO - represents the AOA as an AHRQ Primary Care Partner.  Partners are outside experts who provide peer review of draft reports, contribute expertise to the evaluation process, and help disseminate the work of the task force to their members.

D.O.s Serving on Medical Societies and Organizations-Part I

Osteopathic Medicine is a minority branch of medicine, which is separate but equal. It has accreditation powers for osteopathic medical schools, osteopathic graduate medical education, board certifications, hospitals and health organizations. About 14 states in the USA still maintain state osteopathic medical boards, while other states and territories have composite medical boards. As the U.S. is a democracy, it respects the majority rule while protecting and preserving the minority rights. Therefore, D.O.s have better opportunity to serve in the public arena even though D.O.s represent only 7% of physician workforce. For instance, there are 4,000 D.O.s out of 57,000 licensed physicians in TX, 3 D.O.s and 9 M.D.s serve on the Texas Medical Boards.

The following list of D.O.s serving in organized medicine from AOA source.

 

AOA Representatives to AMA/Allopathic Associations

American Academy of Family Physicians

·         Accreditation Subcommittee of the Commission on Continuing Medical Education (COCME)

o   Suzanne Kelley, DO

·         Commission of Education

o   Joseph P. McNerney, DO

American Association of Medical Colleges

·         Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding

o   Scott Thomas Stoll, DO, PhD

·         Council of Academic Societies

o   Jed Magen, DO

American College of Sports Medicine

·         Conjoint Board in Sports Medicine

o   Larry Prokop, DO

American Diabetes Association

o   Royce Keilers, DO

American Medical Association

·         Relative Value Update Committee (RUC)

o   David Hitzeman, DO, Delegate

o   Robert Stomel, DO, Alternate Delegate

o   Joseph Schlecht, DO, Advisor

·         Commission to End Health Care Disparities

o   Hector Lopez, DO

·         Correct Coding Initiative Advisor

o   Boyd Buser, DO

·         CPT Editorial Panel

o   Boyd Buser, DO

·         CPT Advisory Panel

o   Judith A. O’Connell, DO

·         Medical Home Workgroup

o   David Hitzeman, DO

·         National Task Force for CME Provider/Industry Collaboration

o   Diane Burkhart, PhD

·         Physician Consortium for Performance Evaluation

o   Richard J. Snow, DO, MPH

American Society of Nephrology

·         Chronic Kidney Disease Committee

o   Nelson P. Kopyt, DO

We are 2 month-old and Happy New Year!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, filled with Joy, Love, Health and Prosperity.

I would like to thank your readership. The beginning of the year marks the 2 month-old for http://www.eyedrd.org/. It has generated about 10,000 page-views and is currently ranked #1,687,242 in the world according to the three-month Alexa traffic rankings. The site has attained a traffic rank of 212,245 among users in the US. Not too bad for a brand new blog. We will really celebrate when we are under 1 million at Alexa.

EyeDrD has been mainly osteopathic issue driven, but its goal is broader than the osteopathic community. We have posted more than 63 blog entries: some of them are passionate letters supporting the osteopathic profession against bias and prejudice, some about eye care and some about things I just find interesting. I hope you have found them to be well-researched and referenced. Hopefully next year you will help to make this site survive and grow by contributing your thoughts and voices to be heard. I hope to make this a premier osteopathic blog. I hope to provide a forum for discussions on any issues, even how controversial it may be.

Despite http://www.eyedrd.org/ is still in its infancy, I would like to report some of the best posts of the site based on its traffic and its contents.

Texas Medical Association House Of Delegates (TMA HOD) refused to endorse an allopathic school at UNTHSC

The following resolution submitted by the Tarrant County Medical Society to TMA HOD held in Fort Worth Summer 2009. TMA HOD disapproved this resolution calling for the support of an allopathic school in Fort  Worth or on UNTHSC campus.

Resolution 301 A-10

Subject: Support for Allopathic Medical School in Tarrant County

Introduced by:  Tarrant County Medical Society

Referred to:   Reference Committee on Science and Education

Whereas, There is a national and Texas physician shortage of most specialties; and 

Whereas, Texas lags behind nearly every state in physician supply with 157 physicians in direct patient 

care to every 100,000 population compared with the national average of 220:100,000; and  

 

Whereas, The Texas population is expected to grow to over 28 million people by the year 2020, further 

exacerbating our physician shortage, especially in the primary care, psychiatric, and geriatric specialties; and 

 

Whereas, Texas currently has nine medical schools, most of which are planning to expand their 10 enrollment size and the newest school affiliated with Texas Tech cost our state approximately $67 million in start up costs ; and

Whereas, The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) affiliated with the University of North Texas also is expanding its enrollment size to 250 per class in order to increase the numbers of medical  students who pursue primary care training; and 

Whereas, TCOM continues to produce outstanding medical school graduates who perform above the 95 percentile on COMLEX and USMLE testing; and 

Resolution calling for Degree Designation Change to MD, DO

The following resolution calling for a formal Poll for Degree Designation Change to MD, DO, Submitted by a group of DO students and DOs.

this resolution was defeated at SOMA spring convention 2010.

1. WHEREAS, According to a study conducted by the AOA in 2000¹, only 11% of Americans recognize the DO degree designation.  Although more may recognize it today, one can reasonably expect that the percentage continues to be in the minority, and

2. WHEREAS, Numerous other healthcare providers who are not fully licensed physicians are now designated “doctor,” including NMDs, DNPs, DPTs, DPMs, DCs, and ODs, and

3. WHEREAS, Other countries (such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom) issue a DO degree that stands for “Diploma in Osteopathy,” and those who are granted this degree are limited manual medicine practitioners instead of fully licensed physicians. These similar degrees are confusing for everyone in the global medical community, and

Open letter to TCOM alumni from TCOM alumni association president

the following letter by John Wright, DO

Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith.   (Ronald Reagan)

Dear TCOM alumni:

As members of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) Alumni Board, we feel it is very important that you receive further information about the proposed plan of the University of North Texas (UNT) Board of Regents to create an MD school through UNT, to be placed on the campus of the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) in Ft. Worth. If approved, this new MD school would share (state provided) resources with TCOM. 

Your Alumni Board has voted against organizing this plan.  We have also had a vote of "no confidence" for Scott Ransom, D.O., the president of the UNTHSC for leading the push towards achieving this goal.
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) has stopped funding administrative revenues for the Osteopathic Research Center (ORC), and the AOA House of Delegates and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) Congress of Delegates have passed resolutions against the proposal. Texas Osteopathic Medical Association (TOMA) House of Delegates have also passed  a resolution against this proposal.

Open letter from a board member of TCOM alumni association

The following is an open letter to TCOM alumni and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine:

UNT Health Science Center leaderships have been planning to start up an allopathic medical school on campus for the past two years. The stated reasons for supporting of such a plan include the prestige of an MD school, potential of increase in research funding and clinical rotation sites.

Like on any issues, there are members in the same family who support, those who oppose, and those remain neutral.

Organized Medicine

Most doctors chose medicine because we wanted to help people and put the patients first. Can we honestly say that we are able to fulfill our set goals?

Medical education has become exorbitantly expensive with an average cost of $200,000-250,000 for four years of tuition and living expenses. The physician’s earnings have been either stagnant or trending downwards.