Transcription:

Scott Webb (Host): Hello and welcome to the American College of Osteopathic Internists' podcast, Doc's Off the Clock. Juggling the business of medicine and caring for patients, means doctors always seem to be on the clock. Doc's Off the Clock featurs some of today's best voices in healthcare with tips on how to live a better balanced life.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'm Scott Webb and joining me today to discuss recent successes and the bright future of the ACOI as we head into 2022, is the President of the ACOI, Dr. Robert DiGiovanni. So, Doctor, thanks so much for your time. It's great to speak with you again. You know, I know ACOI has hosted CME meetings since their beginning and the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way these meetings are held. Will you talk about how the ACOI and its members adapted to the challenges created by COVID by hosting the CME conferences online and maybe the success of the first ever hybrid meeting?

Robert DiGiovanni, DO, FACOI (Guest): Certainly. Great question. We've all had to adjust how we conduct educational activities during the pandemic. In 2020, like all the other educational organizations, our program was virtual and highly successful. So there was some, a natural tendency for us to say, well, this was great. We've had a very financially successful virtual meeting. Maybe this is the way we should run our meetings from now on, but we all recognized that we were missing something. And that was that personal contact, that in-person community that you just can't get in a virtual meeting. So, we took a big gamble in 2021, when we went to a hybrid meeting, combining both in-person and virtual attendance. There hasn't been many educational organizations that I can think of, or that I belong to, that have tried that. We were perhaps one of the first in the country. And it was extremely successful.

It was a small intimate gathering with extremely high quality lectures and excellent participation and a great venue, that being the Gaylord Hotel in Orlando, Florida and the virtual attendance was also outstanding. And I've received an enormous amount of positive feedback. So, I think that hybrid meetings are going to be the way of the future. It takes a lot more work and a lot more organization, but they are definitely going to be the way of the future.

Host: Yeah, it sounds like it. And you know, for those who wanted to and could attend in-person, great. Those who were more comfortable or financially or whatever, the reasons were, wanted to stay online, it does present some logical challenges. But sounds like you met those challenges, which is great.

Dr. DiGiovanni: And also speakers who wanted to Zoom in.

Host: Right, right. Yeah.

Dr. DiGiovanni: If they could not attend in person, they could send in their lectures virtually. And we had people speaking from Washington, DC, from people for example, an epidemiologist from Washington, a rheumatologist from California. So, it really opens up a whole vista for us.

Host: It really does. And I think that, you know, we've learned a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, but especially the medical system has really learned, you know, to embrace virtual meetings. And now you're doing this sort of hybrid, you know, format, which seems to be working. So, it's really great to hear.

And in addition to the success of the annual meeting, would you want to talk about the importance of initiatives such as the Visiting Professor and the Solid Program to support future osteopathic internists, and sub-specialists, you know, what can younger members, students, residents, young physicians look to gain through their membership with the ACOI? And finally, you know, how is the ACOI serving as a mentor for the younger generation?

Dr. DiGiovanni: Well, another excellent question. Outreach to our student members and resident members is so important. And mentoring is so important. Finding that mentor that can you know, help you pattern yourself, you know, after physicians who have had successful careers and are leaders in internal medicine is really one of the strengths of the ACOI. The Solid Program and Visiting Professor Programs are just outstanding, I participated in a Solid Program online. There were about 40 atteendees and it was such a hot topic. It was about how to be successful in passing the Comlex and USMLE exams during your student years.

And this is really big hot topic on all of the campuses right now, the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. So, we had a speaker that just nailed it, just, just really, we're going to definitely record it and make it available to the internal medicine clubs at all the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

And I just don't think it could have been more on point. So, these programs are quite a value add for membership in the American College of Osteopathic Internists. And it keeps us in touch with the physicians, the young physicians and helps mentor them and mold them into being successful internists and providing quality care to their patients.

Host: Yeah. It always comes back to the patients and really, you know, helping and mentoring that younger generation, that next generation, if you will, is really cool and great to make, you know, any of these lectures, anything you can available online, we're all sort of learning that you know, people want to do things at their own pace, at their own time and making those things available sounds awesome. And, you know, under the ACOI faces a number of challenges, but it's also presented a lot of great opportunities. And so you, as a member of the ACOI for more than 30 years, you've spoken about the importance of the ACOI being a home and a family for osteopathic internal medicine physicians and subspecialists.

Maybe talk a little bit about what you see in store for ACOI. We've talked about you know, the hybrid format and so on, but what else do you see in store for 2022 and beyond? What specific goals do you have for the organization as we head towards 2022?

