Driving value for members at the very core of OMA vision
by Stuart Foxman
Advocating and negotiating for the best possible outcomes with government. Supporting your practice at all career stages. Leading conversations to influence health system transformation. Exclusive programs and services. Delivering innovative tools and solutions to improve practice efficiencies. These are just a few examples of what the OMA does to support, you, our members, every day.
Just as Ontario’s doctors try to provide the best possible care to patients with your knowledge, skills and passion, the OMA, likewise, demonstrates care for members through a relentless commitment to making doctors’ professional and personal lives easier and more fulfilling. The association touches the province’s doctors in many ways, with a tailored mix of programs, tools and advocacy designed to serve the needs of more than 42,000 members. Says CEO Allan O’Dette, “I would love for doctors to say the OMA gets me and has my back.” O’Dette has been the driving force behind improving membership satisfaction and engagement. “We have an opportunity right now to transform the OMA into a world class organization that puts members at the centre of everything we do,” he comments.
Some of what the OMA does is apparent and accessible to members day-to-day; other aspects happen behind the scenes. But all add value for every member. What does that look like? Start with something fundamental across membership: negotiating the Physicians Services Agreement with the provincial government. In this key area of delivery, the OMA accurately and fairly represents the economic interests of every physician operating in Ontario’s health-care system. The association clearly lays out a position on behalf of all members, working toward a negotiated or arbitrated compensation agreement with the province.
Work starts about a year in advance, says Catherine Dowdall, executive director, OMA Negotiations & Implementation. Dowdall’s group is accountable for project management of the negotiation, which includes providing advice on strategic approaches. Their work is augmented by a negotiations task force comprising doctors, as well as an external labour lawyer who acts as lead negotiator. The team’s goal: “The best possible agreement we can get—that’s our guidepost,” says Dowdall. What does that mean? Any agreement should ensure that Ontario’s doctors feel appropriately valued for their efforts and expertise. And should, says Dowdall, give doctors the structure in which they can provide the necessary care.
To help deliver it, members can also rely on the OMA’s practice and professional support (seminars, e-learning, toolkits, etc.). That sets them up for success. Through these resources, the OMA helps members to grow, maintain and protect their medical practice. Structured content ranges from transition from residency, to starting a practice, to practice efficiency, to retirement planning, and everything in between. “It’s an example of how we meet the needs of members at all career stages,” says Mellisa McGinnis, senior director, OMA Member Services.
The OMA also provides a suite of digital tools—developed by subsidiary OntarioMD—for managing patient records, data and care, and for accessing provincial health tools. McGinnis says that as a member organization, it’s vital for the OMA to be responsive in every respect. That includes the range of offerings and also the ease of dealing with the OMA. “Our principles for the member experience is that it’s easy and fast, caring and meets needs,” she says. “We strive to meet those standards in every interaction.”
That’s evident in the OMA’s practical support at an individual level. Beyond that, at a system level, the OMA provides value by influencing the landscape in which members work. It happens by advocating for the issues and policies that make a difference to the physician community and advance health care. For instance, the OMA has been a key player in shining the light around complex issues such as access to care, making long-term care homes safer, evolving Ontario Health Teams and addressing the gender pay gap.
Thought leadership and the OMA’s recommendations are making an impact, says Dr. Jim Wright, chief, OMA Economics, Policy & Research. He says the OMA is improving at getting ahead of issues, and now has a healthier ratio of being maybe 50 per cent reactive and 50 per cent proactive. Overall, the OMA is making a greater effort to understand what the membership wants and needs, and advocacy is a prime example. “Our job is to advocate through the lens of what will have the highest impact for the profession, and what the data tells us is most important to the membership and the system,” says John Bozzo, chief, Member Relations, Advocacy and Communications.
The OMA offers members support of a different kind through the Physician Health Program (PHP). It’s a valued resource to doctors dealing with stress, other mental health concerns, and substance use. PHP offers confidential support and services. That includes prompt intervention, referral to treatment and monitoring. In addition, PHP offers support and education to physician leaders, hospitals, other work sites, and anyone else who’s concerned about a loved one or colleague. Together, these services are about saving lives, enabling careers and transforming the health care culture, says Laura Mattila, senior director, PHP.
Dr. Joy Albuquerque, medical director, PHP, adds that the program serves the well-being of members in far-reaching ways. Together, PHP’s services promote biological, psychological, social and spiritual health. In helping them with the next step—in returning to work or thriving in it—she says PHP can also help to bring back the satisfaction and meaning in medicine. “We want to be there for doctors,” says Dr. Albuquerque.
Another form of protecting doctors is OMA Insurance, which offers products that safeguard doctors’ personal and professional lifestyles. Some 80 per cent of Ontario doctors rely on these solutions, sponsored and recommended by the OMA. “We understand you,” says Preya Singh-Cushnie, director, OMA Insurance Advisory & Education Services. She has been in the insurance industry for 21 years and says OMA Insurance offers a couple of key differentiators. One, it is tailored to physician requirements and lifestyles at various career points. Two, it’s not-for-profit.
