Physicians undergo years of training and practice to amass the knowledge that equips them to lead a patient’s care. So they can spend more time in clinical care, the Texas Medical Association Knowledge Center helps them navigate the rest.
The Knowledge Center was created in October 2003, envisioned as a central hub for physicians to obtain accurate, timely, concise, and complete answers to their questions. In the 20 years it has operated, the center’s director, Claire Duncan, says the staff has remained true to that goal across numerous medical landmarks.
These days, Ms. Duncan says the center receives calls and emails that run the gamut: questions about logging in to membership benefits, medico-legal topics, and practice management issues, and concerns about current events, from legislation to public health.
“Events like the pandemic and natural disasters, and major pieces of legislation like the Affordable Care Act, really highlight the need to have that one-stop shop where physicians and their office staff can contact TMA,” she said. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, “Knowledge Center staff were listening to member concerns, answering questions, and helping navigate uncharted territory. We were able to relay member concerns to folks who were working on the ground with emergency preparedness organizations.”
The Knowledge Center tracks recurring questions and persistent issues to help develop and curate resources that better serve members. This may result in FAQs or whitepapers developed by TMA staff experts that physicians can reference. The way physicians interact with the Knowledge Center may also guide larger actions by the association, with the aim of continually improving members’ access to quality information.
During the pandemic, for instance, the Knowledge Center’s work included sharing FAQs and whitepapers TMA produced about the COVID-19 virus, as well as signage for physicians’ offices. It also helped facilitate the distribution of more than 23 million masks.
The center’s model is simple: Staff receive questions and answer them based on their accumulated knowledge and high-quality sources. If the center is unable to find a helpful answer, it will redirect the matter to the appropriate TMA staff expert.
“We really ... have to be jacks of all trades,” said Gerry Juarez, a TMA information specialist. “We have to know what each department does. There are different programs within each department, so we need to know who spearheads those particular programs.”
Mr. Juarez says he finds himself working most often with the practice consulting team, the membership experience team, and the payment advocacy team.
“Sometimes there are questions that we can't answer because they require an attorney,” he said, adding that TMA cannot dispense legal advice. “We're not going to be able to tell you exactly what to do, but we can give you the guidelines and the rules.”
Knowledge Center Librarian Barbara Tims serves as the team’s point of contact for clinical and health business questions. Solo or small practices without academic affiliation may not have access to the most recent research, for instance, and regardless of practice type, all physicians have limited time to hunt through massive databases.
“It still takes a great deal of time and expertise to sift through [databases] and come up with the relevant papers,” Ms. Tims said. “Obviously, most physicians just don't have time to do that.”
Not only can members receive curated citations to help their research efforts, but they also can stay informed on their interest areas with email alerts and use the library’s tools to find full texts of sometimes inaccessible articles.
The Knowledge Center also oversees the History of Medicine Gallery, which has spawned several traveling banner exhibits.
All of the center’s many services, from the information center to the library and more, hinge on person-to-person connections, Ms. Duncan says. This way, staff can ensure that issues – often nuanced and requiring precise care – are fully addressed.
Center staff are reachable by phone and email, so “it’s really easy to get ahold of us,” she said. “We have live human beings answering the phone, during business hours, which is rare. You might have to leave a voicemail, but a human being will talk to you.”
The center also strives to avoid bouncing physicians around from person to person, says Coordinator Stefanie Nanez. It’s commitment to sharing resources with staff and one another means many issues can be resolved without escalation. The approach saves time for their team – and for physicians.
“A lot of these physicians don't have 45 minutes to an hour to try and figure out a solution,” Ms. Nanez said.
Even if it takes longer than expected, Knowledge Center staff are committed to member solutions.
“At the end of the day, my job is to solve their problem,” Ms. Nanez said. “If I can't do it, let me find someone who can. If that person can't, before the end of the day or before the end of the week – we're still going to solve this problem.”
Sometimes, that problem may be larger than TMA can tackle, like systemic issues with an insurance policy, or state or federal mandates. But hearing from physicians on these topics still informs TMA’s actions on behalf of its members and in its advocacy, which is why Ms. Duncan encourages those calls, too.
“If you don't need practical information or guidance, but you just want to vent, we're also here for that,” she said.
For concerns or questions about nonclinical issues related to practice management, membership, benefits and services, TMA programs and events, contact the Knowledge Center at (800) 880-7955 or by email. Clinical and health business information research questions will be directed to the Knowledge Center librarian.