Comprised of some of Palm Beach County’s most passionate physicians, Palm Beach County Medical Society works tirelessly to advocate for physicians and their patients. Recently, we successfully advocated blocking enforcement of the new state law that bars health care professionals from asking patients if they own guns and have them stored properly. Additionally, our team successfully ensured the continuation of physician retroactive payment with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, resulting in $1.6 million in payments to physicians. Through PBCMS Services, members and others in the community have accomplished important public health initiatives through Project Access, the Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition, and the Medical Reserve Corps.
No doubt exists that the current industry and economic challenges will continue to create uncertainty in the medical profession, but PBCMS and its 1,300 members will address these challenges head-on. Two problems that PBCMS solved for its members are the need to ensure that they, their families and their staff get the health insurance they need to stay healthy, and the challenge of managing a successful practice while maintaining autonomy. To address the first need, PBCMS created a group health insurance plan enabling members to purchase group health insurance at competitive rates through the PBCMS Health Insurance Trust.
To solve the second need, the PBCMS Management Service Organization (MSO) is being established to provide our members with access to specialized and experienced professionals adept in practice management, information technology (including electronic health records and e-prescription tools), managed care contracting, human resources, financial management, business development, marketing, fee setting, and revenue cycle management (central billing and collections). In turn, physicians are able to keep their autonomy and practice control, while providing high quality medical care with reduced administrative responsibilities.
PBCMS leaders feel that these forward-looking programs will provide real value to and solve problems for area physicians. And the physicians apparently agree. Earlier in 2012, PBCMS launched an aggressive membership recruitment campaign with the goal to recruit 100 new members by July 1. Not only was this lofty goal met, but it was exceeded and PBCMS welcomed 130 new members.
It is important to reach out to practicing physicians to remind them of the personal and collective benefits of participating in their local medical society, and it is also vital to contact medical schools and residency programs. Medical students and residents are the future of the profession, and PBCMS is devoted to developing their leadership skills and providing supplemental knowledge to their formal education.
Moving forward, PBCMS will continue to advocate for physicians on local, statewide, and national levels with the Medical Advocacy Task Force; provide physician referrals; host educational programs for members and their staff; secure member discounts and rebates with area businesses through the Circle of Friends program; provide leadership training and networking opportunities; and much more. PBCMS will also host the Future of Medicine Summit VI on September 27 and 28, bringing nationally recognized leaders to speak with our local experts and visionaries.
PBCMS and its members believe the future of medicine should be decided by physicians. The best way to address the challenging issues facing medicine today is by becoming engaged at the local level, and the best means to protect physicians and patients rests in our collective strength. PBCMS offers that common ground.
