| an-overview-of-policies-passed-by-the-2024-wsma-house-of-delegates | An Overview of Policies Passed by the 2024 WSMA House of Delegates | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2024/october-11/an-overview-of-policies-passed-by-the-2024-wsma-house-of-delegates | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2024/october/se-01-venticinque-240928-0460-2024-annual-meeting-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="2024 WSMA House of Delegates photo" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 11, 2024</h5>
<h2>An Overview of Policies Passed by the 2024 WSMA House of Delegates</h2>
<p>With 45 resolutions to discuss and act on (and <a href="https://wsma.org/Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2024/october-11/seattle-anesthesiologist-john-bramhall-md-phd-inaugurated-as-2024-2025-wsma-president.aspx">elections to hold</a>), delegates at the <a href="https://wsma.org/wsma/events/annual_meeting/wsma/events/annual_meeting/annual_meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">2024 Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates</a> had no shortage of work before them. Kudos to the reference committees then, as the final session of the House on Sunday was smooth and succinct, with the recommendations of the reference committees largely left intact, with only a few exceptions.</p>
<p>(For a primer on the role of resolutions, reference committees, and the House of Delegates in policymaking at the WSMA, watch <a href="https://vimeo.com/730122009">this brief video</a>.)</p>
<p>If the final session on Sunday was collegial and process-oriented, the reference committee hearings on Saturday afternoon reflected more detailed and diverse debate, with both reference committees standing-room only as delegates and members gave testimony on individual resolutions and other business to be considered by the House. Testimony given during these in-person committees on Saturday and testimony given in the virtual reference committees in the lead up to the meeting were given much consideration by the reference committee members and staff when creating their reports for the House.</p>
<p>The subsequent policies passed by the House on Sunday reflect ongoing concerns of our member physicians and their county and specialty delegations: the encroachment of prior authorization on physician judgment and medical practice; the impact of health care on climate change and of climate change on health; responding to an epidemic of substance abuse disorder; reimbursement and access to care; non-compete clauses in employment contracts; administrative burden; artificial intelligence; and more.</p>
<p>The following is a summary overview of select policies passed by the 2024 House of Delegates. For a comprehensive report on all of the actions of the House, the Official Actions of the 2024 WSMA House of Delegates is now available on the WSMA website on our <a href="[@]wsma/about_us/who_we_are/house-of-delegates/wsma/about/who_we_are/house-of-delegates.aspx?hkey=c5e98d40-6e37-4bc0-9bda-a7aa66e67919">House of Delegates page</a> or by <a href="https://wsma.org/doc_library/events/annual-meeting/2024/official-actions-2024-final.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.</p>
<h3>Business of medicine</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Support a Washington state ban on non-compete clauses for physicians in the state of Washington.</li>
<li>Advocate for legislation for and assist with the development of single-source credentialing to be used by all insurance companies, medical practices, and hospitals in the state of Washington.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Climate change and climate health</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Support and encourage support for the goals of the National Academy of Sciences Climate Journey Map.</li>
<li>Encourage hospitals and clinics to reduce use of plastics, particularly single-use plastics; endorse legislation to incentivize producers to use reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging.</li>
<li>Encourage hospitals and surgical centers to adopt programs to reduce the climate impacts of anesthesia; support legislation and funding to assist these efforts.</li>
<li>Support Medicaid coverage for in-home visits for patients with asthma and durable medical equipment interventions for indoor air pollution and other asthma triggers.</li>
<li>Support rail and other non-single-occupancy-vehicle transportation that reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Public health</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Support ongoing research into the long-term effects of social media; support the use of social media guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, and the U.S. Surgeon General and encourage physicians to use them as a part of patient care.</li>
<li>Recruit a delegate for and coordinate with the state's Public Health Advisory Board.</li>
<li>Increase awareness of recommendations for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infection screening, prevention, and treatment options; endorse universal screening for syphilis in pregnant persons; support improvements in specimen collection through education and modification of relevant state rules.</li>
