Advocacy 101: Getting Involved at the Local, State, and National Levels as PM&R Physicians-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This session, titled "Advocacy 101," covered how PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) physicians can get involved in advocacy at local, state, and national levels. The session began with organizational details and emphasized the importance of participant feedback to improve future sessions. The speakers included Dr. Prakash Balan, Dr. Amber Clark-Brown, Chris Stewart, and Dr. Rich Chang, each bringing a unique perspective on advocacy.<br /><br />Dr. Balan emphasized the role of healthcare professionals in advocacy, highlighting the promotion of changes that can improve human health and well-being. He encouraged participants to understand their personal motivations for advocacy, citing his own transition from orthopedic surgery residencies in England to PM&R in the U.S. His advocacy focuses on immigrant physicians, promoting PM&R, and supporting individuals with osteoarthritis.<br /><br />Dr. Chang discussed state advocacy's nuances, encouraged involvement in local committees, and outlined key focus areas like scope of practice and prior authorization reforms. He underscored collaboration between stakeholders and provided examples of recent legislative efforts.<br /><br />Dr. Clark-Brown shared her transition from academia to public health, explaining her advocacy efforts within Alabama’s health system. She highlighted advocacy not only as professional duty but a service impacting broader healthcare systems, and emphasized the importance of bringing awareness of PM&R's role in public health.<br /><br />Chris Stewart, the Academy's Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, highlighted the significance of direct engagement with policymakers and provided strategies for effective advocacy, like sharing personal experiences and making clear policy requests. He encouraged physiatrist involvement, both through simple measures such as signing petitions and direct meetings with legislators.<br /><br />The session called for increased advocacy training in PM&R residency programs and highlighted the importance of integrating advocacy into professional practice, emphasizing it as an essential and impactful component of modern healthcare.

Keywords

Advocacy

PM&R

Physicians

Healthcare

Legislation

Public Health

Policy

Stakeholders

Residency

Scope of Practice

Osteoarthritis

Immigrant Physicians