REPORT OF COUNCIL ON ANNUAL SESSION
CAS Report 1-A-06
Subject: Restructuring the Council on Annual Session
Presented by: Fred F. Ciarochi, MD, Chair
Referred to: Reference Committee on Financial and Organizational Affairs
The Council on Annual Session plays a very important role in development of TMA's annual meeting. Members are involved in site selection, revenue/expense monitoring, determining topics and speakers, and resolving duplication and conflicts among the many specialty societies that offer CME programming during TexMed.
While TMA components such as the Councils on Legislation and Socioeconomics have a surplus of volunteers ready to make a three-year commitment for these high-profile topics, the Council on Annual Session, like many other councils and committees, struggles to identify members willing to volunteer their time and talents in development of the annual meeting.
In addition, the majority of TexMed planning occurs at the council's fall meeting held during the TMA Summit. Unfortunately, many important decisions must be made during the summer months when it is difficult to get a nine-member council together; and complicated decisions about program layout, marketing themes, etc., are better made in a face-to-face interaction rather than via teleconference or fax vote.
The council believes that it should be replaced by the following:
(1) TexMed Executive Team. The TMA president would appoint a three-member executive team to serve a maximum three-year term. This core team would meet at TMA's three conferences in addition to a site visit of the TexMed facility in June. A TexMed chair, chair-elect, and immediate past chair would comprise the team.
(2) Planning Team. This action-oriented team would be selected by the TexMed chair for a term of one year and be responsible for assignments such as organizing social events, serving as liaison with local hospitals and large groups, identifying local speakers, and showcasing local initiatives that might be of interest to other societies. In June, members would conduct an onsite tour of the TexMed facility and participate in a one-day planning session. Additional teleconferences might be required to report on assignments. Proposed members would include one local physician recommended by the host city county medical society president, one physician selected by TexMed chair to allow representation from cities where TexMed is never held, a local medical student and resident recommended by their respective sections, the chair of the TMA Alliance convention, a local medical office manager to assist with practice management planning, and the executive director or designee of the host city county medical society.
(3) Programming Team. Members of the programming team would be appointed by councils and specialty societies for a term of one year. Approximately 20 CME program chairs representing various specialty societies and select TMA councils and committees would comprise the team and meet during the TMA Summit to plan the educational portion of TexMed.
The council believes these proposals would enhance TexMed planning significantly for several reasons: Smaller planning groups are more efficient and cost effective; significant local input leads to more effective promotion, use of local talent/speakers, and keeps the meeting fresh due to a constant flow of new ideas with one-year appointments; the executive team allows for consistency and a smooth transition among team members while the short-term volunteer commitment of the planning team appeals to younger physicians who may not have time nor interest for a traditional three-year appointment; and short-term volunteer positions allow opportunities to reach out to grassroots volunteers who may not be willing to travel to Austin to attend leadership meetings and provide an excellent opportunity to identify and groom future TMA leaders.
Recommendation : That the Council on Annual Session be replaced by a three-member TexMed Executive Team, appointed by the president, that would oversee a local planning team and a CME programming team. (The Board of Trustees concurs.)
TMA House of Delegates: TexMed 2006