Dr. DiGiovanni: Well, much of our goals are going to be the same as they've always been, as you said, you know, being a home for osteopathic internists and really internists in general, I think is very important to us. There's a very strong community feeling to it and we really do try to stay true to the reason we chose internal medicine in the first place. Our tagline is it's always been within you, stay true to why you became an internist. The future in 2022, is going to be, I think, very interesting. We're going to, of course, have another hybrid meeting. We're going to have our internal medicine board review course, hospitalist courses, et cetera.

We're going to try to offer other educational opportunities during the course of the year. And we are going to try to have what we call a value add to our in-person meeting this coming fall in Baltimore. We'll decide what that's going to be and what that's going to look like. And in fact, I'm flying up to Baltimore in January. We have a committee that's going to meet and kind of determine what type of value add we will have for that meeting to entice people to come in person as opposed to just being online. So, that's kind of what we have in store for 2022.

Host: That's great. Sounds really like another great year. And as you say, you know, the value add, like the hybrid format is working, but it's always great to have people there in-person to really see them and talk to them and be in the same room together. So, just trying to meet kind of everybody where they are, you know, and what they're comfortable with, which is great.

And you've talked about the importance of the ACOI, helping members obtain wellness and balance in their lives. These are principles contained in the principle centered medicine concept created by the ACOI to help strengthen the physician patient relationship, you know, and help physicians find health, and wellness, and ultimately to stay true to why they pursued internal medicine in the first place. Right? So how is the ACOI working to promote physician wellness activities?

Dr. DiGiovanni: Well, this is another very hot topic in medicine right now. Of course everybody's concerned about physician burnout, health and wellness and so forth. And our motto there is really, you know, it's like being on the airplane is like, put your oxygen mask on first and then you can help others. Before you can really be a good physician, before you can provide quality health care to your patients, you have to find that balance and that health and wellbeing in your own life and lifestyle. It can't all be about work. It's got to be a you know, family. It's got to be friends. It's got to be physical and mental wellbeing.

And that's a very important part. It's one of our four pillars of the ACOI is health and wellness. And, we are going to certainly be looking at that again, as part of that value-add to our in-person conference. I think community itself leads to health and wellness. Recognizing that the reason we became physicians is it's a privilege to be able to provide service to our patients as a physician and that the regulatory responsibilities we have the paperwork and the other type of frankly, onerous and draconian things that add to our unwellness are less important. And that's what we emphasize. And that's what we'll be emphasizing as we go into the future.

Host: Yeah. And that's a great analogy. You know, you have to put your mask on first in order to be able to help other people, right? So we need doctors to be physically, mentally well in order to be able to do their jobs effectively. So great for you to be looking out, you know, in terms of your membership, looking out for, you know, all aspects of their lives, both personally, and professionally sounds great. And you know, with 2021 coming to a close, just want to get your final thoughts as we look ahead. I know you've covered this a little bit, but ACOI celebrated 80 years this year as an organization, which is amazing. So, what do we need to do as a membership, both individually and collectively to pave that bright future as we look forward?

Dr. DiGiovanni: I think the future for the ACOI is extremely bright. And one of the reasons is because of the extreme talent, involvement of the ACOI membership. I belong to several professional organizations, but I don't know of any other organization where physician involvement is so invited and so important in being the life's blood of the organization.

So as far as that is concerned, I think that people will stay involved, contribute their talents and their brilliant minds, quite frankly, to the functioning of the organization. And that's really why the future looks bright. I mean, this is an organization that's been around for 80 years, a professional medical society, and it's continued to flourish even throughout the pandemic years where so many other membership organizations saw a decline, we've maintained a very healthy response and contribution from our members. And for that reason, I think the future is bright indeed.

Host: Yeah, I think you're so right. And really, 80 years is an amazing accomplishment, especially making it through COVID. And as you say, the membership really is key. And we've talked today about the next generation, the younger generation, and the, the sense of mentorship, you know, of that next generation. So all good stuff as we head into 2022. Doctor, thanks so much for your time. And you stay well.

Dr. DiGiovanni: Thank you very much. I've enjoyed our conversation.

Host: And thank you for spending a little time with us today. We look forward to future podcasts where we'll continue to explore issues of importance to you. For additional information, please contact the ACOI directly at 1-800-327-5183. Or by visiting our website at acoi.org. You can also email us at acoi@acoi.org. And until next time be well.