In a democracy, informed voters are the government. So the Academy is upgrading Patient's Voice in Washington, a program that distributes information about health-related issues to members and their patients.
The program provides a two-pronged approach to ensuring that patients understand the legislative issues that can affect their health care. The first comprises production of "Issues in Health Care," an ongoing series of informational materials about public policy issues of importance to family physicians and their patients. The second involves announcing call-to-action alerts on critical legislative initiatives in Academy publications. Both elements rest on helping FPs help their patients understand that government action can have direct impact on their lives and health.
"As the Academy has aggressively worked to enhance its advocacy efforts over the past three years, it's only a natural continuum that we look for ways to involve more of our members and, importantly, their patients in this effort," said Douglas Henley, M.D., AAFP executive vice president.
Family physicians can go to the Patient's Voice in Washington Web site (http://www.aafp.org/patientsvoice.xml) to download one-page information sheets that provide facts about a health care topic and explain why the issue affects everyone, regardless of current insurance, income or health status.
"The Web site will have several educational pieces about various health care topics that our members can download and place in their waiting rooms just for information to patients -- not with the intent of stimulating messages to Congress, but simply to create better understanding of these important topics by patients," said Henley. On request by FPs, the Academy can provide easels that hold the "Issues in Health Care" information sheets (see box below).
The second prong involves call-to-action alerts on critical legislative initiatives. Also available on the Patient's Voice in Washington Web site, the call-to-action materials will cover critical federal legislation and ask patients to contact their legislators about that legislation.
| Download Issues in Health Care information sheets for your patients at http://www.aafp.org/patientsvoice.xml. To obtain a free, colorful 11 x 15 cardboard easel to hold Issues in Health Care sheets, call (800) 944-0000 and ask for item #305. |
"There is nothing quite so persuasive to a member of Congress as lots of messages from constituents back home on an issue," said Henley.
Informational materials on the first three Patient's Voice in Washington topics for 2005 -- health care coverage for all, Medicaid and family medicine training issues -- went online Jan. 12. FPs can check the Web site regularly for additions to the "Issues in Health Care" series as the year progresses.
The Patient's Voice in Washington offers several benefits, said Henley. In addition to providing an avenue by which FPs and patients can express opinions to lawmakers, the program provides ongoing information about America's health care system and the role of family physicians in that system.
"This brings added value to patient-physician relationships," he said. "It brings more knowledge to our patients, including a better awareness of the Academy; a better informed and more involved member; and better debate and public discourse on important health care issues."
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Copyright © 2005 by
American Academy of Family Physicians.