REPORT OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BOT Report 9-A-07
Subject: TMA Affiliation
Presented by: C. Bruce Malone, MD, Chair
In November 1998, the Board of Trustees adopted a process for considering requests for TMA sponsorship, defined as support given by TMA to external entities. In July 2005, the board amended the Texas Medical Association Sponsorship Process by changing "sponsorship" to "affiliation" throughout. The term "sponsorship" is a well-known tax term and may give the misleading impression that this policy refers to federal taxation of non-profit organizations. The purpose of the sponsorship process is to provide guidelines for TMA's association with other groups and organizations. The board believes this purpose will be conveyed more clearly with the term "Sponsorship" changed to the term "Affiliation."
Examples of affiliation are use of TMA's name, use of TMA's logo, use of TMA's financial resources, TMA membership in coalitions (TMA will not serve as a fiscal agent/treasurer for coalitions), TMA member physician participation in coalitions, and/or TMA staff participation in coalitions. Affiliation is distinct from endorsement. Affiliation may have active participation by TMA; endorsements cannot. TMA will not receive money for affiliation but will receive royalties for endorsements.
The process adopted by the board provides that requests for TMA affiliation should be reviewed by the appropriate TMA component, for example a standing committee, a task force, or a section. Consultation with the Office of General Counsel must precede sending a favorable or unfavorable report to the parent board, council, or committee. The report, after review by the parent component, must be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for the board's ultimate decision regarding TMA affiliation. When no parent component exists, the report is submitted directly to the Board of Trustees for ultimate decision. If use of TMA's name or logo is approved, then such use must be coordinated with the Division of Communication to ensure appropriate protections for these service marks.
Over the past 12 months, the Board of Trustees has approved TMA affiliation with the following:
Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians-hosted conference to educate physicians about new state laws on foster care and informed consent; Texas Pain Summit held Aug. 25, 2006, in Austin; Science Teachers Association of Texas and Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching; Texas Renal Coalition; Texas Coalition for Worksite Wellness; and Medical Records Institute conference, Towards Electronic Patient Records.
TMA House of Delegates: TexMed 2007