September 2019
President's Message
FOCUS on the FUTURE! The Organizational Review & Strategy Committee (ORS) met in early August. We spent two full days evaluating and discussing ideas to move the Alliance forward with gusto.
Past President Sunshine Moore laid the foundation for improving communication and outreach by establishing the organization’s new website, www.texmedalliance.org. The website features pages for each active county chapter, fresh marketing materials, and up-to-date information on all Alliance events and programs.
Sunshine was also passionate about addressing the opioid abuse in Texas through educational outreach and access to safe drug disposal tools. The Opioid Outreach campaign will be implemented in Nueces and Tarrant counties this fall.
Pilot programs that have us excited include the Party of Medicine to grow TEXPAC membership; medical student and resident outreach through fun networking events and Walk with a Future Doc in Houston; and First Tuesdays in the Districts, which brings advocacy to our communities through a step-by-step method of building relationships with local legislators. It’s vital that advocates for medicine take the time during the interim to get to know their local legislators and build solid working relationships. I know I’m excited about meeting my legislators this fall.
In addition, ORS members updated the TMA Alliance bylaws, which everyone will have a chance to review and vote on at ALLMED 2020.
Let’s give a Texas-size “welcome back” to two reactivated county alliance chapters:
Brownsville Medical Alliance and
Hidalgo-Starr Medical Alliance!
Lisa Queralt, RN, MSN
TMA Alliance President
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REGISTER NOW: 2019 Regional Conference
Register now for the 2019 TMAA Regional Conference, Oct. 11 in Tyler. This is a great meeting for both county leadership and Alliance members interested in becoming more involved, and will be packed with networking, leadership development, and advocacy training. Plan to arrive Oct. 10 for a fun-filled reception at The Grove Kitchen + Gardens.
There's just a couple days left to get your hotel room at the discounted price, so reserve your room before Sept. 13.
Check out the Regional Conference agenda.
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2020 Membership Renewal Campaign
The TMA Alliance has launched our 2020 Membership Renewal Campaign with an email renewal notice landing in everyone’s inbox. Renew your own membership today, and join the campaign in your county to encourage others to renew, too.
Alliance members now have three ways to renew membership:
1. Go online to www.texmedalliance.org (click on the blue “Renew” button in the upper-right corner if you’re a current member).
2. Call TMA Knowledge Center at (800) 880-7955 with credit card information.
3. Mail an application form or paper statement with a check to TMA Alliance, 401 W. 15th St., Austin, TX 78701.
TMAA has sent an email to all active Alliance members with an email on record, asking them to renew their membership via the website. Please alert your fellow members to look for the TMAA Renewal Notice that arrived in their inbox on Sept. 9. All they need to do is click the link and enter credit card information to pay their 2020 dues.
Each month, TMAA will send out another email reminder to members who have not renewed their 2020 membership.
We will mail a statement on Oct. 7 to members who do not have an email address and to members who have not renewed their membership. The full renewal notice schedule is below:
● Sept. 9: launch membership campaign; email to active Alliance members
● Oct. 7: first mailed invoice and recruitment brochure
● Nov. 12: email
● Dec. 9: email
● Jan. 13: second mailed invoice and email
● Feb. 10: email
● March 9: third mailed invoice and email (drop date reminder)
Members will not receive the email notice or mailed statement once they renew their membership. The Membership Renewal Campaign ends on March 31, 2020.
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TMAA Website Updates
● Check out the NEW Membership page, and keep an eye out for the 2020 Membership Toolkit. We’ll be adding elevator speeches, sample phone scripts, FAQs, and much more to help you share the benefits and value of the Alliance to colleagues 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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Medical School and Resident Outreach
In August, the Alliance piloted outreach projects for medical students and residents in Houston.
The student effort was headed up by TMAA APT Chair Rowland Pettit at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and Baylor College of Medicine. Rowland attended the medical student orientations, handed out information about the Alliance, and promoted two mixers hosted Aug. 27 and 28. Students were also encouraged to participate in joint Walk With a Future Doc and First Tuesdays in the Districts programs.
