INSIDE WVSMA
Message from the President
On Healthcare Quality , Patient Safety , and the Guardians of Healthcare
Shafic Sraj , MD , MBA-c
The West Virginia State Medical Association ( WVSMA ) finished 2021 with several wins . The new year did not give us much time before presenting its prime challenge , the annual legislative session . The session officially started on January 12 , 2022 , and lasting for 60 days , this year ’ s legislative session brought many attempts at redefining what it means to provide medical care and by whom .
Our legislative team , which consists of our committee chairs and members , executive director , and lobbyist , actively monitored and responded to legislative developments , particularly those surrounding scope of practice . We had a robust collaboration with other West Virginia ( WV ) physician organizations to fulfill our goals of pursuing and protecting optimal patient care , public health , and the practice of medicine .
There have been attempts at expanding scopes of practice to allow non-physicians to acquire physician-level privileges with disregard to patient safety and well-being . Proponents of expanding the scopes of practice for non-physicians frequently justify their endeavors by labeling them as acts allowing more people better access to healthcare . Contrary to consumer sectors where people have a reasonable sense of quality and price , healthcare affords patients neither . When someone dines at a restaurant and doesn ’ t like the meal , she can call the manager right away and get a new plate . Contrary to a bad meal or a disappointing purchase , patients cannot judge the quality of the medical advice they obtain , nor can they often evaluate their providers ’ education .
This session witnessed the most absurd bill that eliminates all scope of practice provisions governing practically all non-physician healthcare providers . To put it in one sentence , eliminating scope of practice means anybody can do whatever they want if they claim to be good at it . I can ’ t imagine the resulting deterioration in the standard of care for WV patients if such a thing actually happens , especially when one of the basic jobs of government is to protect the people and satisfy their needs safely .
Society expects the government to set a minimum quality when the average citizen cannot , given the circumstances , make a reasonable , educated decision . When I visit a fellow provider who completed adequate training and underwent adequate vetting , I trust the provider is truly capable because I trust that my government and its agencies vouchsafed the provider ’ s training and education on my behalf .
Physicians go through many years of medical school and postgraduate training . While physicians , like anyone else , can make mistakes , we have developed mechanisms to avoid and mitigate such errors and suboptimal outcomes , something that cannot simply be equated to those less trained and less prepared providers . Quality healthcare must continue to be physician-led , and we , the guardians of healthcare , must continue working to make sure it stays like that .
The new year offers us opportunities . One of the bright sides of this year is the elevated sense of physician unity and accelerated collaboration with fellow physician organizations . The WVSMA made great progress building our house of medicine model as evidenced by several requests we received to support our affiliate physician organizations . The overarching theme was the importance of connecting and presenting arguments to legislators and others centered around the need to protect patient safety . We were able and happy to stand with them as they pursue our shared goals : optimal patient care , public health , and the practice of medicine . We can only move medicine in WV forward through physician unity , diversity , and inclusivity , and we are doing just that . To further those goals , we launched the promised Healthcare Advocacy Network and are working on developing the mechanisms allowing high efficiency , effectiveness , and timelessness moving forward .
The WVSMA ’ s unity , diversity , and inclusivity will never be complete without overhauling our governance structure and policy-making process . We passed our first test as our House of Delegates approved the amended bylaws , allowing us to proceed to the second phase . I look forward to meeting each of you during our upcoming special purpose annual meeting to consider the amended bylaws and constitution and follow that with a second House of Delegates vote to complete the amendment process . During the membership-wide virtual annual meeting , you will have the opportunity to learn more about the WVSMA ’ s future and share your input and suggestions with your delegates before they cast their second and last vote on the amendment that brings the new constitution and bylaws into effect .
Shafic A . Sraj , MD , MBA-Candidate President , WV State Medical Association
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