MCMS in 2020

MCMS Executive Director's Update

Stephen M. R. Covey, son of the late author and speaker Stephen R. Covey, wrote The Speed of Trust:

The One Thing That Changes Everything. Personal and professional relationships, Covey argues, move at the speed of trust. So does a membership organization like the Maricopa County Medical Society.

The Board of Directors of MCMS and I are dedicated to building upon the trust members have continued to place in the society since its founding in 1892. Members must trust we have their best interests at heart and non-member physicians need to trust MCMS before they join. Moving at the Speed of Trust

The Maricopa County Medical Society has always been at the crossroads of medical care in the Valley of the Sun. We will continue to play that role for the next century. MCMS will take the side of physicians and we’ll support whatever you do, whether it is caring for patients, conducting research, educating medical students, or volunteering in the community.

MCMS will be an organization to which physicians can turn for support. Doctors often ask us for referrals to the best lawyers who specialize in contracts or compliance, the best staffing agencies to fill vacancies, or the best investment or accounting firms. MCMS can help you.

Physicians value having a community of fellow physicians in an organization which looks out for their best interests. MCMS is on your side. Communication Overload

To build trust with physicians, we will share information relevant to medicine today and help members to prepare for the future of medicine in Maricopa County. But we won’t overshare. You may already be inundated with emails and push notifications from smartphone apps. MCMS will limit the amount of information we share, so you don’t get overloaded and can focus on being a doctor.

I’ve heard from many physicians who are thrilled to have Arizona Physician in their hands again. With so much media shifting to digital, doctors have said they like having something they can dog-ear, mark up, and throw on the coffee table. MCMS will balance emails and social media posts with the old-fashioned in-person events you’ve come to love.

MCMS is a community of physicians in a county with over 12,000 doctors. While we may not be able to shake hands with all physicians in Maricopa County and connect every doctor from Mesa to Surprise, we’ll certainly try by using a mix of seasonal events and modern communication. COVID-19 Support for Doctors

Scores of members have been rattled by the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus and rightly so. MCMS appreciates how much the spread of disease has impacted your work as a physician. The lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and policies to “flatten the curve” led to massive patient cancellations, fear of transmission to medical staff and patients, and questions about the economic impact of the virus. The Maricopa County Medical Society has always been at the crossroads of medical care in the Valley of the Sun. We will continue to play that role for the next century.

Throughout the local pandemic response, MCMS has shared timely information about PPE availability, COVID-19 test kits, and guidelines from federal, state, and county governments. MCMS has hosted teleconference and video chats about telehealth policies and considerations when selecting a platform. We solicited volunteer physicians to assist with response efforts by the state. We represented your perspective with county and state officials, arguing for more supplies, emergency loans, and urging patients to stay at home to slow the spread. You can find some details online at www.mcmsonline.com/page/coronavirus.

Refer-a-Physician

For MCMS to do more for physicians, we need more members. Annual dues are low at $250. Attend just a couple of our CME events and you’ll recoup those costs. Plus, we are launching a Refer-a-Physician program for existing members. When fellow physicians you refer become dues-paying members of MCMS, then you’ll receive a $50 discount on next year’s dues.

So, don’t delay. Please sign up today and join MCMS. Encourage your colleagues to join.

With your help, we will build on the Society’s long and positive legacy of supporting medicine in Maricopa County. As an organization that physicians can trust, MCMS will promote excellence in the quality of care and the health of the community. We will represent and serve members by acting as a strong, collective physician voice.

Throughout the local pandemic response, MCMS has shared timely information about PPE availability, COVID-19 test kits, and guidelines from federal, state, and county governments.

Visit https://www.mcmsonline.com/ page/Coronavirus for more information

John McElligott, MPH, CPH is Maricopa County Medical Society's Executive Director and he can be reached at john@mcmsonline.com.