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Restructuring and Rebranding of MMA

The urgent need for a Revolution?

It has been 1 year(Berita January 2005) since I first wrote an article regarding the disaster that MMA would face if no efforts are taken to improve its marketing strategy. I again reinforced the situation in another article in June 2005. Unfortunately MMA does not seem to be interested to hear the voices of its members and the disaster had struck MMA very badly in the year 2005. The number of new members fell by almost 50% from 700 over in 2004 to only 300 over in 2005. Everyone must understand that MMA does not exist without its members!

 The views that I put forward in both my article last year were not just my views but the views of the junior doctors at the grassroots level. The newer generation of doctors has a different mind set to play with and we cannot be going on repeating what we have been doing for the last 48 years. Let’s look at the scenario like this: What has changed in MMA since its inception in 1959? I became a member of MMA in 1998 and up to today, I have only noticed 2 changes: the membership card was changed from a piece of paper to a proper card and the Berita MMA was changed from something which looks like a newspaper to a proper magazine. What has degraded? Well, the BMJ which use to be sent to all members are now only sent randomly to some members and the Malaysian Medical Journal(MMJ) which use to be sent to all members are currently being sent to members who request for it (reasonable, I think!). The reason for these changes was quoted as due to financial. I am rather surprised to hear that as MMA could spend thousand’s of dollars to renovate its office and to fix CCTV system but unable to spend money for its very own member’s benefit. Something to ponder upon?

 Malaysian Dermatological Society which was only formed in 1974 only charges an ordinary member, a fee of RM 50/year for the first 10 years after which they automatically become a life member. Any member who wish to stay in KL for a short period are allowed to stay in the society’s penthouse in a condominium in Kg.Kerinchi, KL for only RM 500/month, which comes with a maid! The society also has its own journal and has organized international dermatological conferences in Malaysia and has received due recognition for it. Has MMA been anywhere close to this despite being older! Our AGM has always been a social gathering rather than an academic gathering. Almost every other association or society’s AGM has been made into an annual scientific meeting in which various updates in medical fields are organized.

 I was rather surprised to hear from the President in the last Berita that MMA Direct is unable to continue to maintain the MMA Direct website. First of all, how was this company appointed to run this website? How much money has been spent to create this other interactive website which up to today I myself cannot get access to it. I am fed-up and tired of sending e-mails to the moderator for which I do not get any reply! I am also ashamed to see the MMA official website which has not changed its appearance since 1998 (to my knowledge). It is still the same old boring look of a spine and uncolourful wordings and pictures. The “spine” is obviously getting osteoporotic and soon multiple fractures going to appear and eventually it will collapse……..

 I took some effort to look at various medical associations website in the internet and I must say that ours are among the worst and most boring website which makes me feel it is better that we do not have the website at all! The information found in the website has not changed much for the last few years. I also noticed that MMJ is free for access by anyone. So, why bother charging non-members for subscribing to MMJ? Why can’t we consolidate both our website into one with certain topics only accessible to members with a password?

 British Medical Association (BMA) has a very interesting website in which they even have advice on pay, contracts, career guidance, employment services, library services and even Medline access to members. This is something where MMA is very far behind. We should redirect ourselves to be an academic association rather than a social association. Giving members access to Medline or Ovid services free is something which is worth doing to encourage doctors to join the association. BMA also has its own bookshop which is also available for purchase online. Members are given significant discounts for any purchase of books. I am rather surprised that MMA never even thought about this despite being in existence for 48 years. MMA could have easily opened a bookshop in its very own building many- many years ago. Membership application online is something that MMA should look into as that is the trend for any association now, in the era of Information Technology.

 Singapore Medical Association (SMA) also has special discounts for telecommunication, computer and medical products for its members. Australian Medical Association (AMA) has almost similar benefits with BMA. In fact they even have phone membership application. Membership applications can be made on line with any credit card and discounts are given if a member wants to renew membership for few years in a row. Theses are things that MMA should seriously look into as we cannot be going around with the same old application form with cash/money order/postal order payments to the newer generation of doctors. We don’t even have a welcome pack to make the members feel that they belong to an association. What a disgrace?

 Well, most of these suggestions I have already put forward in my 2 articles I wrote last year. Did MMA pay attention to it? In the workshop organized by SCHOMOS from 5-7^th January 2006, the President has included a subgroup to look into ways to improve the membership situation and benefits. This subgroup was chaired by Dr. Ezalee, SCHOMOS Chairman of Johor. He would be writing to Berita regarding the proposals and the resolution that we would be putting forward for the next AGM in Penang.

 MMA is currently walking with Osteoarthritic knees with full of internal pain and suffering. The spine is also getting osteoporotic and soon, all this would lead to a significant morbidity and mortality. MMA has ignored the fact that benefits to members should be looked into rather then how to make profits to renovate and beautify its office. Younger generations are looking at MMA in a different perspective. Recently there are many articles written in Berita by younger doctors. The past President said in the last AGM that if anyone has any opinion, they can do so by writing to the berita MMA but unfortunately MMA is not interested to carry out the ideas. Exco comes and Exco goes but nothing has changed in MMA over the years. MMA urgently needs to rebrand and restructure itself to turn into a progressive and visionary association. It must be an association “by the members, for the members”. For these, a Revolution is seriously needed ………………