President's Message - New York Osteopathic Medical Society
President's Message - New York Osteopathic Medical Society
President's Message - New York Osteopathic Medical Society
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Sonia Rivera‐Martinez, DO<br />
President@nysoms.org<br />
NEWSLETTER<br />
FALL 2011<br />
Fall is in the air, and with it comes a new academic year and a flurry<br />
of activities. NYSOMS has also been busy—advocating for <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong><br />
State DOs and their patients; lining up more member benefits; and<br />
planning upcoming events.<br />
I am happy to announce that NYSOMS will be awarding $500<br />
scholarships to first– and/or second‐year students at NYCOM and<br />
TouroCOM this year. We hope to reward students who “think<br />
osteopathically”—to quote the theme of AOA President Martin Levine—and<br />
who plan to practice in <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State.<br />
Recently, NYSOMS partnered with OB Consult to establish a <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>York</strong> state‐wide patient safety initiative that will support and enhance<br />
obstetrical care provided by obstetricians and family physicians. OB Consult works to make<br />
obstetrical care for mothers and their babies more accessible, safe and efficient by showing physicians<br />
how to manage their risk—thus, helping to lower their liability insurance premiums. Stay tuned<br />
for more news about how our latest member benefit can impact your practice and your patients.<br />
Hopefully, you have been receiving NYSOMS’ email calls to action about state and national issues affecting<br />
physicians. Our efforts in Albany have been effective: None of the scope‐of‐practice bills we<br />
opposed were enacted into law. Please make your voices heard on the federal level, as well. Tell Congress<br />
to fix the SGR formula and sustain graduate medical education.<br />
On Sept 23, I attended the first annual AOA Health Policy Summit in Washington, DC. The event featured<br />
presentations from national experts on all aspects of the healthcare system, as well as a media<br />
panel that weighed in on the politics surrounding current healthcare debates. I promise to use what I<br />
learned for the benefit of osteopathic physicians in our state. BUT—you have to make me a promise:<br />
RENEW your NYSOMS membership!<br />
President’s <strong>Message</strong><br />
Save the Date<br />
RE‐JOIN if your membership has<br />
lapsed!<br />
Make it a personal goal to get a colleague<br />
to join NYSOMS TODAY!<br />
To join, call (800) 841‐4131, or log on<br />
to our Web site, www.nysoms.org,<br />
and pay online or download an application.<br />
Make YOUR voice heard!<br />
Eastern Regional <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Convention<br />
A Generational Storm: Medicine’s Hope,<br />
Medicine’s Future<br />
March 1-4, 2012<br />
Sheraton Long Island Hotel, Hauppauge, NY<br />
EROC Intern/Resident Poster Competition<br />
1:30-5:45 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2012<br />
Sheraton Long Island Hotel, Hauppauge, NY
Barbara Greenwald<br />
nysoms@nysoms.org<br />
Executive Director’s <strong>Message</strong> Report<br />
NYSOMS is having a busy year! We are planning what is turning out to be<br />
our best annual convention yet. The 2012 Eastern Regional <strong>Osteopathic</strong><br />
Convention (EROC) will be held March 1‐4, at the Sheraton Long Island<br />
Hotel in Hauppauge, NY. The theme is “A Generational Storm: Medicine’s<br />
Hope—Medicine’s Future.” Convention chair Daniel Van Arsdale, DO, and<br />
program chair Lynn Mark, DO, are lining up some exceptional speakers on<br />
timely topics, including “Male Menopause,” “Food as Medicine,” “Vitamin<br />
D Deficiency,” and “How to Start an ACO.” As always, the Intern/Resident<br />
Poster Competition will be held on Friday afternoon, March 2. You can<br />
find more information on the last page of this newsletter.<br />
Our next DO Day in Albany will take place on Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Attending DO Day is a great<br />
way to get your feet wet in advocating for the profession . Once again, NYSOMS will provide breakfast<br />
and lunch, transportation to Albany and talking points for participants. We will also make sure at<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Legislature recognizes <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Medicine Week at our morning rally.<br />
Legislative <strong>New</strong>s<br />
All NYSOMS members should be aware that as of Oct. 1, instead of being<br />
on a fee‐for‐service prescription plan, <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Medicaid recipients<br />
