About Us

The Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists is a statewide organization representing over 1,400 anesthesiologists and allied health providers. OSA promotes improved communication among its members and the advancement of anesthesiology within the medical profession. The OSA is a state affiliate of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). OSA publishes a newsletter, which includes timely information about legislation and regulation.

The OSA Annual Meeting is held in the fall in major Ohio cities. Throughout our site you will find the latest news and information surrounding the role of anesthesiologists in the state of Ohio. We hope to foster communication among our members and various state and local agencies, and emphasize the importance of anesthesiologists in today’s complex medical environment.

President's
Corner

Around this time last year, my family moved into a new home.   We found the building process to be all-consuming and a roller coaster ride of both disappointment and optimistic anticipation.  Each decision weighed heavily on us as homebuilding costs skyrocketed due to a pandemic shortage of both labor and materials.  As we chose from a variety of materials and furnishings, we frequently found ourselves asking whether our decisions would provide enough value to justify our investment.

In our professional lives, we each have finite resources to invest in ourselves and our careers.   Whether it be time, money or mental and emotional bandwidth, it is prudent to only invest those precious resources in things that bring real value.

The Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists recognizes its obligation to return value to its members.   For example, the value received from state component membership is evident when you attend the annual meeting.   You may not, however, be aware of other ways the OSA is working to provide value to our profession and the careers of its members.

In recent years, the OSA has waived registration fees for its members to attend the annual meeting.  This last September, 291 members registered to attend.   Attendees had access to 10.25 CME credits including patient safety credits that meet the American Board of Anesthesiology’s requirement for maintenance of certification.   We look forward to an equally successful annual meeting on September 20-22, 2024 at the Columbus Hilton at Easton.

For anesthesiologists who have graduated from training within the last 3 years, the OSA and ASA now offer unprecedented membership value through their Early Career Membership Programs.   In lieu of the standard annual membership fees, young physicians can obtain 3 years of membership in the OSA for $200 and the ASA for $299.  To be clear, that is not an annual fee, you would not be assessed a membership fee again for either society until your annual membership cycle begins in the 4th year!   This new membership plan allows early career physicians to experience the value of society membership for a very small initial investment.  Please spread the word to any young physician in your practice who is not currently a member!

One of the less visible, but highly impactful areas of value provided to OSA members occurs through legislative advocacy.   Willa Ebersole has represented the OSA as a lobbyist for over 30 years and works tirelessly to help us meet with and educate our state legislators on the importance of the anesthesia care team. This year, the OSA continues to work to ensure that proposed legislation, such as House Bills 102 and 362, recognize the role of the physician in the anesthesia care team.  These bills discuss scope of care for Advanced Practice Respiratory Therapists and CRNAs.  Among other bills that protect our patients and our practices, the OSA has also recently lobbied to support limits on non-compete clauses for physicians.

Those not familiar with the administrative structure of the OSA may not be aware of the many roles and committees that function to provide value to Ohio’s Anesthesiologists.  The OSA sends representatives to the ASA House of Delegates meetings to ensure Ohio is represented in decisions pertaining to national standards and practices related to our field.   We send representatives to the Annual ASA board meetings and provide representation within the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA).  OSA committees represent our subspecialties within the society to ensure specialty-specific issues are considered.   This year, I am challenging each OSA committee chair to create a “work product” that is designed specifically for the purpose of providing value to the members of our society.

Our very own Ronald Harter, MD, serves as the president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Dr. Harter is not only an Ohio Anesthesiologist, but has served the OSA in various leadership capacities throughout his career, including as president of our state society.   We are very fortunate to have Dr. Harter and many other qualified individuals representing Ohio at both the state and national level.

Much like my family’s homebuilding experience, you may question how you can ensure that you are getting full value from your decision to be a member of the Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists.  The OSA will always work to represent all Ohio anesthesiologists at a local, state and national level regardless of their membership status within our society.  However, as is true with most worthwhile investments, taking time to learn about what you are investing in will result in greater professional value.

Please be sure to visit the OSA website at https://osainc.org to learn more about society news, next year’s annual meeting and how to donate to the OSA’s political action committee.   Be on the lookout for emails from the OSA with instructions on how you can contact and work with your local leadership to shape impactful legislation.  Attend the annual meeting, ask to join a committee, consider attending our board meeting beforehand or simply come to network with OSA members outside of your own practice while you enjoy the excellent speakers.

Do you have ideas about projects our committees can work on, or questions you would like our committees to discuss about clinical practice in Ohio?  Are there evolving threats to your practice, or novel approaches you have found to navigate those threats, that you would like to share with the OSA?   Don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly with ideas about how the OSA can help you in your practice at osa@osainc.org.

I look forward to discovering new ways to serve the anesthesiologists of Ohio and provide value to our members.  Happy Holidays!

 

Kenneth Moran, MD

President

Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists.

- The OSA Mission

Anesthesiologists are a Patient’s Lifeline…

We Promote the Highest Standards of Patient Care and Safety
We Foster Excellence through Education
We Advocate for Our Patients

– The Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists

Board of Directors

President: Kenneth Moran, MD
President-Elect: Victor Davila, MD, FASA
Vice-President: Keith Roller, MD
Secretary-Treasurer: Benu Makkad, MD
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer: Jessica Lovich-Sapola, MD
Immediate Past President: Andrew Zura, MD, FASA

Contact the board:
Email: osa@osainc.org
Phone: 614-784-9721
Fax: 614-784-9221

Distinguished Service Award Recipients:

2023 – Paul J. Wojciechowski, MD, FASA

2022 – Beth Minzter, MD

2021 – Alan P. Marco, MD, MMM, CPE, FACPE

2020 – Ronald Harter, MD, FASA

2019 – Robert Small, MD, FASA

2018 – Willa Ebersole

2017 – Patricia Davidson, MD

2016 – Richard Stilz, MD

2015 – Brenda Lewis, DO

2014 – Thomas Bralliar, MD