Press Releases
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2010
Texas Medical Association Uses Tele-Town Hall to Discuss Recent Healthcare Reform Legislations with Thousands of Physicians and Medical Students from Around the State
TMA Brings Health Reform School to 4,200 Texas Physicians and Medical Students
As part of its campaign to help Texas physicians survive and thrive in the new health careenvironment, America's largest state medical society Thursday educated 4,200 Texas physicians and medical students on the details of the new health reform law.
"Just like our patients, our member physicians are uncertain about what's in the new law and what it means to their practices," said Texas Medical Association President Susan Rudd Bailey, MD. "It's our responsibility to bring them the facts as we know them and the implications as we see them."
Borrowing a tactic from the political arena, TMA used a telephone town hall meeting to bring itsHealth Reform School to TMA members across the state. The hour-long session featured presentations from — and a question-and-answer session with — Dr. Bailey; TMA Council on Legislation member Gary Floyd, MD; and TMA staff experts.
"The mood in the medical community today reminds me of the seven blind men trying to describe an elephant by touch," Dr. Bailey said. "They had seven incredibly different views of the massive creature. And that's where American physicians and our patients find themselves today … groping at a new and massive animal … trying to fathom its depths without really being able to see what it is … or what it will become."
The telephone town-hall meeting emanated from the newTarrant County Medical Society building in Fort Worthand followed a live Health ReformSchool presentation by the same panel. TMA also is developing and sharing analyses of the new law that are specific to physicians in independent practice, in large group practices, and in medical school settings.
"This is not an organization that drifts along with change — this is not an organization that is in denial about change — this is an organization that listens to our members and responds to their needs,"
Dr. Bailey said. "This is an organization that focuses on our vision — physicians caring for Texans. Together … this year … we will take advantage of change."
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing nearly 45,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
