Become somebody: The importance of physician advocacy

A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com. “I said, ‘Somebody should do something about that.’  Then I realized I am somebody.” – Lily Tomlin Each day, family, work and extracurricular activities all compete for our attention. They are positive aspects of our lives but can be overwhelming at times.  When legislative or regulatory issues arise that might impact our profession or patient safety, it is easy to simply say “shouldn’t somebody do something about that?!”  Sometimes we get angry when “someone” doesn’t “do anything about it” and the legislation or regulation doesn’t happen as we would have liked. When it comes to protecting patients and our profession, I have realized that the “somebody” in question is “me.”  If I don’t do something, who will?  The answer is no one. Each of us could ask ourselves the same question and reach the same conclusion: we must each be that “somebody,” even if the actions we are able to take seem small. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Policy Primary care Source Type: blogs