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BCMS

New BCMS building groundbreaking on March 30, 2015. L-R – Dr. Maggie Beato; Councilman Ron Nirenberg; Dr. Jim
Humphreys; Dr. Gerardo Ortega; County Judge Nelson Wolff; Dr. Jayesh Shaw; Dr. K. Ashok Kumar; and Steve Fitzer.

the state to enable this sensible grounding of liability in the prac- part of TMA, combined with the opportunity to influence med-
tice of healthcare, this reform passed and became law. It has ical affairs locally. BCMS also offers services and benefits at the
served patients and providers well for 12 years now. But there county level that cannot practically be carried out at the state
are many other unheralded victories won each year through the level. Committees that bring together all facets of medicine in
efforts of TMA/BCMS to protect medicine; billing and collec- our community are formed locally, including public health, emer-
tion issues, scope creep issues, tax issues, liability issues, medical gency preparedness, socioeconomics, legislative, medical-legal,
science issues, moral issues, community health issues and more. physician health and rehabilitation, communications, censors,
If there was no TMA and no County Medical Society, who mediations, etc. This gives physicians opportunities to get in-
would the state leaders listen to when making decisions? There volved and effect change. The committees in turn impact state-
would be no major, united physician voice. Therefore, the dom- level committees and councils at TMA.
inant voices would be those of financial and business interests.
BCMS also provides local services including things such as a
Some may think that all this big-picture stuff will happen concierge automobile buying/leasing/financing service, social
whether or not they are a member of TMA/BCMS. Well, it’s a events, CME events, speaking opportunities, discounts on serv-
bit like saying “Why Vote?! The chance that one vote will swing ices, community service opportunities, philanthropic opportuni-
an election is unlikely, so why vote?” Well, if you don’t vote, then ties, local San Antonio Medicine magazine, weekly
you are letting someone else determine your future, or at least the communications and much more.
terms of your future. Shaping the future of medicine is EVERY
physician’s charge. Protecting the practice of one specialty has its After your group practice, organized medicine is one of the
place, but the big picture of medicine requires every physician’s only opportunities you as a physician have to combine your voice
attention. Getting involved with TMA/BCMS gives each physi- with those of others and influence the conditions under which
cian a bigger voice by influencing and educating, but also listen- you practice. Turning away from this collaboration, crossing your
ing to other practitioners. fingers or just leaving it to someone else to do is a foolhardy strat-
egy. TMA/BCMS gives you scale and makes your voice heard.
At the county, BCMS level, you have all the benefits of being Join, participate and prosper!

visit us at www.bcms.org 13