CVMS Committees

The lifeblood and backbone of most organizations lie in the enthusiasm of its members, and how they are organized. Establishing committees will help us to focus on specific projects that need to be done for our Society to be viable and helpful to its members. To fulfill our mission of advocating for healthcare improvements for patients and providers, there is much to be done. We will need special people to focus on these projects. If you wish to participate in this grassroots organization and its ultimate success, please let us know. There are many ways to volunteer including joining and providing your input on any of the committees listed below. Here is our contact information:

Phone: 757-816-8399 or Email: CVMS@cvmedicalsociety.org

1. Advocacy Committee - Chair, Dr. Keith Berger – arguably the most important committee of CVMS. It is the primary reason for our existence. It will help determine the most important healthcare issues that we wish to try to change. These issues arise from concerns expressed by the membership. This committee studies the problem(s) and writes proposals and resolutions to try to fix them. These resolutions are brought by our delegates  to the Medical Society of Virginia House of Delegates (HOD) at the Annual Meeting in October and are voted on by all the delegates. If a resolution is passed, then the issue is forwarded to lawmakers in the General Assembly who then try to get them passed by the State Legislature.

2. Communications Committee - Chair, Dr. Greg Warth - responsible for all communications to and from the board members and the general membership. Information is passed along through the newsletter, the website, or by direct emails. Members of this committee will be  asked to collect information, proofread, and contribute articles that would be appropriate for the newsletter. We also send out urgent legislative alerts asking members to send letters to their representatives on particular issues of concern. Usually the letters are already written; all the member has to do is sign it and click "Send."

3. Membership Committee - Chair, Dr. Lisa Barr – probably our second most important committee, because without members we have no organization. This committee utilizes whatever resources available to try to enhance membership, create a benefits program that is difficult to ignore, demonstrate to potential members the importance of this group.

4. Marketing Committee - In charge of magazine ads, television ads, podcasts, newspaper articles, and social media.

5. Finance Committee - This committee will be involved in evaluating income and expenses, and all matters of finance and taxes, and preparing the annual budget. 

6. Recruiting Committee -  Responsible for determining ways in which we can attract more physicians and nurses into this area. Try to make this process easier and with discounted rates.

7. Public Health Committee - Investigates ways in which we can improve public health, help prevent homelessness, improve access to care, improve patient education through programs like Healthier 757.

8. Mental Health Committee - Chair, Dr. Jerome Blackman - Evaluate ways in which we can enhance mental healthcare in our communities, by recruiting more psychiatrists and psychologists, encouraging the development of mental health clinics, addiction and pain control clinics.

9. Education Committee - This committee will organize educational opportunities, including medical CME's, nonmedical webinars and seminars. We may even host our own medical conference for a weekend with support from one of our sponsors.

10. Partnership Committee - This committee will reach out to neighboring medical societies, other advocacy groups, both local and nationwide. We will try to have meetings with other large groups and health systems in the area, to see if there's room for compromise on some issues. We would like to work together any way that we can to improve healthcare in this area.

11. Foundation Committee - Initially we will need a committee to manage the new Coastal Virginia Medical Foundation, mostly to evaluate ways to collect funds, including having fundraising events, apply for grants, request sponsorships. Also they will need to determine the best ways to spend those funds for programs like medical student scholarships, medical research, and other charitable community programs. Later on, the foundation can govern itself with its own Board.

12. Nominating Committee - Will evaluate members and determine who might be the best candidates for various our leadership positions.

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Newsletter

Stay up to date on issues and news you need to know. The CVMS Bulletin is published monthly and will list concerns that local physicians have expressed about healthcare in Coastal Virginia and how we can make it better. We will provide potential solutions and let you know what is happening behind the scenes to help solve these problems. Membership is not currently required to receive the newsletter.