1. Name
The Israel Medical Association (IMA) - The Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology (ISCORT)
2. Validity and Authority
a. The Society is an integral part of the Israel Medical Association (IMA), established according to IMA regulations and it derives its powers from those regulations.
b. Any regulation in the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology that does not comply with and / or contradicts and / or opposes the IMA regulations - is null and void.
c. Any decision in the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology that does not comply with and / or contradicts and / or opposes the IMA regulations - is null and void.
d. The objectives of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology are:
1. To develop and advance every aspect of Clinical and Radiation Oncology in Israel, such as exchanging knowledge, both on the national and the international level, regarding radiation treatments, pharmacological and biological treatment for cancer and sharing information within related scientific fields such as radiobiology, radiation physics and cancer research.
2. To strive to educate and train oncologists during and after their internship period and to maintain Society members’ professional level.
3. To be leaders and represent members of the Society within the IMA, in the Scientific Council and in the various professional forums that deal with pharmacological and radiation treatment for cancer.
4. To research and learn to diagnose and provide biological, pharmacological and radiation treatments for cancer.
5. To make contact with establishments dealing with cancer in Israel and abroad and to represent Israeli oncological know-how everywhere.
6. To establish and uphold relationships amid the community of oncologists in Israel and maintain ethical and professional standards.
7. To promote the development of professions related to cancer treatment.
8. To educate the public on cancer prevention, detection and treatment.
9. In order to attain these goals, the Society may act in any way it sees fit according to the law, including charging membership fees.
3. Membership
There will be 4 types of membership in the Society: Full members, Affiliate members, Associate members, Foreign members. In addition, there is a category for Honorary members.
a. Full members:
- IMA doctors who have specialized in Oncology (or fulfilled all the necessary requirements set in the criteria for specialist certification) and have been deemed to be on a suitable professional and ethical level by the Admissions Committee.
- Doctors who have specialized in Oncology and belong to the permanent staff in one of the Oncology departments.
- Only full members will be able to vote or be elected to the institutions of the union.
- Retired full members are exempt from paying membership fees
b. Affiliate members are doctors who primarily specialize in Oncology or practice Oncology in an Oncology Department. An affiliate member has all the privileges of a full member other than the right to vote or be elected to one of the Society’s institutions.
c. Associate members are medical practitioners from various medical fields who partially engage in cancer treatment, such as internists, surgeons, pediatricians, or university graduates, such as biologists, biostatisticians, medical physicists, or clinical psychologists who dedicate most of their time treating cancer patients, or practitioners who deal in the technical aspect of cancer treatment. An associate member has all the privileges of a full member other than the right to vote or be elected to one of the Society’s institutions. Associated members can take part in activities related to his or her specialization.
d. Foreign members are doctors who are recognized by a professional association in their own country and who wish to be a member of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology. Foreign membership will be granted to specialists in clinical or radiation Oncology recognized by the IMA, whether the doctor lives in Israel or abroad under the following conditions:
1. He or she must be a U.S. Certified Clinical or Radiation Oncologist.
2. The candidate for foreign membership must have the recommendation of two full members who will vouch for his or her professional and ethical conduct.
3. The candidate must submit an application form to the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology admissions committee which will decide whether to accept or reject the request.
4. Foreign members will pay annual membership fees as determined by the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology board.
5. Foreign members will have all the privileges of members of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology other than the right to vote in the General Assembly or to be elected to any of the Society’s institutions.
e. Honorary Members are doctors whom the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology wish to honor due to their special contribution to the profession in Israel. Honorary membership will be granted by the board of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology with the approval of two-thirds of the board members. An honorary member may not vote or be elected to any role or office in the Society. Honorary members are exempt from membership fees.
4. Admission procedures
A doctor who is a member of the IMA and who would like to become a member of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology should submit an application form together with professional documents (photocopy of specialization degree or a photocopy from the Oncology specialization registry)
The board will then decide whether to accept or request the candidacy and what type of membership to grant. The decision will be sent to the candidate in writing. Candidates who are admitted will receive a document confirming their acceptance to the Society.
