Polling Questionnaire

Dear Dr                                                                                                                                                               28 September 2023

DFPA EMC Polling Questionnaire

As referenced in latest communique on membership fees, challenges in collecting outstanding fees and the finality of the outstanding financials.

Before these planned general meetings and to ensure that we get feedback from all members, this polling questionnaire is provided.

It is outlined in sections around obtaining participation in our leadership structures, a consideration of tiered membership fees (given there has been no increase in fees since 2019) that many members are approaching retirement and, shareholding pay outs and the fact that they are many loyal members ‘subsidising’ those that are not always supporting the various projects and events.

The benefit schedule has been provided annually on what the service offering is, which is similar to that of the remaining other IPA groups and more in terms of technology and proactive in terms of attempting to capacity build practices in anticipation of the intended healthcare reformations that have now been enacted.

The newsflashes point to challenges with financial sustainability of our DFPA EMC organisation and despite this we have refrained to increase membership fees. To note we are still offering FREE attendance to learning portfolio meetings unlike others where these is a stipend charge.

This polling questionnaire is intended to encourage more participation in our various learning portfolio initiatives and related projects, get opinions on the membership fees, historic debt challenges and for the problems on the shareholding pay-outs.  We would also like your feedback on a practice manager curriculum course, aimed at a NQF level 5, we intend running over 9 months  beginning in the first quarter 2024.  The objective is to get these vital human resources from your practice upskilled in anticipation of practice accreditation and certification that shall be required for contracting in a reformed healthcare under NHI and that aligns with certain areas/ domains from the Office of the Health Standards and Compliance Office. 

We are now a founding partner of the UFFP umbrella for the main organised groups in the country, including SAMA and IPAF. With NHI now clearly on the horizon, unity is now of fundamental importance and so too is belonging to an organised group structure such as DFPA EMC.

Please note that this polling does not replace the governance processes of general meeting and AGM resolutions and is aimed further to inform those members that too busy to attend our regular learning portfolio and project meetings.

Kind Regards

DFPA EMC EXCO

DFPA Polling Questionnaire

DFPA Polling Questionnaire

1. Exco Committee and Sub-Committee Participation:
a) Would you be willing to serve on the Core Exco Committee?
b) Would you be willing to serve on any of the Sub-Committees?
2. Historical Debt:
a) Are you in agreement that the outstanding debt of R232 000 owed by membership be written off?
3. Membership Fees:
a) How satisfied are you with the current range of member-exclusive services?
c) Would you like to see more networking opportunities among members?
e) How satisfied are you with the communication channels provided to members?
f) How important is it for you to have flexible membership fee options?
g) Are you in favour of the tiered membership fee approach?
1) There is a planned immediate increment to R540 from July 2023 for those members not actively participating
2) And to R500 to those members who participate in certain of the projects.
3) The membership fee of R470 shall remain for those members actively using the EMC2 technology stack as this provides revenue to maintain the organisation’s sustainability.
4. Shareholding:
a) Would you be interested in receiving more information about the advantages and responsibilities of being a shareholder?
b) How important is it for you to have a voice in the decision-making process as a shareholder?
c) Would you like to see more opportunities for shareholder engagement, such as shareholder meetings or voting on important matters?
5. Exit plan for minority shareholder:
6. General Questions:
a) We are trying to garner group participation in our activities. Have you participated in any group activities this year?
c) Other doctor groupings charge for their CPD workshops. Our workshops are always free. Are you aware of this?
d) How would you rate the overall value of our association's services and offerings?
g) How likely are you to recommend our association to colleagues or peers?
h) Do you believe the association adequately represents your interests within the industry?
7. Practice Manager Curriculum:

EMC shall be commencing a certified course aimed at NQF level 5 qualification in collaboration with the MOU with Henley Business School. This shall be comprised of 3 quarters of training ( 9 months in total), each with a face to face workshop and several online lectures together with supporting lecture material and required testing.

Similar type courses are advertised for prices in excess of R26 000 but we have managed to get these costs reduced to R2400 per practice spaced over the 3 quarters.

a) a) Do you support the idea for proactive Practice Manager capacity building, rather than wait for the impending legislation.
b) How likely are you to have your practice manager register for the course?
c) Will you support your practice manager financially to cover the curriculum costs?
8. Office of Health Standards and Compliance – OHCS Workshop
a) The OHSC shall be presenting at our Open Day and also requested a detailed workshop with HCP spanning 4 hours to go through the important compliance domain and ascertain individual practitioner feedback. These are provincial meetings that doctors need to participate in and ours is scheduled on 25 November 2023. Please confirm if you will be attending the meeting.
9. Additional Comments:
Doctor Name
Doctor Name
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