April 2020




President's Message

I know this message is arriving in your inbox during a stressful and challenging time. Many of us have physician spouses working overtime in crisis areas and isolated from their families. Others are preparing for the pandemic, and still others are forced to work from home or take unpaid leave while non-emergent health care is on hold. Many of us are juggling new home schooling routines in addition to work-at-home responsibilities, all while keeping the family fed and the pantry stocked. It’s an unprecedented time for the Family of Medicine.

As you may know, there have been countless related developments over the past three weeks. The Texas Medical Association and the TMA Alliance leadership made the decision not to hold our annual conferences, TexMed and ALLMED, in Fort Worth at the end of this month. Instead, TMAA will hold the Annual Business Meeting in a virtual format. TMAA staff is working to shift all other ALLMED programming to the Fall Conference (Sept. 10-12 in Bastrop) and the Regional Conference (Oct. 2 in Abilene).

TMA has been on the front line for the last month, helping physicians keep abreast of the COVID-19 crisis by establishing a dedicated task force, as well as creating and constantly updating the COVID-19 Resource Center with a vast amount of information. Please check it out if you haven’t already: www.texmed.org/CoronaVirus.

Meanwhile, county medical societies and alliance chapters across the state have mobilized and started grassroots personal protective equipment (PPE) drives. Several of these have resulted in an impressive amount of PPE for our physicians and health care workers. I am so proud of the many alliance members who have taken up this cause.

I remind myself, and want to remind you, that we are in good hands, with a global community of scientists working around the clock to develop antivirals and vaccines. Our profession of medicine is science-based, and I firmly believe this pandemic will be defeated by science. In the meantime, we can all make a difference by staying home, managing our anxiety, participating in or contributing to a PPE drive, and nurturing ourselves and our families.

We must remember to stay focused by taking care of the things we can control and letting go of the things we cannot.

Yours in the Family of Medicine,


Lisa Queralt, RN, MSN
TMA Alliance President

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ALLMED Annual Business Meeting Going Virtual

For years, the TMA Alliance held its House of Delegates meeting during ALLMED, our annual conference. In 2018, members voted to change the House of Delegates meeting to the Annual Business Meeting. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking the Annual Business Meeting virtual. That means more alliance members can participate without incurring expenses from travel and lodging. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the progress TMAA has made over the past year and where we are headed.

We encourage you to participate in the Annual Business Meeting, May 1, from 10 am to noon. We have four items of business to cover:

  • 2019 TMAA review and financial update,
  • Election of 2020-21 Nominating Committee members (each county has up to 10 votes),
  • Review and approval of updates to TMAA bylaws (each county has up to 10 votes), and
  • Approval of 2020-21 TMAA Board of Directors.

Register

Please note that you must register by Friday, April 24, to participate. Registration is free, and TMAA staff will provide instructions on downloading and using Zoom prior to the meeting. You will be able to follow along on your computer screen and vote for the 2020-21 Nominating Committee via an online poll.

Other ALLMED Updates

Nominations Open for 2020 Nominating Committee
During the Annual Business Meeting, four members will be elected to serve on the TMAA Nominating Committee. The committee must meet by Oct. 31 to select the incoming slate of officers. Nominate someone you know to serve on the committee by filling out this interactive form and emailing it to Sasha by Wednesday, April 29.

TMAA Bylaws Update: Be Ready to Vote May 1
If you plan to participate in the Annual Business Meeting, take a few minutes before May 1 to review the suggested revisions to TMAA Bylaws. The changes will be discussed and voted on during the meeting. If you have questions, email TMAA staff.

Additional Changes
  • The Council on Fiscal Affairs meeting will be held virtually on April 30 at 10 am.
  • The Joint Board of Directors Meeting will be held virtually on April 30, 1-2 pm.
  • The TMAA Annual Awards Luncheon will take place at Fall Conference, Sept. 10 in Bastrop. Plan to attend the luncheon and enjoy the fabulous Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort, a venue your whole family will enjoy.
  • We are working with presenters to reschedule our County Leadership Bootcamp and special ALLMED program, How to Get Your Needs Met in a Medical Marriage, at the Regional Conference, Oct. 2 in Abilene. Book your room now and keep an eye on the Regional Conference webpage for updates to the schedule and registration.
  • The TMA Foundation Gala will transition to a different format. Ticket holders will receive additional information in the coming weeks.
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COVID-19 Resources

For information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, please visit TMA’s COVID-19 Resource Center.

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Alliance Organize PPE Drives

Alliance chapters across the state have joined with their county medical societies to collect personal protective equipment (PPE) from local businesses. Chapters involved in this amazing outreach effort include Bexar, Big Country, Jefferson, Lubbock, Hidalgo-Starr, Nueces, and Travis. Many of these chapters got medical students involved working the phones and asking local businesses for donations of N95 face masks, disposable gloves, face shields, gowns, cleaning supplies, and more. Learn more about organizing your own PPE drive.

 

 



National Doctors' Day 2020

March 30 was National Doctors’ Day, and this year more than ever our country is aware of the incredible work our physicians put into keeping their communities healthy. While many alliance chapters cancelled or postponed their Doctors’ Day celebrations to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, two of our local chapters did explore creative ways to celebrate the medical community while still practicing social distancing.

Potter-Randall County Medical Alliance worked with its medical society to host a drive-thru with free pizza and beer for medical workers. The two groups also dropped off pizzas for doctors at local emergency departments. Special thanks to Pondaseta Brewing Co. and Pizza Nomad for helping sponsor this special day!

Across the state, Nueces County Medical Society Alliance held an online fundraising campaign for Doctors’ Day, asking the community to donate to medical student scholarships in honor of their physicians. [Include total if we get it from Amanda]. Way to go, Nueces!

Membership Drive Extended

The TMA Alliance is the best kept secret in Texas … but that’s changing as we aim to recruit and/or renew 300 memberships by May 30. Alliance chapters across the state are holding membership mixers and reaching out to physicians, residents, and their spouses to join their organizations. One sure-fire way to meet your membership goal is to sponsor a friend or colleague’s membership. Instead of asking your friend to join, take the next step and pay his or her 2020 dues so your friend can experience the alliance firsthand. It’s a small investment for a large return!

If you'd like help sponsoring someone, email Sasha.

Upcoming Events

In addition to the events below, please be sure to check out our new calendar, where you can sort events by county. If your chapter has an upcoming event you would like featured, email details (date, time, location, ticket prices, description) to Sasha.

June 6-9, Chicago, Ill.
AMAA Annual Meeting. Early bird registration ends April 30. Learn more.