Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians

Legislative and Advocacy Award

Prologue

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• Past 3 sessions family physicians have been threatened by scope of practice bills

• Bills from Nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and optometrists

• All but 1 of these bills was defeated

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Timeline

www.lafp.org

June 6, 2012 6 pm:

Received a call from Rep. Scott Simon

July 16, 2012

Rep. Simon drove from Abita Springs to Baton Rouge for the first meeting at the LAFP office.

Idea for the Legislative Breakfasts are brought up

Left with no firm plan, but knew something proactive needed to be done

August 2012Applied for grants and looked for fundingTotal received: $10,500

September 26, 2012Plan of action is determinedDrafts of legislation beginShared staff with other organizations for expertise

October 2012Budgeted for First Aid Station at the Capitol

January 2013LSMS House of Delegates

The Beginning

www.lafp.org

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• March 1, 2013 - Monroe 5 legislators/ 7 physicians

• March 11, 2013 - Baton Rouge 8 legislators/ 4 physicians

• March 13, 2013 - Franklinton 2 legislators/ 6 physicians

• March 25, 2013- Lake Charles 4 legislators/ 7 physicians

• April 2, 2013- Shreveport 5 legislators/ 6 physicians

Legislative BreakfastsTarget audience: the ENTIRE membership

All legislators were given a packet including:• Who is the LAFP?• Supported LAFP Legislation• Scope of Practice• Patient Centered Medical Home• Primary Care Workforce• “Education Wheel”

If you want copies of these handouts, contact rleblanc@lafp.org

Legislative BreakfastsY

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Part 1• Brings Nurse Practitioners under the

complete authority of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners

Part 2• Strengthens the rules governing physicians

who are supervising nurse practitioners

LAFP introduces SB 192 by Senator Dale (R – Livingston)

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Part 2 included:• Number of agreements they can be in • Requires MD and NP to be in the same

specialty • Geographic restrictions • Limit of 4 NP’s• Signage indicating name of supervising

MD in any NP office• Chart review• Quarterly F2F reviews You

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Memorandum of Understanding• Never done before in the legislature during a

legislative session• Both parties agreed to negotiate in good faith• First meeting July 24, 2013- mostly

housekeeping• Second meeting (closed)- negotiating session

on October 28, 2013• Third meeting scheduled for November 8,

2013

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www.lafp.org

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Legislative and Advocacy Training Seminar

• Provide members with better understanding of legislative process

• Offered to all levels of membership

• Prepare younger members for future leadership roles

• Presentations by Joe Mapes, LAFP Lobbyist and Michelle Greenhalgh, State Legislative Coordinator for the AAFP

• Pre and post tests given

May 8, 2013

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Topics:• State & National Legislative Landscapes, • Fundaments of Lobbying and the Legislative

Process, • Shaping Healthcare Policy,• Practical, Strategic• Tactful Grassroots Advocacy Tools

Legislative & Advocacy Training Seminar

www.lafp.org

Legislative Health Fair and White Coat DayMay 8, 2013

• Reserve rotunda of the State Capitol

• Health screenings to legislators and the community

• Residency programs invited to provide free screenings

• Personal discussions with legislators

• Gives Family Medicine residents a chance to see legislative process

• Encouraged to put skills learned during training seminar to good use Y

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Overall successes of Series

• Provided our members with the education, tools and resources to successfully fight for the best interest of their specialty within the political arena.

• Improved member understanding of the legislative process;

• Increased member participation and involvement in the legislative process;

• Educated members on how to effectively communicate with legislators; and

• Provided members with the opportunity to discuss with their legislators the issues affecting family medicine, their practice and their patients.

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Lessons for other chapters

• Don’t need huge media campaigns• Done without a large amount of funding• Physician key contacts are important

PHYSICIAN MEMBERSHIP PARTICIPATION IS A MUST

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Toujours L’audace

Jim Taylor, MDLegislative Chair – LAFP

225.923.3313You

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www.lafp.org