will be in one of 21 managed‐care plans, all of which place more restrictions<br />
on access to medications.<br />
NYSOMS weighed in on this topic during the last legislative session, when<br />
Gov. Cuomo issued an executive order for a Medicaid Redesign Team to Stephanie Darwak<br />
help reduce the state’s deficit by cutting the Medicaid budget. In March, NYSOMS Lobbyist<br />
lawmakers passed a $132.5 billion budget that included bundling pharmacy<br />
benefits into Medicaid Managed Care. However, no patient protections were enacted to ensure<br />
continuity of care and formulary transparency in Medicaid Managed Care organizations. For example,<br />
providers no longer have the authority to place patients on medications that aren't on insurers' lists<br />
of covered drugs.<br />
This major change in Medicaid benefits will impact both you and your patients. Last month, we sent<br />
you a link to a survey about the Medicaid transition. We will soon be sending you a follow‐up survey.<br />
The results of both will be used to help NYSOMS advocate for doctors and patients in <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State.<br />
Please send us your concerns about the impact of this transition on you and the patients under your<br />
care. We will bring these issues to the attention of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Department of Health (DOH).<br />
Important updates on the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Medicaid transition to managed care are available at<br />
http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/program/update/2011/index.htm. Information<br />
about determining a member’s plan, plan contacts and billing, links to all plans and their formularies,<br />
and frequently asked questions are available at: http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/<br />
medicaid/program/update/2011/sept2011mu_special.pdf. We encourage you to print it and keep it.<br />
Save the Date for DO Day in Albany: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
NYCOM <strong>New</strong>s<br />
NYCOM Awarded $2 Million in Federal Grants: Geriatrics training and medical education in<br />
family medicine are the focus of two new grants totaling more than $2 million, which were awarded<br />
to NYCOM from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).<br />
"Family Physician Faculty Training<br />
in Geriatrics," which was<br />
funded for $1,075,987, will use<br />
a train‐the‐trainer approach to<br />
educate Family Physicians in<br />
geriatrics and educational<br />
methodologies so they can effectively<br />
teach NYCOM students<br />
and family medicine residents<br />
in NYCOM’s OPTI, NYCOMEC,<br />
about best practices in Grant investigators, along with NYCOM Dean Thomas Scandalis, DO (4th from left).<br />
caring for the elderly.<br />
"An Accelerated D.O. Family Medicine Residency Continuum," which was funded for $950,000, will<br />
reconfigure NYCOM’s current four‐year undergraduate medical education curriculum into a threeyear<br />
accelerated Family Medicine‐oriented track for selected students. Five NYCOM‐sponsored<br />
Family Medicine Residency Programs—all in medically underserved areas—have agreed to accept<br />
these students. The program is one of only five accelerated medical school tracks in the country.<br />
A Tradition is Born: This year marked the beginning<br />
of a new tradition during NYCOM’s orientation<br />
for first‐year students. Members of<br />
the NYCOM faculty and student government<br />
dedicated one full day to educating the Class of<br />
2015 about professionalism in medicine. Dean<br />
Scandalis and former AOA President William G.<br />
Anderson, DO, spoke about the responsibility<br />
of being a doctor; and faculty and students Dr. Anderson<br />
presented scenarios for discussion, thought‐provoking questions, and videos and skits humorously<br />
illustrating the consequences of unprofessionalism. Members of the incoming class were led through<br />
the <strong>Medical</strong> Student Attitudes and Honor Code Document, which outlines the responsibilities and<br />
expectations for all medical students and residents; then signed the document and repeated the<br />
Honor Code Declaration, administered by Dr. Scandalis. Story by Sally Matthew, OMS III, NYCOM<br />
Student DO of the Year: NYCOM SGA President Sally Mathew,<br />
OMS‐III, has been selected as the 2011 NYCOM Student DO of the Year.<br />
Sally, who also represents NYCOM on the NYSOMS Board of Directors, is<br />
also NYCOM’s nominee for the national DO‐of‐the‐year honor.<br />
(In photo) Sally Mathew, OMS III (right), poses with NYCOM SGA First Vice President,<br />
Ankur Bhambri , OMS II (left), while NYSOMS Vice President Anna Lamb, DO, peeks out<br />
from behind.
