Imagine a network where doctors–regardless of speciality or location–can meet to share knowledge, advocate together for common interests, and collectively work to advance the standards of healthcare. This is exactly why physician associations exist.
Voting in medical associations and physician associations are important, because these groups play a multifaceted role in supporting doctors throughout their careers. From professional development to advocacy and community health initiatives, these associations contribute significantly to both personal career growth and the healthcare industry as a whole.
While it may be an easy way to improve the industry and the individual doctor, creating a physicians association is not simple. Luckily, platforms like ElectionBuddy can help streamline the process.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, independent physician associations (IPAs) are defined as business entities convened by a group of independent physician practices. These associations exist not only to reduce overhead or pursue contracts with employers or other relevant organizations, but they are great opportunities to foster innovation within the industry. In many cases, these organizations may lead to necessary change within the healthcare profession.
Family physicians, for example, are critical to the industry and are often well-loved by the patients they serve. The knowledge and expertise a family physician can bring is an invaluable resource to the healthcare world. Roles like these are why having a group of physicians to think and advocate as one is an excellent resource for any community.
There are several steps involved in creating a physicians’ association. As founders, the first concern at hand is what the association’s purpose is. Once that is understood, setting the structure gets a little simpler.
Access Health Care Physicians offers a key checklist to reference on the journey to starting a physicians association–such as knowing federal and state law in regards to finances for the association, knowing the type of people the association would like to recruit and retain, and knowing the association’s platform and strategy. What is the association hoping to achieve? This is a key question to ask while developing the structure of the group.
Setting the structure may involve surveying members. Like voting in medical associations, ElectionBuddy’s services can help manage and oversee the survey process. Once the structure is set, the platform can then be used to vote on what requires a vote within a physician association–from leadership to critical industry issues.
There are many reasons members may want to join (and stay in) a physician association. The healthcare software company, Elation, cites better contract negotiation and reduced administrative burden as the top two reasons independent physicians may benefit from a physician association.
As larger groups, physician associations have stronger bargaining power to negotiate for things like better pay.
These associations may also give physicians access to resources to better manage their practices or reduce start-up costs.
ElectionBuddy services are quick and easy to understand, with little training necessary.
Election certification inspectors endorse ElectionBuddy because it was designed with integrity in mind, making it simple to certify any election vote.
Associations work to conduct elections, certify votes, and boost trust in the process while simultaneously following legal statutes, which is where ElectionBuddy comes in. ElectionBuddy is all about convenience–members can vote electronically or on paper, with the ability to easily remind voters of an election deadline from anywhere. Setup is easy for candidate election, motion approvals, or votes on important issues!