January 6, 2022

WSMA Calls on State Leaders to Declare Crisis, Take Action

SEATTLE – The Washington State Medical Association, representing more than 12,000 physicians, resident physicians, medical students, and physician assistants, is urging Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health Umair Shah, MD, to officially declare Washington state in crisis and immediately take action to aid overwhelmed emergency departments and hospitals across the state.

Read the letter, co-authored with the Washington Chapter of American College of Emergency Physicians and delivered to state officials this morning.

The following WSMA and WA-ACEP spokespersons are available for interviews:

WSMA Immediate Past President:
Nathan Schlicher, MD, PhD
Regional Director of Quality Assurance for Franciscan Health System
Emergency Departments

WA-CEP President:
C. Ryan Keay, MD, FACEP
Division Chief, Outpatient and Community Medicine
North Sound Emergency Medicine
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

Contact Graham Short at gfs@wsma.org or 206.329.6851 (cell) to coordinate.

About the WSMA

The Washington State Medical Association represents more than 12,000 physicians, physician assistants, resident physicians, and medical students in Washington state. The WSMA has advocated on behalf of the house of medicine more than 125 years. Our vision is to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.