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by the MACRA legislation and associated regulation, and data
that need to be collected for the federal government. Employers
are engaged in this to differing extents, but PAMED has wisely
decided to work with all physicians, providing management
services and organizing physicians into a clinical integrated
network. Just as PAMED created a professional liability insurance
company (PMSLIC) during the depths of the malpractice crisis
which benefited members and nonmembers throughout the state,
PAMED is here to help prevent a crisis in the large segment of
Pennsylvania physicians who are either in private practice or
work for small to mid-sized physician groups. I encourage all of
you to learn more about PAMED's important practice options
initiation.1 PAMED is providing value to Pennsylvania physicians
by helping them demonstrate their value.
This value analysis can be applied further to other aspects
of PAMED and the county societies as well. The cost is the
membership dues. The outcomes are both tangible and intangible.
Tangible outcomes for county membership include receiving
this magazine, which can be a mouthpiece for any member to
communicate with our community. Additionally, one can join us
in networking events, engaging our elected officials, or helping
to change PAMED policy in the House of Delegates. PAMED
has numerous tangible member benefits from practice support,
to continuing education, to timely information on statewide
political issues and how you can be involved. The intangibles are
just as important. Nurse practitioners would have been granted
the same license to practice medicine as physicians years ago if it
weren't for PAMED advocacy. How much more time-intrusive
would the opioid database be if PAMED wouldn't have worked
with legislators to find a balance between the need to decrease
inappropriate prescriptions and the need to eliminate needless
inquiries that reduce the amount of time physicians spend with
patients even more? At the end of the day, if PAMED and the
counties provide enough positive outcomes for each dollar of
membership dues spent, they will both thrive. But if not, it will
be up to the collective membership to adapt their priorities and
cost structure. There is an obvious need for a medical society.
The question isn't whether or not it will survive, the question
is whether or not it will be relevant, or an afterthought. We as
physicians are committed to building a better future by providing
as much value as possible, for our patients, and for our fellow
PAMED members. Thanks for staying involved!
Dr. Mackley is a Radiation Oncologist at the Penn
State Cancer Institute and 5th District Trustee for PAMED,
representing physicians of this county.
1

https://www.pamedsoc.org/tools-you-can-use/practice-options-initiative

SPRING 2017

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http://www.lisatigerhomes.com/ https://www.pamedsoc.org/tools-you-can-use/practice-options-initiative
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BCMSMedicalRecordSpring2017
