Our Impact

How we represented the physician's voice to influencers, prepared medical professionals for changes coming to health care, and provided service and value in 2019.

Representing you

Keeping your voice front and center in the public eye.

30 news stories, 4 op-eds published, and 1 television interview spotlighting the WSMA and the physician voice.

Rebranded WSMA's flagship publication and other assets to better reflect and serve our diverse membership.

Preparing you

Providing personal service and support to help you navigate daily practice challenges.

Addressed more than 300 questions from members around physician practice, legal, payment, and policy issues.

Supporting you

Preparing you to meet the demands of an evolving health care environment.

200 physicians and providers enrolled in WSMA's leadership skills-development courses.

How WSMA's advocacy before the Legislature, regulatory agencies, the courts, and others protected physicians, the profession, and patients in 2019.

WSMA prevented

• A 67% increase in the business and occupation (B&O) tax* proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee (a lower 20% increase was passed by the Legislature).
• Prescription monitoring program (PMP) integration mandate* for small group practices and practices experiencing hardship.
• An electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) mandate* for small group practices and practices experiencing hardship.
• The immediate adoption by the Washington Medical Commission of an increase in license renewal fees.
• Scope of practice expansions for naturopaths and acupuncturists.
• A telehealth CME mandate.

WSMA successfully

• Removed the personal and philosophical exemption for the MMR vaccine.
• Helped to raise the purchase age for tobacco and vapor products to 21.
• Expanded whistleblower protections to non-employed health care professionals and in the peer review setting.
• Reached an agreement on balance billing legislation that protects patients and is fair for the physician community.

In the legislative arena

• Scheduled 95 meetings between physicians and legislators during the WSMA Legislative Summit.
• Testified 75 times at public hearings during the state legislative session.
• Issued 13 calls to action on priority issues during session, resulting in more than 6,000 messages from physicians to legislators.

WSMA secured

$150M+ for health care:

• $121 million+ in investments in mental health and substance use treatment.
• $22 million to support the state’s public health system.
• $800,000+ for new psychiatric residency positions.
• $344,000 to extend and expand the state’s maternal mortality review panel.
• $7.6 million for student loan repayment for health professionals.
• $8 million in continued funding for medical education/residencies.

In the political arena

95% of candidates supported in the last election cycle by WAMPAC won their elections.

In the regulatory arena

Tracked more than 150 rules.

A look at how WSMA's initiatives created real change in the lives of physicians and patients in 2019.

Better Prescribing, Better Treatment

Protecting patients from highly addictive medications.

45 health systems enrolled, representing over 20,000 prescribers.

Achieved a 70% reduction in non-compliant acute prescriptions.

Healthy Doctors, Healthier Patients

Strengthening physician wellness and restoring the joy of medicine.

Conducted first-ever statewide burnout and fulfillment study, which found physicians in Washington state are more burned out and less fulfilled than the national average.

Convened 8 health care organizations, in partnership with the AMA and Physicians Foundation, to research the effectiveness of wellness interventions.

Continuing Medical Education

Ensuring CME presented by our accredited providers meets the highest standards.

WSMA-accredited providers and the WSMA provided 1,289 CME activities, 58% of all CME activities in Washington state.

Honoring Choices® Pacific Northwest

Leading the region on advance care planning conversations.

Over 50 teams from 30 health care and community organizations held more than 12,000 advance care planning conversations.