So You Want to be an OMA Board Director? GUEST POST

Please welcome Dr. David Esser, an OMA Board Director, for this guest post.

I’ve known David for a few years now. He’s got a huge heart and a genuine soul.

Enjoy! 

Shawn

So You Want to be an OMA Board Director?

Being a Director is a special type of leadership position: You don’t represent the constituency that elects you.

Constituents elect directors to look after the organization.

Board Directors build and maintain an association that can deliver the strategic plan to members.

Our board Manages our CEO with our Human Resources and Compensation Committee. Staff is one of the greatest assets that we must protect.

Finance and Audit Committee requires balancing between achieving our goals and setting our dues. They must have a plan for dealing with unbudgeted expenses and reserves of funds. We must be able to compensate our staff, additional outside experts, all our members – engaged in the work of the association – rent and equipment costs.

The Governance and Nominations Committee deals with governance of the board and association.

This committee looks at the way the decisions are made and sets up the rules for how we interact in the organization.

This committee lays the ground work for leaders in the association to follow.

Ultimately, this is the touch point for member engagement within the organization.

We want a GNC that is sensitive to member needs as they build the sandbox we must all play and work in and, at the same time, be able to attract the best leaders within our membership.

Life as an OMA Board Director

I have had the honor and pleasure of being an OMA Board director over the past two years. I found about 1/3 of my work time ended up being board time.

Work on the board is both demanding and rewarding:

Being available at any time to deal with decisions that can not wait until the next board meeting.

Making the time to attend all the meetings in their entirety and being fully prepared having read all material beforehand.

There is a thirst for learning and doing our jobs better. Taking extra courses, reading extra books to improve your decision-making skills and understanding of your own role and the larger role of the board.

At the same time, you want to connect with our members, understand their concerns and wishes and educate them on the work of the board in building an association that can address them – our Association cannot do everything for everyone.

We also connect with our stakeholders and Government through meetings with MPs and MPPs and other organizations with which we work and appreciate their support when advocating for our members.

Lastly, the board must work as a unified team. We must be passionate and dedicated and work together.

There is no room for showboating or making promises to members that cannot be fulfilled as they are not in the mandate of the board. We must all move in the same direction and when we are divided we must step back, examine why and then restore a common direction.

I encourage those with the dedication and passion to serve the Association – by building an organization that is responsive to members’ needs – to not be dissuaded from applying. Members must keep the core roles of their board directors front and center when deciding who they elect to be the stewards of the association.

Sincerely,

David Esser

Past Board Director District 11

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Esser will respond to his own comments. 

24 thoughts on “So You Want to be an OMA Board Director? GUEST POST”

  1. ‘Staff is one of the greatest assets that we must protect’.
    Herein lies one of the greatest philosophical differences between the previous board view and,hopefully,the view going forward.
    Given the results seen by the membership over the last decade,we need a leaner,nimble,staff accountable to (preferably voluntary) physicians in Ontario.I look forward to what the operational review states,although it won’t truly be a ‘forensic audit.
    The OMA (and board)needs to regain the trust of physicians,and deranding would be a good start.

    1. Our staff work tirelessly for all members of the Association. The operational review brings the association in line with our strategic direction which is member focused.
      The other provincial medical associations that are not Randed still require that non members pay full dues to receive the CMPA negotiated benefits.

      1. What does payment of dues have to do with the gov’t paying for malpractice insurance because they’ve fixed payments to physicians.Around the world,that cost is passed on to the consumer.It is NOT a ‘negotiated’ benefit …. if they didn’t pay it,the service would not be provided (as the ob/gyn’s showed in the 90’s).
        The whole concept is disingenuous , and once again indicative of the ‘old OMAR.

        1. In Ontario physicians dues are Randed to the OMA – their bargaining body. This is true for most provinces. The negotiation with the MOHLTC regarding CMPA is an agreement between the OMA and MOHLTC for all Ontario Physicians. It has a beginning and an end date (2012-2022) and specific terms regarding reimbursement. This will be have to be re-negotiated or sent to arbitration once this agreement expires. Other provinces have similar agreements with their provincial governments – those provinces that don’t have mandatory dues only extend the benefit of the CMPA rebate to physicians that pay full dues regardless if they are members or not.

          1. My question re the CMPA was rhetorical…..
            My point is the ‘negotiation’is nonsense,as the gov’t fixes our fees,thus MUST pay our CMPA dues.
            Randing is NOT ‘true of most province’s,but rather of only 2 others.
            Ontario’s physicians should have CHOICE ….. yet our own association takes it away,along with gov’t.THAT us what angers the membership.

            1. When I started practice in 1987 all Ontario physicians that were CMPA members paid their full CMPA dues. I continued to pay my full CMPA dues until the OMA negotiated the CMPA rebate.

              1. When I started practise as a family doc in 1983,all physicians paid the same fee.Then the CMPA decided physicians should pay by specialty and fully fund the liability ….. the gov’t had to pay any amount above a specified fee.To say this was ‘negotiated is once again disingenuous,as the only option was to pass on the fee to the consumer,which the gov’t recognized….was them.

                1. CMPA rebate was achieved through negotiation. There was a contract with a beginning and expiration and terms for repayment. The initial terms were the government would pay an increase in CMPA fees from a baseline of a certain year. One speciality – Anesthesia – had their CMPA fees go down which resulted in a smaller rebate

                  1. We will have to agree to disagree……
                    Going forward,I hope the OMA does,in fact,carry out it’s ‘strategic directive’of becoming more member focused,as over 35 yrs I have watched it lose it’s way,become a $50 million/yr corporate conglomerate,and now even Quebec(with separate gp and spec assoc)has surpassed us in income.I feel sorry for young physicians in Ontario ….. the future is,guarded.

