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
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