Editorial: Seize Your Chance to 'Walk the Talk' in Washington

Imagine this: thousands of family physicians amassing in Washington, D.C., gathering as one on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol -- and voting with their feet, their hearts and their voices for Congress to fix the broken U.S. health care system now.

You don't have to imagine anymore. You can be one of those family physicians.

For the first time ever, the AAFP is holding a Capitol Hill Rally for family doctors; the event is scheduled for Sept. 27 as the AAFP Scientific Assembly kicks off in Washington, D.C. The rally's theme is "Vote for America's Health." AAFP leaders will speak at the event, and congressional leaders will be invited to speak, too.

This rally is family physicians' chance to collectively make an unmistakable, electrifying impression that members of Congress, and those running for Congress in November, ignore at their peril. Needless to say, the more family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students who participate, the more Congress must pay attention.

Seriously consider supporting your patients and your specialty by participating in the rally. Your family members and staff members -- and your patients -- are welcome to participate, too.

Talk the rally up with your colleagues, urging other FPs in your community to go. And if you can't make it yourself, consider helping someone else attend. It's that important.

No one is a better advocate for U.S. health system reform than America's family physicians.

Register online for the Vote for America's Health Capitol Hill Rally, and let Congress know where you stand.