Federal action to secure J-1 visas for foreign medical professionals serving American patients through the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (H.R. 6788/S. 3599) was also discussed during the event to help legislators understand that nearly 21 million Americans live in areas where foreign-trained physicians account for at least half of all physicians.
Making Virtual Connections
The virtual format for this year’s advocacy events reduced the required time commitment and allowed more providers and patients to participate, according to Dan Redinger, ACR’s manager of advocacy and political affairs. “Legislators and their staff have had to transition to virtual visits with constituents, so advocates were still able to have meaningful discussions on providing better access to care and build relationships with their members of Congress.”
The event’s success illustrates that effective advocacy is not limited to Washington, D.C. “Our hope is that attendees found that legislators and their staff are readily available to hear from their constituents, and interactions about issues important to rheumatology can occur year-round,” Mr. Redinger adds.
Get Involved
Learn how you can add your voice to the ACR’s work to ensure patient access to care through telehealth and workforce support in the Legislative Action Center.
Read the ACR’s correspondence to federal agencies regarding telehealth, workforce support and pediatric rheumatology provider support.
Carina Stanton is a freelance science journalist based in Denver.
Reference
- 2015 Workforce Study of Rheumatology Specialists in the United States. American College of Rheumatology, 2016.
