October 2019
President's Message
While hiking my favorite trails at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop last month during TMA Alliance Fall Conference, I reflected on how much we have accomplished in only one year! Not only are we providing leadership updates to county presidents every month, but also we are reaching out to members across the state through the Monthly Memo.
More Membership Benefits
TMAA has been working hard to provide more direct membership benefits for you, like our fabulous website, texmedalliance.org, where you can find the information you need about the TMA Alliance and your county chapter.
The site is packed with membership recruitment tools like elevator speeches, phone scripts, membership applications, and an ROI calculator. Plus, county chapters no longer have to spend money and time creating their own websites: TMAA can add a page for your chapter at texmedalliance.org.
Email Sasha if you would like to add or update yours.
In addition to the benefits of the new website, we are working hard to create more networking opportunities to bring our members together at TMAA Fall and Winter conferences and ALLMED. TMAA staff are working directly with county leadership to create marketing pieces and provide social media activity and strategic consulting, while the Regional Conference on Oct. 10-11 will offer valuable leadership development for attendees. Leslie Wang will help us identify our individual super powers and discover how to become more efficient in our community outreach. We also will get to enjoy a (cross your fingers!) crisp morning Walk With a Doc in the beautiful piney woods of Tyler.
Membership Campaign
The 2020 Membership Renewal Campaign is underway. We are aiming for a 100% renewal rate, and we want to bring back the 160-plus members who didn’t renew last year. Please make a concerted effort to reach out to your current and past members and encourage them to renew their membership before the holidays. There are so many reasons to join now - this alliance is on the move!
Lisa Queralt, RN, MSN
TMA Alliance President
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2020 Membership Renewal Campaign Now in Motion
The TMAA 2020 Membership Renewal Campaign launched last month with an email to current Alliance members. Thanks to chapters who alerted their members and encouraged them to renew. With nearly 400 TMAA members already renewed, we are well on our way to a successful campaign.
Next week, TMAA will send out another email reminder to those who have not yet paid, along with a mailed statement to members who do not have an email address. The mailed statement also will feature a recruitment brochure highlighting the alliance’s 2018-19 accomplishments and the value of membership.
The full renewal schedule is below:
- Oct. 7: first mailed invoice (with recruitment brochure) + second email
- Nov. 12: third email
- Dec. 9: fourth email
- Jan. 13: second mailed invoice + fifth email
- Feb. 10: sixth email
- March 9: third mailed invoice + seventh email (drop date reminder)
Please alert your members to look for the TMAA renewal notice in their mailbox and inbox.
REMEMBER, TMA Alliance members have three ways to pay dues:
1. Go online to www.texmedalliance.org (look for blue button in the upper-right corner of website; click on “Renew” if you’re a current member and want to renew your membership)
2. Call TMA Knowledge Center at (800) 880-7955 with credit card information
3. Mail an application form or mailed statement along with a check to TMA Alliance, 401 W. 15th St., Austin, TX 78701
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Membership Resources on TMAA Website
- Check out the NEW Membership portion of the website, featuring a Membership Toolkit and ROI Calculator. The toolkit provides valuable talking points, elevator speeches, sample phone scripts, FAQs, and much more to help you share the benefits and value of the alliance. The ROI Calculator is a fun way to demonstrate exactly how far your investment goes toward making a difference in your community.
- Make sure to visit your county’s personalized webpage! We are adding updated leadership rosters, upcoming events, flagship programs, and more. If you have information you would like included on your county’s page, email sasha.khalifeh@texmed.org.
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NEW Membership Recruitment/Retention Incentives
TMAA now has funds to support county alliances in recruiting new members and retaining current ones. With this new incentive program, you can request up to $1,000 for an event. To apply, fill out and submit this form, and TMAA staff will respond within three business days of your request. It’s a great time to get creative, plan fun new events, and invite more friends and family members to join the Alliance.
Funds are limited in 2019 and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Starting January 2020, funding will be available for all counties to participate in the program.
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ANNOUNCING: TMA Alliance Officers for 2020-21
We are pleased to announce the slate of officers for 2020-21. A big shout-out to the TMAA Nominating Committee for their hard work. Congratulations, everyone!
President: Martha Vijjeswarapu (Corpus Christi)
President-Elect: Jennifer Lewis (San Antonio)
VP of Membership: Chris McGilvery (Canyon)
VP-Elect of Membership: Lori Routh (Dallas)
VP of Fiscal Affairs: Martha Howell (Temple)
VP of Future Planning: Sue Shackmuth (Abilene)
VP of Legislative Affairs: Jenny Shepherd (San Antonio)
VP of Communications: Lisa Drever (Temple)
VP of Community Health: Debbie Massingill (Fort Worth)
Recording Secretary: Kelly Michaels (Tyler)
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Survey Supports Be Wise – ImmunizeSM Outreach
Following the establishment of a workgroup in TMA’s Council on Health Promotion last year, the council produced a survey to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of TMA’s Be Wise – Immunize program. Results showed that most participants were in favor of increasing vaccine education throughout the state, and using a strategic approach to focus outreach in areas of the state with high exemption rates and/or low coverage. View these at-risk counties, and check out the full report from the survey.
