ACCMA News

ACCMA June Member of the Month: Irina Kolomey, D.O.

We are proud to recognize Dr. Irina Kolomey, D.O. as the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association (ACCMA) Member of the Month for June! 

A dedicated primary care physician based in Contra Costa County, Dr. Kolomey is triple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Care. She has been a valued member of ACCMA for 20 years, bringing compassion, leadership, and dedication to both her patients and our medical community. 

Dr. Kolomey currently serves on the ACCMA Council and is actively involved in the Legislative, Membership & Engagement, and Community Health Committees. Her commitment to personalized, high-quality care helps her patients achieve their best possible health and well-being. 

Congratulations, Dr. Kolomey, and thank you for your outstanding contributions to medicine and to our community! 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is mental health awareness month. As a reminder, the ACCMA provides wellness support for members by offering up to four virtual sessions with a therapist at no charge.
Additionally, our Advisory Committee on Physician Wellbeing is available to provide confidential assistance to physicians suffering from a physical or emotional impairment.

Physician Leaders Gain Powerful Insights: Health Equity Leadership

PHYSICIAN LEADERS GAIN POWERFUL INSIGHTS: HEALTH EQUITY LEADERSHIP
 

ACCMA concluded the Physician Changemakers: Bridging the Gap to Achieve Health Equity Leadership Program on February 15 at the Lafayette Library. Physician leaders gained powerful insights from Dr. Carla Wicks in a Fireside Chat where she highlighted disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. They also heard from from Dr. Dayna Mattews, Dean of George Washington University Law School who spoke about health equity policy and advocacy techniques for equitable healthcare. This
is a huge step toward building physician leaders who champion health equity!

California's Physician Leaders Reflect on Transformative Experience

CALIFORNIA’S RISING PHYSICIAN LEADERS REFLECT ON TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE

The ACCMA concluded its eighth Physician Leadership Program this May, featuring its first-ever statewide cohort with 76 physicians participating from across California. The hybrid-format course combined in-person sessions at UC Berkeley and USC with virtual learning, covering key leadership topics such as motivation,
negotiation, ethics, and team dynamics. Participants engaged in interactive discussions and activities designed to deepen their leadership skills while benefiting from a diverse group of peers from various institutions and specialties. Planning is already underway for the next Southern California cohort in Fall 2025 and a
Northern California cohort in 2026.

President-Elect's Page: Standing Firm for Science, Equity, and Patient Care

Standing Firm for Science, Equity, and Patient Care
By Clifford Wong, MD, ACCMA President-Elect

In these challenging times for healthcare, when medical expertise is being questioned and hard-won patient protections are under threat, physician leadership has never been more critical. In response, the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association (ACCMA) has formally adopted a new policy statement, “Protecting Our Patients and Community,” to
clearly articulate our principles and guide our advocacy. This statement comes at a pivotal moment as we face simultaneous challenges to evidence-based medicine, healthcare access, and protections for vulnerable populations. 
 

The ACCMA policy statement outlines three core areas of focus, the first of which is Evidence-Based Medical Practice. The statement affirms our commitment to defending  vaccine science and combating misinformation, protecting federal funding for medical research, ensuring patient access to FDA-approved medications, preserving physician leadership in clinical guidelines, and strengthening public health infrastructure alongside global health partnerships. 

The second area of focus is Healthcare Access Preservation in which we mandate our advocacy to oppose Medicare cuts that threaten senior care, protect Medi-Cal expansion and funding, and strengthen key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. We are also committed to making COVID-era telehealth flexibilities permanent, addressing  physician shortages and burnout, and expanding access to behavioral health services. 

The final area of focus in our policy statement is Vulnerable Patient Protections. We are committed to advancing health equity initiatives, safeguarding comprehensive
reproductive care, ensuring access to medical services regardless of immigration status, and defending treatment options for gender-affirming care.
This policy statement serves as our formal position on these critical issues. It declares our intent to challenge policies undermining medical science, resist funding reductions
that limit care access, oppose restrictions on essential health services, and combat discriminatory practices in healthcare.

As ACCMA president-elect, I urge all members to familiarize themselves with this important policy statement, which is now the foundation of our advocacy efforts.
It reflects our professional obligation to put patients first while upholding the highest standards of medical practice. The complete “Protecting Our Patients and Community”
policy statement is available for review at www.accma.org. I welcome your engagement as we work to implement these principles in our practices and in the public arena.

May Member of the Month- Dr. Suparna Dutta

Please join us in celebrating Suparna Dutta, MD, as the ACCMA Member of the Month for May!

