Taking Stock 2004 Accomplishments and 2005 Priorities

by Deanna Wooten, DCMS director of member services

Thanks for helping keep DCMS and TMA the strongest medical societies in the United States. You are joining your colleagues in supporting your profession and uniting through DCMS to represent physicians in our community. Your support is greatly appreciated.

If you are one of the few physicians who hasn’t paid your dues yet, note that your dues will be considered delinquent on March 1. If still unpaid on April 1, you will be dropped from membership and your listing will not appear in the DCMS Directory. The directory goes to press shortly thereafter and will include only members whose dues are current.

You’ll be glad you renewed your membership for 2005. Here’s why: 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, so take advantage of the many features and benefits of membership.

Among DCMS accomplishments in 2004...

• Demonstrated support for Parkland Health & Hospital System and its critical role in the community during uncertain times
• Established positive relationships with the Dallas County Commissioners Court and established DCMS leaders as an important resource in healthcare matters
• Established HealthPAC, a political action committee focusing on local races
• Improved relations with the Dallas County Department of Health & Human Services creating better communication between physicians and the department
• Invited to join the Board of Directors of Dallas Medical Resources, an effective and influential business/healthcare coalition in Dallas County.
• Met with United Health Care twice last year to help resolve issues members are having with claims payment and other policies.
• Worked with Texas Department of Insurance on meaningful rules and regulations regarding claims payment
• Socioeconomic Committee heavily protested the elimination of the primary care case management model of Medicaid managed care that would result in Medicaid HMO being the only option for Dallas service area patients.
• Conducted quarterly meetings with Medicaid, CHIP, and NorthSTAR stakeholders including the Medicaid HMOs, Health and Human Services Commission, Maximus, and Value options to help resolve issues related to treating the public sector population. The meeting is open to any member or their staff.

In 2005, count on DCMS staff and physician leaders for:

• Legislative Advocacy on the state and county levels: DCMS leaders and/or staff make frequent trips to the state capitol to lobby for Medicine during legislative sessions. DCMS was instrumental in passing 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 diligently 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.
• Local Public Health Initiatives: As a long-time member of Immunize Kids! Dallas Area Partnership, DCMS is an integral force in working to increase immunization rates in children.
• Volunteerism and Care for the Uninsured: DCMS and its foundation, the Dallas Academy of Medicine, operate Project Access Dallas, which provides health care to the working poor in Dallas County, through volunteer physicians.
• Office Overhead Reduction Tools: DCMS, through its list of endorsed vendors and other business resources, 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
• NEW Physician Finder Service, a personal profile, photo, map, and link to your Web site available 24/7 to your patients and peers at www.dallas-cms.org
• Subscription to the monthly publications of Dallas Medical Journal and Texas Medicine
• DigiDOCS®, a members-only free downloadable program for your handheld computer that provides a searchable database of DCMS member contact information at your fingertips
• Web site that serves as a great business resource—check it out at www.dallas-cms.org
• Online resources also available at www.texmed.org