AAFP Grassroots Advocacy Resources
As a practicing family physician, you know what’s happening in health care. You live it every day, but U.S. representatives and senators come from a variety of backgrounds and professions. Of the 535 lawmakers in Congress, a little more than a dozen are physicians and even fewer are family physicians.
As a subject matter expert and a valued constituent, elected officials need– and, in fact, count on– qualified opinions like yours in order to make effective legislative decisions.
While Speaking Out, social media outreach, and phone calls are valued ways of communicating with legislators, in-person visits with your policymakers are the most effective form of advocacy. AAFP’s advocacy resources will help to make it easier for you to increase the visibility and importance of family medicine to those in Congress.
Lend Your Voice with Speak Out
Use your voice. Tell your story. We’ve made it easy for you by providing pre-written letters to Congress that you can make edits to and personalize the letter before sending.
Track current legislation that has the potential to impact family medicine. If your Representative or Senators have yet to co-sponsor a piece of legislation, speak out and advocate on behalf of family medicine.