Dr. Dutta is a dedicated board-certified physiatrist at Kaiser Permanente East Bay, where she serves as a staff physician at the KP Oakland Spine Clinic and performs interventional spine procedures in Richmond. A proud alum of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Michigan PM&R residency program, she has been an invaluable ACCMA member since 2004—including serving as ACCMA President in 2021!

Today, she continues to lead as a CMA Board Trustee for the 9th District and an active advocate for physician well-being on the ACCMA Advisory Committee. She also serves on the AMA Delegation as an At-Large Delegate, member of the ACCMA Judicial Committee, and ACCMA Legislative Committees.

Congratulations, Dr. Dutta! Thank you for your outstanding contributions to medicine and our community!

Do you know a physician who goes above and beyond, creating a lasting positive impact in their community? Share their story with us!

UCSF Royer Award in Neurology Nominations Now Open

The J. Elliott Royer Award recognizes two psychiatrists or neurologists, one academic and one community, active in the medical field in San Francisco, Alameda or Contra Costa counties who during the year have made the most significant contribution to the advancement of psychiatry or neurology. The award alternates each year between the specialties of Neurology and Psychiatry. 

This year, two recipients will be selected for this cash award, one to an academic neurologist and the other to a community-based practitioner. If you are interested in nominating yourself or a colleague, please contact Mr. David Lopez at dlopez@accma.org. Nominations are due June 13th.  

Join us for CMA House of Delegates in L.A.

There are currently open positions on the ACCMA Delegation to the California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates (HOD). The HOD will convene October 17-19 at the Marriot LA Live in Los Angeles, CA. ACCMA will reimburse reasonable expenses.    

 If you want to influence health care policy, help shape CMA’s advocacy priorities, and connect with other California physicians who are passionate about health care policy, this is a great opportunity to get involved.  

The CMA HOD convenes annually to debate and determine CMA policies and priorities on the most important issues affecting members, the association and the practice of medicine. The CMA HOD consists of nearly 500 delegates elected by members of component medical societies, specialty societies, and CMA sections and forums, representing virtually every mode of practice and region of the state. Within this body of 500 Delegates, the ACCMA is represented by a delegation of 48 Delegates. We currently have open positions on our delegation.   

 If you are interested in joining the ACCMA Delegation, please contact David Lopez, Director of Operations and Leadership Development, at 510-654-5383 or dlopez@accma.org.   

Take Action: Save Medicaid!

Congress is threatening deep cuts to Medicaid – jeopardizing care for millions of Californians, including veterans, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and those served by safety-net hospitals and clinics.

 Medicaid is under threat. Physicians can help protect it- Attend a local rally, use the new texting system below, or contact your member of congress via phone or email!

 1. Attend a Local Rally with ACCMA Members:

There are two local rallies happening next Tuesday, May 13th from 11:30 am- 1:00 pm at Highland Hospital (1411 E. 31st St., Oakland CA) and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (2500 Alhambra Ave., Martinez, CA). ACCMA is coordinating a group meet up at these rallies. If you plan to attend, please register here and let us know!

2. National Voter-to-Voter Texting Campaign:

Kaiser Permanente, the CMA, in partnership with the Protect Our Health Care Coalition, has launched a national voter-to-voter texting campaign to stop the cuts to Medicaid.

 Here’s how it works:
Volunteer to send texts to voters in key congressional districts, urging them to contact their Representatives. Your personal phone number will never be shared.
Each message includes a simple link for voters to take action, amplifying your impact. All texts are pre-written and will be sent by you with a simple click!

It takes just minutes to get started.

• Create your account here: protectourhealthcare.org/join
• Please capitalize the first letters of your first and last name, ensuring there are no typos. The way you enter your information will be directly merged into the copy of the text to personalize each send.

Need help or have questions? Contact the volunteer coordinators directly at info@protectourhealthcare.org.

3. Write or Call Your Member of Congress:

Please write and call your member of Congress in their district and DC offices to tell them how these cuts would impact your patients, hospitals, clinics and community. The members of congress who represent ACCMA can be found here.

When calling, ask to speak to the healthcare/Medicaid staffer. Be sure to explain how cuts will affect your patients, practice setting, and ability to provide care.

Personal calls and handwritten letters get the most attention. So calls and letters (and then sharing your action if you’re active on social media) are the preferred method of outreach. Please encourage your friends, family and patients to reach out as well.

Your voice – and your time – can make the difference in protecting access to care for the 79 million Americans who rely on Medicaid for essential health care.

Write Your Member of Congress Urging Them to Stop the Medicaid Cuts