TouroCOM <strong>New</strong>s<br />
The TouroCOM class of 2011 poses in front of<br />
the Appollo Theater behind faculty members and<br />
Touro officers, including AOA President Martin<br />
Levine, DO (5th from left), and TouroCOM Dean<br />
Robert Goldberg, DO, (6th from left).<br />
TouroCOM Graduates First Class:<br />
On June 2, more than 100 members of<br />
TouroCOM’s inaugural class celebrated<br />
their completion of medical school in<br />
Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater. These<br />
newly‐minted DOs will continue their<br />
studies at some of the best medical and<br />
surgical residency programs in the<br />
country, including Walter Reed Army<br />
<strong>Medical</strong> Center, NYU <strong>Medical</strong> Center<br />
and the Mayo Clinic. “A new medical school having so much success sending students to top‐tier<br />
medical programs with its first graduating class sets the precedent that we will be creating excellent<br />
doctors for many years to come,” said Touro College president Dr. Alan Kadish.<br />
TouroCOM Students Reach Out to Community:<br />
On Sept. 24, Harlem United—a community‐based<br />
health care organization—hosted the Harlem Health<br />
Fair in conjunction with “Reach Week in NYC.” The<br />
fair’s underlying purpose was to show Harlem residents<br />
that there are concerned medical professionals<br />
in their community. The TouroCOM Internal<br />
Medicine Club brought more than 35 students to<br />
the health fair, where they performed blood pressure<br />
screenings, held a children’s Teddy Bear Clinic<br />
in association with St. Luke's <strong>Medical</strong> Group, and<br />
participated in a bone marrow donation drive with Be the Match. They also handed out brochures<br />
about medical conditions that are prevalent Harlem and educated participants about the osteopathic<br />
medical profession with informational brochures and a Q&A for those interested in learning more.<br />
(Above) TouroCOM AMWA<br />
members. (Upper right) Students help<br />
out at the Harlem Health Fair.<br />
Be One Teach One: is a project of TouroCOM’s chapter of the<br />
American <strong>Medical</strong> Women’s Association (AMWA) that creates a<br />
safe, nurturing and challenging environment for high school girls in<br />
Harlem and near‐by communities by offering workshops on health<br />
and fitness concepts, osteopathic principles, anatomy, science, and<br />
problem‐based learning. The girls are encouraged to question their<br />
assumptions, build relationships with mentors and each other, and<br />
develop their interests in medicine and science. Close to 30 girls<br />
attended the project’s Oct. 9 kick‐off event, which was deemed a<br />
great success. AMWA members are anticipating a rewarding year.<br />
Last two articles by Ali Abdallah, OMS III, TouroCOM
AOA House of Delegates<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> Delegation: (Kneeling, l‐r) Lisa Eng, DO; Lynn Mark, DO; Sonia Rivera‐<br />
Martinez, DO; TouroCOM student alternate Priyadarshini Arcot; (standing, 2nd row, l‐r)<br />
NYCOM student alternate, Ankur Bhambri, and student delegate, Sally Mathew; Monica<br />
Rogalski, DO; Sherman Dunn, DO; Martin Diamond, DO; Kym Carpentieri DO; Danielle<br />
Schehr, DO; Bernadette Riley, DO; Donna McMahon, DO; (third from right) Thomas<br />
Zimmerman, DO; Dennis Dowling, DO; (back row, l‐r) Anna Lamb, DO; David Levy, DO;<br />
Richard Terry, DO; David Broder, DO; TouroCOM Student delegate Ali Abdallah. Not<br />
pictured: Robert Goldberg, DO; Freda Lozanoff, DO; Sheldon Sirota, DO.<br />
Barbara Ross‐Lee, DO (top),<br />
delivers the A.T. Still Memorial<br />
Address. (Below, l‐r) Delegation<br />
Chair David Broder, DO, Martin<br />
Diamond, DO, and Donna<br />
McMahon, DO.<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> Delegation takes AOA House of Delegates meeting by storm: <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> stood out<br />
at the 2011 AOA House of Delegates meeting (HOD), which took place from July 15‐17 in Chicago.<br />
Five <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> delegates sat on HOD reference committees, which make recommendations to the<br />
House, and once again, Delegation Chair David Broder, DO, served as HOD parliamentarian. The<br />
House also considered two resolutions submitted by <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> delegate Monica Rogalski, DO, and<br />
