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ForwardWMJ Vol 120: Health Policy Advocacy Engagement: A Physician Survey
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Physicians can play an important role in shaping health policy. The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics of physicians participating in health policy and barriers and facilitators to their advocacy.
Methods: A modified previously validated survey instrument was mailed to physicians affiliated with the University of Wisconsin on October 12, 2018. Three follow-up emails were sent, and the response period closed January 30, 2019. Twenty-eight items were included in the survey tool. Respondents were considered highly engaged if they: (a) reported involvement in predetermined high impact areas, (b) had self-reported weekly or monthly advocacy involvement, or (c) had more than 10% dedicated work time for advocacy.
Results: Eight hundred eighty-six of 1,432 physicians responded (61.9%), of which 133 (15.0%) were highly engaged. Highly engaged respondents were more commonly male (57.1%), White (90.2%), of nonsurgical specialties (80.5%), and Democrat (55.6%) or Independent (27.1%). Those not highly engaged were more likely to report “I don’t know how to get involved.” Less than half of all respondents received any advocacy education, with professional organizations providing the majority of education through conferences and distribution of materials. Only 2.5% of respondents had more than 10% of work time dedicated to health policy.
Conclusions: Engagement in health policy exists on a spectrum, but only a small percent of physicians are highly engaged, and very few have dedicated work time for advocacy. Certain demographics predominate the advocacy voice, and health policy training opportunities are lacking.
Intended Audience
The target audience for this journal-based activity is healthcare providers caring for the people and communities of Wisconsin and beyond.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this journal-based activity, learners will be able to:
- Categorize physicians' health policy advocacy engagement based upon proposed criteria.
- Evaluate the environment of physician engagement in health policy advocacy at an academic medical center.
- Develop a foundation with which to apply the importance of physician professionalism to health policy advocacy.
FACULTY DISCLOSURE
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) to identify, mitigate and disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence content of this accredited continuing education (CE). In addition, speakers, presenters and authors must disclose any planned discussion of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation.
For this accredited continuing education activity all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated and detailed disclosures are listed below.
| Name of Individual | Individual's Role in Activity | Name of Commercial Interest & | Discussion of |
| Terese Bailey, BS | Accreditation Specialist | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Sarah Beilke, BS | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| M. Susan Jay, MD | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Glen Leverson, PhD | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Amy Liepert, MD, FACS | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Ann Sheehy, MD, MS | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Michael Stanfield, PhD | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Robert Treat, PhD | Editor | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
| Marc Tumerman, MD | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
*Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on, patients.
The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical services directly to patients to be commercial interests.
Accreditation
Accreditation Statement
 | In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP and the Wisconsin Medical Journal. The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. |
Credit Designation Statements
American Medical Association (AMA)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this journal-based CE activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Continuing Education Units
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 0.1 continuing education units (CEUs) or 1 hour.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.00 University of Wisconsin–Madison Continuing Education Hours
- 1.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
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