I am proud to share this nomination letter for Dr. Bruce A. Wolf for the position of President-Elect of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) for the 2026-2027 term. Dr. Wolf's dedication to the osteopathic profession spans over three decades, characterized by his exceptional leadership and commitment to excellence.

I have had the honor of working with Dr. Wolf during his time on the Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA) Board of Trustees and during his term as MOA President. He is a polished professional, and his extensive knowledge has prepared him to serve the profession effectively.

Please take a moment to review the nomination from MOA President, Kevin Beyer, DO at the link below. Dr. Wolf exemplifies not only outstanding service and leadership but also a deep commitment to advancing our field, making him an outstanding candidate for the AOA President-Elect position.

As the CEO and Executive Director of the MOA, I wholeheartedly endorse his nomination. I am confident that Dr. Wolf's contributions will continue to inspire and elevate the osteopathic profession to new heights.

Warm regards,

Kris Nicholoff

Executive Director and CEO

Michigan Osteopathic Association

“DO Proud since 1898"

Nomination Letter from MOA President Dr. Kevin Beyer

Visit the 'Dr. Wolf for President-elect" Webpage

April 25, 2026

MOA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

MOA Headquarters · Okemos, MI

May 14-17, 2026

MOA SPRING CONFERENCE

Somerset Inn · Troy, MI

June 18-21, 2026

NMOA SUMMER CONFERENCE

Mackinac Island

July 16-19, 2026

AOA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

Chicago, IL

NOW ACCEPTING RESOLUTIONS FOR THE 2026 MOA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

The MOA House of Delegates is the legislative and policy-making body of the association. The House is responsible for election of officers and directors, election of AOA delegates and alternates, bylaws amendments, component societies and various policies and positions.

All resolutions for the MOA 2026 House of Delegates must be submitted by February 13, 2026. Any MOA member in good standing may author a resolution; however, introduction of resolutions to the House of Delegates is limited to delegates, alternate-seated delegates, component associations, MOA Departments, Councils, or Board of Trustees. Non-delegate status members in good standing should contact their component association for assistance in identifying an appropriate channel for resolution introduction

Guideline for Submissions

Sample Resolution

Resolutions must be emailed to Nikki Johnston (njohnston@domoa.org) following the guidelines above.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Check Your Inbox for 2026 Membership Renewals

CONNECTIONS.CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.ADVOCACY

As we look ahead to 2026, the MOA remains committed to serving you, strengthening our profession, and creating opportunities that support your success. Membership renewal notices have been sent via email, so be sure to check your inbox and stay connected for another impactful year. And don’t forget—80% of your annual dues are tax-deductible.

Thank you to all who have already renewed your commitment to the MOA and to osteopathic medicine in Michigan!

Do you know an outstanding osteopathic resident who deserves recognition?

Consider nominating them for the 2026 MOA Resident of the Year Award.

The MOA seeks to honor a Michigan-based osteopathic resident who exemplifies the highest standards of our profession—someone who goes above and beyond in their work, their service, and their commitment to advancing osteopathic medicine.

Eligible nominees must be in their third year through final year of residency.

One recipient will be announced during the MOA House of Delegates on April 25, 2026. A plaque and a $1,000 award will be presented—or mailed—to the honoree.

NOMINATION DEADLINE: MARCH 3, 2026

Click Here to Submit Your Nomination

Tuesday evening, January 6th, MOA President, Kevin Beyer, DO upon invitation by Community Integrated Medicine (CIM) & MOA Student Liaisons, provided an hour-long GI Seminar via Zoom.

Students thanked Dr. Beyer "for an excellent and engaging GI seminar" stating:

"Dr. Beyer, we sincerely appreciate your time and expertise, and for leading such a thoughtful, clinically relevant discussion that was highly valuable for our students."

"We truly appreciate your support of student education and CIM. The session was very well received, and we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate."

MOA adds their appreciation for Dr. Beyer & his dedication to Michigan's future Osteopathic physicians.

Sandra “Sandy” Ann Kilbourn, age 76, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2025, following a courageous battle with breast cancer. Her unwavering faith in God and deep devotion to her family sustained her throughout her journey.

Sandy retired from MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in January of 2020 after dedicating 52 years of extraordinary service. Her visionary leadership shaped alumni programs, continuing medical education, government and community relations, and communications.

The impact Sandy made on MSU and the broader community was profound. She co-founded the Dr. William G. Anderson Lecture Series, Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey, and received numerous honors, including the MSU Excellence in Diversity Award and the prestigious Patenge Medal of Public Service. Her passion for social justice and cultural competence inspired generations.

Sandy will be remembered for her strength, generosity, and the profound love she shared with her family and community. Her legacy lives on through the lives she touched and the love she so freely gave.