passed one—committing the AOA to the goal of establishing and supporting exemption of electronic<br />
medical records for solo and small group practices.<br />
In addition, <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> introduced a resolution authored by NYCOM student Nick<br />
Beatty, OMS III (left, courtesy of The DO magazine), that would establish and support<br />
a tobacco‐free environment at every college of osteopathic medicine. Beatty spearheaded<br />
the Council of <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Student Government Presidents’<br />
campaign on behalf of this resolution, which resulted in the resolution being cosponsored<br />
by more than a dozen state osteopathic associations and the Federation<br />
of State <strong>Medical</strong> Boards. The resolution passed, but not without controversy. You<br />
can read about it in The DO online at: http://www.do‐online.org/TheDO/?p=66681.<br />
Finally, although Barbara Ross‐Lee, DO, Vice President of Health Sciences and <strong>Medical</strong> Affairs at <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>York</strong> Institute of Technology, was not a member of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> delegation, she provided one of the<br />
HOD highlights when she delivered the A.T. Still Memorial Address on July 16.<br />
Drawing on the vision that Dr. Still had for the osteopathic medical profession, Dr. Ross‐Lee urged<br />
DOs to continue to uphold his legacy by being “the medical profession that produces physicians who<br />
serve people of this nation and world better—through a clinical focus on population needs, a strong<br />
educational continuum and innovation.”
Student Viewpoint<br />
Attending the annual AOA House of Delegates (HOD) meeting as a student delegate from <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong><br />
State was a thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable opportunity. Experiencing its democratic process<br />
first‐hand led me to appreciate the importance of political advocacy in our profession.<br />
Student participants have an especially unique experience, because they are given an opportunity to<br />
participate in the National <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Student Caucus (NOSC). This event, coordinated annually by<br />
the Council of Student Government Presidents (COSGP) and the Student <strong>Osteopathic</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
Association (SOMA), creates a forum for osteopathic medical students to discuss, amend, and present<br />
a unified student opinion on several resolutions. Participating in the NOSC was great preparation for<br />
the HOD, during which we had the opportunity to work with more than 600 delegates from around<br />
the country on almost 200 resolutions in various reference committees.<br />
In addition to voting on the many resolutions, the group bid farewell to the 114 th AOA President,<br />
Karen J. Nichols, DO, whose theme was “Teamwork,” and welcomed the incoming president, Martin<br />
S. Levine, DO, MPH, who asked us all to “Think <strong>Osteopathic</strong>ally.” The annual business meeting, where<br />
Barbara Ross‐Lee, DO, delivered the esteemed Andrew Taylor Still Memorial Address, was especially<br />
moving for <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong>ers. My fellow students and I were inspired to work even harder to bring<br />
successful advocacy to the local level. By Sally Mathew, OMS III, NYCOM<br />
What’s Happening<br />
TouroCOM‐Harlem was recently the featured guest on the<br />
local <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> City radio station Z100’s “Health Talk” program.<br />
Dean Robert Goldberg, DO, and several members of<br />
the faculty were interviewed during the show about the<br />
school’s mission of recruiting students who want to practice<br />
in underserved neighborhoods, its impact on the underserved<br />
Harlem neighborhood, and its efforts to increase<br />
public awareness about its mission, osteopathic medicine,<br />
and minority recruitment efforts. Following this discussion,<br />
the DOs took listener questions on the difference between<br />
DOs and MDs.<br />
TouroCOM Dean Robert Goldberg, DO<br />
NYSOMS Immediate Past President Richard Terry, DO, MBA, FACOFP; Ann Teng, DO, the resident<br />
