LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Reflecting on the challenges and opportunities faced by California physicians in 2022, it’s clear that perseverance and resilience were key themes.

As the world took steps toward a return to normal, the COVID-19 pandemic remained a formidable force. Compounded by seasonal influenza and increased respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, much of 2022 mirrored early conditions in the pandemic, with overburdened hospital systems, high demand for medical attention and a shortage of health care workers.

The “tripledemic” last fall and the continued social fallout of the previous three years our members faced was the tip of the iceberg regarding obstacles that continue to erode physician autonomy, refute expertise and disrupt our sense of community. Continued bureaucracy and a challenging regulatory environment have only added to the burden on our medical professionals.

Many physicians I know have been able to weather over three years of pandemic-related challenges because of what brought them to the job in the first place: caring for patients. But when physicians are prevented from spending time helping their patients, that’s when they question whether it’s worth sticking it out.

The good news is that in 2022, CMA and its members were able to build a foundation through a long-sought victory on the modernization of the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA). That win will allow us to focus our energy and efforts on providing every resident in our state, access to high quality and equitable care, from physicians operating in stable and sustainable practice environments.

We are already working to create a health care system that truly serves those it was designed to help, and by putting the needs of physicians and patients first, we will create safer and healthier communities.

Further, in 2022, CMA successfully advocated for investments and policies to help members facing demanding workloads and hardships, including retention bonuses and adding California physicians to the federal Public Loan Forgiveness Program.

We also preserved many telehealth gains implemented during the pandemic, expanded fullscope Medi-Cal coverage to Californians regardless of immigration status, and secured substantial funding for vaccinations and COVID-19 testing.

None of this would have been possible without the collective strength of our physician members. Thank you for staying engaged during historically challenging times and for your continued efforts to keep your patients and communities healthy and thriving.

Donaldo Hernandez, M.D. President