This article originally appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of the Ontario Medical Review magazine.
The OMA is embarking on the most significant transformation in the organization’s 140-year history, with a new modern governance structure.
The Ontario Medical Association is embarking on the most significant transformation in the organization’s 140-year history, with a new modern governance structure designed to position the OMA for success in our fast-changing world.
“We want to enable this association to provide the best possible value to you, our members,” OMA CEO Allan O’Dette told attendees at the virtual General Assembly orientation. “We are absolutely committed to driving membership satisfaction through delivering on the Physician Services Agreement, having your back, advocating on your behalf and providing great services to you no matter what stage of your career you are in.” O’Dette said the environment has changed dramatically over the last 10 years with government experiencing new pressures on expenditures, technological advances, competition, and patients who have new expectations of health care and how it is delivered. The OMA must change or risk being left behind, he said.
Under the new governance structure, decision-making authority has been clarified, with roles between the board and the new General Assembly now more clearly defined. While the board is responsible for organizational oversight, the General Assembly will drive and shape health-care policy and the role of doctors in our shifting landscape. The new roles will allow the board and General Assembly to each do their jobs more effectively, and enable the planning and co-ordination necessary to keep doctors at the forefront, whatever the future holds. The board has transformed, too. Moving from 26 directors to 11, the new, smaller board has welcomed its first non-physician members. The new board is composed of eight physicians and three non-physicians. For the first time, all members were invited to directly elect their board and president-elect.
"The basic structure of the new body is in place, but it will be up to you, the board and OMA staff to shape and form its culture, norms, priorities, and ultimately operational excellence."
Allan O’Dette, OMA CEO
Coming after years of member-driven work, the main driver of the new governance structure is to deliver the best possible value to the OMA’s membership of 43,000 doctors. It comes in response to feedback from members that the confused roles and responsibilities among the board and former Council was leading to conflict and power struggles, and concern about the size and cost of the two bodies. Members were also calling for resolution to the relativity issue and success in negotiating the Physician Services Agreement. They recognized the value of a unified and co-ordinated profession led by their association.
“Our membership is very diverse and our members care about a lot of different issues, but there are a couple of things that are universally accepted as key priorities to drive member satisfaction,” O’Dette said. “Those things are negotiate, negotiate, negotiate and have our back.” O’Dette said the launch of the new General Assembly is not a beginning, so much as the next chapter in setting up the OMA for success in environments of change and ambiguity.
“The basic structure of the new body is in place, but it will be up to you, the board and OMA staff to shape and form its culture, norms, priorities, and ultimately operational excellence,” he said. “I am really looking forward to seeing the full potential of a renewed OMA. I want to say thanks to all of you for the heavy lifting you have done around all this, for having some trust and faith and for just being here participating here today.”
A more detailed overview of the governance changes, including the Priority and Leadership Group, Panels, the General Assembly Steering Committee and the role of constituency groups was provided by Dr. Lisa Salamon, who led the transformation as chair of the Governance Transformation Task Force 2020. Dr. Salamon explained the composition of each group, its purpose, the election process, tenure and accountability, noting that the role of each will be strengthened by the new General Assembly structure.
Dr. Sohail Gandhi, past chair of the Nominations and Appointments Committee, outlined the appointment process to the new Priority and Leadership Group, which will bring issues and priorities to the General Assembly from the constituency groups. Attendees at the virtual event had the opportunity to ask questions, and engaged in a lively question-and-answer session with the speakers about involvement in the process.
Next steps this year include the filling of delegate positions and the inaugural meeting of the Priority and Leadership Group slated for September. Board directors elected Dr. Paul Conte as board chair and Dr.Audrey Karlinsky board vice-chair at the June 17 meeting. The OMA has also embarked on a previously announced 24-month review of constituency groups, with one identified goal to ensure consistency in the structure, rules and regulations of the various groups while taking into consideration the unique nature and composition of each.
The General Assembly orientation was held on the final day of OMA spring events, following the 100th anniversary edition of the annual OMA Awards Program and the Annual General Meeting. At the annual general meeting, Dr. Adam Kassam was installed as the 2021-22 OMA president, replacing immediate past-president Dr. Samantha Hill. The new board was introduced and the now retired Council was celebrated as part of a Council Memory Project in which its achievement was showcased through stories told by members, memories shared by former Council delegates and a video depicting its storied history.