Health professions are registered, certified, or licensed by various disciplining authorities.  Some professions have their own boards and commissions as their disciplining authorities, such as the Washington Medical Commission (WMC), the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, and the Dental Quality Assurance Commission.  The disciplining authority for the remaining professions is the Department of Health.
 
The disciplining authorities generally do not collect demographic information from licensees, either upon issuance of an initial credential or upon renewal.  The WMC, however, is required to collect demographic data on physicians and physician assistants at the time of license renewal.  The information may include practice setting, medical specialty, board certification, or other relevant data determined by the WMC.  The WMC's form for submitting this information requests information on race, ethnicity, gender, spoken language, and specialty.

Beginning July 1, 2024, all registered, certified, and licensed health professions must provide the following information with their applications for initial licensure:

• race;
• ethnicity;
• gender;
• language spoken;
• provider specialty, when applicable;
• primary practice location, if known; and
• secondary practice location, if known.

 
The same information must be provided upon renewal.  In addition, the individual must indicate whether they are currently practicing, the primary practice location at the time of renewal, and the secondary practice location if applicable.
 
These requirements do not apply to physicians and physician assistants licensed by the Washington Medical Commission.