Page 2 - September Physician Newsletter 2023
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PresIdenT’s Page
HCMS: Working for you!
To effectively serve our 13,000 members representing all education to both inform physicians and support their needs.
practice settings, specialties, practice sizes, career stages, and On August 26, HCMS piloted a Virtual Young Physicians
individual priorities and interests, HCMS, in collaboration with Mentorship Symposium, gathering experienced physicians to
the Texas Medical Association (TMA), offers an extensive list of discuss critical aspects of employment contract negotiations;
benefits. We offer over 100 member benefits to meet your and your decision-making involved in selecting work environment as
staff’s current and future needs. it impacts work/life balance, career advancement, etc.; the
Our physician volunteers serving on our boards, committees, importance of leadership and advocacy for the medical profession
councils, and TMA Delegation and our staff are constantly working and for personal professional growth; and best practices when
to implement new and innovative ways to engage and advocate for paying back loans and financial planning.
our membership and provide even more membership value. In a Additional benefits
few weeks, you will receive a brief survey to help us identify benefits HCMS also offers our members various resources to increase their
that are of value to you. We want to know your advocacy priorities, visibility and grow their patient base. Our online directory now offers
what existing membership benefits you prefer, what additional word searches in the Practice Description section to ensure that those
benefits we can offer, and what is the best way to communicate with searching for physicians with specific specializations can find them. Be
you and your staff about all that we have to offer. sure to update your listing at www.hcms.org/FindADoc.
We want to hear from you! The results of HCMS began a new initiative to highlight
this survey will help us continue to serve you physicians and the value they find in HCMS
and meet your needs. membership benefits (see the example on our
HCMS represents you! home page, www.hcms.org). We strive to
HCMS is constantly working for our increase physicians’ individual profiles while
membership, representing and promoting creating interest and curiosity in others about the
the viability and success of our physicians HCMS benefits available to them.
serving in a diversity of specialties and practice Practice development resources also include over
models. In partnership with the TMA, we 30 annual networking meetings with and without
advocate for physicians with legislators, CME, in-person, and virtual, and customized mailing
regulators, payors, the media, healthcare labels to communicate about your practice with
institutions, and countless other entities targeted messages. TMA Insurance Trust (TMAIT)
impacting the practice of medicine. Each has underwritten over 100 free webinars that include
legislative session, the TMA and HCMS track CMEs highlighting best practices in customer
and advocate for bills that help our profession service, use of social media, and more. This year,
and patients, while also fighting to defeat we added a social mixer at a BMW dealership and
hundreds of damaging healthcare-related bills, an outdoor event at the Houston Botanical Gardens
including scope of practice and tort reform for members and their families, both of which were
challenges. great successes!
In this legislative session, the HCMS Our many practice management resources also
played a pivotal role in advancing the TMA’s include the Buyer’s Guide, a list of organizations
legislative agenda, with a primary focus dedicated to meeting the professional needs of
on safeguarding the practice of medicine physicians, and other HCMS member discount
and preserving the sanctity of the patient- Mina K. Sinacori, MD, MPH programs. Membership also gives you access
physician relationship. This commitment to the TMAIT CME webinars, which include
extended to shielding these vital aspects of medicine from external mandated CMEs on opioids and human trafficking, as well as CMEs
interference by insurers and nonmedical entities, preventing the on OSHA and HIPAA training for your staff.
enactment of laws that might compromise established standards of The annual Business Expo on Sept. 23 (see page 1 for details) will
care, and addressing potential public health threats. include CMEs on Medicare Payments, Marketing 101, the Anatomy
HCMS, and the greater House of Medicine, remained resolute of a Lawsuit and the Art of Giving Testimony. In addition, join us
in achieving success with TMA’s top 10 legislative priorities. for an informative professional CME on Recruiting, Creating, and
These legislative victories were hard-won and required hard Retaining a High-functioning Team. Physicians and staff are invited.
work from all corners of the association, with a special emphasis In an ongoing effort to engage with your staff, on Oct. 18, HCMS
on its remarkable grassroots efforts. HCMS Clean Bill of Health will offer a virtual orientation for your staff on how to access HCMS/
Legislative Podcast highlights some of our many victories. Go to TMA benefits on your behalf at www.hcms.org/annualevents.
https://youtu.be/WIEu-w4qk00?si=IO7oBYjD_iXMYUvu Finally, HCMS and TMA help physicians deal with stress and
to view the full video. burnout by offering a variety of wellness programs. Resources include
Payment and Practice help access to the Anticipate Joy program, which offers confidential,
Our Business of Medicine Department creates resources and online counseling services to physicians licensed in Texas and their
tools to reduce administrative burdens and improve your financial immediate families at the cost of just $25 per session.
performance. Our free Payment & Practice Help Program answers Renew Today!
hundreds of questions from physicians and staff and helps Your dues statement will be mailed in October. Please continue
resolve payer-related issues. Since the inception of the program to support us and your access to the many benefits by renewing your
in 2000, HCMS has helped physicians collect more than $30 membership promptly so we can continue our important work of
million in improperly paid claims, orchestrated global fixes within representing you. Also, consider signing up for auto-renewal, and do
payer systems, and resolved countless issues from expedited not forget that dues can be paid in interest-free installments.
credentialing to payment for quality initiatives. Most importantly, remember and educate your staff that HCMS
As the landscape of health care changes, physicians are seeing is a phone call (713-524-4267) and a website (www.hcms.org)
different practice settings, alternative practice models, and new away. We are a better Society with YOU in it, so thank you for your
forms of compensation structures. HCMS offers resources and membership and your continued support of HCMS and TMA.
All articles that mention HCMS’ stance on state legislation are defined as “legislative advertising,” according to Tex. Gov’t. Code Ann. §305.027.
Executive Vice President Sean Murphy contracts with the printer to publish legislative advertising. Harris County Physician Newsletter (USPS
960-580) is the official monthly publication of Harris County Medical Society, located at 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004-7126, Office
713-524-4267, Fax 713-526-1434, www.hcms.org. Annual subscription price is $20. Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, TX POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Harris County Physician Newsletter, 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004-7126.
2 Harris County Physician Newsletter • September 2023 • www.hcms.org