[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 18888-18889]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE WEEK

 Mr. BOND. Mr. President, October 6-12, 2002 is National 
Osteopathic Medicine, NOM, Week, a week when the nation's 49,000 
osteopathic physicians, D.O.s are focused on increasing the public's 
awareness of access to care issues for patients across the nation.
  For almost 25 years now, the American Osteopathic Association, AOA, 
and its members have celebrated the osteopathic medical community's 
unified effort to educate the nation about issues influencing the 
American health care system. I am especially pleased the theme of this 
year's NOM Week is ``Access to Care.''
  When osteopathic physicians, medical students, interns, residents and 
supporters of osteopathic medicine travel to Las Vegas, NV to attend 
the AOA's 107th Annual Convention and Scientific Seminar, nearly 8,000 
will receive the latest information on issues impacting patients access 
to care quality and timely health care. The program covers such topics 
as professional liability insurance reform, rural health, the 
uninsured, SCHIP and other access to care programs for children, 
bioterrorism and mental health.

[[Page 18889]]

  I applaud the osteopathic medical community for emphasizing patient 
access issues, so important to my home state of Missouri and the 
nation.
  Take for example, rural health. Many citizens of my home state face 
limited availability of health care services in their communities. 
Access to health care can be established only when medical 
professionals are available to provide quality health care. We must do 
more to ensure that all Americans have access to timely health care and 
part of the solution is to place physicians in rural communities. Let's 
not forget the access to care barriers facing minority populations, 
children and the elderly.
  Over the past few years, medical liability premiums have escalated 
out of control causing health care quality, access, and cost problems. 
While some states have passed professional liability insurance (PLI) 
system reforms, not every state has effective laws in place. The 
osteopathic medical community recognizes many states face critical PLI 
system problems.
  For more than a century, D.O.s have made a difference in the lives 
and health of my fellow citizens in Missouri. I am proud to say that 
the birth of this profession took place in Northwest Missouri. Overall, 
more than 100 million patient visits are made each year to osteopathic 
physicians. D.O.s are committed to serving the needs of rural and 
underserved communities and make up 15 percent of the total physician 
population in towns of 10,000 or less.
  Similar to requirements set for M.D.s, D.O.s must successfully 
complete four years of medical education at one of the nation's 20 
osteopathic medical schools; a one-year internship; and a multi-year 
residency program. Throughout this education, D.O.s are trained to 
understand how the musculoskeletal system influences the condition of 
all other body systems. Many patients want this extra knowledge a part 
of their health care. Individuals may call (866) 346-3236 to find a 
D.O. in their community.
  In recognition of NOM Week, I would like to congratulate the over 
1,700 D.O.s in Missouri, the 616 students at the Kirksville College of 
Osteopathic Medicine, 871 students at the University of Health Sciences 
College of Osteopathic Medicine and the 47,000 D.O.s represented by the 
American Osteopathic Association for their contributions to the good 
health of the American people.

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