AMA Alliance at the Utah Medical Association Alliance Annual Meeting 9-16-11
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AMA Alliance Director, Debbi Ricks, presents to the members of the Utah Medical Association Alliance at their Annual House of Delegates Meeting September 16, 2011.
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AMA Alliance at the Utah Medical Association Alliance Annual Meeting 9-16-11
- 1. The AMA Alliance supports medical families through advocacy and education and serves as the volunteer voice of healthy families in our communities. Utah Medical Association Alliance Convention and House of Delegates Meeting September 16, 2011 Debbi Ricks, AMAA Director
- 2. Connecting the Triangle National…State…County Align With the AllianceAlign With the Alliance
- 3. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members Who We AreWho We Are We are: • physician and medical school couples. • individual physicians. • individual medical students. • volunteers who are dedicated to promoting the good health of America and to supporting the family of medicine. • affiliated with the AMA and work hand-in-hand to ensure better health for every American. • more than 8,000 individuals working on the forefront of medical issues at local, state and national levels.
- 4. Who We Are in NumbersWho We Are in Numbers • 8,000+ Individual Members Including 500+ Members-at-Large • 300 County Alliances • 35 State Alliances • 160 Members attending Annual Meeting in 2011 • 15 Board of Directors
- 5. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do • Support the Family of Medicine
- 6. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do • Support Physicians-in-Training
- 7. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do • Support Physicians-in-Training through the new AMA Alliance Honor Fund Goal amount: $250,000 Individual Charter Donors: $ 5,000 minimum (over 5 years) Organization Charter Donors: $ 10,000 minimum (over 5 years)
- 8. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do • Support the Family of Medicine Through collaborative projects Healthier Lifesteps For Medical Families
- 9. Place ebpage here Your Healthy Family Personal Space for the Individual Member
- 11. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do • Make a Difference in our Communities Faux Paw the Techno Cat Stop America’s Violence Everywhere
- 12. AMA Alliance MembersAMA Alliance Members What We DoWhat We Do •Promote Legislative Advocacy
- 13. Where We’re Headed…Where We’re Headed… Aligning for a Strong FutureAligning for a Strong Future • Membership Meeting the Needs of our Members & Prospective Members • Strategic Planning Building a Strong Future
- 14. What’s in it for Me?What’s in it for Me? • Support & Life-Long Friendships • Community • Contributing to the Greater Good • Personal and Professional Development
- 15. Western States CoalitionWestern States Coalition AMAA Annual SessionAMAA Annual Session June, 2011June, 2011
- 16. Western States CoalitionWestern States Coalition AMAA LeadershipAMAA Leadership Development ConferenceDevelopment Conference October, 2010October, 2010
- 17. Western States Coalition RetreatWestern States Coalition Retreat Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, Oregon November, 2009November, 2009
- 18. Western States Coalition RetreatWestern States Coalition Retreat Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, Oregon November, 2009November, 2009
- 19. Western States Coalition RetreatWestern States Coalition Retreat Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, Oregon November, 2009November, 2009
- 20. Western States Coalition ConferenceWestern States Coalition Conference February, 2011February, 2011 San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California 1st Western States Regional Conference California, Colorado Nevada, Oregon Texas, Utah
- 21. Western States Coalition ConferenceWestern States Coalition Conference February, 2011February, 2011 San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California Anita Balardi Betsy Voelker Gabby Neubuerger
- 22. Western States Coalition ConferenceWestern States Coalition Conference February, 2011February, 2011 San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
- 23. No one else can contribute your unique combination of talents, energy, insights and ideas. What you do does make a difference Chuck Durakis Be the Difference
- 24. The AMA Alliance supports medical families through advocacy and education and serves as the volunteer voice of healthy families in our communities. Debbi Ricks, Director, AMAA 17480 High Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030 408-354-5613, 408-892-3789 (cell) debbiricks@aol.com AMA Alliance AMA Alliance Staff 312.464.4470 amaa@ama-assn.org www.amaalliance.org
Editor's Notes
- I am delighted to be here with you at this lovely location representing the American Medical Association as your director and look forward to getting to know you better as the year goes on. I see MANY familiar faces and look forward to getting to know those of you I haven’t met yet. I was very pleased that Teri has chosen the “Align with the Alliance.” Involvement and participation in your local, state and national Alliances can add so much not only your life but to the lives of those around you…your spouse, children friends and community members. One definition of align is: to give support to a person, organization or cause. An alliance is “a bond or connection between two or more entities and also a close association formed to advance common interests, causes or purposes. So…as you align yourself with the Medical Alliance…locally, at the state level and nationally, you becoming involved with like-minded people with whom you can advance your common purposes. It struck me while I was preparing this talk for you, how important and rewarding it has been to be aligned with and involved in the Alliance these past 30 years…spending time working in my county, then at the state level and now on the national board. I have personally grown so much and expanded my horizons in ways I would have never imagined. I have like-minded friends who support the same causes I’m passionate about from all over the country because of my Alliance involvement. Most of you are aware that the Alliance is a three-tiered organization with direct links to and from each of the levels. County Alliances are the heartbeat of the Alliance. By addressing local public health concerns, you improve the lives of people within your own community. State Alliances coordinate activities and provide support for the county Alliances. The National organization provides support for both the state and local Alliances in many ways through leadership training, by providing speakers to visit states and counties, through resources developed and available on the website and through personal connections. Uniting forces under the Federation structure amplifies the power of each Alliance member to better influence legislation and launch effective health awareness programs. Remember…your national leaders are people just like you. We are available to help you work through any challenges you might have and to celebrate your successes. So…please don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you have a challenge or success to share. Also… remember …As your Director, I’m available to attend your county or state meetings via conference call or Skype.
