84 New Challenges and Opportunities TASK FORCE ON CONVENTION INNOVATION ACOFP President 2020–2022 Nicole Bixler, DO, MBA, FACOFP dist., created the Task Force on Convention Innovation to assess ways that ACOFP could build on and enhance its wellregarded CME programing. The task force, chaired by Ronnie Martin, DO, FACOFP dist., invited association experts from Minding Your Business to facilitate a series of interviews with leaders and staff. In May and June 2020, the company helped the task force conduct a comprehensive survey to 36,605 physicians, residents, and students. ACOFP received responses from 1,466 members and 238 nonmembers — a 5% response rate. The survey data were instrumental in the series of recommendations that the task force provided to the ACOFP Board of Directors at the October 2020 meeting. The recommendations, which were all approved, were prioritized and implemented over the next several years, as finance and human resources allowed. The timing was perfect given the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to leaning more into virtual programming, one key recommendation from the task force report was to launch an open call for content. To date, ACOFP collects session proposals and content pieces for ACOFP conferences, webinars, podcasts, and blogs. ACOFP BRINGS IN LARGE GRANTS In 2020, having long served as a partner with other organizations (American Diabetes Association, AOA, Med IQ, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and more) on grant delivery, ACOFP began building an internal grant infrastructure. By 2023, this work had paid off in a half-million-dollar grant from the Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies, which was renewed for an even larger award in 2024. Other large, independent grants from Pfizer and the ABFM Foundation have brought this total to nearly two million dollars in non-dues revenue. MAINTAINING A FOCUS ON OMT Osteopathic distinctiveness and osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) are key areas distinguishing ACOFP from other professional medical societies. In late 2019, ACOFP launched OMTotal, a collection of more than 150 videos showing ACOFP leaders voluntarily performing OMT. In 2023, this became a member benefit to ensure ACOFP members have the support they need to continue reinforcing their OMT skills. Since its launch, the library has accumulated an excess of 200 videos and there are plans to continue that growth. CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) ACOFP has an extensive history of furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within the osteopathic community. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and amidst social unrest across the country, Dr. Bixler
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