TMAA President Lisa Queralt and Harris County Medical Society Alliance (HCMSA) President Shira Lonsford attended the two medical student mixers. Both events were extremely successful, with nearly 40 students participating. Medical students and their significant others were truly engaged and eager to join the Alliance and help with advocacy.
Mark Baerd, a new Alliance member in Houston, has led the outreach effort with Baylor College of Medicine residents that includes a private TMAA Resident Facebook group, a mixer held on Aug. 29 at Miss Carousel in Houston, and a private tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center on Oct. 26. The Aug. 29 mixer was fantastic, with more than 20 residents and spouses in attendance. We’d like to give a big shout-out to Diane Moy of HCMSA and Clifford Moy, MD, a former member of the TMA Board of Trustees, who attended and helped us educate residents on the value of membership.
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Grant Funds Available for Alliance Chapters
Each year, alliance chapters have two opportunities to apply for a Medical Community Grant from the Texas Medical Association Foundation (TMAF). Here’s how TMAF’s grant program works:
TMAF accepts applications in summer and fall from TMA county medical societies and alliance chapters for community health improvement programs focused on any TMA priority in the areas of public health, science, medical education, and quality of care. Applications are accepted through TMAF’s online grants portal. Go to the TMAF website to learn how your chapter may apply!
Fall deadlines: 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. TMAF staff are available to help you fill out the Letter of Intent and grant application.
You also can help support the great health improvement work of alliance chapters around the state with a gift to the TMAF Medical Community Grants Program. Your gift TODAY will help support grant requests received this fall! You may make your tax-deductible donation online at www.tmaf.org.
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Big News for Medical Student Scholarships!
If you raise money annually for a medical student scholarship, take note: The TMA Foundation will now match your scholarship up to $5,000. That’s right — if you plan to award a scholarship to a student attending a Texas medical school, that gift can now be doubled! Please contact Pam Udall and let her know if you plan to raise money in 2019 or 2020 for a scholarship so she can help you double your impact. This matching opportunity will be available in early 2020.
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Around the State
On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Lubbock County Medical Society Alliance held its Trampoline Social, a program started by alliance member Eman Attaya, MD. Kids and adults were encouraged to “turn off” social media on Tuesday evenings and participate in an activity with family and friends.
Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance joined in supporting local police in a Back the Blue event in Fort Worth. TCMSA handed out bike helmets to children.
Nueces County Medical Society Alliance celebrated National Physician Family Day on Thursday, Aug. 22, with a private event at Corpus Christi Country Club. With more than 60 physicians, new residents, and their families, it was a great day of food, swimming, and fun!
Bexar County Medical Society Alliance (BCMSA) hosted a family mixer and medical student outreach event on Friday, Aug. 30. BCMSA partnered with the Student Advocate Association of the University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine for an ice cream social. With approximately 60 physicians and alliance members, medical students, partners, and children in attendance, it was the perfect way to kick off the new school year.
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TEXPAC Ornament Promo
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Upcoming Events
September 12
TMAA 2019 Fall Conference
TMAA Business Meetings
12:30-5 pm @ Hyatt Lost Pines
TMAA Happy Hour
6-7 pm @ Shellers Barrelhouse Bar
September 21
Bexar County Medical Society Alliance
Bike Rodeo
9 am - noon @ TWCA (503 Castroville Rd., San Antonio, TX 78237)
September 22
Lubbock County Medical Alliance
Ice Cream Social
3-5 pm @ Libby White’s residence
October 3
Smith County Medical Society Alliance
Heels for Healing
5-7:30 pm @ Mary V’s (7264 Old Jacksonville Hwy., Tyler, TX 75703)
October 10-11
2019 TMAA Regional Conference
Hilton Garden Inn Tyler (220 E. Grande Blvd., Tyler, TX 75703)
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