I have been hearing and reading the buzz about consolidation lately and
thought I would share some of my thoughts. I am a certified
practitioner in good standing with ABC and the Academy. My perspective
is that of an individual member. I am not a business owner nor do I
belong to AOPA.
I am very happy being a practitioner, seeing patients and trying to help
their situations. I am aware that the national issues addressed by AOPA
affect my practice- through the business- and that is my point. My
employer belongs to AOPA for the same reason I belong to the Academy;
their interests are being addressed by an organization that’s sole
purpose is to represent them. My time is better spent focusing on the
patients I serve and keeping up with the “profession”. The company I
work for is keeping an eye on the “industry”, and keeping me abreast of
their progress in their efforts.
When I became certified I immediately joined the Academy. My dues have
always been out of my pocket. I felt good that my dues went to an
organization that represented me for my concerns. The business owners
and employers have their organization to represent their concerns in the
“industry”, and I have an organization to represent me for my concerns
with the “profession”. I am very proud to be an Academy member and feel
my money has been well spent.
I am concerned however, about how my and my employers representation
will be effected where all the same services could be coming from an
organization in which the practitioners and/or the employers are simply
percentages of its membership. If there is trouble on other frontiers,
will the new AAOP simply channel money from one concern to the other? I
feel at this point that consolidation would not be good.
The Academy has done an excellent job in the past. How can giving up
your mission to become bylines in a newer and bigger Credo help to keep
your focus on your individual members? I have read that the steering
committee will be keeping us abreast of how this will all work. I look
foreword to seeing their correspondences and hope they are impressive.
Also, I have noticed that most of the “buzz” is coming from the
Academy members. How do the business people feel about all this? This
will ultimately effect us all.
