[MMA News Now, Jan. 17, 2013] A new, expanded task force begins the next phase of MMA governance when it meets for the first time Jan. 21.

The group, being referred to as Governance 2.0, will take the directive from the 2012 House of Delegates (HOD) to: “continue its discussion of the recommended model for a new governance structure as developed by the Governance Task Force and approved by the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, in order to gather more member input on the proposed model and further define the details needed for full implementation.”

“If the MMA plans to change its governance model then we need to ensure that our members understand it and are comfortable it will provide them input on future public policy development,” said MMA President Dan Maddox, M.D. The expanded task force should help in this effort.

The HOD also directed the MMA to begin piloting the listening sessions and policy forums that were proposed in 2012 to determine whether these new formats will result in increased member involvement in MMA’s public policy development process.

“The overall goal of any governance change adopted by the MMA must be to increase members’ voices in our advocacy efforts,” Maddox said.

The new task force, which includes more members from Component Medical Societies, will conduct three to five meetings in the first quarter of this year, provide an update to the MMA board at its March meeting and work toward a final report in May. Its final recommendations will eventually go to the 2013 House of Delegates for action.

Members include: 
• Ken Kephart, M.D., Twin Cities Medical Society (Chair)
• Beth Baker, M.D., Twin Cities Medical Society
• Juan Bowen, M.D., Zumbro Valley Medical Society
• Stuart Cox, M.D., Twin Cities Medical Society
• Don Jacobs, M.D., Twin Cities Medical Society
• Paul Matson, M.D., Blue Earth County Medical Society
• Robert Moravec, M.D., MMA Speaker of the House
• David Sprout, M.D., Lake Superior Medical Society
• Rahul Suresh, (Medical Student), Zumbro Valley Medical Society

For more background on governance, visit the MMA’s Governance and Leadership page.