Legislative Advocacy Isn’t Organic Chemistry—It’s About Relationships

Contributed By: PAMED Advocacy Team – Contact: Zachary Gates, Senior Director, Government Relations

It’s no secret that our political landscape is polarized. From school boards to the halls of Congress, everyone seems angry about something. Finger-pointing has replaced collaboration and problem-solving, and the political noise is deafening. So, what’s the solution?

Relationships and Mutual Trust.

The most essential element to effective advocacy is relationship-building and delivering a consistent message to legislators. Staying focused on legislative objectives while tuning out the political noise can be daunting, but it’s not impossible. It takes patience, persistence, and a little intestinal fortitude.

Organized Medicine: A Unified Voice

Whether it’s the AMA, PAMED, specialty societies, or ACMS, organized medicine operates with a full agenda, balancing established priorities against the political reality of what is truly attainable. While physician issues are diverse and wide-ranging, we collectively communicate a consistent message: giving physicians the clinical autonomy to do what is in the best interest of their patients.

There are, of course, tangential issues that impact the delivery of quality patient care—addressing non-compete agreements in physician contracts, pushing for further reforms to prior authorization processes, and ensuring that physicians remain the leaders on healthcare teams.

A Divided Legislature, But Not a Dead End

In Pennsylvania, our General Assembly is a divided house with a Republican majority in the State Senate and a narrowly controlled Democratic House of Representatives. At first glance, this division might seem like an insurmountable roadblock to legislative progress. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

PAMED, through its legislative staff and physician engagement, maintains a steady hand in shaping sound public policy related to patient care and the ability of physicians to practice autonomously. Consistency in messaging and maintaining respectful, open lines of communication with lawmakers and their staff is imperative. Make no mistake, physician engagement does have an impact.

The Current Legislative Landscape

Although the current legislative session is already underway, PAMED began last year to identify credible pathways on priority issues like Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, scope of practice expansion, and non-compete clauses in physician contracts. These efforts are ongoing, alongside the expectation that access to mental health services and Emergency Department overcrowding—two issues that frequently go hand-in-hand—will rise to the forefront.

However, a recent development requires immediate attention: Governor Shapiro’s intent to allow Nurse Practitioners to practice independently of physicians. This proposal threatens to undermine the collaborative model of healthcare that ensures patient safety and quality care.

PAMED and ACMS stand in strong opposition to this decision. Physicians undergo years of rigorous education and clinical training to provide comprehensive care. While Nurse Practitioners play an invaluable role on healthcare teams, independent practice without physician oversight could jeopardize patient outcomes. Our stance is not about limiting opportunities for other healthcare professionals but ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of care possible.

Press Release: Pennsylvania Medical Society Reacts to Governor Shapiro’s Move to Allow Nurse Practitioners to Practice Independently

What Can You Do to Help?

The simple answer: engage.

There is no downside to professional advocacy. The process can be challenging and, at times, downright frustrating. But if you take the time to engage, learn how the system works, and accept its limitations and potential outcomes, advocacy can be both productive and rewarding. Here’s how to get started:

1. Know Your Elected Officials: Every physician should know who their elected representatives are. If you don’t know, here’s a link to help identify them. Find your Legislator!
2. Register and Vote: Are you registered to vote, and do you vote consistently? Voter registration rolls are public information, and lawmakers often check to see if constituents are registered. If you’re not, register here: Voter Registration Application
3. Build Relationships with Legislators: Make an appointment to meet your legislators. You don’t need to discuss a legislative issue on your first visit—it’s better if you don’t. Focus on building trust and offer to be a resource. If you’re in private practice, consider inviting them to your office to witness firsthand the challenges physicians face, like insurance hassles or prior authorization headaches.
4. Support Political Advocacy: Don’t shy away from supporting the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s political arm, PAMPAC. Legislative and political advocacy are interdependent. With financial support from physicians, PAMPAC helps elect candidates sensitive to physician concerns. Join PAMPAC.

Given the sheer volume of bills introduced each legislative session, legislators can’t possibly digest the details of every proposal. While PAMED’s legislative staff works to educate policymakers, when local physicians engage with their representatives, the result is far more effective. Personal relationships between legislators and their physician constituents are the cornerstone of legislative advocacy.

Your Voice Matters

As a group, physicians have a unique ability to shape legislative policy and sway public opinion. When appropriate, discuss legislative issues with your patients that impact your ability to care for them effectively. Patients and legislators trust and respect your expertise—give them the benefit of your knowledge.

Be part of the solution to better government. Get involved. Meet your elected officials and develop relationships that benefit both parties. With the right approach, physicians can positively influence healthcare policy—and unlike organic chemistry, there’s no risk of contaminating your product, using the wrong reagent, or ruining your synthesis!

You can do this!

To learn more about PAMED’s advocacy priorities, visit their website at https://www.pamedsoc.org/advocacy-priorities. As an ACMS/PAMED member, you also receive an advocacy-focused edition of the PAMED Dose e-newsletter once a month.