WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement

Strengthening Physician Wellness and Restoring the Joy of Practice

The Washington State Medical Association Foundation (WSMAF), believes in a future where physicians are healthy and fulfilled; where physicians, the health care team, and patients are partners; and where all Washingtonians experience equitable, quality care that aligns with the needs, goals, and values of the organization. It’s mission is to create transformational health care change at all levels—individual, organizational, and statewide. Physician wellness has been a top priority of the WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement since 2018. In it’s next stage, the focus is on strengthening physician wellness and restoring the joy of practice.

The WSMAF seeks to accomplish it’s focus through the following two goals:

1. Collaboratively identifying best-practices that improve physician and physician assistant well-being at work and reduce burnout. This will be done by encouraging physicians who own their own practices, as well as large medical groups and health systems to pledge to meet the criteria.
2. Delivering professional development on emotional intelligence and peer support via disseminating proven strategies to recognize burnout and support teams and peers in physician practices of all sizes.

These goals will help the WSMAF move one step closer in achieving it’s mission of providing strong physician leadership and advocacy to shape the future of medicine and advance quality care for all Washingtonians.