Page 9 - Layout 1

87TH LEGISLATIVE
SESSION

How to Advocate for Medicine:

COVID Style

By Jenny Shepherd

For the last year, our world has been turned upside down Use Social Media to Form Legislative Relationships:
and COVID has changed virtually everything, including Follow your legislator on Facebook and Twitter. It’s a
how we advocate for medicine. What hasn’t changed is our great way to get to know about your elected official. Not
need to do so…to stand up for science, to stand up for public only do you get a chance to find out what is important to
health, to stand up for medicine. Never before has it been them and what they are doing in their district, but they
more important for the voice of medicine to be heard as the know you are interested in them. Retweet, like, share and
experts over the voices of influencers. How do we make that comment showing your support for what they are doing es-
happen in our socially-distanced world? pecially when it relates to medicine; these are all excellent
ways of letting them know the family of medicine is paying
First Tuesdays: attention. And don’t forget to say “thank you” publicly for
Learn about the pressing issues from Texas Medical As- their time and support for medicine’s agenda.
sociation lobby staff every first Tuesday February through
May. It’s never been easier. Register on their website Spread the word about the TMA and medicine’s
https://www.texmed.org/FirstTuesdays/, get a zoom link legislative and health priorities:
and sign in at noon to hear a short presentation on the leg- Use your public platform to be the voice of what is im-
islation affecting medicine today along with a question-and- portant for public health, for patient care and for Texas
answer session. physicians. In a time where there are many opinions to be
heard, let the family of medicine be at the forefront.
Virtual Legislative Visits:
Visit with our Bexar County legislators virtually to dis- Join TexPac:
cuss with them their priorities for medicine as well as talk Learn more about medicine’s political action committee
about what is important to medicine. Pre-authorization and consider becoming a member. Your membership in
hassles? Meaningful changes to Medicaid? You have a story TexPac helps to elect the right candidates for medicine; not
to support the facts. Join the conversation and tell it. Republican or Democrat, but medicine friendly. When you
start with legislators who have an open mind to the needs
Educate yourself: of medicine, it is easier to enact legislation that meets the
Curious about what Texas Medical Association’s legisla- needs of medicine.
tive priorities are? Their website has downloadable one-page Finally, make 2021 the year you commit to becoming an
summaries of almost every priority issue for the 87th Leg- advocate for medicine. If you’ve never ventured into realm
islative session from vaping, scope of practice, maternal of medical advocacy, try something new. If you are already
health and graduate medical education. active, consider doing more. The voice of medicine, your
story, your needs have to be shared. If you aren’t willing to
Get Involved: talk, legislators will be listening to someone else.
The legislative committee for the Bexar County Medical
Society meets the last Wednesday of every month to dis- Jenny Shepherd, past president of the Bexar
cuss legislative issues and works to strengthen bonds with County Medical Society Alliance, now serves as
our local legislators. Meetings are currently on-line so it has Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Texas
never been easier to volunteer your time to serve medicine. Medical Association Alliance. Additionally, she
is a member of Texas Medical Society’s Council for Legislation
and the TexPac Board.

16 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • March 2021