Memorial Contributions

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sandy’s honor may be made to:

Child and Family Charities

The Kilbourn/DiStefano Endowed Scholarship at MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

How to Give to the Kilbourn/DiStefano Endowed Scholarship:

By Check:
Make payable to Michigan State University and note Kilbourn/DiStefano Endowed Scholarship in the memo line.
Mail to:
Michigan State University
University Advancement
535 Chestnut Rd., Room 300
East Lansing, MI 48824
By Credit Card:
Visit https://givingto.msu.edu, search for Kilbourn, and click Add to Cart.
Designation Code: AS00463

Sandra Ann Kilbourn Obituary

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month — a perfect time to learn how you can help prevent this largely preventable disease. Explore the Cervical Cancer Awareness Toolkit for ready-to-use resources, advocacy tips, and ways to engage your community.

Get your toolkit here

The Michigan Osteopathic Association is interested in forming a mentorship program that connects medical students and residents with osteopathic physicians experienced in hands-on training and professional guidance in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).

If you're interested in becoming a mentor, please email Crystal Ash at cash@domoa.org. Thank you for all you DO!

Happy 98th Birthday, Dr. William Anderson!

The MOA proudly celebrates Dr. William Anderson on his 98th birthday. A physician, civil rights leader, and author, Dr. Anderson chronicled his extraordinary life and activism in The Making of a (PARDONED) Felon During the Civil Rights Movement in America. We honor his enduring legacy, courage, and contributions to medicine and justice, and wish him a very happy birthday.

Patient Experience, Community Health Workers, and the Quintuple Aim

The Quintuple Aim is a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI, 2025) to understand and improve health system performance. Originally proposed as the Triple Aim in 2012, the model was widely adopted as a strategy to improve population health, patient experience, and reduce health care costs. The Triple Aim has been expanded beyond quality and cost to include human and equity dimensions of care: population health, patient experience, cost, provider well-being, and health equity.

Last month, we explored population health, how it differs from public health, and the essential role community health workers play in the delivery of excellent team-based care.

The second dimension we will address is patient experience.

What is patient experience?

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2025) defines patient experience as “the range of interactions that patients have with the healthcare system, including their care from health plans and from doctors, nurses, and staff in hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare facilities.”

This definition is expanded when we consider the Chronic Care Model (CCM, ACT Center, 2025). Originally developed by the MacColl Institute (now the ACT Center), the Chronic Care Model serves as the foundation to understand the delivery of high-quality patient care. In addition to the AHRQ definition, the CCM identifies communities and self-management as essential for productive interactions between informed patients and providers. These productive interactions drive improved patient experience and patient-centered quality of care.

Like population health and public health, the terms patient experience and patient satisfaction are often used interchangeably. However, to understand patients’ experiences of care, we need to look beyond satisfaction to consider other factors that patients value: self-management support, shared decision making, getting information, communication with clinicians, access to care, courtesy and respect, care coordination, and culturally appropriate care.

What is the community health worker’s role in patient experience?

CHWs play a critical role in improving patient experience, which directly impacts population health and the Quintuple Aim. Trusted in the community, they bring lived experience and cultural responsiveness to build trusting relationships with patients and families (CHCS, 2025). CHWs and address social, cultural, and other barriers that health care teams may not

be able to resolve. They accomplish this though education, care coordination, and connection to community resources. CHWs build trust and contribute to factors patients value: self-management support, communication, getting information, access, and culturally appropriate care.

The Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) CHW educational programs strengthen CHW knowledge, performance, and contribution to improved health outcomes. PTI is an approved provider of Community Health Worker (CHW) training by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS). The approval follows a rigorous application process and more than two years of PTI providing CHW training through community and health system partnerships and support. Among one of the CHW training programs approved by the state, PTI is the only organization with the coveted IACET* accreditation.

The program teaches the National C3 Council skills and health knowledge necessary to function as a CHW in a variety of community settings. This robust training offers teaching excellence along with a leading-edge curriculum that supports the participants in achieving the learning objectives of the program.

For more information on PTI CHW training, visit https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/community-health-worker-chw-program/ or call (248) 475-4736.

References:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2025). What is patient experience? https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/about-cahps/patient-experience/index.html.

Anhang Price, R., Elliott, M.N., Zaslavsky, A.M., Hays, R.D., Lehrman, W.G., Rybowski, L, Edgman-Levitan, S., & Cleary, S. (2014). Examining the role of patient experience surveys in measuring health care quality. Medical Care Research Review, 71(5), 522-54. doi: 10.1177/1077558714541480. Epub 2014 Jul 15. PMID: 25027409; PMCID: PMC4349195.

Center for Accelerating Care Transformation, https://www.act-center.org/application/files/1616/3511/6445/Model_Chronic_Care.pdf.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement, https://www.ihi.org/library/topics/quintuple-aim.

Wagner, E.H. (1998, seminal article). Chronic disease management: What will it take to improve care for chronic illness? Effective Clinical Practice, (1), 2-4.

HAP CareSource Continues to Offer Medicaid and MI Coordinated Health Plans in Michigan for 2026 and Beyond

NOW ACCEPTING RESOLUTIONS FOR THE 2026 MOA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

Check Your Inbox for 2026 Membership Renewals

CONNECTIONS.CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.ADVOCACY

Happy 98th Birthday, Dr. William Anderson!

Michigan Health Communications Initiative Newsletter & Resource Center