The American College of Physicians released a study examining how informed patients and medical professionals can enact meaningful policy changes on Election Day.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Primary care offices around Maine are typically busy from opening to closing. Dr. Patrick Connolly sees more than 20 patients a day in his office at Martin's Point Healthcare in Portland.
Connolly also spends his time talking to patients about voting and health care policy, rather than specific candidates.
“As voters, as citizens, and as doctors, [we] “By telling our legislators and representatives what's important to us, they can play a big role in shaping our health care,” he said Wednesday.
At the Maine State House in Augusta, doctors and health system representatives testify on health care bills, offering lawmakers their professional experience and how they work with patients.
For example, Connolly said Wednesday he sent a message to state lawmakers about a bill that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. He added that one of Connolly's patients told him about the use of vaping products at a local middle school and said he would also contact local legislators about the bill.
The American College of Physicians recently released a bipartisan study examining how voting participation influences health policy.
“Increased voter participation will lead to better health care policies and, in turn, better health care,” ACP President Omar Atiku said in a release.
The study also showed that states with fewer barriers to voting had better health outcomes than states with laws restricting voting. Maine ranks 15th in the nation for ease of access to the ballot and leads the nation in voter turnout in 2022.
Dr. Atiku told Maine News Center on Wednesday that doctors and nurses see patients from all walks of life every day. Conversations with low-income people, marginalized populations, or other specific groups can help you develop your own insights into how successful certain health policies are and what needs improvement. Gain insight.
ACP is also encouraging all healthcare workers to vote in upcoming elections. Dr. Atiku said there is still a significant number of registered voters who do not vote, which only limits the potential for effective health reform.
In our state, MaineHealth knows which candidates are running, what the results mean, and how the system works, said Katie Flam Harris, the system's government affairs director. The company says it provides information to employees about whether they support or oppose policies.
ACP reports that nonpartisan nonprofit organizations like Vot-ER are helping more than 46,000 Americans register to vote at more than 500 hospitals and clinics across the country ahead of the 2020 presidential election. He is said to have supported the
Frum-Harris said Maine Health is committed to providing voter education, but never tells employees how to vote or who to vote for.
She spends a lot of time in Augusta defending or speaking out against specific health care bills. She said Wednesday that she was listening to debate on the budget proposal to show her support for more funding for Maine's hospitals.
Frum-Harris said, “Because it's a public-private partnership, health care is debated and debated every day in our legislatures and on Capitol Hill. It's policymaking that actually determines the type of health care we receive and the type of health care we receive.” “I am a person,” he said. It's about the health care we can provide and how people access that care. Therefore, it is very important that everyone is represented.[ Augusta]. ”
Concerns about health costs and health insurance are also topics that Frum-Harris and Connolly focus on in their policy discussions.
Connolly said he also supports gun safety legislation currently being debated in Augusta.
“Gun safety is a public health issue, and the biggest risk is actually to the individuals themselves, the risk of suicide or self-harm or domestic violence on top of the gang violence that we're seeing.” he added.
Mr Connolly said he could only influence policy decisions if he got involved by talking to his doctor about specific issues that were important to him or speaking directly to members of Congress.
“You can just sit back and say, 'Oh, what they're doing to me is terrible.' By voting for the people who best represent you, you have a chance to do something about this issue. Yes,” he added.
Dr. Atiku said another expected benefit of ACP's research is that more Americans will realize that they have the ability to make change and will be more proactive about policies to have their voices heard. He said his goal is to encourage discussions with representatives.—Maybe for the first time.
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