There are three components to a successful facility advocacy program:
- Structure: Create a structure that establishes an ongoing advocacy program for health care policy.
Make advocacy part of your organization's operations, with specific goals, accountability, and action plans. Appoint an advocacy coordinator and establish an advocacy steering committee within your organization. Include members of your board, as well as employees, on the advocacy steering committee.
- Relationships: Develop ongoing relationships with critical policymakers and key community leaders.
Identify whom you should know, then establish ongoing relationships with persons who will be influential in forming health care policy. Make periodic contacts with persons and groups about your health care facility's concerns and views on health care policy.
- Action: Put your structure and relationships to work.
Let your members of Congress and other policy makers know you are concerned about health policy issues and that you expect them to seriously consider your concerns. Work with your board, employees, and community to communicate to policymakers about needed change in public policies.