The power of organized medicine is in its relationships, whether in advocacy, leadership, or membership growth, as a new Texas Medical Association pilot program demonstrates.
TMA’s policymaking House of Delegates on May 10 green-lighted an infrastructure for TMA Board of Trustees approval of new test projects aimed at maintaining and increasing membership in the association. The first program of that kind, Impact Texas Medicine, will soon roll out in TMA member profiles, building an avenue for physicians to recruit colleagues directly.
“We want to make sure we have the ability to start pilot programs in ways that can really enhance memberships,” said Immediate Past TMA Board Chair Joseph Valenti, MD. “As times change, the way we get members changes.”
Impact Texas Medicine taps into TMA’s existing grassroots network by utilizing word-of-mouth to recruit potential members in all settings and career stages, including physicians newly licensed in Texas and/or trained outside of Texas; young physicians; and/or those in employed practice settings.
By logging in and visiting their TMA profiles, members will be able to retrieve a referral link they can forward to a nonmember physician colleague with an invitation to join. If that colleague uses the link to sign up for TMA membership, the referring physician will receive a $50 credit toward dues that can be applied at the next billing cycle. Up to three credits can be earned each dues year.
The new member would not receive any credits via this program but may be eligible for existing dues pilots for newly licensed, “never-member,” and “first year in active practice” physicians. There are also prorated dues from June through the end of each dues year. Only one promotion will apply toward dues; for instance, if a referring physician is already using another of the aforementioned dues pilots, they would be ineligible for the $50 credit.
Impact Texas Medicine users will be supported with a digital media toolkit, including:
- Simple steps for how to participate and be an effective recruiter;
- A membership benefits brochure, elevator speech, talking points, and best practices; and
- Helpful links, case studies, and other tools to help physicians tell their unique membership stories within the peer-to-peer recruitment process.
Informed by input from TMA’s Council on Member Experience and the Board of Trustees Membership Advisory Committee, the association will capitalize on recruiters’ successes by publicly recognizing them, on social media and more, as physicians who are contributing to organized medicine by helping to grow TMA membership, thereby making TMA a stronger and more effective organization.
Impact Texas Medicine will begin rolling out in June. Visit your TMA member profile for your referral link, and watch TMA social media channels for more recruitment news.