- The composition of our Alliance membership has changed dramatically since we were established in 1922 as the Woman’s Auxiliary to the American Medical Association…to… quote “extend the aims of the medical profession through the wives of doctors to the various women’s organizations which look to the advancement in health and education, to assist in entertaining at all medical conventions and to promote acquaintanceship among doctors’ families so that close fellowship may exist.” Currently, our membership includes, physician and medical school couples, individual physicians and individual medical students…we are a diverse group coming from many unique backgrounds…all volunteers dedicated to promoting the good health of America and to supporting the family of medicine. Our Alliance membership categories at the state and local levels vary according to the desires of the respective Alliance. For instance, some local and state Alliances include the category of “Friend of Medicine.” In some Alliances the “Friends” have the same rights and privileges as regular members and in other cases they are associate members without the right to vote or hold office. Some Alliances are exclusively spouse organizations while others include physicians as regular members. As you are probably aware, the AMAA recently opened up regular membership to include domestic partners. This was a national membership issue that states and counties could either embrace or choose not to implement. That’s the beauty of the way our organization is structured. It is not a one-size fits all. Members in counties and states have the flexibility to make choices to meet the needs of their members. My county Alliance, Santa Clara in California, is a good example of changing to meet the current realities. When I was president of the county in1991, we had 550 members. That was when members were all doctors’ wives and when the physician joined the medical association, the wife automatically joined the Alliance. By 2000 the group had dwindled to less than 100 members and none of the officers wished to continue. Rather than disband, a couple of us who were past presidents, kept things going. We did nothing for one year and then got back on the Medical Association’s dual billing the ext year. We added physicians as regular members, signed up our Stanford Medical Students and created a Friends of Medicine category. We’re small in comparison to the earlier years, but we are effective with a completely new face.
- Those of you involved in membership have witnessed the impact of changing times, changing lifestyles, and the ever-changing dynamics affecting the practice of medicine. Members today are looking for something that they can get from the organization before they can begin to think about what they can DO for the organization. Membership recruitment and retention are among the most challenging aspects of Alliance involvement at all three levels. As in any organization, our membership is vital to our success. Our numbers are down for many reasons and have been declining for a number of years. All membership organizations are being affected by the economy and by outside influences. AMAA is affected additionally by factors including dissatisfaction with AMA’s stand on health care reform, our dues increase…perception of lack of value. Through all of this change 35 of our states have active Alliances, we have members-at-large and there are 300 active county Alliances in the nation. As you can see, there is strong participation at our national meetings…160 of us attended the Annual Meeting in June. We have a very active and dedicated base for moving the Alliance ahead…a positive position to be in.
- The Alliance is the support system for the family of medicine. One of the strengths of the Alliance is the opportunity to develop friendships that will last a lifetime. We support each other in the good times and in the tough times…through malpractice suits, relocations and family celebrations. The Alliance offers a network of support where caring physician family members share information and experiences…and listen with compassion to the problems, stresses and crisis of others.
- We support our members through the training years by providing resident/resident spouse/partners and medical school/medical school spouse/partners with focused events, mentoring and collaborative opportunities. We can, however, always do a better job at becoming personally involved. The rewards are great. (Pause) We also support them financially throughout the country.
- The AMA Alliance has established a new permanent endowment fund called the “AMA Alliance Honor Fund” that will be a lasting legacy of the Alliance. You will be hearing more about this in the upcoming months. The Honor Fund is designed to significantly improve our ability to raise funds for healthy communities, healthy families projects and scholarships while giving name recognition nationwide. It is a permanent endowment. The earnings from money invested will be used to support student scholarships at $10,000 each. This was created because the previous fund…the Scholars Fund (the AMA Foundation fund we have given to for years…specifying a medical school to receive the funds) is being sun-setted. Consider contributing to the new fund now. I have the information if you’re interested. The goal amount is to raise $250,000. Generous contributions of over $100,000 have been received so far. Charger membership is encouraged with $5,000 minimum for individual charter donors and $10,000 for organization charter donors. Many state Alliances are coming in at the donor level.
- In another project, AMA Alliance is also working with the AMA to provide data, useful information and practical resources for Healthier Life Steps for Medical Families.
- These are excellent resources and are available on the AMAA website. Just go to www.amaalliance.org and click on “Your Healthy Family” and Personal Space for the Individual Member.
- “Information on work/life balance is also available as well as information on many additional subjects including keeping the mind sharp and Obesity Prevention.
