The following policies were adopted at the July 2022 AOA House of Delegates Meeting in Chicago:
Resolution H-203: Disability Determinations
Policy affirming the AOA’s support for education, training, and involvement of osteopathic physicians in the process of impairment ratings as they can be used to establish disability determinations. Strikes the inclusion of students, instead preferring to allow the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) to determine what is taught at the undergraduate medical education level, as is precedent.
Resolution H-208: Longitudinal Approach to Cultural Competency Dialogue on Eliminating Health Care Disparities
Reaffirms prior policy with minor edits that the AOA encourages evidence-based education and dialogue in cultural competency, the social determinants of health, and the physician’s role in eliminating health care disparities. Major edits were striking inclusion of “institutions for osteopathic medical education” as this is left to COCA as per precedent.
Resolution H-217: Equality In Away Rotations/Sub-Internships for Osteopathic Medical Students
With some residency training programs charging exorbitant fees for osteopathic medical students to apply compared to their allopathic counterparts, this ensures that the AOA advocates for equal fees and access for our students.
Resolution H-219: Certifying Residents of Board Eligibility
Policy written to address the current American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) policy to not allow Internal Medicine Program directors who are board certified through the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine (AOBIM) to certify graduating internal medicine residents as eligible for the ABIM examination. This ensures the AOA will continue to advocate for internal medicine programs directors to be able to sit for the board exam of their choosing and still be able to certify their residents as well as advocate for all AOA board certified program directors to be able to certify their residents regardless of their choice to sit for osteopathic or allopathic board exams. It also states that the AOA will work with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to defend the equivalency of ABMS and AOA certification of program directors.
Resolution H-220: Physician Designation, Truth in Advertising and Residency/Fellowship Training Non-Physician Post Graduate Medical Training 2022
States that the AOA will work with the American Medical Association (AMA) and other stakeholders to ensure funds for training of non-physician providers do not divert from funds intended for physician graduate medical education. Also declares that the AOA will oppose non-physician healthcare providers from holding a seat on boards that provide oversite of physician undergraduate/graduate medical education, certification, or licensure and that any non-physician seat be held by a non-medical professional.
Resolution H-223: Osteopathic Education
Policy that ensures the AOA will recommend to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) that resources be devoted during undergraduate medical education for training students about the history of the osteopathic profession, the hurdles it has faced, and how it has shaped American Healthcare.
Resolution H-300: Defining New Physicians in Practice
This ensures the continued definition of a “New Physician In Practice” by the AOA to include any physician within their first 5 years completing their post-doctoral training.
Resolution H-436: Support for Increased Crisis Intervention Team Training for Law Enforcement
Policy stating that the AOA will encourage increased resources and training initiatives such as crisis intervention team (CIT) for law enforcement to improve patient safety and reduce negative outcomes for patients.
Resolution H-437: Increased Research on the Public Health Impacts of Decriminalizing Possession of all Illicit Drugs
States that the AOA encourages increased research and data collection on the public health outcomes associated with decriminalizing the possession of all illicit drugs in light of several world health groups and European countries studying their potential public health benefits by keeping people from incarceration.
Resolution H-503: Amendment to the American Osteopathic Association Constitution-New Physician in Practice Definition (Second Read)
Constitutional Amendment made to ensure equal definition with the aforementioned policy, while adding the requirement that the candidates must be members in good standing of the AOA.
A “second read” means it has been looked at the year prior and now can be presented for action at the current house.
Resolution H-507: Amendments to the Article VI-Section 1 D of the American Osteopathic Association Constitution (First Read)
Presents for first reading the constitutional amendment ensuring postdoctoral trainees and new physicians in practice shall be represented by three delegates to be selected by the BEL.
A “first read” means it is being presented for review this year and can be presented for action at the next house.