No More Waiting
Media coverage of healthcare crises often inspires advocacy efforts. But it should not take mainstream media coverage of a crisis to inspire us. Our advocacy efforts should continue day in and day out. Children’s access to care is paramount for pediatric rheumatology. Our field must contend with a shortage of providers and geographic boundaries that may prevent or delay access to a pediatric rheumatologist. Therefore, we must continue to advocate for our patients and urge responsible resource allocation. We cannot wait until the next monumental news story to become the voice of our patients. Investments in RheumPAC help physician advocacy efforts translate to lawmakers and policy decisions. As physicians, we cannot remain on the sidelines—politics impact our practice every day. Making an investment as a fellow in training helps lend your voice to these critical issues.
Note: Contributions to RheumPAC are used for political purposes and are not tax deductible. Contributions to RheumPAC must be voluntary and made with personal funds. Federal law prohibits contributions to RheumPAC from corporations, but ask us about the RheumPAC Advocacy Fund, which does support advocacy with soft dollars. Contributions to RheumPAC can be made only by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens.
Blaine Lapin, MD, is a current third-year pediatric rheumatology fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital. He is the fellow in training member of RheumPAC, and he has a special interest in community education and quality of life for patients with chronic disease.
