By Amish J. Dave, MD, MPH, FACP – Incoming KCMS President, January 2026
It’s an honor to step into the role of KCMS President in January 2026. As we enter the holiday season and look ahead to a new year, I’ve been reflecting on what makes this community so special. I’m inspired by the compassion, resilience, and leadership of physicians across King County and Washington State.
This season has brought its share of challenges for many in our community. The recent federal government shutdown disrupted services and delayed critical benefits for millions, including thousands of families here at home. While some King County residents have been able to escape the cold with trips to Palm Springs and Hawaii, many people across our region have been significantly stressed as the shutdown disproportionately impacted the poorest Washingtonians. Forty-two million Americans saw their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits delayed, including thousands of King County residents.
Although the shutdown has ended and assistance has resumed, the downstream impacts of the sudden stop have been significant. Our local food banks are feeling the strain, especially at the start of the winter holiday season. Travel delays during the shutdown affected the plans of countless Washingtonians, and a leak of airline fuel has raised concerns for holiday travelers. National reporting also highlighted that Seattle has now surpassed New York City as one of the top two most expensive cities in the country to dine out, along with San Francisco.
Furthermore, many of our patients and family members have been receiving higher insurance premium estimates, stretching already tight budgets. Rising costs, from groceries to insurance premiums, continue to shape the lived experiences of the people we care for.
Even in our own household, these pressures have been felt. As we began shopping for the Thanksgiving, we were a bit shocked by the higher prices of pie crusts, corn oil, wheat flour, turkeys, and cookie dough. We were excited to gather with friends and family around a table of 12. Still, conversations inevitably turned to travel costs, rising expenses, and the strain so many families are facing.
Please know that the anxiety you, your families, or your patients may be feeling is shared. At KCMS, we are already planning for how we can support our community in the year ahead.
We have worked with community nonprofits, tech professionals, and volunteers to support one another during the COVID pandemic by providing vaccinations to thousands of healthcare workers and acquiring electronic donations that enabled the rapid transformation of clinic visits to telehealth. We partnered with Public Health Seattle–King County and physician volunteers to test thousands of children for lead poisoning. And we have brought hundreds of resolutions to the WSMA House of Delegates, helping transform them into policy and advocating for many of them to become law.
Our community of physicians in King County becomes stronger when we listen to one another, learn from one another, and act together.
In the coming year, KCMS will focus on:
- Supporting food banks and community food drives
- Deepening engagement on issues of unhousedness, housing insecurity, and firearm violence prevention
- Remaining ready to help our community respond to the next crisis
Thank you for everything you are doing to support your patients, your communities, and your families. We wish you the very best this holiday season and welcome your input and involvement as we prepare for the year ahead.