What Does POMA Do?

• POMA is your osteopathic advocate
• POMA testifies on behalf of osteopathic physicians
• It is the resource for your questions regarding:
  • Licensure
    • Patient safety
    • Continuing medical education
  • Mcare
  • Professional liability
  • Life insurance
  • Medical insurance
• Practice concerns
  • Employment of PAs, CRNPs
  • Closing a practice
  • Insurance reimbursement
  • Patient complaints
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid

How Does POMA Serve Its Members?

• Promotes the osteopathic profession and physicians in Pennsylvania.
• Peer review and advocacy
  • Committee to review insurance cases at members’ requests
  • Committee to review grievances by physicians and patients
• Contributes to Physicians Health Programs (for impaired physicians) and advises physicians when contacting the POMA regarding the program.
• POMA legal counsel directed to initiate legislation to protect physicians’ assets over and above professional liability insurance.

Other Benefits to POMA Members

• POMA records all CME credits sent to the Central Office and forwards these credits to the AOA CME Department.
• Annual Clinical Assembly/Convention allows physicians to earn 40+ Category 1 CME credits, including patient safety and other CME requirements for Florida licensure.
• Physicians in their first year of practice after completing a residency receive FREE POMA membership – a $375 value
• A credit card benefitting scholarships is available to members.

Opportunities

• Serve on POMA committees (39)
• District leadership
• POMA House of Delegates – policy body
• POMA board of trustees
• POMA officers

POMA Publications

• The POMA Newsletter is published every three weeks.
• The Journal of the POMA is a quarterly educational medical journal.
• Membership directory is published annually.
• “Patient Pointers” flyers are published in the POMA Newsletter for distribution in physicians’ offices.
• “Legal Corner” appears in the Newsletter and/or Journal as called for by current issues.
• Another Voice, a POMA Newsletter column is designed to allow physicians to share their opinions on issues with one another.
• POMA website at www.poma.org, includes timely information and links to other sites important to the osteopathic profession.
• E-mail – poma@poma.org, allows POMA to send the POMA Newsletter to members with e-mail addresses more quickly, as well as distribute district meeting notices and other timely information. Allows POMA members easy access to the Central Office.
• Pamphlets on osteopathic medicine and “What is a D.O.,” etc.

POMA Representation

• Board member of the Citizens Alliance for Pennsylvania Patients, designed to achieve true tort reform.5
• Committee on Patient Safety Forum
• Business Advisory Committee – PMSLIC
• Carrier Advisory Committee – CMS
• KePRO board member
• Health Care Cost and Quality Data Committee
• OPTIs – LECOMT and PCOM Mednet
• State Board of Osteopathic Medicine
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation – Medical Advisors
• Loan Forgiveness Program
• Office of Medical Assistance PROMISe Program

Miscellaneous Benefits

• POMA contributes $130,000+ each year to the POMA Foundation for stethoscopes and physician members’ continuing medical education seminars and scholarships.
• Discounts on waste management with contributions to POMA scholarships.
• POMA insurance administrator contributes to POMA scholarships.
• POMA life and disability insurance -- new members under 45 years of age qualify for a $25,000 life insurance policy and a $25,000 disability policy free for the first year.
• POMA contributes to charities on a yearly basis.

What Does POMA Do for Students

A portion of your dues subsidizes:

• Scholarships to third- and fourth-year osteopathic medical students
• Stethoscopes to first-year osteopathic medical students at LECOM and PCOM, and to Pennsylvania residents in other osteopathic medical schools
• White Coats to first-year osteopathic medical students at LECOM and PCOM
• Outstanding Student Award presented annually to a member of the LECOM and PCOM graduating class
• Student Government presidents from LECOM and PCOM to attend AOA House of Delegates meeting
• Contributions to AOA D.O. Day on the Hill
• Student Government and SOMA presidents attend POMA board of trustees meetings with voice.
• Newsletters are sent to LECOM and PCOM
• Contribute to Primary Care functions
• Senior Luncheon
• The POMA Newsletter reserves space for a “Student Corner” column.
• Students are invited to participate in the Annual Clinical Essay Contest, with a $1,000 first prize.
• Students are automatically POMA members during their years in osteopathic medical school.

What Does POMA Do for Interns and Residents

• Committee on Professional Guidance/Young Physicians
  • Intern and resident representatives of the OPTI programs meet three times per year in each region – East/Central/West.
  • Resident representatives for the three regions are part of the POMA House of Delegates with voting privileges.
• Advice on Pennsylvania licensure requirements
  • AOA-approved internship
  • Residencies
  • Professional liability
• Prep for Practice seminars held as needed
• Intern/resident representatives from each region attend POMA board of trustees meetings
• Annual Clinical Essay Contest with $1,000 first prize open to interns and residents
• The POMA Newsletter reserves space for an “Intern/Resident Corner” column
• Interns and residents are POMA members and receive the POMA Newsletter through e-mail.