“Everything we do is from a value-based perspective—what makes the most sense for physicians,” she says. “We offer unbiased advice. We’re solely looking at the needs of members and not at profitability. We just want to do the right thing.” That ideal extends to designing new offerings, like the Advantages Retirement PlanTM. The first-of-its-kind group plan for doctors, distributed by OMA Insurance Inc., responds to members’ needs for greater retirement security. It offers low investment management fees, flexible contribution options and a guaranteed lifetime income option. Singh-Cushnie says members have been asking about a pension-type program for some time. “We’re responding to members’ requests to help them save better for retirement,” she says.
The plan is simple, features an easy-to-use online platform and, says Singh-Cushnie, “offers institutional money management at retail prices. The Advantages Retirement Plan was launched in early 2020 and has already won awards for innovation (at the World Pension Summit), and for leadership in defined contributions (from Canadian Investment Review). Singh-Cushnie hopes that, with all of these offerings, members see the OMA as their hub for support. “They can turn to us as their trusted advisors to help with their professional aspirations and personal goals,” she says.
For a range of everyday needs in both realms, the OMA also offers members access to exclusive benefits and discounts. That covers everything from banking, to fitness, to travel, to professional services. McGinnis says these perks help members to save time and money—sometimes more than even the cost of OMA membership. Moreover, these offerings should also give members confidence in what they’re getting, because of a careful vetting process. “Members can trust the vendors we have,” says McGinnis.
The OMA’s full value proposition played out prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the association was highly visible. The initiatives demonstrated the breadth of what the OMA does and the dedication to help members in every way. “We jumped on COVID as one of the earliest responders,” says Dr. Wright. For instance, the OMA website has included daily situation reports, notes on events and webinars, and quick links to data and other resources. An OMA COVID-19 Member Alert newsletter has provided things like case maps, patient-assessment tools and checklists for in-person care.
The OMA also developed several patient-focused tools and resources to help raise awareness around COVID-19 safety practices and protocols. Town halls were another efficient way we kept members informed. To keep the public informed too, the OMA launched an education campaign and a public service announcement campaign. On the advocacy front, the OMA worked to get doctors the resources needed, from PPE to virtual care OHIP codes. Additionally, the association has been instrumental in influencing policy around everything from reopening the province safely, to rolling out vaccines. Preferred suppliers were part of the response too, with the OMA onboarding 16 PPE vendors.
The OMA ensured that members had what they needed to not only respond to COVID but also to cope with it. The PHP was there for doctors via a physician town hall on mental health and resilience, a wellness support line, special COVID-19 virtual groups (including daily Zoom drop-ins), online mindfulness sessions, a webinar on mental health in the context of COVID, and podcasts on burnout. Dr. Albuquerque mentions that one of things that safeguard doctors during COVID-19 is PPE. But really, the need is for PPPE. What is the extra “P”? “Psychological protective equipment is so important,” she says. These and other OMA efforts supported physicians in meaningful and impactful ways during the most monumental health-care crisis of our time. Members noticed. The membership satisfaction rate jumped about 15 points. “They saw us advocating for them in managing the COVID fight,” says Dr. Wright.
Dr. Wright has seen the OMA’s evolution, first as a member and now as part of the senior management team. He joined the association in a leadership role three years ago, having spent 24 years at SickKids in Toronto. Throughout Dr. Wright’s career, he knew that many members saw the OMA as a bargaining unit first and foremost. He says the association was also viewed as combative—useful at times, but that only tells part of the story. What appealed to him in joining the staff at OMA? “The idea of transforming health care in Ontario. This was the best platform to effect the change I wanted to happen,” says Dr. Wright.
The OMA is strengthening the leadership role of doctors so that they are the trusted voice in that transformation. Listening to members and translating their requirements into action is always at the forefront. While programs and services are always changing for the better, so is the way the OMA communicates. Bozzo hammers home the idea that we promote one unified voice. Previously, he says, the volume of separate emails from OMA areas created clutter. Now, a one email project, titled “OMA News,” aims to streamline communications. The initiative reinforces how all the benefits to members ultimately come from a single source.
Maybe the biggest improvement of late is a focus on what Bozzo calls member-centricity. That can mean getting the best deals possible, supporting practice needs, advocating for priority issues and more. Broadly, it means ensuring that the OMA is focused on the right priorities and organized to deliver on them. All to deliver genuine and growing value. “It’s putting the member at the centre of everything we’re doing,” says Bozzo.
Another measure of success is engagement. Members are afforded many opportunities to be active in shaping the association, and are encouraged to have a voice in the future of the OMA. There’s power in the collective. Bozzo would love to see even greater involvement in the OMA’s health-care advocates program. The OMA gives members—about 3,000 and counting—training to be advocates for the profession in their community. “There could be a lot more,” says Bozzo.
There are many formal ways for members to become involved with OMA activities, but other forms of engagement matter to Dr. Wright. Like voting in elections or responding to OMA rapid polls. Or gaining a greater understanding and appreciation around OMA’s full role, and how it contributes to members’ well-being as doctors. OMA members want to do their best for patients and see the optimal outcomes for them. Dr. Wright says that everything the OMA does supports doctors in having that meaningful life as a medical professional. “We need to associate that social contract, that joy and pride, with the OMA,” says Dr. Wright.
Stuart Foxman is a Toronto-based writer.