INSIDE WVSMA
Message from the President
2021-2022 Presidency in Review : Physician Unity Moves Medicine Through Diversity and Inclusivity
Shafic Sraj , MD , MBA-c
Dear Physician Colleagues ,
Just a few months ago , we gathered at the 2021 Healthcare Summit to reflect on what West Virginia State Medical Association ( WVSMA ) is meant to be . We identified how we , the physicians of West Virginia , are going through a reawakening , trying to figure out how we see ourselves and what we stand for , develop a new understanding of our needs and wants , and determining what it takes to achieve them . At the time , I asked you a question : Does the WVSMA , in the current structure , still reflect the physicians of West Virginia ? How do we translate this reflection in today ’ s world ? My answer was simple : We are here to move medicine with physician unity through diversity and inclusion .
I called upon you to reconsider how we conduct business , how we share wisdom , and how we develop policy . I asked you if we need to become more nimble and more responsive and efficient and afford all West Virginia physicians the opportunity to be represented and participate in our governance and policy-making process . I also wondered if you thought one day a year is enough to make policy for a whole year or whether a more fluid process suits us better — one that allows those who are vested in particular matters to participate accordingly , without limiting participation to representatives who may or may not be the most enlightened on such matters .
I reminded you of our mission and vision statements and asked you to rebuild our West Virginia House of Medicine , where every specialty or interest group has a room and all belong to the same household .
MISSION
The WVSMA advances health and promotes quality and safety in the practice of medicine in West Virginia by representing the interests of patients , public health , and physicians .
VISION
The WVSMA seeks to serve as the unified voice for the practice of medicine and the premier authority for evidenced-based health policy in West Virginia .
The WVSMA listened and delivered . Over the subsequent few months , and after several opportunities for review and optimization , the House of Delegates voted to amend our current constitution and bylaws , thus converting the WVSMA into a board of trustees-run organization that affords all members the opportunity to participate in meaningful ways and ensuring the WVSMA continues to foster diversity and inclusivity , where our leaders remain a true reflection of who we are across all dimensions .
During the summit , we identified the need to invest in our physician-leaders , together with our stakeholders , to build a force that can bridge the gap between physicians and healthcare administrators . This led to the creation of the West Virginia Physician Leadership Taskforce , with representation from most if not all major medical staffs in the state . The task force is making great progress and will soon be able to share our plan for in-state physician leadership development , where aspiring physician-leaders will have the opportunity to learn effective leadership skills without having to go through trial and error .
We also determined the need for a stream of information , not a flood . This led to the development of the Progress Note , with the goal of keeping members well informed throughout the presidential year , not just over a single weekend in the summer . I called upon you to put specialties on the same table and cultivate participation . Starting with the highly successful Specialty Panel discussion during the last summit , the Healthcare Policy Network was born . The task force includes representation from a variety of specialty societies and is in charge of defining the rules of engagement . I expect that , by the time of this publication , the task force will have had its first meeting with the goals of achieving a wider , more robust , united policy adoption that will amplify our physician footprint at the Capitol . This endeavor will reinforce our ability to take care of each other and have a better ability to shape the future of our profession . While all of this was happening , our membership drive was the most successful in recent years .
This past year was labor-intensive yet worthwhile , and I enjoyed every bit of it . I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your president and look forward to even more progress in the future .
Thank you ,
Shafic A . Sraj , MD , MBA-Candidate President , WV State Medical Association
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