Out With the Old, In With the New Look, Feel of Texas Medicine

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Editor's Note — December 2017  

Changes are coming to the magazine you're holding next year.

Well, no, not the specific December edition of the magazine you've got in your hand right now. As long as you don't cut out an article, write all over it, or use it to line a birdcage, this magazine shouldn't change much next year.

But starting in January, you will notice several changes to the look, content, and feel of Texas Medicine.

As a physician, keeping up with technology, information, and the medical literature helps you provide the best possible care for your patients.

As the country's largest state medical association, the Texas Medical Association understands those needs, and we've spent a large part of 2017 preparing for changes that will help us provide you with the news and information you need.

Specifically, we'll be making changes to two areas: the monthly magazine and email newsletters.

Let's start with the magazine, which currently contains about 64 pages filled mostly with in-depth stories on a variety of consistent topics: law, legislature, economics, practice management, public health, and education.

Starting in January, Texas Medicine will be reduced to 48 pages, mostly to cut costs. You see, it's expensive to print a monthly magazine. There are not only the obvious expenses like printing and employee salaries, but also mailing costs and fees for photographs, photographers, and magazine designers. The cost savings will help stretch your TMA dues dollar for things like advocacy and education and services.

We will continue to go in depth with our stories, because advocating and providing for you means tackling important issues like balance billing and preparing for disasters ― topics covered in this edition.

But we also understand that Texas medicine is a unique community ― and we'd like to highlight that community through profiles of physicians and specialties, Q&As with your colleagues, tips, photo galleries, infographics, and more.

The idea is to put our members front and center, highlighting the work you do every day to improve the health of every Texan.

Secondly, TMA publishes news and information daily: press releases, news stories, policy guidance, marketing materials, and more. However, those stories are delivered via email newsletters, often weeks to months after the stories have been published. By that time, the information can be irrelevant or outdated.

Beginning this month, you'll receive an email every Monday through Friday afternoon that contains stories ― timely news stories ― that are of interest to you based on your member preferences and status. 

We're making these changes to keep up with the pace of modern information and to use our resources most efficiently.

And although we are looking to the future, we will adhere to traditional ideals: integrity, honesty, expertise, and compassion.

Those are the qualities that your patients look for in you and that you look for in TMA.

I'm excited to roll out these changes, and I think you will like what you see.

David Doolittle
Editor

 

Last Updated On

December 01, 2017

Originally Published On

December 01, 2017