Message from the Chair
Karen Domino, MD, MPH
Thank you and Farewell
In my final newsletter message, I reflect upon issues and improvements in the core mission of the WMC since the time I was appointed as a commissioner. My tenure on the WMC has bridged the COVID years and current post-COVID era. When I first was appointed, I was inundated with complaints by physicians, departments, and hospital leadership over the prolonged time for licensing of new physicians. Read More
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Unlicensed Practice of Medicine
Over the past few months, the Commission has been approached on a number of occasions and asked, in essence, “Does a person need a MD or PA license in Washington in order to do X, Y, or Z?” While in theory, the answer is not complicated, in practice, it can be complex. In this article, I am going to run through a number of considerations that go into addressing the issue of the unlicensed practice of medicine in Washington. Continue Reading
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ACOG Releases Updated Guidelines for Pain Management
Across Washington State, women have filed complaints with the Washington Medical Commission citing inadequate treatment of pain. These concerns are not isolated or anecdotal. A substantial and growing body of academic research confirms that women particularly Black, Indigenous, Latina/x, and other women of color routinely face bias and substandard care when reporting pain. Continue Reading
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QUICK FACT
The WMC is aware that scammers are still contacting practitioners using the WMC phone number and other contact information. The most important thing to know is that the WMC will never ask you to respond to an inquiry urgently. You can call the WMC at 360-236-2750 to confirm that the WMC has reached out to you.
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Advancing Physician Mental Health Through Support and Advocacy
Physician mental health remains a critical issue in healthcare, with recent data revealing both persistent challenges and signs of progress. Nationwide, there is growing momentum to improve the mental health of healthcare workers. Institutions and organizations are increasingly recognizing that supporting employee wellbeing is not just ethical, it’s a smart business strategy with measurable benefits. Continue Reading
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Rulemaking Efforts
Updates Include:
- New Profession: Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Establishing the use of nitrous oxide in office based
surgical settings
- Opioid Prescribing for Physician Assistants (PA) and
Allopathic Physicians (MD)
- Physician Assistant Collaborative Practice
All Rulemaking Efforts
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PA News
If you are a practicing MD or Physician Assistant (PA) for long enough, there comes a time when you may receive notice that a complaint has been made against you. Do you know what this means? Do you know what your next steps are? Is this possibly the end of your career? This article will help you to know what to do should this occur and, hopefully, will slow your pulse and reassure you that the sky is not falling, it is not the end of your career, and it is even possible to use this event as a steppingstone to improve patient care and advocacy for the PA profession. Continue Reading
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