WAMD: The Wisconsin Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine

 
Bylaws


MISSION STATEMENT


It will be the purpose of this organization:


1.  To promote quality and compassionate medical care for patients of all ages in post-acute and long-term care.
2.  To establish better communication among physicians serving as medical directors and other providers.
3.  To promote better communication between medical directors and (a) other post-acute and long-term care professionals, (b) various long-term care associations, and (c) officials of various government agencies.
4.  To represent medical directors in defining their roles and equitable compensation.
5.  To serve as a conduit between AMDA and the WAMD membership.
6.  To conduct continuing education programs, emphasizing the area of geriatrics and post-acute and long-term care.
7. To promote a better understanding by the public of issues concerning the post-acute and long-term care facilities and residents.
8. To support evidence-based treatments and best practice policies to manage post-acute and long term care facilities. 


MEMBERSHIP

Regular Member

Any physician, advanced practice nurse or physician’s assistant licensed to practice in Wisconsin is eligible for full membership on payment of annual dues and is, thereby, entitled to attend the annual meetings, to vote, and to receive the Newsletter and communications, as well as other benefits of the organization.

Associate Member

Any licensed professional who is interested in medical care in long-term facilities, is eligible for Associate Membership. An Associate Member is a non-voting member, with dues as determined by the WAMD Board of Directors, and is entitled to attend the annual meeting and to receive the Newsletter and communications, as well as other benefits of the organization.

Honorary Member

Other applications for membership will be reviewed by the Governing Board, serving as a Membership Committee, or by a Membership Committee, appointed by the President. Honorary members may be designated by the Governing Board. He/she will pay no dues and have no vote.

Associate Director

A final category of membership is that of Associate Director, discussed in the section on Governing Board, who will pay dues, but will be a non-voting member of the organization.

Corporate Member

Licensed group of professional from the same organization with ten or more individuals. These individuals are entitled to one vote each. 

ANNUAL MEETING
There will be an annual meeting of the organization. A notice of the annual meeting will be mailed (e-mailed) to all members approximately 30 days prior to the meeting. A nominating committee will be appointed by the President at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting, the Chairman being a member of the Governing Board. The report of this nominating committee will be made at the annual meeting. The meeting will be conducted by the President of the organization; in his/her absence, by the Secretary. A roster of active members will be kept by the Secretary. They will be eligible to vote at the meeting. Business will be conducted by a majority vote.


GOVERNING BOARD


Meeting Frequency
Between annual meetings, the business of the organization will be conducted by the Governing Board which will meet no less than quarterly.


Board Membership
The Board shall consist of Officers, Immediate Past President, and Directors. The Officers shall consist of the President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Wisconsin Medical Society Representative, and Newsletter Editor, and must have served one year on the Governing Board prior to their election. Elections at the annual meeting will be by the general membership. All voting members are eligible to serve on the Board.


President and President Elect: The President Elect shall serve for a two-year term. The President Elect will become President after serving two years, or when the President is unable to complete his/her term. In the latter case, if more than a year of the term remains, a new President Elect shall be elected at the next annual meeting, and that new President Elect shall become President after serving one year. If less than a year of the term remains, a new President Elect shall be elected at the next annual meeting, and that new President Elect shall become President after serving two years. If the President Elect is unable to complete his/her term, and more than a year of the term remains, a new President Elect shall be elected at the next annual meeting, and that new President Elect shall become President after serving one year. If less than a year of the term remains, a new President Elect shall be elected at the next annual meeting, and that new President Elect shall become President after serving two years.


Treasurer: The Treasurer shall serve for a two-year term.


Secretary: The Secretary shall serve for a three-year term. Shall be part of the education committee and CME Director.


Immediate Past President: The Immediate Past President shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board for a two-year term with full Board prerogatives.


Directors: There will be a total of six Directors; each will serve a three-year term with two new Directors being elected at each annual meeting.


Term Limitations
There is no limitation on the number of terms that a Director or Officer may serve. Directors and Officers must be re-elected at the end of their terms in order to retain their offices.


Replacement of Board Members
The Governing Board will appoint Officers to replace those lost by resignation, removal, or death. The Board will appoint Directors to keep the total number of Directors at six, replacing those lost by election to officership, resignation, removal, or death.


Removal of Officers or Directors
Officers or Directors may be removed for cause by a concurrence of greater than 75 per cent of the entire Governing Board.


Associate Directors
The Governing Board will appoint seven Associate Directors to serve on the Governing Board, one to represent the Department of Health (Division of Quality Assurance), one to represent nurse practitioners, one to represent each of the three nursing home organizations and the two nursing home nurse organizations (the Wisconsin Health Care Association, Leading Age Wisconsin, Wisconsin Association of County Homes, Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council, and the Wisconsin Nurses Association). It is anticipated that these Associate Directors will be designated by their organization and approved by their Board of Directors.


EXPENDITURES
Financial operation of the organization shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer. Operating expenditures will be made and recorded by the Treasurer. Major distributions will be made only with the approval of the Governing Board.


MEETINGS
The President shall call a meeting of the Board within 90 days after the annual meeting. Meetings will be held at least quarterly.


NEWSLETTER
It shall be the responsibility of the Newsletter Editor to publish and distribute a newsletter to the entire membership no less than quarterly.


CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME Accreditation)
The Secretary shall be the Director of Medical Education and shall be responsible to ensure that CME credits are available to physicians attending education programs produced by the organization.


MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY
The responsibilities of the members will be: voting, submission of information to the Editor (Secretary) of the Newsletter, attendance at the annual meeting, annual dues payable as designated by the Governing Board, and service as an Officer or Governor if elected.


I.REVISION OF BYLAWS - These bylaws can be revised by a majority at the annual meeting. Proposed revisions shall be submitted to the President or Secretary 30 days prior to the annual meeting, although proposed revisions will be accepted from the floor and acted on at the annual meeting.


NOTE: The revisions in these bylaws were voted on (pertaining to the section on GOVERNING BOARD) and approved by the majority at the May 6, 1994 annual meeting at the Marriott, Brookfield, Wisconsin.


Revisions approved by members at the June 4, 1999 WAMD Annual Meeting at the Pioneer Inn, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Revisions in these bylaws pertaining to the section – ASSOCIATE MEMBER- were voted on and approved by the members at the May 31, 2002 WAMD Annual Meeting at the Mead Hotel, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.


Revisions in the bylaws pertaining to membership, meetings and associate directors approved at the April 11, 2008 WAMD Annual Meeting at the Best Western Trail Lodge, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.


Revisions in bylaws pertaining to name change, mission statement, and regular membership approved at the October 17, 2014 WAMD Annual Meeting at the Radisson Hotel, Madison, Wisconsin.


Revisions to the mission statement approved at the October 7, 2016 WAMD Annual Meeting at the Radisson Hotel, Madison, Wisconsin.
Revision approved 10/8/2020 – additional of corporate member, name of document changed from constitution to bylaws, removal of Wisconsin Medical Society representative as required board of director member, removal of newsletter as board of director, can be a volunteer member, secretary defined as a part of the CME and education committee . Made virtually at annual meeting.