The Washington D.O.
News You Can Use
October 28, 2019
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This is a publication to keep you informed of issues and events pertaining to the osteopathic profession in Washington State. We invite you to submit topics or articles of interest to your colleagues for consideration. Submissions may be emailed to
executivedirector@woma.org
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WOMA Remembers Bear
Loren H “Bear” Rex, DO
March 10, 1943 –
October 23, 2019
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of what can easily be described as WOMA’s most interesting member and greatest supporter of osteopathic medicine in Washington State. Loren H “Bear” Rex, DO, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of October 23, 2019 after a long illness.
Dr. Rex was born on March 10, 1943 in Wheeling, MO. He received his BS in Zoology and Chemistry from Northeast Missouri University in Kirksville, MO and his DO degree from UHS Kansas City, MO in 1971. He completed a rotating internship at Waldo General Hospital in Seattle in 1972.
Dr. Rex practiced family medicine and OMT in Seattle, South Bend and Tacoma before establishing an OMT practice in Edmonds. While in Seattle he served as Medical Director of the Methadone Maintenance Program. In 1976 he co-founded the Ursa Foundation, a non-profit teaching institution providing lectures and instruction of osteopathic manual medicine techniques to providers of manual medicine. He traveled the world sharing his expertise.
Bear was associated with several colleges and universities, nationally and internationally, holding appointments at MSU-COM and Western U COMP and guest lecturing throughout Canada and Australia. He served on several committees and workgroups, most notably as WOMA’s representative to the Department of Labor and Industries Medical Advisory Committee.
A proud member of the WOMA family, Dr. Rex served three non-consecutive terms as President and spent several years as a member of the WOMA and Washington Osteopathic Foundation (WOF) Boards. He provided several OMT courses for WOMA, donating all proceeds to the Foundation and for several years presented unique fundraising events for Osteopac (Washington Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Political Action Committee). When the Ursa Foundation dissolved in 2015, most of the funds were donated to the Washington Osteopathic Foundation to help support its funding of OMM programs. WOMA recognized Bear’s dedication to the osteopathic profession by bestowing two prestigious awards: Distinguished Life Member and the Warren Lawless Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Rex was also recognized in 2003 for his work with the Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation’s Founders Award.
Dr. Rex was not your typical physician. His sense of humor was reflected in most of the 108 “Bear Droppings” articles he wrote for the Washington D.O. newsletter published from 1989 to 2016. Sometimes controversial and a bit irreverent, his words generated discussion and more than an occasional laugh. He was also quite a musician and shared a love for Blue Grass music with many friends, culminating in the annual “Pig Barbecue” at his house in Edmonds where you could go from room to room and listen to a number of different bands playing, Bear sitting in on several of them.
WOMA was fortunate to have such a member as Bear. He will be missed and always remembered for his great generosity and humor.
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Dr. Dugaw Honored
At its Annual Founders Banquet last month, the NW Osteopathic Medical Foundation presented the J Scott Heatherington Lifetime Achievement Award to Dan Dugaw, DO.
This award is presented annually to an osteopathic physician from the Northwest that has made a lifetime of contributions to the profession as well as the community. It is presented in honor of Scott Heatherington DO, the first physician from Oregon to become President of the American Osteopathic Association (1969) and former President of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon (1952-53). He was also the Founding President of the Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation (1985-1987).
Dr. Dugaw is a family medicine osteopathic physician with a private practice in Olympia, WA. He specializes in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT).
He is a 1976 graduate of Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a rotating internship at Green Cross General Hospital.
Dr. Dugaw served two terms as a member of the Washington State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, including Chair.
He has been a member and Past President of the Washington Osteopathic Medical Association (WOMA) since 1977. His contributions to the association including serving as a continuing medical education (CME) instructor in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), and active member of the WOMA political action committee. He has also served on the Board of the Washington Osteopathic Foundation (WOF) Board for over 20 years.
Dr. Dugaw is also an alumni and Trustee of St. Martin’s University in Lacey, WA.
