The importance of physician engagement in healthcare policy and advocacy

Advocacy is a key component to a physician's practice; we advocate on behalf of our patients daily. As important as those efforts are, it is equally important that physicians are engaged in health care policy and advocacy on the state and federal level, where decisions are made that can directly impact a physician's ability to care for patients. This article summarizes the importance of physician engagement in these activities, looking at both the legislative and regulatory processes. It reviews how both interact with one another, and the impact it has on the patient-physician relationship. Finally, this article reviews ways in which physicians can easily get involved with advocacy, including providing resources available to assist those who never participated in these efforts before.