Should the application be rejected, the board must explain its decision and enable the candidate to come before the board and make a plea. The candidate should also be given a chance to appeal the board’s decision.
A candidate whose appeal has been rejected may appeal to the audit committee within one month of receiving the board’s decision.
The decision made by the audit committee will be final unless the rejection is based on unprofessional and unethical conduct. In such cases, candidates may make an additional appeal, this time to the IMA professional-ethical committee. The decision handed down by that committee will be final.
Admission to the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology and to the companies subordinate to the association (other than guest members or associates in the companies) is based on section 31, and membership fees for full and affiliated members will be collected by the Society’s committee.
5. Rights and Obligations
Each member may take part in the conferences of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology.
Only full members may participate in the General Assembly, vote and be elected. Only full members of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology can be elected.
Full members
Each member must abide by the decisions made by the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology
6. Termination of membership
a. Based on a written request to the admissions committee.
b. Due to a member being expelled or having left the IMA
1. If the committee is convinced that had the reasons been known before a member would not have been admitted.
2. If a member has not paid his or her membership fees or other monies owed to the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology and after three written warnings that have been issued at a 30 day notice.
3. If the committee is convinced that the member has violated the standards or the regulations of the Israeli Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncology or has intentionally caused material or ethical damage and/or has been convicted of a criminal offense by a court of law or by the ethics committee of the IMA.
c. In any case where the question of expelling a member from the Israeli Association of Clinical and Radiation Oncology is raised, the member will receive written notice and will be given the opportunity to appear before the committee and his or her claims. Should the committee decide to expel a member, the decision will be handed down in writing.
d. A member may appeal the decision to expel him or her with the audit committee within one month of the committee’s decision.
e. The audit committee may further raise the subject before the general assembly or confirm the expulsion of the member.
f. Based on the committee’s recommendation, the general assembly may expel the member or stop his or her membership by a majority vote. Members must be given notice of the discussion at least thirty days before the date of the meeting.
7. The Institutions of the Israeli Association of Clinical and Radiation Oncology
1. The institutions
a. The general assembly
b. The board that consists of 5 members including the chairman, the secretary and the treasure
c. The audit committee that consists of 3 members
d.Sub-committees:
1. The department of Radiation Oncology committee
2. The department of Clinical Oncology committee
3. Other committees to be determined ad-hoc by the Society
2. The general assembly
a. The general assembly will take place once a year. The time and place will be determined by the board. Invitations will be issued at least thirty days beforehand via email and they will include the agenda determined by the board. Subjects not included in the published agenda will not be raised at the assembly until there is a majority vote by the participants of the assembly to do so. The general assembly will be conducted by the secretary of the Society or, in case of the secretary’s absence, by a board member selected by the board. The chairman may postpone the continuation of the assembly with the agreement of the members and must postpone it if the majority of members present demand it.
b. The assembly will have a legal majority if at least one half of the Society members with the right to vote are present. Should there not be a legal majority at a given time, the general assembly will be postponed for one hour, after which it may legally take place regardless of the number of members present. Only full members may vote.
The decisions made by the general assembly must be made by the majority of members present.
Voting will be by the raising of hands unless 10% demand a secret ballot.
Only people present at the assembly may vote.
Should there be a tie in the votes, the chairman of the general assembly will cast the deciding vote.
c. The role of the national assembly is:
1. To receive the report of the board’s activities, including the financial report.
2. To elect the chairman and members of the board once every four years.
3. To discuss and make decisions about the matters on the agenda.
4. To set the guidelines and program for the board and the Society until the next meeting.
3. Ad-hoc general assembly
The board may call for an ad-hoc general assembly any time and must do so within one month of a written request from ten percent of full members. Such an assembly will be legal under the same terms set for the annual general assembly.
4. The Chairman
The chairman is elected by post or by electronic vote by a majority of those eligible to vote for a period of 4 years. The chairman is the Society’s representative in Israel and abroad, and is in charge of the Society’s various activities. In the chairman’s absence, the Society’s secretary will replace him or her.
5. The board
a. The board is elected by post or by electronic vote for a period of 4 years. The board represents the Society and executes the general assembly decisions. Board members can only be elected by full members. During the board’s first session, it must elect a secretary and a treasurer. The chairman convenes the sessions and sets the agenda.
b. Board meetings are only legal when at least half the board members are present. Board meetings will take place at least twice a year. In the case of a tied vote, the Chairman determines the outcome. The board serves until a new board is elected by post or by electronic vote. The general assembly can dissolve the board before the end of its term. In the case that the number of board members dwindles to less than thirty members before the end of the board’s term, the remaining members will convene an ad-hoc meeting within thirty days in order to decide what to do.
c. Decisions as to the composition of the board
Replacing the chairman or changing the board: should there be a request by 25% of the Society’s members to replace the chairman or the entire board, a survey will be sent by post or electronically. The decision will be made based on the vote of at least 60% of the Society’s members whether to go ahead with the replacement or not.
d. Board members will not receive remuneration. Board members can receive a refund on expenditures related to the office based on the appropriate criteria.
6. The treasurer
The treasurer, one of the members of the board, is elected by the board by majority vote and is responsible for collecting membership fees and managing the Society’s accounts. The treasurer must also submit a financial report to the board and the general assembly. In the treasurer’s absence, he or she will be replaced by the chairman or by a member of the board appointed as such during a board meeting.
7.Secretary
The secretary will be elected by the board and its members by majority vote. The secretary’s job is to draw up the board meeting protocols, do the Society’s correspondence, ensure that the list of members and addresses is correct and up-to-date and inform members of meetings, assemblies and agendas.
8. Audit committee
The general assembly will vote for the 3 members of the audit committee whose job is to audit all the Society’s financial matters as well as the legality of decisions made.
9. Sub-committees
The general assembly or the board can set up additional committees if necessary. Those committees will be subordinate to the board. Any decision or regulation that is not in line with and/or contradicts and/or opposes regulations and decisions made by the board will be considered null and void.
10. Finances
a. The Society’s budget and membership fees will be determined by the board. Membership fees will be determined by the Central Committee of the IMA and any change or update must first be approved by the IMA. The Society’s board may impose extra fees for special purposes only and in order to do so, must get majority approval at the general assembly as well as the approval of the IMA central committee.
b. Honorary members are exempt from membership fees.
c. The chairman, treasurer and secretary will have signature on the bank account of the Society during their tenure. Society checks must be signed by 2 authorized signatories.
11. Authorization and changes to the regulations
a. Any change must be authorized by the majority at the general assembly.
b. Regulation changes cannot be made by a simple majority at the general assembly. A majority of 75% or 2/3 or 51% will be determined by agreement of the participating members. Any request for regulation changes should be presented in writing to the board and sent to all members up to thirty days before the general assembly.
12. Dissolution of the Society
The decision to dissolve the Society can only be determined at the general assembly with a majority of 75% of full members. In the case of dissolution, the Society’s property will be transferred to the Central Committee of the IMA which will transfer the property, at its discretion, to a body with similar or identical objectives to those of the Society.
IMA guidelines regarding Companies within the Association
Membership in the IMA
208. A group of doctors numbering no less than 15 may unite as a company in order to promote a medical branch that is not recognized as a specialty, or to promote a scientific matter. The company can be in an interdisciplinary field of practice.
209. Any union of doctors wishing to be recognized by the IMA should fulfil the following conditions:
209.1 Provide a document stating the objectives of the company, and its proposed regulations according to criteria mentioned in regulation 211.
209.2 Once the legal advisor of the IMA has approved the regulations, the request will be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the Scientific Council which will recommend accepting or rejecting the group’s request. The Executive Committee may only reject the company based on reasons relating to the benefit of medicine.
