Lansing, MI- The Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) hosted the 29th annual, Legislative and Public Policy Conference at the Radisson Lansing at the Capitol. The Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA) hosted a pre-conference session on the Flint water crisis. The title of the session; "The Facts, Not the Politics" summed up the spirit. An expert panel discussed chemistry, not crisis management. While the discussion avoided placing blame on any entity, the conclusions were clear- this is a huge infrastructure issue that needs to be addressed as a whole. Lansing Board of Water and Light retired chemist Bill Maier said, "Replacing only part of the plumbing could be worse than doing nothing at all." 

The conference attracted a veritable "Who's Who" of Lansing politics and once again featured "Media Pundits: Tackling the Issues and Offering Solutions." The panel of media experts included Tim Skubick, Capitol Correspondent, Michigan Radio Network; Bill Ballenger; Kyle Melinn, MIRS; and Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press. The session was highlighted by predictions in the presidential race and the next governor's race. The audience was able to join in as a "Text Poll" allowed attendees to weigh in on the prediction process, with real-time results projected on two-screens in the room. 

Members of the MOA Task Force on Safe Opioid Use with Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (left to right) Kris Nicholoff, Exec. Dir. MOA, Dr. Robert G. G. Piccinini, MOA President, Dr. Stephen R. Bell, Gov. Rick Snyder, Dr. David Best, Dr. David Neff

The MOA was represented on the "Leg Pub" planning committee by Virginia Bernero and Todd Ross resulting in a key MOA issue being a featured session. "Opioid Epidemic: Treatment versus Incarceration" was a discussion regarding the epidemic facing our state and how law enforcement is dealing with the complex issues regarding addiction treatment. The MOA joined the discussion with Drs. Robert Piccinini, David Best and Stephen R. Bell contributing their thoughts on the use of naloxone, prescriptions and Medical-Assisted Treatment. All three physicians are members of the MOA Task Force on Safe Opioid Use. Dr. Bell also served on Governor Rick Snyder's Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force.

Dr. Robert G. G. Piccinini introduces Gov. Rick Snyder

For the 3rd year in a row, Governor Rick Snyder was the keynote speaker. The governor was introduced by MOA President, Dr. Piccinini. MOA executive director, Kris Nicholoff, addressed the audience as he presented Gov. Snyder with a plaque and thanked the governor for the cooperation his office has had with the MOA in regards to the Opioid Task Force and efforts to reduce the vaccination waiver rates in Michigan. 

 
The Legislative and Public Policy Conference has become one of the more influential events in the Capital city. Legislators and policy makers are drawn to a crowd made up of the biggest associations in the state. "We are proud to play a part in this great event," said Nicholoff, "It really connects our members with the groups that can help us move our issues forward."

Okemos, MI, Feb 20 - The Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA) played host to a workshop designed to instruct members on drafting resolutions. "This is the kind of program that connects with the future of our association" said MOA Executive Director, Kris Nicholoff. The Saturday session drew interest from a variety of demographics which resulted in a great balance of mentors and protegees. 

The workshop was a first-of-its-kind, but look for another session in the future as news of the program drew more interest. Through the workshop an FAQ was developed and will be posted on the MOA website where proposed resolutions can be submitted online. 

Dr. Young, what made you become a DO?
"I didn't always know that I wanted to be a DO, but I did know that I love people and that I wanted to work with people. And luckily for me, I was accepted into an osteopathic medical school, Michigan State, and as I grew to fully understand what being a DO meant, I couldn't be more excited that I had made that decision.

Being a DO is everything to me. It's not just my philosophy with my patients, it's my philosophy about how I live my life. So, for me, being an osteopath is about embodying a mind, body, spirit approach to patient care and to good, healthy living.

Dr. Young volunteering at the MOA/MSUCOM Legislative Flu Day

As I am growing as a future leader in the osteopathic profession, I look back and see that what really made a difference in getting more involved was that any time that I attended an event or conference, a DO would approach me and say, 'hey, you're a young person, you choose to come here - tell me about why you did that. Tell me about your interests, tell me about what you see for the future of this organization.' And I really felt that my voice was valued. And that is what kept me coming back. The more involved I became, the more amazing mentors I met, the process just snow-balled into me finding new passions and excitement for the profession that I never even knew I had before.

And that's what keeps me coming back, that's what keeps me a leader... that's what makes me proud to be a part of the DO family."

Infectious Diseases, Zika Virus & more: The Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA) offers a webpage with list of resources on infectious diseases. Visit Infectious Disease Resources

Revenue Cycle Management: Employing an RCM tool in your practice supports automation and saves your staff time. E-statements are up to 60 percent less expensive than conventional paper bills. More info at ICSystems

Physician and Hospital Ratings: Whether you like them or not, physician review websites have your name and practice, with your patients rating you. It's good to periodically check the sites to see how you rate and what patients are commenting on. HealthGrades.com is a great place to start. 

For some great tips on boosting your score on ratings sites, visit ReviewTrackers.com