2003 Highlights for Dues-paying Members "What return do I get when I pay dues?"

by Deanna Wooten, DCMS director of membership/member services

We have the answer. DCMS plays a major role in representing Dallas physicians before county and state governmental bodies, the insurance industry, the media, and the public. DCMS supports your practice every day. We believe membership in DCMS, TMA, and the AMA is a wise business decision. We want you to get your money’s worth, and that calls for taking advantage of the many features and benefits of membership.

If you are one of the few physicians who hasn’t gotten around to paying your dues, note that the delinquent deadline is March 1 and the drop deadline is April 1. The DCMS Directory goes to press shortly thereafter and will include only members whose dues are current.

For physicians who have paid, here’s a reminder of the services you’ll receive throughout the year by being a DCMS and TMA member.

You can count on DCMS staff and physician leaders for:

• Legislative Advocacy on the state and county levels: DCMS leaders or staff make weekly trips to the state capitol to lobby for medicine during legislative sessions. DCMS was instrumental in passage of the Proposition 12 constitutional amendment that set caps on medical malpractice awards. DCMS leaders and staff are working with Dallas County officials in studying operations of the county hospital and the Department of Health & Human Services.
• Socioeconomic Advocacy: DCMS and TMA work hard to end illegal contracting practices and back you during managed care conflicts.
• Practice Management Tools: DCMS and TMA provide education about new rules and laws, such as HIPAA, clean claims, and the public use data file.
• Local Public Health Advocacy: DCMS was a founding member and supporter of Smoke-Free Dallas and continues to work for smoke-free ordinances in other cities in Dallas County.
• Volunteerism and Care for the Uninsured: DCMS and its foundation, the Dallas Academy of Medicine, operate Project Access, which provides health care to the working poor in Dallas County, working through volunteer physicians.
• Office Overhead Reduction Tools: DCMS, through its list of endorsed vendors, finds ways to increase efficiencies in your practice, reducing overhead through technology.

PLUS, we still offer the benefits of membership we’re known for, such as:

• DCMS Directory, used for physician referrals and by the medical community
• Referral Service Plus, which links your Web site to the Physician Finder page on the DCMS Web site
• A subscription to the monthly publications of Dallas Medical Journal and Texas Medicine
• DigiDOCS, a free, members-only downloadable program for your handheld computer that provides a searchable database of DCMS member contact information
• A Web site that serves as a great business resource—check it out at www.dallas-cms.org
• Online resources also available via www.texmed.org