The Washington D.O.
News You Can Use
November 21, 2020
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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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FIRST-OF-IT'S-KIND MED SCHOOL
MAKES HISTORY
(MEDSCAPE ARTICLE BY USHA LEE MCFARLING)
Ashton Glover Gatewood, 31, a member of the Choctaw Nation and descendent of both the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations, has long lamented the glaring lack of Native American physicians. So she decided to become one.
Gatewood is a student in the inaugural class of the first tribally affiliated medical school in the United States, the Oklahoma State University (OSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. The school opened this fall on Cherokee land in Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation's 14-county reservation in the rolling hills of rural Oklahoma, about an hour east of Tulsa.
"When I first read in the paper that OSU and the Cherokee Nation were starting this school, I knew I had to be a part of it," said Gatewood, an RN with an MPH degree who had been working as a public health nurse at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. "I want to help the Native community and know, as a physician, I'll have a larger platform and voice."
Tribal communities have long lacked resources and medical care. They face crushingly high rates of poverty, substance abuse, and suicide, as well as well as an increased incidence of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The coronavirus pandemic has further highlighted the healthcare disparities that affect these medically underserved people.
Medical educators have struggled for decades — with little success — to boost the number of Native American physicians and to train physicians to staff clinics for chronically underserved rural populations such as the Cherokee Nation. Nationwide, fewer than half of 1% of US physicians are Native American. In the first class at the new school, 22% identify as such.
"After we were removed from tribal lands and there were no teachers, we invested our treasury into teachers," said Bill John Baker, former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. "This is a natural progression. Just as our ancestors grew their own teachers 150 years ago, we want to grow our own doctors."
Read the full article HERE
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COVID-19 UPDATED WASHINGTON RESTRICTIONS
The recent increase in the spread of COVID-19 cases is very concerning. The latest data show Washington is seeing more than 2,000 new cases a day. In response, new statewide restrictions are taking effect this week.
On Sunday, Nov. 15, Gov. Jay Inslee announced the new restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings, indoor dining, retail, gyms, and many other types of establishments. The full, updated guidance is available on the governor’s web page.
The steps are designed to slow the spread of the illness, protect public health, and ensure that hospitals and the medical system are not overwhelmed.
We understand how difficult this is for everyone, personally and professionally. The situation is changing regularly, and we want you to have the latest information.
To help ease financial impacts on businesses and their employees, the state is committing $50 million in aid, including $20 million in Working Washington grants through the state Department of Commerce. Details will be available on the Commerce COVID-19 business page as soon as applications are ready.
Commerce is also using $30 million in CARES funds and working with private investors to create a loan program. The loans will provide favorable terms for businesses struggling to get traditional financing. Commerce will provide details on this new program and loan availability in the coming weeks.
Additional information on the new restrictions is available in an article on the governor’s Medium Page.
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF FREE TOBACCO CESSATION SERVICES FOR WASHINGTONIANS
On the 20th anniversary of the Washington State Quitline. Since 2000, the Quitline has helped tens of thousands of Washingtonians live longer, healthier lives through free tobacco cessation counseling and medication. However, commercial tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death in Washington, costing more than 8,000 lives and $2.8 billion in health care each year.
As of 2019, 13 percent of adults in Washington still smoke cigarettes, with disparities among minorities and low-income people. Any Washingtonian can call the Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). Most Medicaid clients and many privately insured clients are eligible for the Quitline service provider’s Quit For Life® program. For those without access to this program, the Quitline will either transfer them to their health plan’s benefit or provide free counseling and nicotine replacement therapy made available through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to the Department of Health.
In 2019, more than 2,200 uninsured and underinsured people registered with the Quitline, and a recent evaluation estimated that nearly 35 percent of Quitline participants quit within seven months. However, registrations have dropped 20 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, and according to CDC, smoking is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness. Thus, it’s more important than ever to ask patients if they use tobacco, advise on quitting, and refer to resources such as the Quitline.
Make referrals at quitline.com under “Refer A Patient.” The Quitline will call your patient within 48 hours to complete their registration and enroll them in a program. Washingtonians can also text READY to 200-400 to register for free telephone counseling, as well as text and/or web-based support. This support is tailored to meet the needs of specific populations, from teens who vape to adults with serious mental illness.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to your patients’ health, particularly during this challenging time.
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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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