The Emergency Medicine Club, a chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP), hosted Dr. Peter A. Bell, DO, MBA, HPF, FACOEP-Dist., FACEP to speak to the students and faculty regarding the impact of policy issues on the medical profession. Dr. Bell’s MBA and years of advocacy within the profession were evident as he shared policy details and the role of financial issues in medical practice. He provided a historic perspective, an update on the current state of policy and finances in healthcare, as well as projections for the future – from the birth of Social Security to the Affordable Care Act.
“Policy awareness and advocacy are a huge responsibility on health professionals,” said Bell. “We represent the largest portion of the federal budget – .96 trillion dollars in 2013. We must be advocates.”
Dr Bell is a 1980 graduate of Hamilton College and obtained his medical degree from the University of New England in 1984. He completed residencies in Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine and is board certified in both. His first job was as Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Doctors Hospital/OhioHealth in Columbus Ohio. He established the first emergency medicine residency at Doctors Hospital in 1991, and has been an attending faculty member at Doctors Hospital for the past 26 years. Dr Bell was appointed Assistant Dean for the Ohio University CORE system in 1995. He has since completed a 2 year Fellowship in Academic Administration, a Health Policy Fellowship through the AOA, and in 2002 was promoted to Professor of Emergency Medicine. Actively engaged in clinical teaching, research, and education, Dr Bell saw a need for advanced expertise in business management. In 2008, he graduated first in his class from the Ohio University MBA program. Dr Bell has also served in several leadership positions: President of the Ohio Osteopathic Association, President of Ohio Chapter American College of Emergency Physicians, and national President of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (2006-08). Dr Bell continues to serve on a variety of state and national bureaus and committees. He has a passion for osteopathic medicine, teaches osteopathic diagnosis and treatment, and is active in formulation of health policy. More recently, he was designated Master Clinical Faculty by Ohio University, and in 2012 awarded the Bruce Horton Lifetime Achievement Award by his peers in emergency medicine.
“Several Campbell medical students met Dr. Bell at DO Day on the Hill earlier this month,” shared Dr. Greg Christiansen, Chair of Emergency Medicine at Campbell. “They are being exposed to the complexities of health policy for the first time, and they were grateful for his leadership and mentorship.” Christiansen continued, “Dr. Robert Hasty recognized the opportunity to bring Dr. Bell’s expertise to CUSOM and convinced him to speak with our students regarding the life-long importance of engaging in health policy in support of our patients.”
Dr. Peter A. Bell Addresses the Impact of Policy Issues on the Medical Profession