<li>Support inclusion of harm-reduction education in competency-based curricula of medical schools and residencies; support increased educational opportunities for physicians on harm reduction as a component of medication-assisted treatment; and advocate for funding for harm-reduction resources and training for physicians and practitioners.</li>
<li>Recommend that the state of Washington make public health-based education on firearm injury prevention a standard part of the mandated health curriculum for high school students.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Prior authorization</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Advocate for policy changes to reduce the total volume of prior authorization demands on physicians and practitioners and support exemptions for frequently approved devices and drugs.</li>
<li>Support improvements in prior authorization practices in Washington state, including: exemptions for regularly approved services and supplies; ensuring AI denials are reviewed by a human physician; development of clear criteria for peer-to-peer reviews; and improved appeals processes ensuring reviews are conducted by physicians from the same specialty as the physician requesting the appeal.</li>
<li>Support policy that hormonal contraception, long-acting reversible contraception, and immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception devices should be readily available without prior authorization and be covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers separately from the obstetrical global fee.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Addiction medicine</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Advocate for the removal of prior authorization for and other payer-based and facility-based obstacles to evidence-based medications for addiction treatment.</li>
<li>Endorse implementation of Health Engagement Hubs: low-barrier, community-based access points using a team-based model of care where people who use drugs can receive medications to treat substance use disorders and support services.</li>
<li>Support Medicaid coverage of comprehensive postpartum services coordinated with infant care for persons with substance use disorder.</li>
<li>Endorse implementation of the COMPASSION five-day stay where birthing people with substance use disorder at the time of delivery can engage in the extended postpartum floor hospital care to receive integrated, patient-centered comprehensive service.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reimbursement</h3>
<p>The WSMA will:</p>
<ul>
<li>Advocate for the continuation of audio-only telehealth reimbursement as a critical component of equitable health care access; encourage others in health care and advocacy to highlight the importance of audio-only telehealth services in supporting the health needs of all populations, particularly the most vulnerable; support ongoing research to assess the impact of telehealth modalities on health outcomes.</li>
<li>Advocate for legislative, regulatory, and policy changes that will result in commercial payers recognizing and reimbursing the G2211 add-on code.</li>
<li>Advocate for Medicaid to establish uniform coverage for its beneficiaries with diabetes per Medicare guidelines; advocate for comprehensive coverage of continuous glucose monitors for all diabetes patients across different insurance plans, including Medicaid.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ballot initiatives</h3>
<p>The WSMA will publicly <a href="https://www.no2109.org/#:~:text=Vote%20NO%20on%20I-2109,%20stop%20cuts%20to%20education,%20childcare%20funding">oppose Initiative 2109</a> and provide education to its members and the public to vote "no."</p>
<h3>Insurance coverage</h3>
<p>The WSMA will endorse the establishment of pregnancy as a triggering life event for a special enrollment period in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.</p>
<h3>AI</h3>
<p>The WSMA will support physicians' and physician assistants' ability to use AI as a tool in improving patient health outcomes, reduce career fatigue, and streamline administrative processes and oppose imposing additional liability on physicians or physician assistants who use augmented/artificial intelligence for clinical and administrative purposes, or the use of AI to either increase administrative burden or impose mandates increasing physician workloads.</p>
</div> | 10/11/2024 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| call-for-feedback-on-draft-oud-treatment-guidelines-from-bree-collaborative | Call for Feedback on Draft OUD Treatment Guidelines from Bree Collaborative | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2024/october-11/call-for-feedback-on-draft-oud-treatment-guidelines-from-bree-collaborative | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>Oct. 11, 2024</h5>
<h2>Call for Feedback on Draft OUD Treatment Guidelines from Bree Collaborative</h2>
<p>The Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative is accepting public comment on its draft <a href="https://www.qualityhealth.org/bree/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/Revised-OUD-Treatment-Report-24-public-comment-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Report and Guidelines 2024</a>. In partnership with the Washington Society of Addiction Medicine, the WSMA supports updating the guidelines to reflect current clinical practice and patient care in the era of fentanyl.</p>
<p>Some of the updated guidelines include encouraging practitioners to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Become educated on the latest evidence-based guidelines.</li>
