Rheumatologists in Texas and neighboring states have a handy resource at their disposal in STAR, the State of Texas Association of Rheumatologists. The association formed in response to a clear need for an annual meeting in Texas: At least four regional meetings organized by different people were taking place in the state every year. About six years ago, the stakeholders of those groups banded together, hired a management company and created STAR—then set out to put on a single, collaborative annual meeting.
“The goal was to have a unified state society for rheumatologists,” explains Brian Loggins, a practice manager at Arthritis Associates, San Antonio, Texas. By all accounts, they’ve been successful in this mission. This year’s meeting took place Feb. 28–Mar. 1 in Houston and drew attendees from across Texas and Oklahoma. Since the first meeting in 2015 in Dallas, the schedule has evolved, and association membership and meeting attendance have both increased, Mr. Loggins says.
For 2020, the offerings included a top-notch clinical program, office manager education, a business meeting and an exhibit hall, and sponsored outings including breakfasts and dinners. The program was tailored to the variety of attendees, more than 520 in total, comprising 230 physicians, 35 practice managers and representatives from 60 exhibiting companies, says Jeanne Torbett, CMP, CMMM, executive director of STAR and an employee of Superior Media, Meetings & Management Inc. The event also featured a business meeting, part of which was dedicated to advocacy education, and a special meet-and-greet for the dozen or so fellows who were in attendance.
Educational Offerings
One of the key benefits of STAR’s meeting is the practical, clinical focus, says Matthew Mosbacker, MD, STAR president and a practicing rheumatologist at Arthritis Associates in San Antonio. “There is some basic science at our conference,” he says, but “most of it is very clinically based updates and pathology as it relates to your clinical acumen, so I think that’s why it’s so well received.”
Another perk of the meeting is the mix of attendees, which includes practice managers. In fact, the meeting hosted a special session for practice managers that covered such topics as compliance, new regulations and billing. The more than 30 office managers present this year more than doubled last year’s attendance, showing good growth and interest, Dr. Mosbacker says.
“The major goal is to have exceptional educational opportunities for our physicians, as well as their practice managers,” Ms. Torbett says. To plan STAR’s annual meetings, the organization’s board focuses on the most timely and relevant topics, with an eye toward new technologies and presentation formats. This year, for example, one speaker led the audience in a game of Jeopardy!
Planning for the next year begins immediately after the current year’s meeting, when STAR’s board convenes to discuss what worked, what didn’t and to go over feedback from the meeting. This year, the feedback from attendees—physicians, practice managers and exhibitors alike—has been entirely positive.
In the planning phase, Mr. Loggins focuses on logistics and finances. He and Ms. Torbett evaluate potential conference sites to ensure there is a suitable meeting hotel and good restaurants within walking distance for attendees and sponsors.
The physicians take responsibility for planning the content and work hard to ensure that they obtain dynamic speakers who can address a good balance of topics, Dr. Mosbacker says. Regular clinical topics include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Other sessions sometimes address osteoarthritis, myositis, scleroderma and other more niche topics.
Catering content to practice managers is also important to the planning process. “Managers are crucial in this day and age with so many government regulations, reimbursement changes—everything is changing on a daily basis,” Mr. Loggins says. Advanced practitioners are “the future of the specialty,” he adds. When they attend the STAR meeting and sit with physicians to learn about the science of rheumatology, “they love it,” he says. “They are talking and learning, and it’s a joy to see.”
Supporting Broader Society Efforts
Participants also discussed patient advocacy during the annual business meeting in support of the association’s priorities. “[We] encouraged [members] to not only get involved with STAR, but also the ACR and other organizations that fight for the specialty of rheumatology and our patients,” Ms. Torbett says.
As the society has grown in recent years, it has started seeking out ways to get members involved beyond attending the annual meeting. Advocacy at the state level is a logical next step for STAR, not only for the field of rheumatology but for the practice of medicine and patients overall, Dr. Mosbacker says. To support this goal, STAR brought in a lobbyist to speak at the business meeting and offer guidance on advocacy efforts. Recommendations included how to organize and get people involved at the local level, grassroots advocacy and how to use other organizations’ successes as a springboard. The Texas Medical Association, for example, has delegates who lobby in Washington, D.C.
STAR aims to put together a state committee that can team up with the Texas Medical Association on lobbying efforts and help ensure that rheumatology has a voice in the state legislature, Mr. Loggins explains. STAR is also working to establish an insurance subcommittee to support physicians who are dealing with payor issues. Additional plans entail hiring a lobbyist to work on STAR’s behalf, similar to efforts that have been successful in Florida, and possibly creating a state PAC.
“With all the legislative and payor issues physicians are facing today, it is important that no one be an ‘island unto themselves,’ but band together so we can fight with strength,” Ms. Torbett says. “Becoming a member of STAR provides information on an extremely timely basis of issues of importance to the physician practices. This also helps physicians in private practice to realize that they are not alone. … When we work together on issues and help fight the fight, maybe we can make changes that will improve medicine for both provider and patient.”
Kimberly J. Retzlaff is a freelance medical journalist based in Denver.
