Key takeaways:
- Advocacy can produce optimistic adjustments in well being care.
- Social media can be utilized to teach sufferers in regards to the well being care system.
LOS ANGELES — Optimistic adjustments in drugs may be obtained by advocacy and educating sufferers in regards to the well being care system, in accordance with a gaggle of audio system.
On the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgical procedure assembly’s Authorities Relations symposium, Parag D. Parekh, MD, MPA, outgoing chair of the ASCRS Authorities Relations Committee, highlighted latest victories in ophthalmology that had been achieved with assist from the ophthalmic neighborhood. Parekh mentioned Aetna’s 2022 requirement for prior authorization for cataract surgical procedure, a choice that the neighborhood helped reverse, in addition to a proposal by a Medicare service to restrict cataract surgical procedure to sufferers with imaginative and prescient of 20/50 or worse.
Susanne M. Hewitt, MD, (left) William Flanary, MD, aka Dr. Glaucomflecken, (middle) and Parag D. Parekh, MD, MPA, mentioned advocacy to affect change in well being care. Picture: Eamon N. Dreisbach.
“Fortuitously, we had been additionally in a position to kill that, and we’re very proud and comfortable that we had been in a position to take action,” Parekh mentioned.
The ophthalmic neighborhood additionally helped stop a regulation that will have ended Medicare’s protection for minimally invasive glaucoma surgical procedure procedures akin to goniotomy.
“For the long run, our problem is to extend doctor funds commensurate with the opposite observe prices,” Susanne M. Hewitt, MD, incoming chair of the committee, mentioned.
Whereas advocacy can power optimistic adjustments in well being care, there are two essential steps for doing so successfully, in accordance with William Flanary, MD: figuring out that there’s a drawback and educating the general public on the issue.
“That’s the place there’s a disconnect between what everyone knows as physicians and what the general public is aware of about well being care and about how well being care works,” mentioned Flanary, also called Dr. Glaucomflecken.
Social media could be a key device to teach the general public in regards to the U.S. well being care system and to speak immediately with sufferers.
“It is a completely different kind of advocacy. It’s not advocacy in individual, it’s not going out and speaking to the legislators, however I’m speaking to the individuals who vote for the legislators,” Flanary mentioned. “If the general public may be extra educated about issues in well being care, then that may create momentum and put stress on Congress and on legislators to alter issues and make it higher.”
Efficient advocacy requires storytelling, Flanary mentioned. Interesting to the general public’s private experiences is extra more likely to have interaction them emotionally, which is able to finally result in a wider outreach. Cross-platform presence can be essential; ophthalmologists ought to educate sufferers in regards to the well being care system’s shortcomings each in individual and thru social media.
“If we’re not on the market speaking about this stuff, individuals are going to get flawed info,” Flanary mentioned. “They’re going to get misinformation from individuals who don’t have sufferers’ greatest pursuits at coronary heart.”
Flanary additionally inspired training ophthalmologists to make donations and participate in fundraising.
“We’re method behind different organizations and pursuits so far as advocacy fundraising,” he mentioned. “So, donate to your PAC.”
Reference:
- Parekh PD, et al. Authorities relations and getting concerned. Introduced at: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgical procedure assembly; April 25-28, 2025; Los Angeles.
Sources/Disclosures
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Flanary W. Dr. Glaucomflecken speaks on advocacy. Introduced at: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgical procedure assembly; April 25-28, 2025; Los Angeles.
Disclosures:
Hewitt stories being the incoming chair of the ASCRS Authorities Relations Committee. Parekh stories being the outgoing chair of the ASCRS Authorities Relations Committee. Healio couldn’t verify related monetary disclosures for Flanary on the time of publication.
