Health Policy and Legislative Advocacy/Activism for Advanced Practice Providers

Presentation Goal: Understand the role of advocacy and activism in your respective APP discipline and appreciate the health policy objectives and initiatives within urologic practice.

Presentation Description: Health Policy aims to address the needs of patient communities and overall health outcomes. Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) which include nurse practitioners and physician assistants are a critical workforce in delivering healthcare to urology patients. APPs provide quality healthcare in the United States across many disciplines and have demonstrated the ability to improve the much-needed access to healthcare. Advocacy (supporting a cause) and activism (direct vigorous action in support of a cause) are essential to achieve health policy initiatives aligned with goals and objectives of the urology community as well as our respective disciplines. It is imperative to be familiar with these initiatives and when called upon, to articulate these agendas. The AUA acknowledges the importance of engaging with lawmakers and the goal of raising awareness on key urologic policy issues to drive meaningful change. The AUA advocates for the specialty of urology and works at the federal and state level on behalf of its members and patients. State advocacy is encouraged and the AUA supports members to become effective state-level advocates to address legislation and regulations affecting their local communities. Federal and state legislative priorities are set annually, and others may be considered as the need arises.