Member Retention Tops Agenda For DB Presidents-Elect
A legislative priority for the Oklahoma Psychiatric Association (OPA) this year is fighting a bill that would expand the scope of practice of psychologists by allowing them to prescribe medications, according to OPA President-elect Barbara Masters, M.D.
Beverly Goodman, M.D., president-elect of the Greater Long Island Psychiatric Society, addresses APA’s Board of Trustees while Presidents-elect Barbara Masters, M.D., and Vincent Liberto, M.D., of the Oklahoma and Mississippi state associations, respectively, look on.
She suggested that the psychologists might be targeting Oklahoma because they saw an opportunity following the state legislature’s recent decision to allow optometrists to perform laser surgery, which had been beyond their statutory scope of practice.
She also told the Trustees that a development that has impacted psychiatric patients in Oklahoma is the closing of inpatient psychiatric units at Eastern State Hospital and at private facilities including Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City.
“Because of the shortage of inpatient beds, we are trying to locate other treatment facilities that will take these patients,” said Masters.
She listed several OPA accomplishments this year including publishing a quarterly newsletter for members and providing CME credit for biannual guest lectures.
Member recruitment and retention is another important issue the state association is focusing on, said Masters. “We have found the mailings from APA to members or potential members helpful, and we are following up with personal letters and phone calls.”
Oklahoma district branch members have also been visiting local schools to talk to students about the health risks of cigarette smoking, said Masters.
Vincent Liberto, M.D., president-elect of the Mississippi Psychiatric Association (MPA) said its legislative priority this year is to get the state legislature to pass a mental health parity bill. The MPA is using the successful Oklahoma parity bill as a model and recently hired a lobbyist to advance the psychiatrists’ legislative proposal. The district branch is also enhancing its communication to members by publishing a newsletter and improving its Web site.
Liberto also praised Psychiatric News for “demystifying APA, especially by reporting on Assembly and Board meetings and other administrative activities. This has greatly improved member morale,” he said.
Liberto mentioned that his district branch is engaged in member recruitment and retention efforts and asked that information on such initiatives be exchanged among the district branches and state associations.
Beverly Goodman, M.D., president-elect of the Greater Long Island Psychiatric Society, told the Trustees that she is particularly concerned about member retention during the time when members-in-training (MITs) make the transition to early career psychiatrists. She suggested that APA contact MITs when they are finishing their training, in addition to the contact made by the district branch, to encourage them to continue their membership and describe the benefits of doing so.
“We need to let our younger members know that they are a vital part of APA and that we value their energy and input,” Goodman stated.
She mentioned that the APA annual orientation for district branch presidents-elect had been extremely valuable in the past and that she would like to see it reinstated next year. She encouraged APA to continue to fight for parity and managed care issues that affect so many members and patients.
The three presidents-elect were unanimous in their praise of a recent Board action that allows APA beginning this year to share nondues revenue with the district branches and state associations for advocacy efforts, education projects, and other initiatives. ▪
