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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE

BCMS held its Installation of

Officers in January.

I am honored to share my installation speech:

By Ezequiel "Zeke" Silva III, President, Bexar County Medical Society (BCMS)

Last fall, Bexar County Medical Society celebrated 170 years. This were experiencing. Melody could have said, “Let's study it, let's think
society was founded in 1853. To put that history in perspective, when about it, let's ponder it.” Instead, she said, “Docs, just so you know, on
you leave this evening, notice the Alamo across the street. The Alamo January 13, we're having a vaccine fair in our building. We're sponsoring
fell just 17 years before our society was founded. I'm especially mindful it. I've already reached out to H-E-B and they are going to bring the
and cognizant of that history, but one point that I'm especially proud vaccines. Metro Health is on board. I need all of you there.” From there,
of is that we were the first component medical society for what is today we accomplished what we needed to accomplish.
the Texas Medical Association. It was us. Now fast forward to 2024. The challenges that physicians face are
I am especially glad to be here in the Menger Hotel. Our BCMS different, thankfully less urgent, but nonetheless relevant. BCMS is
Alliance was founded in 1917, in this hotel. To show you how for- well positioned to help address challenges our physicians are experi-
ward-thinking the women that encing. Our physicians are contending
founded the Alliance were: A year with different employment models,
later, the TMA started their Alliance ... One point that I'm especially proud growing corporate and private equity
and a year after that, the AMA of is that we were the first component influence, and increasing vertical inte-
started theirs. We were the egg that gration. Our physicians are asking:
medical society for what is today the
grew into the TMA, the TMA Al- What do I need to do to thrive in this
Texas Medical Association.
liance and beyond. It started here. environment, to continue providing
Being mindful of our history, I'd like It was us ... the best care possible? At the same
to share a bit of our more recent his- Our BCMS Alliance was founded time, we are seeing non-physicians
tory. I want to take you back to early come into our space and try, with con-
in 1917 ... A year later, the TMA
2021. We were about a year into a crip- siderably less training, to do what we
pling, challenging pandemic and we started their Alliance and a year do. Scope of practice is important and
were doing what a medical society after that, the AMA started theirs. scope creep problematic. We will con-
does. We were there for our doctors, tinue to work to make sure that physi-
We were the egg that grew
educating and responding where we cians lead care teams and patients
into the TMA, the TMA Alliance
could. But we were also listening, and receive what they expect: Care pro-
we were hearing that if you were a and beyond. vided by physicians. I wish payment
physician not affiliated with a health- were not always a consideration, but
care system, or you were one of their our members are not only facing chal-
staff, you did not have access to lifesaving COVID vaccines. In early lenges regarding payment from government payers (Medicare and
2021, we led the effort to vaccinate 2,400 physicians and their medical Medicaid) but also the private payers in our community. The time for
staff, doing so at a time of great urgency. Medicare Reform is now.
What did it take for us to accomplish this? We certainly had to have There is so much opportunity as well. There is so much excitement
a strong organizational structure, staff and physician volunteers. We that's coming into our specialties and our profession. In Austin, we are
had a beautiful building to hold the event. But what really made the discussing value-based care at the legislative level. This could lead to a
difference was that we had the trust and credibility of the physicians time where physicians no longer focus on their volume of services, but
in our community, and they knew we had their backs. Equally impor- we can focus on the quality and the value of care we provide. We are
tant, we had leadership. I remember the Zoom leadership call where seeing an exciting growth and rapid expansion of digital health tech-
our CEO, Melody Newsom, described the challenge our physicians nologies. This includes telemedicine and telehealth, but also remote

8 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • March 2024