AAHPM — Winter Quarterly 2011
Change Language:
Following their participation in AAHPM’s Capitol Hill Days, some Academy members shared their thoughts:
Ronald J. Crossno, MD CMD FAAFP FAAHPM
The nature of palliative care is such that everyone involved in hospice and palliative medicine has a stake in the decisions made by policymakers. Failing to provide input or be involved in health policy advocacy is like trying to practice hospice and palliative medicine without ever doing advance care planning. Not doing either is a decision to allow others to make those decisions. And we all know how that works out.
Paul E. Tatum III, MD FAAHPM
The members of Congress of both parties are really approachable and eager to hear physician input about health care. It is going to take local relationships and connections regardless of party or other politics in order to improve the health care of the seriously ill. Every voice counts.
Drew A. Rosielle, MD
The FDA yanking morphine concentrate elixir off the market a couple years ago was a huge wake-up call for us as a community—that we needed to have a voice and a seat at the table to advocate for what our patients and professional community need. There are real, emerging changes in our healthcare system, and hospice and palliative medicine needs to be an important part of those changes. We won’t be, unless we advocate for ourselves.
Steven M. “Skip” Radwany, MD FACP FAAHPM
While I feel we are all obligated to be advocates for our field in our own unique ways as opportunities arise, organized, informed advocacy magnifies our impact and moves our specialty and our patients forward.
David Wensel, DO
The staff of my representatives are hungry for good, reliable information. We need to offset some of the false information that is spread by the media. I am hopeful that my contact with them will encourage my representatives to visit our hospice and palliative care programs the next time they are back home.
Laura Cunnington, MD
We are all affected by the legislative process. We should let our elected officials know what we want. There will always be problems in the medical field. It’s time to be part of the solution.
R. Morgan Bain, MD
This was my first opportunity meeting Congressional leaders and their staffers to advocate for our field. They were very welcoming and eager to listen about topics regarding palliative care education. My representative even invited me to see legislation in action through a voting session the evening we met. Overall, my experiences were enlightening, inspirational, and life-affirming for the career I have chosen in hospice and palliative medicine.
The nature of palliative care is such that everyone involved in hospice and palliative medicine has a stake in the decisions made by policymakers. Failing to provide input or be involved in health policy advocacy is like trying to practice hospice and palliative medicine without ever doing advance care planning. Not doing either is a decision to allow others to make those decisions. And we all know how that works out.
Paul E. Tatum III, MD FAAHPM
The members of Congress of both parties are really approachable and eager to hear physician input about health care. It is going to take local relationships and connections regardless of party or other politics in order to improve the health care of the seriously ill. Every voice counts.
Drew A. Rosielle, MD
The FDA yanking morphine concentrate elixir off the market a couple years ago was a huge wake-up call for us as a community—that we needed to have a voice and a seat at the table to advocate for what our patients and professional community need. There are real, emerging changes in our healthcare system, and hospice and palliative medicine needs to be an important part of those changes. We won’t be, unless we advocate for ourselves.
Steven M. “Skip” Radwany, MD FACP FAAHPM
While I feel we are all obligated to be advocates for our field in our own unique ways as opportunities arise, organized, informed advocacy magnifies our impact and moves our specialty and our patients forward.
David Wensel, DO
The staff of my representatives are hungry for good, reliable information. We need to offset some of the false information that is spread by the media. I am hopeful that my contact with them will encourage my representatives to visit our hospice and palliative care programs the next time they are back home.
Laura Cunnington, MD
We are all affected by the legislative process. We should let our elected officials know what we want. There will always be problems in the medical field. It’s time to be part of the solution.
R. Morgan Bain, MD
This was my first opportunity meeting Congressional leaders and their staffers to advocate for our field. They were very welcoming and eager to listen about topics regarding palliative care education. My representative even invited me to see legislation in action through a voting session the evening we met. Overall, my experiences were enlightening, inspirational, and life-affirming for the career I have chosen in hospice and palliative medicine.
Message