OOA Members: Have You Completed a Survey?

OOA Members, non-member DOs, osteopathic students and residents are all being surveyed as part of a comprehensive six month strategic planning process. All practicing DOs with an e-mail on file at the OOA have been sent an electronic version to complete.

The survey takes 10 minutes or less to fill out and is designed to give the OOA Board feedback about current programs and member needs.  If you did not receive a survey, call the office and request another by e-mail or fax.  

The OOA Board of Trustees and staff are developing a new plan because of the rapid changes taking place in the health care industry.  The OOA process is especially timely, because the American Osteopathic Association and the Centers of Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE) are simultaneously completing plans of their own.  

"We want to ensure that the Ohio Osteopathic Association remains relevant and valuable as we experience these changes,"  said OOA President Schield M. Wikas, DO. "We also want to get input from entire profession; that's why we are conducting a series of membership surveys and focus groups to get the entire profession involved in the process."

The OOA Board has engaged Mel Marsh, a strategic planning consultant, to guide the process.  She has worked with a number of health-related organizations including the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians and the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.   During the next eight months the association will:

•  Identify critical issues the association must address in this planning process.
• Interview all board members to identify their wishes for the future and their  perception of strengths, weaknesses, and upcoming challenges.
• Survey all members to identify their wishes for the future and perception of strengths, weaknesses, and upcoming challenges.
• Survey non-members to understand barriers to their participation in the association and what would cause them to value membership.
• Analyze and evaluate changes in the health care industry and trends that may impact our Association or members.
• Conduct focus groups with the presidents & executive directors of the Cleveland, Akron, Warren and Youngstown Academies to obtain additional input on redistricting/membership needs at the local level
• Conduct a focus group with the Ohio Residents Advisory Committee (ORAC);
• Survey the first two classes at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine to identify perspectives of the newest members of the osteopathic profession and their future needs; and meet with student leadership to discuss results.
• Prepare overall environmental assessment report documenting the current reality, expected changes, and proposed strategic goals for the association.  This report will be shared with the OOA Board  in advance of the November board meeting and will be discussed at the meeting.
• Define objectives and measures of success for each goal and revise the mission & vision of the Association as needed to complete the strategic plan.  
• Present a draft strategic plan for your approval at the March board meeting along with recommendations concerning governance structure and possible redistricting that may need action by the OOA House of Delegates.

Dr. Wikas has appointed a representative sample of past, present, and future OOA leadership to participate as a planning committee.  They will provide advice and guidance to the OOA staff and Board  as we work through the process.  Planning committee members are:

• Robert S. Juhasz, DO, OOA Past President and Member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Cleveland
• William J. Burke, DO, Past President of the Ohio ACOFP, Family Practice Residency Director and Member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Columbus
• Robert J. Hunter, DO, OOA Second Vice President, Dayton
• Brian A. Kessler, DO, OOA Treasurer, Cleveland
• Ioanna Z. Giatis, DO, President, Ohio ACOFP, Cleveland
• Albert M. Salomon, DO, OOA President-Elect, Columbus
• Adam J. Kinninger, DO, New Physician in Practice, Sports Medicine Fellowship, Dayton
• Richard J. Snow, DO, Chair of the Ohio Medical Home Task Force, Columbus
• Nicholas G. Espinoza, DO, Associate OU-COM Dean, Toledo
• James A. Preston, DO, Family Physician, Residency Director, Sandusky
• Peter A. Bell, DO, OOA Past President, Past President of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians.
• Stuart B. Chesky, DO, JD, Vice Speaker of the OOA House, Chair of the OOA Leadership Committee 

The OOA’s strategic planning activities will dovetail with the those of the American Osteopathic Association, which will be involving state divisional societies in their strategic plan development, during the Osteopathic Medical Education Conference in San Francisco.  OOA Treasurer Brian A. Kessler, DO and OOA Executive Director Jon Wills will be participating.