UMA Committee Descriptions

ADVOCACY-LEGISLATIVE

Legislative Committee - This committee meets once in November and then about every two weeks from January to mid-March during the Utah legislative session. The committee looks at all legislation and recommends a position to the UMA Board who then makes the final decision. The committee typically meets on a Tuesday evening from 6:00 to as long as needed to get through the proposed bills discussion.

UMPAC-Utah Medical Political Action Committee - This is the UMA’s Political Action Committee; you must be a contributor to UMPAC to serve on the Committee. This Committee approves contributions to candidates and sets fundraising goals and events. The Committee meets as needed, usually about four times annually in the evening.

ADVOCACY-THIRD PARTIES

Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee (CAC) - This committee meets three times a year at the UMA, typically a Thursday at 4:00pm, with the Noridian Medical Director to discuss local coverage determinations for Medicare. Committee membership is based on specialty society representation; members are nominated by specialty societies and forwarded to the carrier for approval.

Third Party Relations Committee - This committee is currently being revived and is looking to enlarge membership; membership also will include practice administrators and managers. The purpose of the UMA Third Party Relations Committee is to address concerns regarding policies of commercial payers that impact the ability of physicians to treat their patients and to provide information to physicians on best practices in dealing with commercial payers.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS-PUBLIC HEALTH

Environmental Health Committee - This committee meets periodically to discuss environmental issues that affect health. It makes recommendations to the UMA Board on environmental issues and brings resolutions to the HOD that deal with the environment and health. The committee typically meets early morning or in the evening as needed or as issues occur. (Usually not more than 6 times a year)

Healthy Lifestyles Committee - This committee meets to discuss how to promote healthy lifestyles including weight, nutrition and physical activity and ways to get physicians involved with their patients on these issues. It typically meets quarterly in the evening.

UMA Allaince Leadership Committee - This committee of physicians' spouses meets to discuss how to support and promote physician issues and public health projects in the community and the building of strong medical families.

EDUCATION AND MEMBERSHIP

UMA Editorial Board - This Board determines what issues the Utah Physician magazine will focus on for the year. The Board also either gathers stories or articles or writes articles for the Utah Physician. It typically handles its work via email.

Committee on CME Accreditation - This committee administers the accreditation program for intrastate providers of continuing medical education and promulgates new accreditation policies developed by the ACCME.

UMA Foundation Education Sub-Committee - This committee meets to determine what education will be offered throughout the year, to sets guidelines for education according to the ACCME criteria, and sponsors or jointly sponsors activity that comply with the criteria. The committee encourages components and sections of the UMA to contact the committee if they want their activities designated for CME. The committee does much of its work via email and phone and meets occasionally as needed in the evening.

Controlled Substance Task Force - This committee meets in the evening as needed, usually four-six times each year, to discuss the controlled substance misuse, abuse and overdose problem in Utah and to recommend solutions to the UMA Board. It is currently developing educational modules to satisfy the state requirement for prescriber education.

UHIN Clinicians Committee - This committee typically meets on the first Wednesday evening of every month to design the UHIN Clinical Health Information Exchange format for providers. It also discusses other health information technology needs or issues that pertain to clinicians.

UMA Foundation - This Board meets twice a year to award grants to worthy charitable organizations applying for funds that meet the organization requirements in the Bylaws. It typically meets at noon for two hours twice a year to give out approximately $160,000 dollars from interest or earnings from the Foundation account. Board members are formally appointed for six year terms, maximum of two cycles. Membership is limited to the requirements in the Foundation Bylaws and individuals must be approved by the Board.

QUALITY

Bylaws Committee - This committee meets as needed in the evening. It reviews the UMA Bylaws and makes recommendations to the UMA House of Delegates to change the Bylaws as needed.

Ethics and Judicial Committee - This committee meets as needed in the evening, usually bi-annually, to discuss specific ethical issues that that may arise or to examine medical ethics in general, then makes recommendations to the UMA Board.

LEADERSHIP

County Medical Societies - Each county medical society elects a Trustee to serve on the UMA Board of Trustees. County medical societies also elect county officers. For information on current officers by county, click here.

UMA House of Delegates - Delegates are selected from their County Societies, Chartered Specialty Societies, or Chartered Large Practice Groups to represent their colleagues at an annual policy-making meeting held in September of each year.

Utah Medical Association - UMA has a number of statewide positions. The UMA President also appoints committee and task force chairs. For information on the various officer positions and responsibilities, contact UMA.