Washington State Medical Association (WSMA)

24/04/2026

"Strong policy like SB 5395 will ensure that prior authorization decisions remain grounded in individualized clinical judgment, keeping patient care in the hands of physicians and not opaque AI systems." - Bindu Nayak, MD, WSMA vice president and Wenatchee-area endocrinologist.

Read more about Senate Bill 5395, which the WSMA developed in partnership with the Washington State Hospital Association and Proliance Surgeons, that passed the Legislature this year: https://bit.ly/493Nuc1

23/04/2026

Last call for nominations for the 2026 WSMA Apple Awards! Submit your nominations by this Friday, April 24, for a colleague, clinic, or program that goes above and beyond in service to their patients or community, in their advocacy efforts, or in patient safety (or nominate yourself!).

Make your nominations by April 24 here: https://bit.ly/4srHuRH.
🍎 President's Unsung Hero Award - Recognizing the WSMA member who contributes extraordinary service to the profession and community.
🍎 Grassroots Advocate Award - This award recognizes WSMA member efforts and activities in supporting WSMA legislative priorities.
🍎 William O. Robertson, MD, Patient Safety Award - This award recognizes patient safety initiatives pioneered in ambulatory care settings throughout Washington state.

Awards will be presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates this September.

22/04/2026

The WSMA continues to raise concerns with federal policymakers on the pilot program launched earlier this year that applies prior authorization requirements for the first time ever to traditional Medicare plans. Read the latest updates: https://bit.ly/4cCBFuu

22/04/2026

Deadline extended! A few rooms remain at Campbell's Resort at our discounted rate for the WSMA Leadership Development Conference! If you've been on the fence, consider this your ✨ sign ✨ to register to join us, May 15-16 in Chelan: wsma.org/ldc.

Our speakers will equip you with skills and insights you can use in your everyday practice, including:

💡 A keynote from Kelly Casperson, MD, surgeon, entrepreneur, Tedx speaker, author, thought leader, top international podcaster, on identifying common sources of medical misinformation and how to effectively counter it through nuanced, evidence-based communication strategies.
💡 Help Me Grow Washington on "the art of the referral." Speakers will discuss Help Me Grow's partnership with the WSMA on a new grant about nutrition access and screening, and how one health system has taken Help Me Grow resources and integrated them into their own screening and referral processes.
💡 David Ansell, MD, MPH, will present on implementation and support for nutrition and social determinants of health throughout his entire health system.

16/04/2026

Kelly Casperson, MD, is a surgeon, entrepreneur, Tedx speaker, author, thought leader, top international podcaster, and one of our keynote speakers at this year's Leadership Development Conference! In her keynote, she'll help you:

💡 Identify the most common sources of medical misinformation in modern health care and explain how they influence clinical decision-making and patient trust.

💡 Apply evidence-based strategies to communicate risk, uncertainty, and scientific nuance effectively with your patients to counter misinformation and rebuild trust.

Don't miss this chance to hear from Dr. Casperson on these critical and timely topics. Learn more about Dr. Casperson and register to join us at wsma.org/ldc.

15/04/2026

"My role as a healer and ally to my patients is one of the most important parts of my identity as a physician." Elizabeth Westling, MD, internal medicine physician and faculty at WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine's internal medicine residency program at Providence health system Everett, talked with us about what inspires her in medicine, what she's reading, what WSMA membership means to her, and more. Get to know Dr. Westling: https://bit.ly/3QDoeTC

14/04/2026

Last call for discounted room rates at Campbell's Resort for the 2026 Leadership Development Conference! Rates go up tomorrow, April 15. Don't miss this fun and educational conference weekend with your peers from across the state. Get all the details on our conference agenda, keynote speakers, and accommodations at Campbell's at wsma.org/ldc.

Room rates for the Leadership Development Conference go up April 15! If you're joining us at Campbell's Resort, make sure to book by the 14th to get our special conference rate. All the details on accommodations at wsma.org/ldc.

If you haven't yet registered for the conference, don't miss this opportunity to learn from our excellent lineup of speakers, socialize and network with physicians and physician assistants from across the state, and relax on the shores of Lake Chelan.

10/04/2026

Room rates for the Leadership Development Conference go up April 15! If you're joining us at Campbell's Resort, make sure to book by the 14th to get our special conference rate. All the details on accommodations at wsma.org/ldc.

If you haven't yet registered for the conference, don't miss this opportunity to learn from our excellent lineup of speakers, socialize and network with physicians and physician assistants from across the state, and relax on the shores of Lake Chelan.

10/04/2026

This , we're continuing to spotlight physicians who are at the heart of public health. Cathrine Wheeler, MD, internal medicine physician at Providence Swedish Ballard, wrote about one of the pillars of public health in a recent issue of WSMA Reports: Vaccines.

Read more about Dr. Wheeler's thoughts on recent changes to federal vaccine policy and what we can do to ensure continued access to these life-saving interventions. wsma.org/your-care-is-at-our-core

09/04/2026

Professional development of physicians & teams is the core of the WSMA Leadership Development Conference. For our closing workshop at this year's conference, expert coaches will help you take what you've learned and turn it into a plan of action for when you return to work: http://wsma.org/ldc

08/04/2026

This , we’re celebrating Washington's physicians who are at the heart of public health. In his recent Heartbeat column in WSMA Reports, Gregory Engel, MD, MPH, talks about how the team at Ceasefire Northwest brings public health-informed, nonpartisan education on firearm injury prevention to high schools in Washington state and how physicians can get involved in this critical public health issue.

Read more from Dr. Engel at wsma.org/your-care-is-at-our-core.

07/04/2026

Help Me Grow Washington is supporting physicians by connecting patients to resources, from nutrition to housing, and will partner with the WSMA on a new grant-funded clinical QI effort. Physicians, physician assistants, and clinical teams are invited to join us in Chelan to learn more from the Help Me Grow team and the rest of our top-notch line-up of conference speakers. All the details at wsma.org/ldc.