Effectively advocating for full physician assistant practice authority
Posted almost 9 years ago by Nicholas M Perrino
"The most effective way to reach out to legislators is through arranging in-person meetings, but technology and social media can also play a critical role in modern grassroots advocacy, said Butterfield. More than 90% of Congress members are on Facebook and 85% are on Twitter.
Interacting through these channels in a positive, educational way can help increase visibility for PA legislative issues. But in-person meetings are always better, she stressed. For those unsure of whom their congressional representatives are, the AAPA website provides an advocacy toolkit that helps providers identify and reach out to their members of Congress.
Very few politicians have medical experience — there are only 17 physicians, 4 nurses, and one PA in the 114th Congress. When PAs position themselves as experienced medical providers, they can provide expertise on complex medical issues and become a resource to their representatives."