Social Media = Communication
Along with conveying the importance of engaging in advocacy efforts, as well as how easy and fun it can be, Ms. Burke emphasizes the important role of social media in making this possible. “It may seem hard to connect with a Congressperson from a distance,” she says, “but social media provides the opportunity to start a conversation about how policy decisions are impacting individuals with rheumatic diseases and the healthcare professionals who care for them.”
Sen. Hutchinson says doctors play a critical role in this conversation. “Physicians are more trusted and respected than other professionals,” he says, adding that politics is part of the healthcare system along with medicine and economics.
He urges members to attend the workshop during the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. “The give and take of an interactive presentation cannot be replicated by watching online,” he says.
Mary Beth Nierengarten is a freelance medical journalist based in Minneapolis.
