The Oregon Medical Association (OMA) held its annual conference yesterday at the Nines Hotel in downtown Portland. The agenda centered around leadership, community and wellness in the ever-changing world of healthcare under the theme of "Putting the Joy Back Into Medicine." The meeting celebrated the leadership of outgoing president Dr. Robert M Orfaly and welcomed new president Dr. Kevin M Reavis (FSIE Laboratory Director). Dr. Reavis was formally introduced to the association by Dr. Karen Deveney in a touching review of his life and accomplishments (see full video below).  This was followed by the formal presidential installation and an inspirational call to action speech by the new president. Congratulations Dr. Reavis! 

The OMA represents nearly 9,000 Oregon physicians unified in the mission of "serving and supporting physicians in their efforts to improve the health of Oregonians." In today's environment of health care policy uncertainty, organizations such as the OMA are vital to ensure advocacy on behalf of patients, physicians and citizens of Oregon. The OMA had an active agenda for the 2017 legislative session including issues relating to the opioid crisis, rural workforce, and other key public health issues. Some of the highlighted legislative wins reported in this year's annual report include:

• Passed legislation to enhance the prescription drug monitoring database and support other tools in the fight against opioid addiction
• Halted an aggressive campaign to eliminate damages caps on non-economic awards
• Secured governor's veto on prescribing privileges for psychologists without training needed to ensure patient safety
• Helped raise the legal smoking age to 21
• Funded workforce incentives for providers in rural and underserved areas