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Skagit Regional Health Announces Changes to the Graduate Medical Education Program
In a recent press release
, Skagit Regional Health announced it is making changes to the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, beginning in July 2020. Over the next three years, the organization will gradually sunset the Family Medicine Residency, an AOA Accredited program, supporting the program fully until all current Family Medicine residents have completed training and are board eligible. The Internal Medicine Residency program and Pacific Northwest University student rotations will continue unchanged. (see
LINK
for full press release)
In response, WOMA sent a letter from WOMA President David Gillingham, DO to Peter Browning, Chair of the Skagit Regional Health Board of Commissioners expressing surprise of this news to the osteopathic community, asking reconsideration of this decision which will lead to a decrease in our state’s ability to train and retain primary care physicians, decrease access to primary care and have a chilling effect on osteopathic medical training in Washington State.
In his letter, Dr. Gillingham expressed concern that the hospital leadership team did not reach out to any number of external stakeholders, including WOMA, PNWU or the University of Washington for assistance. He indicated that WOMA has several working relationships and contacts within national organizations which could be used to generate resources for Skagit Regional Health to maintain the residency program and meet ACGME standards. WOMA believes the decision to sunset the family medicine residency program is premature as there are several stakeholders who could potentially offer resources and solutions for any shortcomings the residency program is facing. Dr. Gillingham asked Dr. Browning to let him know if WOMA can be of further assistance and thanked him for his attention and reconsideration of this matter.
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HEALWA VisualDx Access
As a Washington Osteopathic Physician, you have access to VisualDx through
HEALWA
.
VisualDx is a peer reviewed, award-winning diagnostic clinical decision support system designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy, aid therapeutic decisions, and improve patient safety.
VisualeX saves clinicians’ time and improves diagnostic accuracy. Use it to build and compare differential diagnoses, starting with a general medicine chief complaint. Check for drug reactions, consider treatment alternatives, and confirm findings. Included are therapy guidelines and resources.
Try it now!
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OMT by MD's Clarified
The Washington Osteopathic Medical Association recently collaborated with the Washington State Medical Association to clarify with the Washington Medical Commission the use of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment by allopathic physicians. With the recent unification of graduate medical education accreditation under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the blending of DO and MD resident programs is complete. There are several residency programs in Washington State which are osteopathically recognized by the ACGME, and many of these programs have a blend of MD and DO faculty. The American Osteopathic Association is supportive of MDs training in OMT and other osteopathic principles, and in fact there are several training programs oriented towards increasing MD training in these principles.
MDs are prohibited in statute from manual manipulation of the spine through the use of chiropractic practices.
Based on the collaboration between WOMA and WSMA, the Medical Commission will be issuing an Interpretive Statement in the near future that clarifies the difference between OMT and chiropractic practices. This will address any potential issues in residency programs and MDs in general practice.
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Important Save the Dates!
DO Day 2020 in Olympia
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Please mark your calendars to join us in Olympia for
DO Day 2020
!
Wednesday
March 4
th
, 2020 .
This is your chance
to
meet your legislators, to discuss the
legislative issues that effect your profession and your patients!
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107
th
Annual Northwest Osteopathic Medical Convention at Suncadia Lodge Resort & Spa
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June 12-14, 2020
Suncadia Resort
3600 Suncadia Trail
Cle Elum, WA 98922
The selection of Suncadia was based on your survey responses. Due to availability of meeting and sleeping rooms, the 2020 convention will be reduced to three days, beginning at 1:00 pm on Friday and ending Sunday afternoon. We anticipate offering up to 18 1-A credit hours.
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2020 Fall Seminar at Pacific Northwest University of Health Science in Yakima
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It is not too early to mark your calendars for
WOMA’s 2020 Fall Seminar
being held in Sunny Yakima on
September 19
th
, 2020
!
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Do you have member news to share with your osteopathic colleagues?
Please send it and a related photo, if available, to executivedirector@woma.org
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The Washington Osteopathic Medical Association
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