FROM THE PRESIDENT Robert M. Orfaly, MD President Oregon Medical Association robert.orfaly@theOMA.org The spirit of Oregonians is that we are innovators. We have the courage to try new ideas; we move forward, and we embrace creativity in the day-to-day. Working Together in a Time of Rapid Change MY FIRST ORDER OF business as your president is to thank you for this honor, and to thank you for your faith in entrusting me with the leadership of this fine organization. As the 142nd president of the Oregon Medical Association, I recognize that our organization has a very long history, with traditions to respect and collective experience to preserve. At the same time, we are in a period of unprecedented change, both in medicine and in the world. Our goal should not be to ignore or react to change. Instead, we should try—as best we can—to predict change and to help shape it for the benefit of all. The OMA has a unique part to play in the advancement of medical practice in Oregon. All physicians and physician assistants, regardless of specialty, health system and location, must come together to improve health care in Oregon. The spirit of Oregonians is that we are innovators. We have the courage to try new ideas; we move forward, and we embrace creativity in the day-to-day. That bold spirit is infused within the practice of medicine here, and we have accomplished so much through our willingness to explore, invent and test the frontiers of medical knowledge. Through the OMA, our members work to make sure we’re guiding change and predicting and dealing with potential difficulties before they become crises. I see several priorities for my presidential year; they include the following. We need to: Œ Enhance our communication between the OMA and our membership and with the public at large. The OMA must keep an ear to the ground, listening to physicians describing their most urgent needs and addressing them as nimbly as we can. This requires two-way communication, making sure that we maintain partnerships among larger medical groups, smaller groups and individual practitioners alike, both those employed and those in private practice. By representing all physicians and PAs in the state, whatever their affiliation, the OMA has the power to make medical practice in Oregon better. The OMA must continue to keep the membership updated and informed; balancing active, effective communication with respect for each member’s busy time commitments. Œ Maintain our outstanding work in the Legislature and around the state in advocating for issues important to our members. The OMA performs work of vital importance to our profession in government relations, and maintains active involvement in monitoring legislation. In the political arena, the OMA gives physicians a much-needed presence, and a voice. We provide background research, policy discussion and diligent advocacy to ensure that beneficial bills are promoted, and harmful ones challenged. Œ Continue sharpening our focus and expand our offerings in support of physician wellness. As the medical profession undergoes rapid changes, we must recognize the effects these changes can have on physicians’ wellbeing. Promoting physician wellness takes many forms, from preventing and intervening in crises, to easing the consequences of relentless stress, to offering legal advice. We need to see physician support as a 4 Medicine in O Oregon www.theOMA.org
OMA Medicine in OR Spring 2016
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