Strategic Plan
The WSMA is guided by a strategic plan, which outlines key priorities for
the association, areas of focus for its work, strategic goals, and
associated benchmarks. The WSMA’s strategic plan reflects the
association’s commitment to its members, which is to make a difference,
whether that’s by improving the practice environment, their professional
status, or the care they provide to patients and communities.
2022 Strategic Plan
At the start of 2020, our strategic plan focused on advocacy through
strong, thoughtful policy, physician-directed quality improvement,
physician education and development, and organizational stewardship. Then
our community faced a COVID-19 pandemic that rocked our state and our
members' ability to practice. As Albert Einstein wrote, "You can't use an
old map to explore a new world." COVID-19 and other recent events
highlighting structural racism and health inequities necessitated that we
change our priorities and focus. Our four strategic pillars remain;
however, activities and KPIs were adjusted, as reflected in the 2022
strategic plan.
WSMA 2022-2023 Strategic Plan
(final update December 2022)
2023-2025 Strategic Plan
On behalf of our members and patients, the WSMA is committed to several
key initiatives for the coming years:
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First, we must recover from the challenges and remember the lessons of
the COVID era so that our practice environment ensures physician
wellness—an environment that not only helps Washington physicians to
be their healthiest, but also to be the most inclusive, diverse, and
equitable that we can be. High-quality care, and dedication to that
care, can't exist without it.
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Second, we must focus on the biggest funding challenge we all face:
Medicaid payment rates that do not come close to covering the cost of
care and do not support access to care for the most vulnerable.
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Third, we must tackle the crushing administrative burden of prior
authorization. Considering that the vast majority of requests are
eventually authorized, delays create serious harm to patients.
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Finally, we must rebuild our community and our physician social network
that were fractured amid pandemic restrictions. We, the members of the
WSMA, are the strongest voice for physicians in Washington state. We need
to create communities and tools to foster a robust healing conversation
internally and take that voice externally in support of our teams,
practices, patients, and communities.
WSMA 2023-2025 Strategic Plan (updated June 2023)