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Advocacy in Neurology. Influencing Health Care Policy. Advocacy. What does advocacy mean to you? Merriam-Webster definition: the act or process of supporting a particular cause or proposal How have you served as an advocate previously? For patients, peers, younger students, etc.
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Advocacy in Neurology Influencing Health Care Policy
Advocacy • What does advocacy mean to you? • Merriam-Webster definition: the act or process of supporting a particular cause or proposal • How have you served as an advocate previously? • For patients, peers, younger students, etc. • At the school, hospital, regional entity • To a patient’s school or employer
What is Advocacy • Anticipate changes in health • care delivery systems Anticipate Influence • Influence the process, • decisions, and structures Engage • Engage our members and • patient groups to become • partners in the process
Formal Advocacy • In this context, formal processes intended to influence public policy by appealing to legislative or regulatory bodies • All lobbying is advocacy; all advocacy is not necessarily lobbying • Lobbying is one form of advocacy and has restrictions on how much and amount of budget spent • Lobbying means advocating on specific piece of legislation • Advocacy may include educating public or specific subsets (e.g., patients) and engagingthem to do something • With a regulatory agency, usually also revolves around a specific issue to: • Propose something new or • Oppose something already happening for benefit of those doing the “ask”
Organized Medicine • Simply, vehicle that gives physicians a voice for influence • Way to collectively argue on behalf of physicians or patients • Can be local, state-wide, or national • Can be single specialty, a coalition of specialties, or all specialties • American Academy of Neurology—single specialty example • American Medical Association—all specialty example
Getting Started • Choose an issue—helps if timing is right • Gather stakeholders—build numbers • Educate those who don’t agree, or at least don’t know • Build a case • Include written materials to leave with office after visit • Seek the optimal timing opportunity • Go to those making the decisions • Tell a story—make it a personal example—better than statistics
Avenues for Advocacy—Groups • Join county and/or state medical association • Often free or low-cost membership • Opportunities may include committees and/or legislative days • Funding to attend annual meetings in which policy decisions are debated and adopted as medial student representatives • Join American Medical Association ($20/year) • Become a part of the Medical Student Section • More active engagement/serve as a delegate for your school • (https://www.ama-assn.org/about/medical-student-section-mss) • Join the AAN • Follow Capital Hill Reports or Twitter feeds
Capital Hill Report • Bi-weekly update on legislative action and advocacy for neurology • Emailed to all AAN members
Avenues for Advocacy—Actions • Find a physician mentor involved in advocacy • Write state or Congressional representatives • Join group legislative days at the state capital/DC • Schedule visit on own or in small group with representatives in district offices or DC • Engage with patient advocacy group in a particular area of interest (e.g., Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Heart Association) • Other AAN opportunities once a resident: Neurology on the Hill, Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum (PALF)
Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum • Annual Training event over a few day period • Three components: • Media training • Grassroots legislative training • Action planning • Many graduates serve in AAN leadership roles • Competitive application process • ~30 advocates selected each year
2018 Successes • Passage of the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act • $3 billion increase in NIH funding for FY2018 • $400 million in new funding for the BRAIN Initiative • Repeal of Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)-group determining Medicare savings • 10-year reauthorization of Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
More Information • AAN.com https://www.aan.com/public-policy/ • Email advocacy@aan.com • Social Media • #AANAdvocacy • Washington, DC Staff: @DerekBrandtDC