Written By: Traci Pritchard, MD, ArMA President

For Auld Lang Syne….

As this year comes to a close, let us recount the many activities and successes of 2018 for the Arizona Medical Association (ArMA). Staff, leadership, and members have been supportive of the transformation into ArMA 2.0 that began with the hire of our new Executive Vice President, Libby McDannell. These changes have proven to be invigorating and challenging at the same time.  ArMA was able to close out the third quarter with the successful sale of its headquarters that was previously located at 810 W. Bethany Home Road. ArMA has called this building home since 1970. The departure from the building was both physically and emotionally challenging, yet staff maintained smooth operations throughout, providing support to members and preparing for our busiest time of year. We cannot thank each staff member enough.

At the beginning of this year, we launched a new affiliates partnership program that helped build relationships with like-minded organizations and businesses. These partnerships offer benefits to our members while providing increased financial stability to our organization. Along with this new program, the board has approved an innovative proposal to establish a new intrastate advocacy coalition. Beginning in early 2019, this coalition will provide a single voice made up of key community stakeholders and partners. ArMA will drive this coalition and allow for collaboration with the intention of speaking as one voice on issues that may arise affecting Arizona physicians and the patients they serve.

It was another successful year of advocating for our profession. Steve Barclay led our strong advocacy team on the passage of credentialing legislation, neutralizing an attack on the Sunrise Process, and making progress on prior authorization reform (see 2018 Legislative Report for more details). We had a tremendous turnout from our members participating in the Doctor of the Day program. This program takes place throughout the legislative session and included medical students, resident physicians, practicing physicians, and retired members.

This year we transitioned from a print publication to an online digital magazine, The Arizona Pulse. This online platform allowed us to provide a free publication to the entire Physician community and highlights the great work being provided by ArMA’s partners and other key community stakeholders. The new magazine was steered by an inaugural editorial board that included Dr. Sara Coles, Dr. Christopher Bailey, Dr. Katy Coan, Dr. Michael Hamant and myself.

We celebrate the launch of our new Medical Student Section within ArMA. Laura Hamant and Dr. Ross Goldberg brought together their excellent organizational skills and passion for bettering the future of medicine to create this section.  We will be hearing much more from this section and are excited to formally engage our medical student members to help shape the future of medicine within ArMA.

Finally, thank you to our members for reading the Message from Your President emails. These monthly messages are intended to be unifying although sometimes we must touch a nerve in our family discussions. Important for us to manage issues in medicine that have peripheral divisive aspects and focus like a laser on those aspects in our discussions where we can agree.  The Arizona House of Medicine has room for all of us. We can, we will, and we do.

To a healthy, harmonious, engaged, and peaceful Holiday Season and New Year,

Traci Pritchard, MD

ArMA President