Membership Dues "What do I get for my money?"

by Deanna Wooten, DCMS director of membership/member services

Here’s what you get for paying your dues. DCMS plays a major role in representing Dallas physicians before county and state government, the insurance industry, the media, and the public. DCMS supports your practice every day. We believe membership in DCMS, TMA, and 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 paid your dues yet, note that the drop deadline was April 1. This means that members who have not paid by that date will not have their names included in the DCMS Directory.

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. DCMS leaders or staff make weekly trips to the state Capitol to lobby for medicine during this important legislative session.
• 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 on 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 the Smoke-free Dallas Coalition.
• Volunteerism and Care for the Uninsured. DCMS and its foundation, the Dallas Academy of Medicine, operate Project Access that provides care for the uninsured working poor.
• Office Overhead Reduction Tools. DCMS, through its list of endorsed vendors, finds ways to increase efficiencies in your practice, reducing overhead through technology.

What’s more, 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 Physician Facts on the DCMS Web site
• A subscription to the DMJ and Texas Medicine
• DigiDOCS, a downloadable program for your handheld computer that gives you a searchable database of DCMS member physician contact information at your fingertips.

If you have not yet paid your DCMS dues, you’ve just read a pageful of reasons why it’s worthwhile to keep your membership. For questions about dues or membership, contact Deanna Wooten, DCMS director of membership and member services at 214-948-3622, ext. 231, or Deanna@dallas-cms.org.