When we think of advocacy and the Massachusetts Medical Society, I’m sure each of us can recount a specific “win” that directly impacted our patients and practice.
One of my great pleasures as president has been to see our members and staff rally to become an irresistible advocacy force.
Advocacy takes many forms — from meeting with legislators and elected officials, to joining coalitions of like-minded organizations and individuals, to spreading your message through the media. Our advocacy efforts are without exception guided by and inspired by our overwhelming desire to improve the lives of our patients and the health of our profession.
It’s the support and voices of our member physicians and students that make our advocacy efforts so effective. A prime example was last September when, on behalf of the Medical Society, I urged you all to contact your representatives to discuss your concerns about the cost containment bill.
As you know, the bill contained several measures that would have had dire consequences for our patients and practices. Anchored by our meticulous research and careful consideration of the potential outcomes, we were able to impress upon those with legislative influence our opinion, and our efforts were successful in repressing the proposals.
In this issue, you will learn about the myriad opportunities within the Medical Society to become an active player in critical advocacy initiatives and learn about some of our other advocacy successes.
It is my hope that you will review the
article on page 1 that highlights some of the most pressing issues facing health care in 2019 and consider joining your colleagues and me in advocating for actions that will help us continue delivering exceptional care to our patients.
— Alain A. Chaoui, MD
