Health Issues
TMA cares about the health issues you care about. Our mission is not only to advocate for our member physicians, but to set, promote and safeguard the standards for medical knowledge and education, the practice of medicine and the quality of care you receive, as well as the sacred doctor-patient relationship and understanding between physicians and patients in Tennessee.
Smoking Ban
As a member of CHART (Campaign for a Healthy and Responsible Tennessee), TMA was a strong supporter of Governor Bredesen’s Smoke-Free Workplace legislation in 2007. The hazards of secondhand smoke in public places and the benefits of a statewide ban are well-documented. For more informwww.mlrnow.org ation, please visit www.tnchart.org . top
Medical Liability Reform
Your access to quality care is being jeopardized by Tennessee’s medical liability climate, which is why TMA is dedicated to seeking medical liability reform (MLR) laws. Specifically, rising malpractice insurance rates and climbing jury awards – particularly those for “pain and suffering” – are forcing many Tennessee doctors to avoid high-risk and lifesaving procedures, opt for early retirement, or simply shut down their practices. For more information, please visit www.mlrnow.org . top
Insurance Company Physician Rating Programs
Nationally there has been a push by insurers to rate physicians who provide patient care in their networks. The claim is that employers are demanding proof of value for what they are buying. This is understandable, but these computer programs only consider administrative or claims data received from providers for reimbursement purposes. Neither claims data nor the so-called cost or efficiency ratings can measure patient outcomes; both include data beyond the control of the physician, such as the price of drugs or lab tests, yet they attribute these costs to your doctor. The real data necessary to help determine the quality of the health care you receive lies in the medical record at the doctors’ offices. The TMA believes patients should not rely solely on the ratings of the insurance company when researching information on doctors, and should understand the limited value of physician ratings. top
Prescription Safety
To help tackle Tennessee’s status as the number one misuser of prescription drugs, the TMA created the Tennessee Foundation for Quality Patient Healthcare. Together with the Tennessee Pharmacy Association, Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Medical Foundation, TMA has been instrumental in creating the Tennessee Prescription Safety Program, a comprehensive statewide program to track and address the prescription drug problem, identify and re-educate overprescribers and raise awareness among the general public. For more information, please visit www.tnrxsafety.org . top
Helmet Law
TMA has lobbied vigorously to support and preserve laws that require the wearing of critical safety gear, particularly helmets, for those who ride motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in Tennessee. For more information on the importance of this equipment to avoid severe or traumatic brain injury, please visit http://health.state.tn.us/TBI/index.htm . top
Domestic Violence
As the state’s largest physician organization, the TMA has strongly supported laws and programs aimed at raising awareness and curbing the incidence of domestic violence. This Association keeps doctors abreast of new reporting requirements and works with state and private agencies to educate its members about the resources and assistance available to them and their patients. top