Many new ways to participate in the AMA

AMA Leader Commentary. By J. James Rohack, MD, June 6, 2005.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from the chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, J. James Rohack, MD.

Something radical happened at AMA headquarters this spring. More than 24,000 AMA members (perhaps you were one of them) received a phone call from an AMA employee or a Board of Trustees member, asking them to renew their memberships and to work with us as we transform our Association for the better.

This first-ever membership telethon provides a glimpse of the cultural shift taking place at our AMA. We are creating an organization that is truly member-focused, an organization based on the idea that our AMA exists to help doctors help patients.

Yet to truly transform our AMA, we first have to recommit ourselves to connecting with the physicians of America, and we have developed a number of innovative new programs and strategies to do just that.

To start, we're focusing on improving the quality of our interactions with you by implementing new customer relationship management tools and processes. What does this mean, exactly? It means everything from being more responsive when you call or write us to communicating with you in the format you prefer, whether that means contacting you by e-mail, snail mail, phone or in person.

Second, we're committed to getting your input and using it to shape our AMA agenda and activities. One of the primary ways we are doing this is through our Member Connect Survey program, which you can access via the Internet (www.ama-assn.org/go/memberconnect).

This program already has transformed the way the AMA works. In 2004, AMA members used a Member Connect survey to make their voices heard at the Interim Meeting. This meant that for the first time ever, delegates were able to consider members' opinions on particular resolutions as they debated, shaped and created AMA policy.