House of Delegates
All legislative power of the WSMA is vested in the approximately 200
voting members of the WSMA House of Delegates.
For the compendium of all policies passed by the House of Delegates, visit
our
What’s Our Policy?
page.
Official Actions of the 2021 House of Delegates
For policies adopted at the 2021 WSMA Annual Meeting, download the
Official Actions of the 2021 WSMA House of Delegates.
Update on 2021 HOD actions
Official Actions of the 2021 House of Delegates progress report
(updated April 2022)
For previous years' reports, contact the WSMA Seattle office at
wsma@wsma.org
or 206.441.9762.
About the House of Delegates
The WSMA House of Delegates is comprised of elected delegates from each
county medical society, qualified state specialty societies, and members of
the
WSMA Board of Trustees. There is one resident delegate, one student delegate, and one young
physician delegate. Each county society has one delegate for every 50
active WSMA members.
Each medical specialty society is entitled to elect or appoint one
delegate and one alternate, provided that such specialty society has as
members at least one hundred active members of the WSMA, or if the
specialty society has fewer than 100 members, 50% of its members
must belong to the WSMA.
How the House of Delegates Operates
The WSMA House of Delegates meets once a year, typically in September or
October (learn more about the
Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates). The House may also be called into special session at any time by the
WSMA president on the written request of fifteen members of the House.
All business of the House is conducted according to parliamentary
procedures as outlined in "The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure."
WSMA Governance Outside of the Annual House of Delegates Meeting
When the House of Delegates is not in session, the WSMA is governed by the
board of trustees. The board meets quarterly and is responsible for carrying out the
mandates and policies of the House. The board has all the powers of the
House except amending the bylaws or establishing dues or assessments.
From the board of trustees, the WSMA president, president-elect, vice
president, immediate past president, and secretary-treasurer form the
executive committee. The committee meets monthly and acts for the board in implementing WSMA
programs and establishing interim policy.
The WSMA president is the spokesperson for the association.
How to Impact Policymaking at WSMA Webinar
Policymaking is a central component of WSMA’s advocacy on behalf of
physicians and physician assistants in Washington. Join WSMA’s policy team
as they host a webinar covering the policymaking process at the WSMA,
including an overview of the House of Delegates and how to draft,
introduce, and successfully bring a resolution to fruition. The policy
team also discusses how resolutions passed at the House of Delegates
direct our advocacy. Originally held April 22, 2022.