209.3 The Executive Committee may reject the company if it decides there is no need or justification for the existence of the company, provided that it presents good reason. An appeal may be made to the audit committee should a company request be rejected by the IMA.
210. Such a company will be an integral part of the IMA established by virtue of IMA regulations 208-226, and will derive its authority from those regulations. The company will not have a separate legal standing.
211. The company will operate in accordance with regulations approved in advance by the Central Committee. Any issue not settled in the company regulations will be settled according to the IMA regulations as per the example in Appendix 5. Any issue not settled in the company regulations or in the example provided will be settled according to IMA regulations. No deviation from the regulations will be permitted without the approval of the chairman of the IMA or someone on his behalf.
212. Any company regulation that contradicts or does not comply with IMA regulations is null and void.
213. Any decision made at a company general assembly, one of its institutions, or by its directors or auditors, which opposes or contradicts or does not comply with the decisions of the IMA Central Committee, is null and void. Should it turn out that a decision contrary to the IMA decisions has been, the company will announce its cancellation in the same manner in which it announced its acceptance. Should the company refuse the cancellation of that decision, the IMA will publish the matter in the IMA journal and instruct doctors not to abide by the decision.
214. The company must provide a full and reasonable opportunity to any full member to participate in the election process for the company's institutions as required by the regulations of the company and the regulations of the IMA.
215. A scientific company must act according to regulations 208-226 and may accept any full member of the IMA who is interested in its purposes into the company providing him or her with full rights.
216. The Central Committee may deny recognition of a company.
216.1. If it has not complied by a part or all of the conditions stated in regulations 210-215 stated above.
216.2 If the Central Committee is convinced that, had the reasons been known before, the company’s request to receive recognition from the IMA would not have been accepted.
216.3 If the Central Committee is convinced that the company has acted against the IMA, its objectives or decisions.
217. The Central Committee shall not deny or prevent recognition of a company before the founders or the company have been given an adequate opportunity to present their arguments. Should the Central Committee wish to deny or prevent recognition or dissolve its board, as stated in regulation 219, the company or the founders may file an appeal with the IMA audit committee within 60 days. The decision handed down by the audit committee will be final.
218. A company that has been denied recognition may submit a new application, provided that it proves that it has complied with the regulations.
219. The Central Committee may disperse the board of a company that refuses to act according to regulations 208-226, and may convene an interim committee that will be valid until the next elections, the date of which will be determined by the Central Committee.
220. A company may charge its members membership fees after they have been approved by the Central Committee.
221. Each company will appoint an audit committee that will operate according to the policy of the IMA audit committee.
222. Administrative decisions, such as the employment of new employees and dismissals, and legal actions, such as signing contracts and other legal matters raised from time to time by the legal advisor of the IMA, will be made in coordination with the IMA.
Financial decisions, which are the IMA accountant’s responsibility, will only be made in coordination with the IMA unless the company has employed its own accountant and/or auditor with the authorization of the IMA accountant.
223. The IMA will provide services to the companies according to specific criteria and based on the services available, which will be revised from time to time.
224. Companies must inform the IMA of upcoming elections and officeholders.
225. An existing association seeking recognition as a company from the IMA need only provide its regulations to the IMA. If the association is listed as an NGO, it should cancel its status as NGO with the registrar in order to be accepted as an IMA company unless:
225.1. Its NGO status is not detrimental to the IMA.
225.2. It has justification for a separate legal entity for a limited period of time.
225.3. It has received IMA approval.
226. An IMA company may join any international professional organization.
IMA groups
227. A group of doctors who focus on, or take an interest in, a limited part of the specialization in which they are employed, may unite, with the approval of the body that represents their specialization, on the condition that the group regulations abide by the rules and decisions of the IMA and that they report on their activities at least once a year as called for by the regulations.
228. A group may admit to its ranks any full member of the IMA who is interested in its objectives, who may be accompanied by people who are not doctors, provided that the latter are not given the right to vote or to be elected to the group’s institutions.