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A Consistent Influence

For more than 100 years, the SMCMA has been a
constant voice for the local medical community

2019-2021 SMCMA Strategic Plan

The board of directors, past presidents and professional staff met to develop a strategic plan. The association has served physicians and the community since 1905 and is a 501c6 IRS designated organization. It is associated with a Foundation (501c3) and a Political Action Committee (PAC). SMCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association as a component society.

There are 1,100 active members, the majority of which practice in large groups. Although fewer members practice in independent settings there are still benefits to them in joining SMCMA.

With the recent staffing transitions and enhancements in the association it was suggested that the physician community (members and non-members) be informed of the SMCMA strategic direction and developments.

The plan will be the “blueprint” for board and staff work. It should guide SMCMA to be more impactful for physicians and community between 2018 to 2021 and beyond.

During the meeting it was suggested to review areas that the association should NOT make a priority. It is recognized the association can’t be everything to everybody, so efforts should stay focused on the mission and goals. In some cases, it is better to refer or leverage resources than to build programs expending resources. The association can be a clearinghouse and aggregator.

Click on the topics below to see the full text.

Committees supplement the work of the board and develop future leaders in the association. They are a way to engage members.

The association has several inactive committees. It was suggested that each goal area have one or two committees or task forces to advance the work, for example Advocacy: Government Affairs and PAC committees.

The mission is the statement of purpose. It should identify the organization and what it does for the membership. It was recommended to change the word “education” to “inform.”

Staff is also recommending a minor grammatical change in order to make the statement more fluid and understandable without changing the content or meaning, removing “and promote” and replacing with “while promoting”.

“The mission of the San Mateo County Medical Association is to represent, inform, and serve physicians while promoting quality medical care for the people of San Mateo County.”

Goals are the core competencies to which the board is committed to allocating resources (time, funds, volunteers and staff). The board identified three external goals and addressed a fourth foundational area, SMCMA Strength.

  1. Engaged Membership - Engaging members and delivering value.
  2. Influential Physician Voice - Representing and strengthening the profession.
  3. Promoting Health - Promoting the health of physicians, patients and the community.
  4. Organizational Strength - Leading a vibrant county medical association for the future.

 

STRATEGIES

Each goal is supported by priorities and strategies. The board empowers the staff and committees to carry out the details of the strategies.

  1. Engaged Membership - Engaging members and delivering value.
    1. Recognition - Highlight physicians who are innovative, involved and exemplary.
    2. Outreach - Increase touch points and outreach with members and stakeholders (execs, medical staffs, etc.) Expand entry points for involvement in SMCMA (i.e. communication channels, volunteering, and activities that are collegial and fun.)
    3. Leadership - Position (teach) physicians for leadership roles in organized medicine and the community.
    4. Diversity - Ensure SMCMA represents the diversity and future of the physician community (representation, modes of practice, focus groups, projections, etc.).
    5. Support – Engage, service, and support the evolving models of practice, positioning SMCMA as resource and sounding board, and developing best practices when called upon.
  1. Influential Physician Voice - Representing and strengthening the profession.
    1. Public Affairs - Promote the local influence of the association through more effective use of the PAC and building relationships with politicians, officials, and other public parties.
    2. Positions and Resolutions - Extend positions on resolutions, policy, and legislative actions on behalf of SMCMA.
    3. Organized Medicine - Collaboration and leadership within the AMA, CMA, other county societies, specialty societies, hospital groups, and other affiliated organizations.
    4. Spokesperson - Serve as the trusted resource to city and county officials and maintain media relationships to act as the voice of local physicians.
  1. Promoting Health - Promoting the health of physicians, patients, and the community.
    1. Physician Wellness - Support the well-being of physicians; leverage available programs and the CMA planned initiative.
    2. Community Health - Identify and participate in campaigns that promote community health (i.e. Walk with a Doc, HepB Free, obesity, etc.)
    3. Leadership - Position physicians in strategic roles supporting health in the community.
    4. Foundation - Maximize use of the SMCMA Foundation for outreach and support; develop a plan for fundraising.
  1. SMCMA Strength - Leading a vibrant county medical association for the future.
    1. Governance Structure – Conduct a comprehensive bylaws review, reorganize committee structure to revitalize volunteer engagement and opportunities, and review the role of the PAC and Foundation for greater utilization.
    2. Communications – Maintain open channels of communications for member feedback, input, and concerns of the profession and challenges through platforms such as forums, surveys, emails, etc.
    3. Membership Sustainability - Set membership growth and retention metrics, outreach to missing groups and physicians; explore collaborative regional membership models; outreach to academics, new and small practitioners and office staff, etc.
    4. Brand Strength – Improve awareness of the new brand and SMCMA enhancements.
    5. Dynamism – Maintain a professional staff that stays updated with association management trends, best practices, and organized medicine affairs in order to evolve and stay current through change.
  • Review by staff and officers
  • Approval of the plan by a motion of the board of directors
  • Development of operational/tactical Initiatives with performance metrics by staff
  • Alignment of committees and assignments
  • Creation of funding campaign to support committee initiatives
  • Member awareness (announcements, brochure, etc.)
  • Monitoring and reporting at meetings
  • Annual review
  • Three year update