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Altoona
Hospital has an Osteopathic Internship approved by the AOA since 1991. |
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The
Altoona Family Physicians are part of the PCOM OPTI.
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Altoona
Hospital has been accredited by the AOA’s Bureau of Health Care Facilities
Accreditation since July 1991.
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The
Altoona Hospital has an Osteopathic Methods and Education Committee that
began in July 1990 and has been chaired by Dr. Kathleen E. Sweeney,
Osteopathic DME, since October, 1995.
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Osteopathic
physicians have been trained at Altoona Family Physicians since 1980.
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Osteopathic
physicians are on the Executive Committee, and hold Medical Staff offices at
the Altoona Hospital Center for Medicine.
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Total
number of Osteopathic Physicians, as of January 2002 was:
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Total
number of osteopathic physicians on staff:
46
Board Certified: 41
(some physicians are double boarded)
Board Eligible: 6
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Osteopathic
Physicians are represented in the following specialties at Altoona Hospital:
Family Practice,
Internal Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery,
Vascular Surgery, Neurology, Surgery, Invasive Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology,
and Emergency Services.
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Osteopathic
hospital rounds take place every other month, led by Ruth Jones, D.O.
She is a Family Physician who completed an OMT Fellowship at
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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Osteopathic
lectures take place every other month.
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At
Altoona Family Physicians D.O. residents share osteopathic methods with
their M.D. colleagues.
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Altoona
Family Physicians has a fully-equipped osteopathic manipulation room.
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We
allow adequate visit times for interns and residents to give manipulative
care to patients if needed.
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Kathleen
E. Sweeney, D.O., the Osteopathic Director of Medical Education, is
board-certified by the American Academy of Osteopathic Family Physicians and
the American Board of Family Practice.
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Consider joining us in this Osteopathic tradition of high quality
education.
Accreditation
The Altoona Family Physicians Family Practice residency is pleased to be one of the
first ACGME family practice residencies to have an A.O.A. accredited internship fully
integrated into its residency program. Accreditation was obtained in 1991 and has been
maintained and enhanced with participation in the PCOM OPTI in 1999. Our internship is the
first year of our family practice residency and is recommended only for students wishing
to be a part of the family practice residency.
Osteopathic manipulative therapy
Osteopathic manipulative therapy is part of patient care for every intern and family
practice residents. We have a fully equipped manipulation exam room with a hydroculator
unit and adjustable table. This facilitates the integration of treatments the daily
schedules of our osteopathic physicians.
Development of Osteopathic Skills
There is an Osteopathic Education and Methods Committee at the Altoona Hospital.
Its function is to encourage osteopathic treatment and education.
Interns and residents are asked to use manipulative therapy when on the medicine
service at least twice a month. These treatments are reported and discussed at monthly
committee meeting. Each spring an osteopathic manual medicine day is provided for interns,
residents and medical staff. Recent speakers have been professors from the West Virginia,
Philadelphia and Michigan Osteopathic Colleges. In 2000 we began a teaching relationship
with Ruth Jones, D.O. as part of our PCOM OPTI. Dr. Jones did an OMT fellowship at
PCOM and currently has a family practice in Bedford, Pa. She has graciously begun to take
the 45-minute drive from her practice to work with the residents at noon conference.
Practice Climate for Osteopathic Physicians
Many osteopathic physicians practice at the Altoona Hospital in specialties diverse as
family practice, internal medicine, neurosurgery, orthopedics, dermatology, and
endocrinology. Osteopathic physicians are represented on the Executive Committee of the
hospital that works with the Hospital Board to make all major institutional decisions. The
administration of Altoona Hospital supports accreditation of the hospital by the AOA and
JAHCO. Due to our AOA accreditation, medical staff member can obtain category 1 credits at
the monthly CME programs and educational committee meetings at Altoona Hospital.
Many of our osteopathic family practice graduates show their satisfaction by electing
to practice right here in Central Pennsylvania.
Drs. Grine, Sweeney and Kozminski receive the
declaration
of September as Osteopathic Month in Altoona from the Mayor.
