TABLE OF CONTENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MAY04 OKACOGTownHall
Tulsa:11 AM-1PM
OKC:3PM - 5 PM
Forlocationsand details,contact joetta@tcmsok.org or918.743.6184
MAY09 SkinofColorSymposium
7:00AMto4:00PM-Virtual MarkAllenEverett,MDDept.ofDermatology Earn upto7.00AMA PRACategory1Credits
MAY10 OSU-COMCommencement at TulsaMabee Center,7777SLewisAve|1 PM
MAY11 HappyMother’sDay!
MAY15 OU&OSUResidentResearchNight TulsaOB-GYNSociety at TCMS|6 PM
MAY20 TCMSMedTalkonTap atMcNellie’sSouth |5:30PM Moreinfoon page5
MAY23 OU-SCMCommencement atTU LortonPC,550SGaryPlace|2 PM
LEADERSHIP
TULSA COUNTY
MEDICAL SOCIETY
Physicians Advancing Health Care
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stephen Bruns, MD
Sharon D’Souza, MD
Christopher Emerson, MD
Ondria Gleason, MD
Karen Gold, MD
Diane Heaton, MD
Brian Macha, MD
Reetu Singh, MD
Sharon Smallwood, MD
John Tedesco, DO
James Webb, Jr., MD
STUDENT RESIDENT COUNCIL
LEADERSHIP
Courtney McCorkle, OU, MSIV
Sydney Marouk, OSU, OMSIII
Mark McElreath, MPA Executive Director TCMS & TCMS Foundation mark@tcmsok.org
Pam Oppelt Care Coordinator Project TCMS pam@tcmsok.org
TULSA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION
Physicians Caring for the Community
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Peter Aran, MD
Stephen Bruns, MD
Ondria Gleason, MD
David Griffiths, MD
Michael Hairston, CTFA
Martina Jelley, MD
Brian Macha, MD
David Minielly
Kulsum Siddiqui
John Tedesco, DO
Matthew Wenger, MD
STAFF
Joetta Cunningham Director of Operations TCMS joetta@tcmsok.org
Ashley Bishop Development Coordinator Project TCMS ashley@tcmsok.org
MAY26 OfficesClosed TCMS,TCMSFoundation,andProjectTCMSwill beclosedinobservanceofMemorial Day.
JUN10 OSDSRSS
RescheduleddatefromFebruary 18 canceled meeting.Moredetails tocome.
JUL01 TCMSDrillersNight SAVE-THE-DATE!
Join usforanevening of fun, food,baseball,and fireworks.Moredetails tocome.
PROPERPRESCRIBINGCME‘25DATES(VIRTUAL)
MAY09
JUL18
SEP12
NOV13
DEC05
Friday,May9,12-1PM Friday,July18,12-1PM. Friday,September12,12-1PM Thursday,November13, 6-7PM Friday,December 5,12-1PM
Speaker: Cori H. Loomis, JD., McAfee& Taft Free for OSMA members & $75 for non-member physicians
Tosign up,orfor moreinformation,contact KatieKemper, 405-601-9571, kemper@okmed.org,orvisit www.okmed.org
*Signedintolawin 2018, Oklahoma’s Senate Bill 1446 mandates that all physicians complete one hourofCME in
Mental Health Awareness Month - TCMS Physician Wellness Program
Ondria C. Gleason, M.D.
Greetings! May is here! Hopefully, you have celebrated Cinco de Mayo Hopefully, May the Fourth was with you And hopefully, the April showers brought you some May flowers…for your May Basket! (My favorite!) But, even more importantly, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so I am dedicating this newsletter to providing our membership with a review of information about our Physician Wellness Program:
Take Care of Your Patients by Taking Care of Yourself
The Physician Wellness Program (PWP) provides a safe harbor for physicians to address normal life difficulties in a confidential and professional environment. Our lives can be challenging. Problems with the current health care delivery system, maintaining a healthy work/life/family balance, and dealing with the normal stresses of everyday life can take a toll on us By addressing areas of difficulty, we can decrease our stress levels and increase our resilience and effectiveness for ourselves and for our patients.
HOW PWP WORKS
We have gathered a diverse group of counselors to help our physicians, residents, students, and retired physicians of the Tulsa County Medical Society (TCMS), by providing up to 8 free visits per calendar year Our counselors maintain a confidential file for each physician No insurance will be billed and TCMS will not be given any information about those who utilize the program As such, this program is completely confidential. TCMS pays a monthly bill based on the number of sessions provided.
In summary, the PWP provides:
Up to 8 free, confidential sessions with an experienced therapist
Convenient, private location
No diagnosis specified, no insurance billed, no electronic record kept
Appointments at convenient hours for physicians
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Contact the therapist of your choice (see list, below) and let them know you are a member or non-member of Tulsa County Medical Society The therapist will verify your membership through a third party and set up an appointment with you. (For a limited time, through a grant from Telligen, non-member physicians may also access this resource!)
For a list of PWP Program Counselors/Therapists and their contact information, please visit https://www tcmsok org/physician-wellness
Please utilize this resource, as needed. It is here for you! If you have any questions, you can reach out to me or any of our TCMS staff.
Have a Happy May!
Ondria Gleason, MD TCMS President
Register Now for TCMS MedTalk on Tap - May 20
Join us for our first ‘MedTalk on Tap’ as we meet for a time to socialize and network with drinks and appetizers including an informative topic important to physicians.
