OMA Annual Conference 2026

Medicine Now: Engage and Adapt in Challenging Times

Session 1 — Rebuilding Trust in Medicine: Practical Strategies for Oregon Clinicians in a Fractured Era

Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 6:00-7:30 p.m. (virtual)


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Trust is foundational to the patient–clinician relationship, yet many physicians and physician associates are encountering increasing skepticism, misinformation, and frustration in clinical care. These challenges are shaped not only by individual interactions, but also by broader social dynamics, public health communication, and the complexity of the healthcare system.

This virtual session is a 90-minute event featuring:

  • Jennifer Little, MPH; Public Health Director, Klamath County
  • Elizabeth Powers, MD, MHA, FAAFP, FACHE; Health Services Officer, Winding Waters Clinic
  • Kari-Lyn Sakuma, PhD, MPH; Associate Professor of Public Health, College of Health, Oregon State University
  • Donn Spight, MD, MBA, FACS; Senior Vice President, Health Equity and System Experience, OHSU Health
  • Program Moderator: Brian Duty, MD, MBA; Professor of Urologic Surgery, OHSU Health; President, OMA

Join us on June 24 to hear directly from health care leaders. The session is free to OMA members and their staff.

About the Session

This session brings together diverse perspectives — including clinical practice, rural health, public health, and social science — to explore how trust in medicine is evolving and what it means for patient care today. Through a solutions-focused discussion, panelists will share practical strategies clinicians can use to strengthen trust in the exam room, communicate more effectively in the face of uncertainty and misinformation, and navigate system challenges transparently. Participants will leave with actionable approaches to support stronger patient relationships and reinforce the role of clinicians as trusted voices in their communities.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe factors influencing trust in healthcare, including clinical interactions, geographical settings, public health communication, and broader social and behavioral dynamics.
  • Discuss approaches to communicating with patients in the setting of uncertainty, misinformation, and differing perspectives.
  • Recognize how behavioral and social factors influence how patients interpret information, risk, and medical recommendations.
  • Identify opportunities to strengthen trust through communication, transparency, and patient engagement in clinical practice.

Faculty

Program Moderator: Brian Duty, MD, MBA; Professor of Urologic Surgery, OHSU Health; President, OMA

 

 

Jennifer Little, MPH; Public Health Director, Klamath County

 

 

Elizabeth Powers, MD, MHA, FAAFP, FACHE; Health Services Officer, Winding Waters Clinic

 

 

Kari-Lyn Sakuma, PhD, MPH; Associate Professor of Public Health, College of Health, Oregon State University

 

 

Donn Spight, MD, MBA, FACS; Senior Vice President, Health Equity and System Experience, OHSU Health

 

 

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors:

 

           

Friends of the OMA:

 

Disclosures Statement

The Oregon Medical Association (OMA) requires that all those involved the planning of and with the ability to control content of an accredited continuing education activity disclose all financial relationships within the past 24 months. All conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to this activity.

All other faculty, planners, or others involved in the planning, development, or otherwise in a position to control content disclosed no financial relationships with an ineligible company whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

CME Accreditation and Credit Designation Statements

The Oregon Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Oregon Medical Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Target Audience

This activity has been designed for Physicians, PAs, Practice Administrators, and other healthcare professionals.