- Alliance members make a difference in our communities, our states and our nation through hundreds of projects including SAVE Projects (Stop America’s Violence Everywhere), Faux Paw, Health Literacy, anti-Bullying Campaigns, distribution of the AMA Alliance’s health promotion materials… just to name a few. We join forces with existing organizations to form coalitions of people working for the same cause.
- Legislative Advocacy has always been a focus of the Alliance since the early days. As a physician, physician spouse/partner, your voice counts. Better than any professional lobbyist, Alliance members can give legislators the most accurate picture of how the issues really affect the practice of medicine. The Alliance can provide you with speaking points on current medical issues so that you can contact your legislators to encourage them to vote for meaningful healthcare reforms. If it’s not within your comfort zone to make the call, I encourage you to make the effort. You’ll see that it’s not as intimidating as you thought and your contact does really make a difference!
- I’m an Alliance member now…what’s in it for Me? We all need a support system. Medical families face unique challenges both personally and professionally. As part of the Alliance, members gain a forum to discuss their relationships with people who have first-hand experience of the pressing issues while developing life-long friendships. By joining the Alliance, you are immediately connected to a community of over 8,000 members of the family of medicine. While each member shares a common commitment to better health care, Alliance members come from diverse backgrounds and experiences thus enriching our experience. Contributing to the Greater Good allows us to look outside of ourselves and do the small part we can to make our community a better place. With volunteer activities, opportunities for leadership, and a chance to develop relationships within the community, Alliance members gain an awareness of the power of working together to improve the lives of others and consequently, their own. By far, one of the greatest benefits of belonging to the Alliance are the opportunities for personal growth. Your local and state Alliances provide opportunities such as this meeting where you come together to learn and have fun together. The AMA Alliance provides two meetings per year focused on providing learning, training and networking opportunities and I strongly encourage you to consider participating whether you are a state or county officer or not. Both meetings are held in Chicago.
- The Annual Meeting is in June and though it is the business meeting for the year, there are trainings and inspiring speakers as well. Anyone who is an AMAA member may attend and has a vote. If you are not yet an AMAA member…now’s the time to join! I have an application for you!
- The Fall Leadership Development Conference is a time for both new and seasoned leaders to come together and to get re-energized to back and make a difference at home. LDC, as it’s called, is in a couple week in Chicago. There’s still time to register. You won’t want to miss hearing keynote speaker, Patrick House, from Mississippi winner of the Biggest Loser, Season 10, who will be talking about his program to help prevent childhood obesity. I’d like to share part of what one of our county presidents, Mary Bock, from California said about last year’s Leadership Development Conference experience. She’s pictured in the front row on the left: “I loved visiting Chicago! I loved the vibrant feel of downtown Chicago and I had a chance to do some shopping after the conference. The shopping choices are spectacular! I heard some very fine speakers and saw some very fine presentations, but my favorite part of the conference was the “Western States” dinner. I heard so many interesting stories about involvement and purpose in Alliance projects…friendships forged in shared activities…friendships that are as vibrant today as they were in the past! It was so wonderful to hear such positive stories from these women…and to feel the collective enthusiasm at that dinner! I look forward to finding my own friendships and experiences in the medical Alliance! Mary mentioned the Western States Dinner. In addition to the local, state and national Alliances, Utah is fortunate to be a part of the Western States Coalition. The Western States Coalition meets at each of the national meetings and once during the year: either for a retreat or conference
- Our last retreat was held in Coos Bay, Oregon.
- Katherine, Pat and I were honored to be able to attend the meeting representing our states.
- Eva Germaine-Shimo takahara hosted us in her lovely hill-top home overlooking the bay. It was a fun-filled and very productive planning retreat for our Western States Coalition.
- Many of you participated this year in the first Western States Regional Conference in San Diego. Leaders from all of the states met regularly in the months prior to the conference to plan this most successful event.
- Gabby Neubuerger, one of our California members wrote this about the conference: Wow! I just returned from the Western State Conference in San Diego where there were Alliance members from California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah. I am always amazed and inspired every time I attend an Alliance Conference. As I walked into a room filled with Alliance members, there was an instant camaraderie as we are all dedicated to the family of medicine and to improving the health and lives of our fellow citizens. Like you, I am busy. I often debate whether or not I have time to be involved with my state and local Alliance. I wonder whether it is worth the time away to attend a conference, yet I am ALWAYS glad that I made the time. Was the time well spent? ABSOLUTELY!
- The meeting coincided with “Wear Red” day, the American Heart Association’s campaign to fight heart disease in women…“Go Red for Women” As you can see, first Western States Regional Conference was a success. We encourage you all to plan to join us for the next Western States, Leadership Development or Annual Session meeting. The meetings are an example of the enriching and fun-filled opportunities that are available as a Federated member of the Alliance. Thank you again, for the opportunity to join you at your meeting. Each of you has made a special effort to be here today because the Alliance is important to you and you believe in the causes. We’re a mighty force throughout the nation working to support the family of medicine and to make our communities the best they can be.
- In closing…Remember…that no one else can contribute your unique combination of talents, energy, insights and ideas. We celebrate each of you. What you do does make a difference. Thank you!