representative to the NYSOMS Board from 2009 to 2011; and Robert Blue, MA, MS, OMS‐I, NYCOM,<br />
published an article in the April 2011 issue of JAOA: Journal of the American <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Association,<br />
titled “Incorporating a Mandatory <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Curriculum in Clinical<br />
Clerkships: Impact on Student Attitudes Toward Using OMM.” Dr. Terry is the Director of <strong>Osteopathic</strong><br />
Graduate <strong>Medical</strong> Education and the Family Medicine Residency Program at Wilson Memorial <strong>Medical</strong><br />
Center in Johnson City, NY. Dr. Teng completed her Family Medicine residency at Wilson and is<br />
currently completing a fellowship in occupational and environmental medicine at the Yale School of<br />
Medicine in <strong>New</strong> Haven, CT. Blue finished his graduate work in linguistics from the University of Florida<br />
and his graduate work in computer science at the State University of <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong>, Stony Brook.
What’s Happening<br />
Touro College has announced the appointment of Kenneth J. Steier, DO, as clinical<br />
dean of TouroCOM‐NY, in Harlem. Dr. Steier previously worked at Long Island Jewish<br />
<strong>Medical</strong> Center, where he served as medical director for pre‐surgical testing. His<br />
responsibilities at TouroCOM include oversight of medical students on rotation at<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong>‐area hospitals; planning and implementation of the clinical curriculum; and<br />
further design of the internship and residency programs. Dr. Steier will also teach<br />
courses in clinical systems and an introductory course in clinical medicine.<br />
Dr. Steier received a bachelor of science degree in biology from the State University of <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> at<br />
Stony Brook, and his doctorate in osteopathic medicine from NYCOM. He is board certified in internal,<br />
pulmonary and critical care medicine. He has served as associate dean and chair of the Department of<br />
Medicine at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, as well as a clinical assistant dean<br />
at NYCOM. He holds master’s degrees in public health, geriatric health and health administration.<br />
Abstract painter Constance Diamond, DA, wife of NYSOMS Board member Martin Diamond, DO, will<br />
be exhibiting her latest work from Jan. 2 ‐27, 2012, in the main gallery of the Port Washington Public<br />
Library, One Library Drive, Port Washington, NY. The Library will hold an opening reception from 2‐4<br />
p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7. For more information, call (516) 883‐4400 or log on the library’s Web site:<br />
http://www.pwpl.org/. Constance Diamond is a board member of both the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Board of<br />
Medicine and the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> State Office of Professional <strong>Medical</strong> Conduct. Dr. Diamond was the<br />
founding dean of TouroCOM. He currently serves as Director of <strong>Osteopathic</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> Education and<br />
Program Director for the traditional osteopathic rotating internship at Nassau University <strong>Medical</strong><br />
Center in East Meadow, NY.<br />
Shoni Rozenberg, daughter of Suzanne Rozenberg, DO, and Barry Rozenberg, DDS, began her first<br />
year as a NYCOM student. The Rozenbergs’ daughter Fani, who is working on a graduate degree in<br />
dance movement therapy, is getting married on Nov 20. Their son Josh and his wife are expecting<br />
their second child in early January. Their daughters Jesika and Beka are both college undergraduates.<br />
NYSOMS President, Sonia Rivera‐Martinez, DO, now has a namesake. Her granddaughter<br />
Sonia Isabella Montanez (right) was born on Aug. 7, 2011. Dr. Rivera‐<br />
Martinez, who is an assistant professor in the NYCOM Department of Family<br />
Medicine, recently began the osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship.<br />
In June, Zinaida Pelkey, DO, of Manhattan, became the President‐elect of the<br />
<strong>Osteopathic</strong> Cranial Academy. She will begin her two‐year term as President in<br />
June, 2013.<br />