                    1. I believe we are going down the right path. We have a lot of leaders in the organization that share that goal. Thanks and it has been a pleasure having this discussion with you.

                    2. I joined CMPA in 1972, the year that fees doubled to $50. $50!! I have seen all the changes since then. David is correct: the CMPA reimbursement was negotiated by the OMA directly with the Ontario provincial government. I believe Ontario was one of the first to negotiate this. We got it in lieu of a fee increase.

  2. All Directors should have an MBA. Docs with private offices are entrepreneurs and daily deal with accounts and labour laws. They take RISKS. Those who work in hospitals and institutions are protected from business risks. To have enthusiastic amateurs as Directors would not be accepted in a business bringing in $40 million a year.

    1. I agree additional training for a directorship position is beneficial. Having said that the OMA does provide training for directors, some of that is through the Institute of Corporate Directors. Looking at many organizations an MBA is not a requirement for a directorship. What is essential though is a passion for the work, a desire to question, keeping an open mind, and making good decisions. No question there is also a learning curve and I expect it takes most directors at least one year to be comfortable in the position.

  3. “…too look after the organization”…..many would say that the organization has done very well for itself….and for its staff in particular , all of whom have been shielded from the government’s brutal assault on the profession with its cuts and claw backs….now, what about the battered and bruised membership that hasn’t done well at all?

    It certainly cannot do “everything for everyone ”….and hasn’t.

    The OMA , thanks to the RAND , has become the subservient and docile servant of the government…”a servant with two masters must lie to one”… the OMA has not lied to the government….as for its supposed master the membership???

    Other than those who wish to climb the greasy pole in the hope of advancement within the gargantuan health care collective ubnder construction …who would want to become ( forgive the murdering of Don Corleone’s line) “ a fool dancing on the string held by those big shots”…the choice is between becoming a puppet of the government and acting as a puppeteer of the membership to dance to the government’s tune…or maintaining one’s integrity and becoming a master of one’s own fate.

    The profession has the opportunity to rectify matters on the 7th., of June and throw out its oppressors and throw a spanner into the works.

  4. The past few years have been very difficult on the staff of the organization as they deal with some angry and frustrated members on a daily basis. The unilateral action of the government has frustrated and angered members as well as damaged the association. There has been a huge turnover of physician leadership in the organization and many splinter groups that continue to divide the Association. As we continue the fight for a fair contract we are also working on unifying our membership. A unified membership and a stronger Association will give us more leverage in dealing with the government – the citizens of Ontario elect – to advocate for our members and our health care system.

    1. With due respect, I would beg to differ. The organization has been unified for most of the last few years and have not accomplished much for front line docs. We have only seen major changes in this organization after there was major vocal opposition from grassroots doctors. OMA has a long way to go to gain back trust from dissatisfied membership. If the organization truly wants to improve it will start with introspection and not passing on the blame to “splinter groups”.

  5. In Ontario physicians dues are Randed to the OMA – their bargaining body. This is true for most provinces. The negotiation with the MOHLTC regarding CMPA is an agreement between the OMA and MOHLTC for all Ontario Physicians. It has a beginning and an end date (2012-2022) and specific terms regarding reimbursement. This will be have to be re-negotiated or sent to arbitration once this agreement expires. Other provinces have similar agreements with their provincial governments – those provinces that don’t have mandatory dues only extend the benefit of the CMPA rebate to physicians that pay full dues regardless if they are members or not.

  6. Nice little description of the role of a board member. You neglected to mention your salary and payed benefits. For an article with the title “So you want to be an OMA board director?” Leaving out the salary and benefits is significant shortcoming of your article. Maybe I do want to become a board member, but how would I come to that decision without knowing the compensation package? Or is it volunteer? I look forward to you correcting this omission.

    1. Not on topic, Greg.

      David’s piece was not an ad for Board Member jobs but just a description of what he has lived.

    2. There is training for board members as a “benefit” and $2000.00 towards the costs of courses to further your skills on the board yearly to each director. The Maximum pay scale for a Director is about $1430.00 for a 9 hour day in board meetings (the 1-2 days prep time – reading 7-900 pages of material is included in this rate and is not paid in addition). Pay for work that is not board meetings is max $1100.00 for a 9 hour day – committee meetings and district meetings etc (again prep time for all meetings is included in the pay – no additional payment for prep). I spent 1-2 days a week doing OMA work with no Fee for Service income during those days. Expenses are covered as per our financial reimbursement policy.
      https://www.oma.org/wp-content/wp-private.php?filename=2017FinMattersCouncilBoardCommittees.pdf
      https://www.oma.org/wp-content/wp-private.php?filename=2017FinancialMattersPolicySectionsMedicalInterestGroupsBranchSocietiesDistricts.pdf
      https://www.oma.org/wp-content/wp-private.php?filename=2018OMAMemberExpense.pdf

  7. David, I applaud your commitment and the two and a half years you gave of your professional career (and personal life) to step up and try to make things better. It is not a small task to run for a position, and an even larger task to ante up while elected. Thank you for having done so.
    Darren

    1. Thanks for your kind words Darren. Also thank you for leading by example.

      David

  8. I just want to echo the thanks. Board work can be challenging, time consuming and more than one expects when new and difficult issues arise. I really appreciate the additional time that training and education for board roles take too. As physicians we are not trained for governance roles, and leadership in our own clinical practices and hospitals are not adequate preparation for the role of governance of a member-based organization. The added commitment to training and education is important to acknowledge. (As an aside, two of the governance books I really appreciate are “Governance as Leadership” and the “Imperfect Board Member” – which captured how I always felt as a board member.)

    Thanks David (and all board members) for your work and your encouragement to others to get involved.

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