Message from the President/CEO: Welcome 2019!
Welcome 2019! In a few weeks, I will celebrate my first year as President/CEO of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, and I couldn’t be prouder of all we accomplished so far.

The Chamber is coming into the new year with new investors, new community partners, new members, new events and a continued focus on improving the business climate in our region. Read more .
Mark Poloncarz VIDEO: We Can Help Grow Your Business!
In this Tuesday Talk video, A.J interviews Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz on how his administration can help grow your business, his priorities for 2019 and what he thinks of Amherst being named best place to live in New York State!

We'll be back next month with another Tuesday Talk on matters important to our community.
VIDEOS COURTESY OF NICKEL CITY GRAPHICS. FOR MORE INFO, CLICK ON THE LOGO--------->
This year's Annual Luncheon will encourage members of the business community to #StepUp and be engaged in the issues important to them.


THE ANNUAL LUNCHEON INCLUDES:


  • Elected officials from all levels of government on their 2019 priorities

  • The installation of the 2019 Board of Directors by Congressman Brian Higgins

  • State of the Town from Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa

See You There!
IT'S A CINEMA AND A CAFE!
JOIN US AT THE SCREENING ROOM

DATE: Tuesday, January 15

TIME: 5pm-7pm

LOCATION: Boulevard Mall (near back entrance to Macy's)



Enjoy this Hawaiian delicacy!

It's fresh and healthy!

Specialty beer and wines as well!

DATE: Tuesday, February 19

TIME: 5pm-7pm

LOCATION: Fresh Catch Poke
5933 Main Street, Unit 101, Williamsville 

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS: UP YOUR GAME! JOIN EBL!
APPLY HERE!
Better Health at Zero Cost!
Penny LaPlaca
Christine Langenfeld
Olivia Dann
Insurance plans available through the Amherst Chamber all cover a set of preventive services – such as immunizations and screening tests – at no cost to you! Getting recommended preventive services and making healthy lifestyle choices are key to good health and well-being! 

Find out more about $0 preventive services:

Independent Health here

BlueCross BlueShield of WNY here

Univera Healthcare here

Our team of licensed brokers is ready to help! Call the Chamber offices at 632-6905 or email healthinsurance@amherst.org for more information.  
SURVEY: Have Your Voice Heard!
We want to hear from you about the services we provide at the Chamber.
What do you like? What changes should be made?
 Take our quick MEMBER SURVEY! Click HERE !
Update Your Emails! Add Reps! Text Alerts!
Bounced emails? No longer with the company? Make sure the Chamber has the most up-to-date information about you and your business!

Log onto your MIC today and while you are there, ADD REPS!
Also, how about TEXT reminders of special events going on??? OPT IN!

TEXT "notify acc" to 313131 .
Choosing Wisely When It Comes To Health Care

Studies have found that an unnecessary service is provided in 1 out of every 5 doctor visits. Some medical tests, treatments, and procedures provide little benefit. And in some cases, they may even cause harm.

A national campaign called Choosing Wisely, spearheaded by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation, seeks to help patients and doctors identify ways to reduce wasteful health care. The campaign challenged several physician specialty societies to come up with “Top 5” lists of medical services that provide no overall benefit in most situations.

For example, the Infectious Disease Society recommends against routinely using antibiotics for upper respiratory infections, as most are caused by viruses which antibiotics are ineffective against. If a patient takes an antibiotic when they don’t really need it, it contributes to antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which then can cause serious infections that are hard to treat.
 
How to avoid unnecessary care
Saying “no” to medical care can actually be good for you. When any test is ordered, there is a small chance the result may be positive even if you do not have an issue. “False positives” like this can lead to expensive and invasive follow-up testing and procedures that is not needed.

Choosing Wisely starts with you having a conversation with your doctor to make sure you end up with the right amount of care — not too much and not too little. Here are some key questions you may want to ask your doctor before you get any test, treatment or procedure:

  1. Do I really need this? 
  2. What are the risks? 
  3. Are there simpler, safer options? 
  4. What happens if I don’t do anything? 
  5. How much does it cost and are there less expensive tests or treatments available?

To learn more about the Choosing Wisely campaign and to access patient-friendly resources, visit www.choosingwisely.org
Thank You to Our Investors
 Amherst Chamber of Commerce | (P) 716.632.6905 | (F) 716.632.0548 | www.amherst.org