REGISTER NOW
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM
Where: McNellie’s South
Cost: FREE (Must RSVP to Attend) Who can attend: Physicians and Residents
Topic // To Be Social or Not: Social Media and Reputation Management in the Medical Practice
More and more patients are using social media and the internet to research their current physicians or look for new ones. As a result, it is even more important for physicians to have an online presence they control.
Websites, social media and rating sites are all opportunities to control how patients view your practice. How, you may ask? This talk goes into greater detail of how practices can harness the internet to their benefit, through what makes a good website, to reacting to those dreaded negative reviews.
Space is limited, so register now!
MEDTALK TAPON
Topic >> To Be Social or Not Social Media and Reputation Management in the Medical Practice
Presenting Sponsor
Presented
by
Leslie L Snider MS, FACMPE, CHC, RT(R) SVMIC | Senior Medical Practice Consultant
Tulsa County Medical Society
Webinar: Cyber Attacks and Fraud Targeting Healthcare – Are You Prepared?
Oklahoma Medical Group Management Association (OKMGMA)
When: 05/13/2025 12:00 PM, CDT Can't attend live? Receive the recording!
ABOUT THE WEBINAR:
Cybersecurity threats are on the rise especially in healthcare, where data breaches and payment fraud can have serious consequences.
In this informative session, Noah Dermer, Executive Director and Head of Payment Security at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Payments, will explore the current landscape of cyber attacks and fraud targeting the healthcare sector. From real-life examples to practical security strategies, this webinar is designed to help healthcare professionals assess their risk and better prepare their organizations
You’ll leave this session with a deeper understanding of today’s threats and how to strengthen your defenses against them.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Noah Dermer is a cybersecurity and payments expert with years of experience safeguarding healthcare systems As Executive Director and Head of Payment Security at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Payments, he focuses on securing financial transactions and protecting sensitive healthcare data. Noah is a respected voice in healthcare cybersecurity and is passionate about helping organizations stay ahead of threats in an increasingly digital world.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
OKMGMA webinars are approved for 1.0 CE credit hour of LIVE learning from MGMA state for those attending the live session.
OKMGMA Webinars are approved for 1.0 CE credit hour from MGMA state for on-demand listening.
OKMGMA webinars are FREE for members! You must be logged in to register. ($75 non members)
Q&A: Why OSU Center for Health Sciences is Ranked No. 1 for Graduates Serving in Healthcare Shortage Areas
News
on 6
| Autumn Bracey
OSU Center for Health Sciences has recently been ranked number one in the nation for sending its medical graduates to work in underserved communities, specifically those facing healthcare shortages. This ranking comes from U S News & World Report
Q: What are Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)?
A: Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are regions where there is a lack of healthcare providers, making it difficult for residents to access medical care These areas are often in rural or economically disadvantaged parts of the country.
Q: What percentage of OSU’s graduates are working in these underserved areas?
A: According to U S News & World Report, about 73% of OSU’s Osteopathic Medicine graduates are currently practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas, helping to address the critical shortage of healthcare providers in these communities.
Q: How does OSU help prepare students to work in these communities?
A: Dr Johnny Stephens, with OSU Center for Health Sciences, explains the university takes a strategic approach starting early. They recruit students from middle school, particularly from rural Oklahoma, to let them know that becoming a doctor is a possibility Once admitted, students are placed on rural or urban tracks to ensure they are well-prepared for the healthcare needs of those communities
Q: What is OSU’s strategy for selecting students?
A: Dr. Stephens mentions the school prioritizes recruiting students who are from rural Oklahoma or have a strong desire to serve those communities By focusing on these students during the application process, OSU ensures more graduates will stay in Oklahoma and practice in areas where healthcare providers are needed the most
Q: How is OSU addressing the growing healthcare need in Oklahoma?
A: Dr. Stephens emphasizes while some progress has been made in tackling healthcare shortages, the need continues to grow especially as older physicians retire OSU’s approach includes not only training new doctors but also providing ongoing support to current physicians in underserved areas, such as through telemedicine and telehealth initiatives.
Q: Why is telemedicine so important for underserved communities?
A: Telemedicine is a top priority for OSU, according to Dr Stephens By expanding telehealth services, OSU can provide support to rural healthcare providers and their patients, reducing the need for long travel times to receive medical care
Q: What’s the broader mission of OSU Center for Health Sciences?
A: OSU’s core mission is to grow Oklahoma’s healthcare workforce, especially in rural and underserved areas. Dr. Stephens believes this work is critical in addressing the state’s healthcare needs and ensuring patients have access to care without having to travel long distances.
Q: How is OSU working to ensure more Oklahomans enter the healthcare field?
A: By continuing to focus on admitting Oklahoma students, OSU is ensuring its graduates are more likely to remain in the state and contribute to the local healthcare workforce. This approach helps to directly address the healthcare gaps in underserved areas across Oklahoma.
Q: How does the national recognition help OSU in its mission?
A: Being recognized by U S News & World Report not only validates OSU's successful approach but also helps the university continue to attract students and resources. This recognition brings national attention to the importance of addressing healthcare shortages, which can lead to further opportunities for the university and its graduates to make a lasting impact in underserved communities.
Q: What is the future outlook for OSU graduates in underserved areas?
A: Dr. Stephens remains optimistic about the future, highlighting the work OSU is doing now will continue to play a crucial role in addressing Oklahoma’s healthcare needs. As more physicians retire, the need for healthcare providers in underserved areas is growing, and OSU’s efforts will help ensure those gaps are filled by highly trained professionals committed to improving the state’s healthcare system.
For a link to this news story click here