The
South
African
Medical
Association
Our New Member Portal is live!
Professional services
Patient-centred care provided by dedicated, well trained and highly skilled healthcare professionals. SAMA vigorously defends the practice of medicine against scope-of-practice expansions that threaten patient safety.
WE ASPIRE TO PRESERVE THE MEDICAL PROFESSION BY FOCUSING ON:
- Global Industry Research
- Health Policy Advancement
- Doctor representation of Key challenges experienced in the workplace
- Resolution of medical scheme disputes and forensic audits
- Assistance with the establishment of new practices
- Build and maintain critical relationships to advocate for our members
- Thought leadership on regulatory matters and equip members with topical articles
We continue with our efforts to advance the interests of doctors by protecting competition in health care and related markets, engage government and other stakeholders in regulatory reforms needed to improve healthcare delivery rather than alienate doctors from patients, including protecting physicians from criminal liability relating to medical liability.
As medical professionals are bound in their calling by a common heritage of caring for the sick and the suffering and over the centuries, individual physicians have fulfilled this obligation by applying their skills and knowledge competently, selflessly and at most times heroically. Today, our profession must reaffirm its commitment to combat natural and man-made changes on the health and wellbeing of humankind. Only by acting together across geographic and ideological divides can we overcome such powerful threats. Humanity is our patient.
Networking and association
We endeavor to nurture a thriving ecosystem of physicians and communities to improve the nation's health - bringing together students, interns, registrars, practicing doctors, specialists, academics, and senior doctors to build life-altering partnerships and networks of collaboration through their participation on:
- Provincial branch councils
- Member-driven committees
- Problem solving task teams
- Information sharing pods
- Mentor and mentee relationships for professional advancement
SAMA continues to pay attention to and maintain its partner and stakeholder relationships for the benefit of our members, to synergistically combine assets on an ongoing basis to achieve common goals.
Educational and professional advancement
SAMA strives to offer a variety of programs to meet member needs, fit their schedule and match their learning preferences. The programs offer accredited learning for individuals through open-enrolment courses and for teams and organisations through tailored solutions. Courses are led by an expert faculty of professional leaders and industry think-tanks and are aligned to the national health priorities while meeting international standards for physician development frameworks.
We help doctors throughout the life-stages of being a physician while planning for the future. We provide expert advice and insights that allow medical professionals to navigate professional milestones with confidence at every career stage—from medical student to retirement.
Topical relevant development opportunities throughout the annual calendar for medical advancement and personal development International and local educational bursaries and scholarships SAMA is already the publisher of the most widely read journals - of any discipline - in the entire country.
We aim to become the top publisher of high-impact information products that enable informed decision-making at all levels of health care in South Africa.
Entrepreneurship
Society benefits significantly from entrepreneurship, not only because entrepreneurs create wealth and generate employment, but because they inspire others to push beyond the usual paradigms that shape economic status. A strong need for such a paradigm shift is needed in the healthcare sector. The potential for higher autonomy makes entrepreneurship and private practice an attractive option for medical professionals looking to have more control in practicing medicine. It takes the same kind of astute judgement and effective collaboration with colleagues to succeed in an independent setting that it does to successfully care for patients.
The diagnostic process is challenging, tedious and taxing. Correctly identifying a condition may require a plethora of tests, consultations, conversations, and treatment plans. A good doctor will be relentless when it comes to the well-being of their patients and will keep trying until something works.
This level of persistence and perseverance translates well into the world of business, economics, and entrepreneurship.
As an organisation we are supporting doctors in their entrepreneurial journey and in acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed. We aim to ensure that members are fully equipped so that they focus on what is most important, taking care of patients.
Our support includes:
- Business acumen courses
- Financial acumen courses
- Self - mastery courses
- Governance and legal assistance with the establishment of new practices
Medical practitioner's knowledge hub
As an organisation, we must regularly seek partners with complementary capabilities to gain access to new market segments and channels, share intellectual property and/or infrastructure, and/or to reduce our overall risk exposure. As the healthcare business environment becomes more complex - for instance, as new regulatory challenges, medico-legal issues emanate, new ways of delivering healthcare, digitalisation of healthcare and new technologies emerge or care delivery models and innovation in reimbursement takes shape in more rapid cycles - the more such relationships make sense.
- Global trends reports
- Topical medical research and publications
- Health policy legislature
- The SAMA centre of excellence
- Entrepreneur's guide
- Professional courses and programmes
- The mentorship tool
Lifestyle benefits
As an organisation, we must regularly seek partners with complementary capabilities to gain access to new market segments and channels, share intellectual property and/ or infrastructure, and/or to reduce our overall risk exposure. As the healthcare business environment becomes more complex—for instance, as new regulatory challenges, medico-legal issues emanate, new ways of delivering healthcare, digitalisation of healthcare and new technologies emerge or care delivery models and innovation in reimbursement takes shape in more rapid cycles— the more such relationships make sense.
In future-proofing the organisation and the medical profession, we continuously seek for appropriate partnerships and networks for the benefit of our members.