Advocacy
Introduction to Advocacy
Physicians are often looked at as a respected authority figure. We are placed in a position where we see the most intimate details of people’s lives and are expected to give care, guidance, reassurance and above all do what we believe is right to help our patient population. As emergency physicians our role is unique in that we carry no patient panel and due to EMTALA laws we often see the widest breadth of a particular community. We believe this privileged position allows us to both recognize the problems in our communities and have enough respect from our communities to speak up and enact change for the benefit of our patients.
Despite this unique ability many physicians choose not to advocate, either for personal reasons or due to real and perceived barriers to doing so. This site hopes to encourage any physicians with an interest in addressing a problem in their community with the steps to hurdle some of these barriers. We also hope to provide basic steps on how to start in on advocating for issues you feel passionate about.
Remember no advocacy effort is too small. More local efforts such as advocating for an individual patient or sending an email to your congressman are just as important as walking in marches and championing policy change.
Getting started
There are no uniform steps on how to begin advocating. The best thing to do is just start with something you are passionate about. Email a senator, join a professional organization interest group, start to read on the issue and try to begin championing for your cause.
Discussion on barriers and examples of advocates
5 quick advocacy steps for the busy doctor and how advocacy combats burn-out
Top 10 Tips for Advocacy from the American Public Health Association
ZSFG STEP-UP program
Example of a course on training in health equity you can try (Advocacy/Leadership is Domain 1)
Online Free Advocacy courses
Class Central Course - Advocacy
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine - Advocacy
AAFP - Advocacy in Medical School
Talking to politicians
Contacting your elected representatives to let them know your beliefs, advocate for issues and inform them of your preferences for upcoming votes is extremely important yet infrequently done. Remember your local leaders work for you, most of them time they are receptive to feedback and written preferences of their constitutes make a difference in their minds.
How to locate your local representative
How to locate your state senator
How to access politician voting records
How to track upcoming legislation
Big News:
Recent News on Physician Advocacy
Professional Organization Advocacy Sites
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)
Social Emergency Medicine and Public Health Interest group
http://www.saem.org/get-connected/interest-groups
American College of Physicians (ACP)
https://www.acponline.org/advocacy/where-we-stand
American Medical Association (AMA)