NYSOMS is pleased to offer a new member benefit: medical malpractice and general<br />
liability insurance through Wasson National Insurance Agency, LLC. For<br />
more information, log on to http://www.wassonnational.com/<br />
We are also affiliated with a health care attorney, Joseph J. Labarbera, PC. For<br />
more information, log on to his Web site: http://www.nyhealthlawyers.com/
<strong>New</strong>s You Can Use<br />
Participate in the AOA’s 2011 CAP for PQRS Program to get Your Medicare Bonus Payment:<br />
The AOA’s 2011 Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) for the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)<br />
is now open! All data during the reporting period for 2011 must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2012, to be<br />
eligible for the PQRS bonus payment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This year,<br />
participants are eligible for a 1% bonus payment. Don’t miss out on yours!<br />
Log on to the Web link below for:<br />
1. 2011 CAP program changes<br />
2. Requirements, deadlines and fees<br />
3. Frequently asked questions<br />
4. A step‐by‐step tutorial<br />
5. The Patient Tracking Sheet tool<br />
Web link:<br />
http://www.osteopathic.org/inside‐aoa/development/quality/cap‐for‐pqrs/Pages/default.aspx<br />
This year, the AOA also has special pricing for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse<br />
specialists and registered dieticians ,as well as for group practices of 10 or more physicians. Call Angi<br />
Beranek at (312) 202‐8198 for details about pricing.<br />
AOA to Hold Town Hall Meeting on ACOs: On October 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid<br />
Services (CMS) released the final rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). This final rule<br />
contains the regulations associated with the establishment and operations of Accountable Care Organizations<br />
(ACOs). To help members understand these rules, the American <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Association<br />
will host a national town hall meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. Information on ACOs and<br />
integrated health delivery models can be found at www.osteopathic.org/aco. The AOA plans to post<br />
analysis and summaries of the MPPS final rule to this webpage by the end of October.<br />
Care‐Coordination Initiative Announced: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)<br />
will pay primary‐care doctors to better coordinate care under a pilot program that would require<br />
other public and private insurers to make a similar investment. This Initiative, which will begin next<br />
summer, is designed to provide primary‐care doctors with the funding and flexibility to manage<br />
chronically ill patients and coordinate care. Primary‐care doctors will receive an average of $20 per<br />
month for each Medicare fee‐for‐service enrollee to coordinate care in five to seven communities<br />
where most other insurers also agree to take part. The agency will pilot the effort under the<br />
Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, federal health officials announced.<br />
Care coordination payments or other support from public or private insurers “will be expected,” as<br />
part of the program, according to the solicitation. Insurers must also agree to shared savings and disclosure<br />
of cost and medical use data; and should be willing to coordinate quality and other measures.<br />
<strong>Medical</strong> practices that participate in the program and meet quality measures will be eligible to keep a<br />
share of savings. Insurers must submit a letter of intent to participate by Nov. 15 and formal applications<br />
by Jan. 17, 2012. Practices will apply next spring. To learn more about the program log on to:<br />
http://innovations.cms.gov/areas‐of‐focus/seamless‐and‐coordinated‐care‐models/cpci/
NYSOMS Remembers<br />
Former NYSOMS President and longtime delegate to the AOA House of Delegates Stanley Schiowitz,<br />
DO, FAAO, died on June 27, 2011. He was 88.<br />
One of the American <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Association’s Great Pioneers of <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Medicine, Dr. Schiowitz<br />
was one of the original founders of NYCOM, which he served as dean from 1991‐2002. During his tenure,<br />
NYCOM underwent the growth spurt that led to its current status as the second largest medical<br />
