LBORC                          SOAP Note                       AOA Resources                      ORC

As one of six long range goals within its current Strategic Plan, the AAO Board of Trustees has identified research on the efficacy and outcomes of osteopathic manipulative medicine as a priority item and pledged to dedicate AAO resources to facilitate the profession-wide efforts to accomplish its research objectives. The Academy supports the work of its Louisa Burns Osteopathic Research Committee (LBORC): membership composed of both clinicians and basic scientists who assume primary responsibility for the AAO's research goals and action plans.

AAO members also serve on the American Osteopathic Association's Bureau of Osteopathic Clinical Education and Research (BOCER) and closely collaborate with the profession's Osteopathic Research Center (OCR) located at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth.

The LBORC has created and delivered Introduction to OMT Research workshops presented at the AOA Convention and AAO Convocation. The group has revised the Outpatient Osteopathic SOAP (subjective objective assessment plan) Note and created the new Single Organ System Osteopathic Musculoskeletal Form. The LBORC piloted a training program for physicians who wish to use these resources to participate in OMT research.

Finally, the Committee continues the difficult task of development of an electronic SOAP note (eSOAP), from which confidential data can be sent via the Internet to a central secure storage facility. Osteopathic researchers will then be able to tap into these patient records for their individual projects.

Goal

To facilitate programs promoting collaborative efforts that further OPP/OMT research and training.

Action Plans

• To maintain a "think tank" for research on osteopathic principles and practice (OPP) and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM.)
• To facilitate the conduct of OPP/OMM research.
• To facilitate OPP/OMM research communication and collaboration.
• To provide OPP/OMM research training
• To identify funding sources and facilitate funding for OPP/OMM Research