Organized Medicine: A Healthy Dose of People, Power, and Purpose

Written by: Libby McDannell, Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Medical Association (ArMA)

Who speaks for the House of Medicine when physicians are busy in their practice, hospital, or clinic caring for patients, while legislators, often with no medical background, make decisions about bills that could become law and influence how we treat patients? Organized medicine ensures the collective voice of the physician community is represented.

Organized medicine is defined as the result of physicians joining an organization to advocate for themselves and their patients. More than 50 years ago, organized medicine played a key role and had a significant influence in the eyes of policymakers as well as the general public. More than 75% of all physicians were simultaneously members of their county and state medical societies and the American Medical Association (AMA). That level of engagement allowed physicians to speak with one voice.

While the practice of medicine appears to be ever-changing, support for organized medicine has declined at a time when patients and physicians need to come together more than ever.

Physicians are facing overwhelming challenges and feeling disempowered. They are stretched beyond capacity with limited staffing, experiencing feelings of fatigue, and concerned about technology impacting the quality of care. This has resulted in nearly half of the physicians surveyed NOT recommending a career in medicine. Houston, we have a problem!

There is a genuine fear from the physician community that we live in an environment where someone else will tell them how to practice medicine — someone who has never provided a lifesaving treatment or sat next to a patient to deliver a life-changing diagnosis. So, what can be done to remedy this fear? How can we encourage people to not only become a part of the medical field but trust those who are in it? This is a daunting question, but it is not unsolvable; we know advocacy is key to turning the tide in healthcare.

“All politics are local.” This is a simple phrase that is often used, and it provides some guidance as to how we solve the issues at hand… There is an incredible amount of influence at the local and state level, enough to break down the barriers physicians are facing every day.

Patients rely on their doctors in times of illness, injury, and emergency. Without that support, public health would not only be in jeopardy, it would be chaos. Similarly, organized medicine is the support for physicians when the legislature is in session. Without strong physician advocacy, there would be inappropriate expansions to scope of practice, increased risk of lawsuits, and poor outcomes for patients, just to name a few.

When most people think of advocacy, they immediately conjure up images of political gridlock, partisan politics, and being on a treadmill where you feel like you keep running, but you’re not getting very far. Those ideations may be true for politics in Washington, DC, however, I have seen the impactful work that can be done at a local level, where meaningful change can and does happen!

We see this firsthand in Arizona, where we have been successful in fighting for physicians and their patients.

You don’t realize how vital advocacy is until it affects you directly. Issues in healthcare go well beyond medical specialty, and there is a need for organizations with a broader scope and reach to lead the advocacy charge — capitalizing on strength in numbers.

In addition to speaking with one voice on the advocacy front, organized medicine keeps you connected to others — not only in your specialty but in your community as well. It provides leadership opportunities so you can advance in your career. It serves as a mechanism to filter out the noise in today’s world of constant overcommunication. Finally, and maybe most importantly, the value of organized medicine allows you to possess a seat at the table.

With 4,000 members, the Arizona Medical Association (ArMA) is the largest organization in our state, representing the interests of all physicians. For nearly 130 years, ArMA has been advancing patient care by empowering physicians, moving medicine, and shaping care.

The collective voice of Arizona physicians has the power to make a difference. Organized medicine has a remarkable record of achievements in this state and this country. We are considered the absolute healthcare authorities, and we bring something to the table nobody else can — the physician perspective.

Every member makes a difference, and with your membership, we can continue representing you and the entire physician community. With greater collaboration and partnership, we have a stronger collective voice.

Working together, we can accomplish what none of us could have alone. That is true of many things in life.

Let us strive to work together in meaningful ways that will allow us to be more effective in the ongoing debate about healthcare in this state and country.

I hope that by standing together, united in vision and commitment, physicians can regain their influence on policy issues and shape the healthcare system this country needs.

The Arizona Medical Association (ArMA) is the largest physician-led organization in the state. On behalf of member physicians, ArMA promotes leadership in the art and science of medicine and advocates for economically sustainable medical practices, the freedom to deliver care in the best interests of patients, and health for all Arizonans.

To learn more about ArMA, and to become a member, click here.