SDCMS Member Benefits Policies and Procedures
We at the San Diego Medical Society (SDCMS) have standardized our processes and procedures for selecting those companies with which we choose to partner to bring to you and your staff those physician-centric goods and services that you have indicated you want. SDCMS intends to keep you, our member physicians, first and foremost in all decision making when it comes to selecting benefits partners. To that end, we have implemented the following policies and procedures:
CHOICE: SDCMS members will, whenever possible, be given a choice of benefits partners, i.e., SDCMS will not normally enter into exclusive relationships.
MEMBER INPUT: Goods and services SDCMS members want and need will be identified and prioritized using secondary research, focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and surveys.
NEGOTIATIONS: SDCMS will negotiate with all potential benefits partners to acquire the best possible deals for our members.
BENEFITS ACCRUE TO MEMBERS: All contracts will be entered into with the expressed understanding that all financial gain will accrue to SDCMS' member physicians and not to SDCMS.
MEMBER DISCRIMINATION: SDCMS members will receive a better value or a lower cost of goods and services than nonmembers.
EASE FOR MEMBER: Little or no work will be required by SDCMS members to take advantage of any and all benefits partners' goods and services.
STANDARDIZED VETTING: Benefits partners must have current SDCMS members as customers. SDCMS member feedback will be solicited to ascertain acceptable benefits partners. SDCMS member feedback will be reviewed annually. Benefits partners will be asked for proof of solvency. Benefit partners' local Better Business Bureau membership status will be queried.
MARKET SEGMENT DISCRIMINATION: Market segments will be identified using mode of practice data, and goods and services will be identified for each segment, with the intent of offering comprehensive benefits for each of our member market segments.
FEEDBACK AND TRACKING: A feedback tracking system will be implemented for both benefits partners and SDCMS members in order to provide benefit dollar values to SDCMS members. SDCMS members and benefits partners will be routinely surveyed to gauge SDCMS member satisfaction with benefits partners.
If you would like to suggest any other policies or procedures, or a specific SDCMS member benefit, please contact Janet Lockett, your SDCMS director of membership development, at (858) 300-2778 or at JLockett@SDCMS.org.