school on one campus. He is also known for developing Facilitated Positional Release, an OMM technique<br />
now taught at most colleges of osteopathic medicine, and for co‐authoring “An <strong>Osteopathic</strong><br />
Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment,” a standard textbook in the profession. He was a lifetime<br />
member of NYSOMS.<br />
Dr. Schiowitz retired in 2002 but remained active, teaching his techniques to students, faculty members<br />
and practicing osteopathic physicians at seminars around the country—including a well‐attended<br />
annual OMM weekend workshop sponsored by NYSOMS. In 2007, Dr. Schiowitz received the AOA<br />
Distinguished Service Certificate, which is the profession’s highest honor. To watch and listen to Dr.<br />
Schiowitz talk about his career in osteopathic medicine, log on to the video at the link below:<br />
http://nyit.edu/index.php/videos/viewer/stanley_schiowitz_video/<br />
Eli H. Stark, DO, of North Bellmore, NY, died on July 10, 2011, at the age of 85. Dr. Stark served as<br />
president of NYSOMS in 1971. He was a World War II veteran, a longtime physician in North Bellmore,<br />
a former assistant dean at NYCOM, and a founding member of Temple Beth El of Bellmore. He was a<br />
lifetime member of NYSOMS.<br />
Morton H. Rothstein, DO, of Massapequa, NY, died on June 27, 2011. He was 83. Dr. Rothstein was<br />
an osteopathic surgeon who co‐founded Massapequa General Hospital in Seaford, NY. Admired and<br />
respected for his integrity and dedication, he will be remembered always by those who knew and<br />
loved him. He was a lifetime member of NYSOMS<br />
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS<br />
NYSOMS elections are Friday March 2, 2012 at the Annual Business Meeting held at the Sheraton Long Island<br />
Hotel, Hauppauge, NY. A President, a Vice‐President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, two Directors, and Delegates<br />
to the AOA House of Delegates shall be nominated by the nominating committee of the <strong>Society</strong> and<br />
their names presented to the Annual Meeting of the <strong>Society</strong>. Additional nominations may be presented by<br />
any eligible member* during the Annual Meeting. The <strong>Society</strong> shall elect these officers at the Annual Meeting<br />
and a majority of all votes cast shall be necessary to elect. Nominations should include the name of the<br />
nominator and the nominee and can be sent to: NYSOMS Nominating Committee, 1855 Broadway, <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>York</strong>, NY 10023 or email to : nysoms@nysoms.org by December 31, 2011. *Only Active and Life Members<br />
are eligible to nominate, vote or hold these offices.
Financial Focus<br />
Don’t Risk Your Financial Well-being—Plan Ahead<br />
Paul S. Rothman, President<br />
Financial Management Corp.<br />
I’ll bet you’re not considering the prospect that you may ever need home care or nursing home assistance,<br />
right? But if it can happen to “Superman”—actor Christopher Reeve, it could happen to you!<br />
Reeve was paralyzed in a 1995 horse riding accident and joined millions of Americans who require<br />
nursing care at home or who now reside in nursing facilities. The risk of needing long term care is real.<br />
What is Long Term Care? Long Term Care is the assistance needed when one cannot perform two<br />
of the six “activities of daily living.” These activities are: eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, continence<br />
and transferring. Inability to perform these activities are usually the result of chronic illness, a<br />
disability or injury. Long Term Care is also needed for severe cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s<br />
disease or dementia, to name a few.<br />
How does Long Term Care insurance help you and your family? Long Term Care insurance protects<br />
your assets; allows you to live how you want and where you want; protects your family from the<br />
potential burden of being your full-time caretaker; protects your savings, college funds, and retirement<br />
plans from being eaten up by the high costs of long term care; and gives you freedom to choose the<br />
kind of care you want.<br />
When should you purchase Long Term Care insurance? Most financial advisors agree that one<br />