Be Wise – Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association.
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Grant Funds Available for Alliance Chapters
Twice each year, The TMA Foundation (TMAF) accepts applications from TMA county medical societies and alliance chapters for community health improvement programs focused on any TMA priorities in the areas of public health, science, medical education, and quality of care. Applications for Medical Community Grants are accepted through an online grants portal. For fall, Letters of Intent must be submitted by Nov. 15, 2019, and applications completed by Nov. 30, 2019. Applicants will be notified of application decisions the week of Jan. 27, 2020. Don’t hesitate – TMAF staff are available to help you write your Letter of Intent and fill out the grant application. Learn how to apply.
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Share the gift of good health by supporting the community outreach work of your colleagues. Please consider a gift of $25 or more for the TMAA Holiday Sharing Campaign as it celebrates its 25th year of giving!
Your gift will allow the TMA Foundation to award even more Medical Community Grants to alliance chapters in the new year. These alliance chapters received grants in 2019:
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Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance Foundation received $7,500 for its Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County. The program provides low-cost vaccination events for more than 7,000 children and adults annually.
- Bexar County Medical Society Alliance received $2,500 for its Campaign to Reduce Bullying and Build Self-Esteem for children with craniofacial deformities.
- Lubbock County Medical Society Alliance/South Plains Immunization Network received $2,226 for pneumonia vaccine for the South Plains Food Bank.
- Nueces County Medical Society Alliance received $5,000 for battling opioid misuse in Nueces County.
Help us reach our goal of $6,000 by Dec. 31, 2019. Your gift is tax-deductible.
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Around the State
Smith County Medical Society Alliance (SCMSA) again participated in the ZERO Prostate Walk/Run in Tyler with a Hard Hats for Little Heads giveaway and a team that raised more than $400 for prostate cancer research, free screenings, and community education. Paul Pitts, MD, and Mike McCrady, MD, both avid cyclists, helped SCMSA members fit helmets to the children and explain the importance of wearing a helmet when riding bikes and scooters. Great work, SCMSA!
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Big Country County Medical Society and Big Country County Medical Society Alliance partnered to host a luau-themed Meet & Mingle. More than 70 physicians and spouses gathered to share a meal, then spilled out onto the lawn to meet new acquaintances and catch up with old friends. TMAA President Lisa Queralt and President-Elect Martha Vijjeswarapu dropped by to say “aloha” to attendees. The night was an enormous success.
Bexar County Medical Society Alliance (BCMSA) joined up with YWCA San Antonio at their first-ever Bike Rodeo on Saturday, Sept. 21. In addition to a Hard Hats for Little Heads giveaway, the event featured a bicycle raffle, a healthy snack bar, and free bike inspections. BCMSA gave away 50 helmets.
Harris County Medical Society Alliance (HCMSA) held its annual membership coffee on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Current and potential alliance members came together for a morning of food, drink, and connection. TMAA President Lisa Queralt and President-Elect Martha Vijjeswarapu both attended to say hello to HCMSA members.
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Don't Forget: Join TEXPAC Today for a Special Holiday Gift!
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Upcoming Events
Oct. 9
Dallas County Medical Society Alliance
ABCs of CBD with Daniel Gossett, MD | 10 am
Aldredge House (5500 Swiss Ave, Dallas, TX 75214)
Oct. 10-11
TMAA 2019 Regional Conference
Hilton Garden Inn Tyler (220 E. Grande Blvd., Tyler, TX 75703)
Oct. 19
Bexar County Medical Society Alliance
Family Tailgate Party | 2 pm
The Well (5539 UTSA Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78249)
Oct. 24
Nueces County Medical Society Alliance
Brewster Street Meetup | 5:30 pm
Brewster Street Ice House (1724 N. Tancahua St., Corpus Christi, TX 78401)
Oct. 25
Tarrant County Medical Alliance
Brunch at Magdalena’s + Warm Hugs Collection | 10:30 am
Magdalena’s (502 Grand Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76164)
Oct. 27
Dallas County Medical Society Alliance
Opioids – Close to Home? | 6 pm
Aldredge House (5500 Swiss Ave., Dallas, TX 75214)
Oct. 27
Travis County Medical Alliance
Toast to Doctors | 6 pm
Loro (2115 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704)
Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Smith County Medical Society Alliance
Fall Book Fair (2004 Broussard St., Tyler, TX 75703)
Have an event in your county that you would like advertised? Send details to sasha.khalifeh@texmed.org!
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