Oregon Medical Association

03/25/2026

In recognition of National Sleep Awareness Month (March), we highlight OMA Vice President Dr. Andrea Matsumura, MD, MS, FACP, FAASM, MSCP, a nationally recognized sleep medicine physician and leading authority in women’s health. Dr. Matsumura is double board-certified in Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine and a Certified Menopause Practitioner through The Menopause Society.

Dr. Matsumura is spearheading a movement to position sleep as the most powerful and accessible tool for longevity, disease prevention, and performance. “Sleep is the most underutilized intervention in medicine,” she notes. “If we want to improve health outcomes at scale, we have to start there.”

Read more about Dr. Matsumura on our website:
theoma.org/DrMatsumura

03/24/2026

March 24 is Diabetes Alert Day, a call to action from the American Diabetes Association to learn the symptoms of diabetes and understand the risk factors for developing the disease. Your patients can take a short screening test to assess their risk here:
diabetes.org/diabetes-risk-test

For more information, see our Diabetes and Prediabetes toolkit:
theoma.org/diabetes

03/23/2026

A message for your patients:

Brisk walking 30 minutes per day, five days a week, lowers the risk of several age-related diseases such as high blood pressure. Find a free class near you at walk.oregonstate.edu.

03/20/2026

Congratulations WesternU COMP Northwest and OHSU School of Medicine students — many years of dedication paying off!

03/20/2026

Congratulations to all the exceptional medical students on Match Day! We celebrate your hard work, passion, and dedication as you begin the next chapter of your journey in medicine. Here’s to a bright future — and making an impact on countless lives.

03/19/2026

A message for your patients from Rethink the Drink in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority:

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know excessive drinking can lead to serious health problems — including colorectal cancer? Exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy fiber-rich diet and drinking less alcohol are all great ways of keeping your colon healthy.

03/18/2026

Communicating effectively with patients who have (LEP) is a critical part of providing equitable care and reducing malpractice risk. Do you have a formal language access plan? Learn practical strategies for training staff, using qualified interpreters, and ensuring clear communication in the latest article from OMA endorsed partner MagMutual:

theoma.org/LanguageAccessPlan

03/16/2026

We celebrate Women’s History Month by spotlighting Oregon’s first woman physician, Esther Pohl Lovejoy. Dr. Pohl Lovejoy began practicing medicine in 1890 and in 1907 was appointed chair of the Portland Board of Health — the first woman in a major city in the U.S. to hold the position. She launched a public health campaign that helped prevent an outbreak of bubonic plague, founded a woman’s suffrage group, led international relief organizations, and authored four histories of women in medicine, among many other accomplishments.

Image: Esther Pohl Lovejoy signing her book, “Women Doctors of the World.” Oregon Health & Science University, https://doi.org/10.6083/M49W0D0J

03/13/2026

Early contract decisions compound over time, and it's wise to anticipate future needs before you sign a contract. Learn about the most common (and potentially costly) mistakes clinicians make before starting a new job in this article from OMA endorsed partner Resolve:
https://tinyurl.com/98mj562p

Learn more about OMA member benefits from Resolve:
theoma.org/resolve

03/11/2026

03/10/2026

This week, OMA physicians and PAs pause to recognize something at the heart of medicine: keeping patients safe. Oregon Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 8-14), proclaimed by Governor Kotek and sponsored by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, is an annual opportunity to refocus on a commitment to safe, high-quality care. Every day is patient safety day — but this week, we say it together.

03/07/2026

Today at 4:17 p.m., the 2026 Oregon Legislature adjourned sine die.

During the 2026 Legislative Session, OMA helped pass legislation that protects patients, supports clinicians, and strengthens Oregon’s health care system. Highlights include:

• HB 4088 – Strengthening protections for clinicians and patients providing legally protected care
• SB 1598 – Protecting access to vaccines and ensuring continued insurance coverage
• HB 4070 – Ensuring accountability in telehealth behavioral health services
• HCR 202 – Establishing a long-term vision for health care sustainability in Oregon

Thank you to the physicians and PAs who took time to advocate for their patients.