I have been a member of both Societies for the last five years. I am currently the Membership Chair of the DCMS and the Young Physician's Representative to the Board of Directors. Over the past five years, I have been involved in multiple tasks. Some of the most rewarding are the non-profit activities that the DCMS participates in such as "We Care", HabiJax, Hubbard House fund-raisers, and physical examinations for school athletes. In addition to the non-profit activities, I enjoyed my visits to Tallahassee to speak with many of our legislators. It is very important for physicians to converse with our lawmakers in order that medicine and our patients are best represented, with the goal being excellent and affordable medical care. Without the DCMS and FMA, these opportunities would not be possible.

Currently, the aggregate dues for both Societies are $670 per year. Just thinkof the many benefits you get by joining. Some of the benefits you can count on include advocacy in the Florida legislature, intervention with government agencies, reimbursement assistance, legal advice, contract review, information and education resources, professional benefits and discounts, networking opportunities, service to your profession and charity work in our community.

Communication is very important. The DCMS publishes a monthly journal, Jacksonville Medicine. In that journal you can read about many topics concerning physicians in the city of Jacksonville, and earn CME credits. In addition to Jacksonville Medicine, the DCMS is now on the web. On the web site, physicians can get assistance in legislative and marketing issues and practice information.

The most important issue to many physicians is legislative representation. Most physicians do not have the time to go to Tallahassee to speak to our lawmakers. That is where the DCMS and FMA shine. These societies do the work for us. A large part of what the Societies do is represent our concerns. Over the past year, we have had an excellent showing because of the hard work of the Societies. The FMA has assisted in defeating the expanding scope of practice for pharmacists, optometrists, ARNP's, and Physician Assistants. If these medical groups had expanded scopes of practice, it would surely dip into our patient turf. Laws protecting patients involved in managed care were also passed. The Societies have also been involved in many legislative issues affecting our pediatric and young adult patients. These endeavors include passing laws requiring bike helmets, lobbying for laws requiring all infants to have swimming lessons, passing a law giving babies Medicaid numbers thus reducing delays in reimbursement to pediatricians, and having impact in the allocation of tobacco money.

The DCMS is very important in the community. In addition to "We Care", HabiJax and other fund raisers, the Medical Society has sponsored lectures to high school seniors concerning alcohol and tobacco use, and sponsors annual physical examinations for Jacksonville middle and high school athletes.

As you can see, in many ways both the DCMS and FMA are very important. They protect our profession and patient care. Without these organizations, I feel that medicine would be in shambles. You may think that medicine is becoming tougher to practice, but without these Societies, you have not seen anything yet.

To keep their effort strong, we need your help. Currently 75% of Jacksonville's physicians are members of these Societies. That means 25% are getting a free ride, getting all the benefits the Societies offer without paying their membership dues. I do not think this is fair and I feel that neither do you! Just think, paying for somebody's meal time and time again, and he or she never returning the favor. This is how it is. The Medical Societies' work is benefiting all physicians in Jacksonville, but only 75% of the physicians in Jacksonville are members.

I need your help. I, as the Membership Chair, am in charge of raising membership and getting the 25% of the physicians who are not members to become members. The best way is by word of mouth. We must talk to these physicians and explain the benefits of these Societies. Please talk to you colleagues. If they are not Medical Society members, find out why. Remember that if you are a member and your colleague is not, then your colleague is getting a free ride from your membership dues. Do you feel that is fair? I do not. Talk to them about the benefits of the Medical Society. Tell them why you are a member. They need to become members to make the Medical Society stronger, thus making organized medicine stronger, protecting medicine for our patients and for ourselves. This is the common goal that all physicians want and will obtain if we get complete backing of the Medical Society.

The ball is in your court. If you want the Medical Society to be stronger, voice your views and protect medicine. Let's get 100% participation. Let's start now and not slow down until this goal is reached. All you need is to call the Medical Society at 355-6561 and speak to the Membership Coordinator. Ask her for a list of non-members in the Jacksonville area. She will be happy to get this list to you. Identify two or three physicians that you work with, or any physicians that you refer patients to on a regular basis. Talk to them about the Medical Society and get them to join. It is your duty as members of the Medical Society to help increase the membership ratio. Without this effort, you will be paying for all the Jacksonville physicians who wish not to join the DCMS/FMA. You are footing the bill for people who refuse. Let's not allow this to happen any longer. The time is now -- membership is the issue. We can get the job done together.

The choice is ours. We can either hang together or hang separately.

Jacksonville Medicine / September, 1999

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