should start looking into Long Term Care insurance in his or her mid-40’s to 50’s. Like most insurance<br />
products, Long Term Care insurance is priced by your age and health. The goal is to lock-in your<br />
insurance premium when you are healthy. If your health deteriorates, the insurance companies may not<br />
accept you as a risk, no matter how much more you are willing to pay for their product.<br />
Who will pay for Long Term Care? Your major medical plan? No. At best it will cover limited<br />
care and only at the skilled level—not at the custodial level. Medicare? This is a traditional<br />
medical health plan that pays for “acute” or “skilled” medical services and is not designed<br />
for long term care. At best, Medicare will pay up to 100 days of skilled rehab services in a nursing<br />
home or temporary and limited home care services. This coverage cannot be obtained without prior<br />
hospitalization and most importantly, there is no coverage for custodial care. Medicaid? This is a<br />
means tested public assistance program that you most likely will not qualify for. And in <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong><br />
State, the Medicaid program is being overhauled for economic reasons—to the detriment of the patient.<br />
Family and friends? Do you really want that for them? Your own savings? How long will your savings<br />
last if you are spending $300,000 per year in a nursing home?<br />
The solution? By planning ahead today and making Long Term Care insurance part of your financial<br />
plan, you can help protect your assets; reduce the burden of care that falls on family members; reduce<br />
the emotional and financial burdens that are associated<br />
with providing care; and maintain control<br />
over where you receive care, including in<br />
your home.<br />
Discounted products and services are offered as a<br />
member benefit to NYSOMS members and do not<br />
constitute an endorsement by NYSOMS or a representation<br />
regarding the products’ quality or characteristics.<br />
While NYSOMS believes that these products<br />
and services are of value, NYSOMS cannot be responsible<br />
for, or warrant the quality or performance<br />
of these products and services, which<br />
ultimately is the responsibility of the vendor.
Eastern Regional <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Convention March 1‐4, 2012<br />
A Generational Storm: Medicine’s Hope ‐ Medicine’s Future<br />
Sheraton Long Island Hotel, Hauppauge, NY<br />
Workshops & Special Programs<br />
NYS Infection Control and Barrier Precautions Course; Suturing Techniques for the Primary<br />
Care Physician; OMM Workshop<br />
Courses Include:<br />
<strong>Medical</strong> Leadership: How to be a More Influential Physician; Establishing a <strong>Medical</strong> Home;<br />
For a full course list, go to http://www.nysoms.org/events.asp<br />
Exhibit Hall, Raffles and Prizes<br />
This program anticipates being approved for at least<br />
25 AOA Category 1‐A CME credit pending approval by the AOA CCME<br />
AAFP credits pending approval by the American Academy of Family Physicians<br />
Note: 2012 is the last year of the current AOA 3‐year CME cycle<br />
To register for EROC, log on to:<br />
/library/event‐media/Registration_Early_EROC2012.pdf<br />
NYSOMS Annual Business Meeting & Luncheon<br />
Open to all NYSOMS Members<br />
Report to Membership and Election of Officers<br />
Submit nominations for officers by December 31, 2012<br />
See Call for Nominations inside for additional information<br />
Friday March 2, 2012<br />
Interns/Residents/Fellows Research and Case Studies<br />
Poster Competitions<br />
Open to all NYSOMS members who are <strong>Osteopathic</strong> Interns/Residents/Fellows<br />
Application and Policies available on line:<br />
/library/event‐media/2012_Poster_competition_Policies_Application.pdf<br />
/library/event‐media/2012_Application_NYSOMS_Poster_Competition_Fillable.pdf<br />
Friday March 2, 2012<br />
Fax completed applications and abstracts to (516) 686‐3748<br />
Deadline for submissions: Dec. 16, 2011<br />
President’s Reception & NYCOM Alumni Reception<br />
Friday evening, March 2, 2012<br />
Award Presentations, including NYSOMS Physician of the year<br />
Nominations to bgreenwa@nyit.edu by December 15, 2011<br />
Program Updates: www.nysoms.org<br />
Additional information: 800‐841‐4131 or nysoms@nysoms.org