<li>Universally screen in primary care at least annually for substance use disorders including opioid use disorder using a validated instrument (see NIDA Screening and Assessment Tools) following the United States Preventative Task Force recommendations. Physicians and practitioners not in primary care settings should also routinely screen for substance use disorders using validated instruments.</li>
<li>If a patient screens positive, or independently brings up concerns about their opioid use, ask about frequency, amount, and route of opioid use, perform comprehensive assessment, and discuss medications for opioid use disorder.</li>
</ul>
<p>A complete list of the updated guidelines is available on pages 9-11 of the report.</p>
<p>Once completed, the guidelines will be submitted to the Legislature and may be the foundation of future legislation. We encourage WSMA members to review and provide feedback on the draft report and guidelines before the deadline on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 11:59 p.m.. All comments will be presented anonymously and reviewed at the November work group meeting.</p>
</div> | 10/11/2024 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| seattle-anesthesiologist-john-bramhall-md-phd-inaugurated-as-2024-2025-wsma-president | Seattle Anesthesiologist John Bramhall, MD, PhD, Inaugurated as 2024-2025 WSMA President | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2024/october-11/seattle-anesthesiologist-john-bramhall-md-phd-inaugurated-as-2024-2025-wsma-president | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2024/october/john-bramhall-inauguration-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="2024-2025 WSMA President John Bramhall, MD, PhD" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 11, 2024</h5>
<h2>Seattle Anesthesiologist John Bramhall, MD, PhD, Inaugurated as 2024-2025 WSMA President </h2>
<p>In addition to <a href="https://wsma.org/Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2024/october-11/an-overview-of-policies-passed-by-the-2024-wsma-house-of-delegates.aspx">debating and voting on policy for the WSMA</a>, the <a href="https://wsma.org/wsma/events/annual_meeting/wsma/events/annual_meeting/annual_meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">2024 Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates</a> saw the inauguration of a new president and the election of new WSMA officers and board members.</p>
<p>Seattle anesthesiologist <strong>John Bramhall, MD, PhD</strong>, was inaugurated as WSMA president for 2024-2025 in a traditional passing-of-the-gavel ceremony on Saturday afternoon, followed by a reception in the beautiful Hall of Doges at the Historic Davenport.</p>
<p>Dr. Bramhall recently stepped away from his position as medical director at Harborview Medical Center to serve as WSMA president. He maintains an academic position at the University of Washington School of Medicine as an associate professor in the department of anesthesiology. He brings more than 30 years of experience to his tenure as the medical association president, including a wide variety of front-line clinical roles and extensive administrative responsibilities within a large medical system, as well as 25 years of experience in academic medicine. </p>
<p>On Sunday morning, Dr. Bramhall addressed the House for his inaugural address in an inspiring speech that touched on building community and relationships and making an impact. <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/ceo-rounds/2024/ceo-rounds-oct-1-2024-showing-up-for-each-other-and-the-house-of-medicine">Read an edited transcript of his speech</a>.</p>
<p>The following physicians were elected as officers at the meeting and will serve with Dr. Bramhall on the executive committee: <strong>Bridget Bush, MD, FASA</strong>, Anacortes anesthesiologist, president-elect; <strong>Matt Hollon, MD, MPH, MACP</strong>, Spokane internist, vice president; and <strong>Bindu Nayak, MD</strong>, Wenatchee endocrinologist, secretary-treasurer. The fifth officer of WSMA's executive committee is Past-President <strong>Nariman Heshmati, MD, MBA, FACOG</strong>, Mukilteo OB-GYN, who will serve as committee chair.</p>
<p>WSMA members newly elected to the association's board of trustees include the following:</p>
<p>Elected as trustees at large for two-year terms were <strong>Avanti Bergquist, MD</strong>, Bellevue psychiatrist; <strong>Stephanie Hansen, DO</strong>, Toppenish internist; <strong>Trace Julsen, MD</strong>, Spokane family physician; <strong>Vivienne Meljen, MD</strong>, Vancouver OBGYN; and <strong>Alan Melnick, MD</strong>, Vancouver preventive medicine physician.</p>
<p>Elected to serve on the board as an American Medical Association alternate delegate for a two-year term was <strong>Heather Phipps, DO</strong>, Kennewick sports medicine physician. <strong>Anukrati Shukla, MD</strong>, Monroe internist, was elected to serve as young physician trustee and <strong>Jacob Leary, MD</strong>, Seattle internist, was elected to serve as resident trustee, both one-year terms.</p>
<p>Visit the WSMA website for a full roster of the <a href="[@]wsma/about_us/who_we_are/board-of-trustees/wsma/about/who_we_are/board-of-trustees.aspx?hkey=57dca355-fca4-4f4e-9c83-6e35aa4baabe">2024-2025 WSMA board of trustees</a>.</p>
</div> | 10/11/2024 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |