| building_a_stronger_more_inclusive_and_responsive_wsma | Building a Stronger, More Inclusive and Responsive WSMA | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2021/July_23/building_a_stronger_more_inclusive_and_responsive_wsma | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2021/July/am-201910263-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="WSMA Annual Meeting room with attendees" />
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<h5>July 23, 2021</h5>
<h2>Building a Stronger, More Inclusive and Responsive WSMA</h2>
<p>This fall at the WSMA Annual Meeting, delegates will consider a proposal to modernize and streamline the policymaking bodies of your WSMA. Prompted by a resolution passed by delegates in 2019 and reflecting months of diligence by the board of trustees and bylaws committee, the proposal seeks to make the House of Delegates stronger, giving all WSMA members an opportunity to have their voices heard during our policymaking process.</p>
<p>The WSMA is <em>your</em> WSMA - and now's your chance to make your voice heard by weighing in on these proposed changes.</p>
<h3>Why change WSMA's governing structure now?</h3>
<p>To help inform this work, the WSMA engaged an external association strategy consulting firm to explore organizational directives, concerns, best practices, and market benchmarking. The following key drivers were identified:</p>
<ul>
<li>Attendance, participation, and engagement in the House of Delegates have declined in recent years.</li>
<li>Intentional efforts are required to overcome systemic bias and help ensure more voices are at the table to effectively address inequities in health care.</li>
<li>A streamlined and more representative House and board of trustees will be better positioned to meet the challenges posed by a rapidly changing health care environment.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Topline takeaway</strong>: The governance structure of an association is a key factor in its ability to achieve its mission. WSMA's current governance structure reflects what has existed for decades across many health care organizations and medical associations. While it may have served the organization well in the past, fundamental changes are needed to ensure that a variety of voices are represented in WSMA's policymaking setting.</p>
<h3>Overview of proposed governance changes</h3>
<p>These governance changes would be implemented through a set of proposed bylaws amendments which will go before the House of Delegates this fall at their annual meeting. Taken together, the proposed bylaws amendments would streamline the board and the House while expanding opportunities for diverse representation, allowing for a more nimble and diverse policymaking body.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>WSMA board of trustees</strong> - The size of the WSMA board would be reduced from 44 to 29 members. Reducing the size of the board is needed to improve its ability to be nimble and responsive.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>WSMA at-large delegates</strong> - WSMA members would be able to elect 14 at-large delegates to the House of Delegates. These new positions are intended to give more members a voice and to increase diversity in the House. These delegates would be voted on by the entire WSMA membership. A diversity, equity, and inclusion committee would be established to review at-large delegate candidates and provide candidate information to the membership. The DEI committee would also serve in other advisory capacities at the WSMA.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>County medical societies</strong> - Component societies that meet the definition of being a functioning society will have one delegate and one alternate for every 100 WSMA members in the county, rather than one delegate and one alternate for every 50 WSMA members in the county. To be considered functioning, a component county society should conduct a business meeting at least once per year and have an elected governing body.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reducing delegate apportioning for county societies better reflects their historical participation in the House. Requiring societies to be functioning as defined helps ensure that delegates are representing active counties that have a process in place to select delegates.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Specialty delegates</strong> - No changes. Each specialty would remain as is with one delegate and one alternate per society.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sections</strong> - With the proposed bylaws changes, both the senior section and osteopathic section delegates would be removed. Senior and osteopathic physicians and physician assistants are already sufficiently distributed and served throughout the delegate makeup of the House and board in both their current and proposed iterations.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Proposed resolution sponsorship</strong> - Proposed resolutions would need to be sponsored by two members of the House of Delegates instead of one. This change would help ensure proposed policy to the House is meaningful and actionable.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Proposed notification change</strong> - Reduce number of days required for resolutions to be furnished to delegates from 30 to 20 days prior to the annual meeting of the House. This change would allow adequate time for processing resolutions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How to review these proposed governance changes and provide feedback</h3>
<p>To review the bylaws amendments in full and discuss them with your WSMA member colleagues, visit virtual reference committee B in the <a href="[@]WSMA/Membership/Discussion_Forums/Virtual_Reference_Committees/WSMA/Membership/Discussion_Forums/virtual_reference_committees.aspx?hkey=d674a5ae-4fb5-48d6-b969-16aab9b63647">WSMA virtual reference committee forums</a>. These private, secure forums require sign-in and will remain available for member discussions in the runup to the 2021 Annual Meeting on Sept. 25-26 in Bellevue. All feedback posted in the forums will be collated and provided to the in-person reference committees during the meeting. If you'd like to attend the in-person reference committees, register for the Annual Meeting <a href="[@]WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/Annual_Meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">on the WSMA website</a>.</p>
</div> | 7/23/2021 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| A_closer_look__Gun_violence_policies_adopted_by_WSMA_House_of_Delegates | A closer look: Gun violence policies adopted by WSMA House of Delegates | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/20181114/A_closer_look__Gun_violence_policies_adopted_by_WSMA_House_of_Delegates | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-md-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/images/Concepts/gun_storage_645x425.jpg" class="pull-right" />
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<h5>
November 14, 2018
</h5>
<h2>A closer look: Gun violence policies adopted by WSMA House of Delegates</h2>
<p>In the wake of two horrific mass shooting events - the killing of twelve people by a gunman in Thousand Oaks, Calif. and the massacre by a gunman of 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue - it's worth pausing a moment to consider the physicians and providers who have a front-row seat to the carnage created by gun violence. Physicians work tirelessly to reduce the impact of gun violence on bodies, and here in Washington state, they are also working to reduce the frequency of gun violence by seeking policy changes at the federal, state, and local level.</p>
<p>During last month's WSMA Annual Meeting, the WSMA House of Delegates adopted a total of 10 new policies related to gun violence (Resolutions C-9 through 14). They are: </p>
<ul>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA advocate for measures to reduce gun violence. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support the elimination of laws intruding on physicians’ and patients’ rights to discuss gun violence. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support encouraging physicians and health care workers to discuss safe storage of guns and the association of guns with risk of homicide, accidental shooting, and suicide, and counsel about risk. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support closing loopholes in gun purchases online and at unregulated gun shows. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support policy that creates weapons-free zones for medical practice settings, allowing exceptions for law enforcement. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support policy to address firearm-related violence and injury as a public health issue. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support policy that provides for background checks and waiting periods for the purchase of firearms. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support policy that will encourage and promote the safe storage of firearms in homes where those firearms are kept. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA support policy that raises the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21 years of age. </li>
<li>RESOLVED, that the WSMA encourage its members to screen for risk factors of firearm injury and educate patients about prevention and safe storage. </li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to those new policies, WSMA delegates also reaffirmed existing policy that calls on the WSMA to support appropriate legislation that would restrict the sale and private ownership of large-clip, high-rate-of-fire automatic and semi-automatic firearms. Finally, WSMA delegates directed the WSMA to urge the state and federal government to fund research on the causes and prevention of firearm violence and injury and ensure that the databases and systems necessary for research and public health surveillance are available and publicly accessible.</p>
<p>Washington's citizens are acting too: during this year's midterm election, voters passed Initiative 1639, which appears to largely align with WSMA policy requiring safe storage and restricting the purchase of firearms under certain circumstances.</p>
<p>The creation of strong policy is at the heart of the WSMA's work, and reflects a commitment from Washington physicians to the health and welfare of patients and communities that extends beyond the exam room. Find all the new policies adopted by the 2018 WSMA House of Delegates on the <a href="[@]WSMA/About/Leadership/House_of_Delegates/House_of_Delegates.aspx">House of Delegates page</a>. For a comprehensive list of House of Delegates policy, review the WSMA Policy Compendium on our <a href="[@]WSMA/About/Policies/Policies.aspx">Policies page</a>.</p>
</div> | 7/22/2021 3:21:58 PM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| building_a_new_legacy | Building a New Legacy | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2021/building_a_new_legacy | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/latest-news/2021/July/july-aug-2021-reports-cover-article-graphic-645x425.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="WSMA Reports July-August 2021 cover graphic" /></div>
<h5>July 20, 2021</h5>
<h2>Building a New Legacy</h2>
<p>
By Nathan Schlicher, MD, JD, MBA
</p>
<p>
As we guide the activities of the Washington State Medical Association in 2021, we are building on the legacy of forward-thinking physicians stretching back to the late 1800s who were striving to make Washington the best place to practice medicine and receive care.
</p>
<p>
When this was still - quite literally - the wild, wild West, our predecessors acted on a desire to meet the care needs of their communities. In those early meetings, an idealistic few cast a vision for the house of medicine: to encourage the unity and harmony of the profession, to advance its interests, and to promote the advancement of medical science.
</p>
<p>
Today, we continue to build on that legacy and vision. We seek to create a sustainable medical association that reflects the times in which we live and practice medicine. We engage tomorrow's leaders today, as we create an association that reflects the population it serves. We look to the past - and the present - to realize a future that is relevant, nimble, and responsive.
</p>
<p>
As with any undertaking, there are challenges. While the tradition of our House of Delegates remains strong, with passionate advocates driving good policy, attendance and engagement in our policymaking process have sharply declined. Reinvigorating our House is central to the work before us, to ensure our physician-driven strategies reflect engagement and diverse, informed perspectives.
</p>
<p>
On identifying and engaging those diverse voices, our membership has spoken clearly and passionately through recent policy passed by our House. Overcoming systemic bias and institutionalized racism requires all voices at the table if we are to effectively address inequities in health care. Change is needed at all levels, including the makeup of our House and its leadership.
</p>
<p>
Another challenge before our medical association is posed by the rapid changes that are a hallmark of today's health care environment. We must equip our WSMA with streamlined and modernized strategies to remain responsive to the fast-changing needs of our state's physicians and their patients, and to engender a culture of connectedness and trust in governance that is key for any healthy organization.
</p>
<p>
The 2019 House of Delegates recognized these challenges and directed the WSMA to develop strategies that would help improve the value of the House. Since then, your WSMA has been hard at work doing just that.
</p>
<p>
To develop these recommendations, the WSMA engaged an external association strategy consulting firm to explore our organizational directives and concerns and to review today's association best practices and market benchmarking.
</p>
<p>
After stakeholder interviews, the recommendations were reviewed by our board of trustees in September and again in November 2020, then submitted to our bylaws committee for development. The board reviewed drafts in January and May and now the final amendments will be up for a vote during the 2021 House of Delegates meeting in the fall.
</p>
<p>
In this issue, you'll find the proposed amendments to the WSMA bylaws (printed in the insert), which reflect the recommended restructuring of our governing bodies. We urge all members to review them prior to the September meeting of the 2021 House of Delegates, when they will be considered for adoption. Your feedback will be solicited via our secure and private online discussion forums.
</p>
<p>
The changes proposed do not alter the policymaking process of the House of Delegates. Instead, the proposal seeks to make the House of Delegates stronger, giving all WSMA members an opportunity to have their voices heard during our policymaking process.
</p>
<p>
These recommendations reflect a transformed path that builds on the best of our traditions, achieves a greater sense of community, ensures a diverse and equitable board of trustees and House of Delegates, and yields a sustainable and relevant association for the next 100 years.
</p>
<p>
Our path forward is in view. Standing together, we can take a bold step into a future we have built that honors the best of who were yesterday, and who we are today.
</p>
<p>
<em>Dr. Schlicher is president of the WSMA.</em>
</p>
</div> | 7/20/2021 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |