Physicians in politics: 3 in the Senate and 17 in the House

The NY Times has a story about physicians leaving their clinical careers to pursue an encore career in politics. There are 17 physicians in the House and 3 in the Senate. Perhaps someday our nation's president will be a physician. Read more here. The story is titled, "Is There a Doctor in the House? Yes, 17. And 3 in the Senate."

AcademyHealth Senior Scholars Program

The AcademyHealth Senior Scholars Program includes long- and short-term opportunities for senior leaders in the field of health services research to work ‘in residence’ at AcademyHealth’s, Washington, D.C. offices. Scholars experience first-hand on the role that health services research can play in informing national policy issues and gain access to policymakers, thought-leaders and AcademyHealth staff. The program has three goals:

1. To provide an opportunity for the Senior Scholars to deepen their understanding of how health services research informs national policy;
2. To bring new and innovative thinking and research to national policy discussions; and
3. To increase interactions between AcademyHealth members and AcademyHealth staff in order to deepen their mutual understanding of key health issues and to help them better serve the field.

“The Senior Scholars Program builds upon and supports our vision to improve health and health care by generating new knowledge and moving knowledge into action,” said AcademyHealth President and CEO, Lisa Simpson, M.B. B.Ch. F.A.A.P. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the deep and diverse expertise our members offer to the national policy discussions while offering the Senior Scholar outstanding opportunities to collaborate, advise, network, participate in AcademyHealth programs and projects, and take advantage of opportunities that only exist in Washington, D.C.”

Learn more here.

Managed Healthcare Executive - June Issue

Planning a career transition into managed care? Managed markets? Health insurance companies?

You can read the June issue of Managed Healthcare Executive to read about health care reform, health policy, transparency, utilization review, health management, pharmacy best practices, managed care outlook, and more.

Health Policy DO Fellowship​s Available

If you are a DO, you may be interested in this:

Health Policy Fellowship
Ohio University and NYIT

Applications are now available for the twentieth class of the Health Policy Fellowship.  The Health Policy Fellowship is a collaborative effort between Ohio University and the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) to train mid-career physicians and professionals closely associated with the osteopathic profession to become effective advocates for patients by learning the skills necessary to understand and influence health policy on the local, state, and national levels.

The AOA certificate program provides a series of ten on-site seminars in cities around the country. Each seminar covers a specific health policy topic, and the year culminates in the presentation of Fellows’ health policy briefs in Washington, DC.

Many HPF graduates go on to accept leadership positions in the profession and in medical education. A schedule for the 2013-2014 year, a description of the program, and a list of graduates is available in the Program Description and Schedule at this link: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/hpf/Apply2012.htm

Open House for Jefferson School of Population Health

Interested in a degree in Health Policy & Healthcare Quality & Safety? Join faculty and other members of the Jefferson School of Population Health to learn more about some of our online degree programs. The Master of Sciences degrees that will be covered in this session are Health Policy, Healthcare Quality & Safety, and Healthcare Quality & Safety Management.

Open House for Jefferson School of Population Health
Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT

Register here.

Cornell establishes Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy

Cornell establishes Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy (CHiP)

Under the leadership of Dr. Rainu Kaushal, CHiP is the first cross-departmental entity to be established at Weill Cornell Medical College in several years. CHiP's mission is improving health and healthcare through informatics and technology. CHiP pursues its mission by developing collaborative, robust programs in research, education, service and innovation.

Learn more here: http://www.weill.cornell.edu/chip/

RWJ Health Policy Fellowship

Initiated in 1973, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program seeks exceptional mid-career health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health and health care who:

1. possess the skills and commitment to use the fellowship experience to provide leadership in improving health, health care and health policy at the national, state or local level;
2. bring a depth of expertise and knowledge about health and health care to the policy-making process; and
3. can offer an informed perspective on important and complex challenges facing health policy-makers.

Fellows actively participate in the formulation of national health policies in congressional offices and accelerate their careers as leaders in health policy. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducts and administers the fellowship with funding support from and in collaboration with RWJF.

Up to six fellows will be selected for the program. The Health Policy Fellows program is a residential fellowship experience in Washington, DC, which prepares individuals to influence the future of health care and accelerate their own career development. Fellows are able to continue their health policy activities for up to 24 months after the Washington placement period.

Learn more here.

Featured Job Post: Executive Director

Executive Director
Doctors for America
Washington, DC

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director is a creative, flexible, and diligent leader who will manage day-to-day operations and help shepherd the organization through an exciting period of growth and transition.

Responsibilities:
--Oversee implementation of organizational strategy
--Facilitate development and execution of advocacy campaigns
--Manage volunteers, staff, and contractors
--Recruit local leaders and support local initiatives.
--Work with board of directors on fundraising activities
--Coordinate communication with media and key stakeholders
--Monitor health policy developments in conjunction with volunteer leaders
--Foster relationships with key partners and outside stakeholders
--Manage DFA finances (including annual budget).
--Ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations

Qualifications
--MD or DO ideal but not required
--Strong experience and interest in grassroots organizing
--Working understanding of key issues and politics in health care
--Strong interpersonal skills
--Experience in cultivating partners, volunteers, and future leaders
--Excellent skills in administration and project management
--Flexible. Able to adapt to new initiatives and directions in a young organization.
--Superior written and verbal communication skills
--Comfortable with innovative uses of technology and social media
--Able to work virtually with other leaders and volunteers around the country, with flexibility in working hours including some evenings and weekends
--Ability to manage budgets and conduct financial reporting
--Fundraising experience

Physicians running for U.S. House and Senate seats

Have an interest in politics? How about a passion? Would you like to start a new career in the world of U.S. politics? Maybe it's time to run for a U.S. House or Senate seat.  According to USA Today:

• Forty-seven physicians — 41 Republicans and six Democrats— are running for the House or Senate this year, three times the number of doctors serving in Congress today.
• Physician candidates start with at least one political advantage: voter confidence. A Gallup Poll in March found 77% of Americans trust doctors to do "the right thing" on health policy, compared with 32% for Republican leaders and 49% for Obama.
• There are 16 doctors in Congress today, 3% of lawmakers. 

Primary care doctors plan to scale back or quit by 2014

As I read posts on Sermo related to health care reform and Obamacare, I realize that we're seeing more evidence that physicians (particularly primary care physicians) are planning on scaling back or quitting by 2014.

2014 is the magic date where the health care reform laws will get fully implemented. People will have insurance, but they may face tremendous difficulty finding doctors if doctors are getting ready to scale back or retire early. Primary care physicians are anticipating a significant salary decrease in 2014. Will that really happen? Or, will most of them transition out of clinical medicine before they stick around to find out?

Many physicians will leave clinical practice due to health care reform

Recently, I had the chance to poll physicians (and I'd like to thank all those physicians who helped me with this). It was an informal poll, but I wanted to know how many physicians were planning on leaving clinical practice now that the health care reform bill has been passed. It's no surprise, but an overwhelming majority of physicians were more determined to look for a transition into the non-clinical field of medicine. To some, this may mean a career in administrative medicine. To others, it could be medical writing or medical education. Some want to get into the pharmaceutical industry.

In the past, many physicians would have indicated a strong desire to work for insurance companies. That trend has changed and I think physicians recognize that career opportunities in the health insurance industry may be diminishing as the government rolls out a public option and creates some serious competition.

How will patients receive proper medical care if so many existing physicians choose to leave clinical practice? What's going to happen in areas where physician shortages are causing patients to drive several hours to receive care? More physicians may plan to retire early instead of hassling with the public option and with the electronic health record requirements outlined in the HITECH Act.  Our nation will experience some significant changes in the health care world, but will these be overwhelmingly positive or negative for the public?

Health Policy Fellowship

Are you interested in a career in health policy? Have you considered formal training through an academic fellowship? You may be interested to know that some medical schools offer a health policy fellowship for primary care physicians. Here's an example from the UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School:

his program is a unique, practical opportunity for family physicians, as well as other primary care physicians, to learn how state health policy is developed, and how laws and regulations governing health care are crafted, negotiated and implemented. Applicants are typically interested in health policy-making and in influencing the political process as it relates to health care.

The health policy fellow serves as both aide and advisor to the Chairperson of a New Jersey State Legislative Health Committee. The fellow has a unique opportunity to obtain hands-on experience informing the policymaking process. An emphasis is placed on the rigorous, day-to-day aspects of the legislative process in the dynamic environment of the State House. The health policy fellow is called upon to: critically evaluate legislation; prepare briefs and reports; advise members of the State Legislature; research complex health care problems; devise legislative solutions; interact with and assist constituents with health care concerns and problems; and represent the legislator's views at meetings and functions. Upon conclusion of the fellowship, the participants have developed a practical and comprehensive understanding of the legislative process and health care policy in New Jersey.

This fellowship is offered jointly by the Department of Family Medicine at UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Faculty preceptors include the health policy faculty in the Department of Family Medicine and the executive staff of the University Hospital. The current Chairpersons of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees serve as the direct supervisors of the fellows.

You can learn more here: http://www2.umdnj.edu/fmedweb/fellowships/health_policy.htm

How will health care reform impact your job satisfaction?

If you're a health care professional involved in direct patient care, how will the proposed health care reform impact your level of job satisfaction? My wife is a primary care physician and we often talk about how a reformed health care system would impact her practice. Would you be more inclined to leave clinical medicine to pursue a non-clinical career?

I have met so many disgruntled physicians who feel "trapped" by their career. They can't imaging doing anything else. They don't know how they can make a career transition and they can't afford to take huge risks.

How closely are you following the discussion on health care reform? Even if you hate politics, it's very important to understand what's being proposed. It's not just about Medicare or the Public Option. It's not just about managed care companies and denied coverage. Perhaps all the recent discussions have renewed your writing passions as you draft letters to your senators. Perhaps you've recognized that you have a passion for health policy and politics. Maybe you're seeing the forest instead of the trees and you're planning to pursue a career in public health.

I've noticed that I can't see the trees anymore. For me, it's mostly about the forest. Blame that on my MPH. When we compare population health against individual health, we can't deny that our nation needs a new health care system. I just don't know that we've identified the right way to approach this problem yet.

Non-Clinical Medical Careers in Politics

Do you think that it's a good time to get into healthcare politics? So many healthcare issues are being discussed in Washington right now. If you're passionate about politics, maybe you'd be interested in investing in some formal education.

The Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at the George Washington University offers a Master of Professional Studies in Political Management. The George Washington University's programs are co-developed by university content specialists and outside partners, including government agencies, professional associations, consulting organizations, business and industry leaders.

Students networked with respected fellow professionals across the nation including:

• Public Policy Project Managers
• Government Department Managers
• Disability Advocacy Consultants
• Directors for R&D campaign planning

My favorite FAQ about this program is: "How do the GSPM's political programs differ from political science or public policy programs?" Here's the answer:

The School's curriculum focuses on applied or practical politics, not on theory-building. Public policy or public administration programs focus upon decision-making integral to the machinery of government, notably executive branch agencies. In contrast, students of political management concentrate upon the political processes that influence those agencies from outside the formal apparatus of government, through such activities as lobbying or elections. Our faculty are experienced political professionals: our full-time professors have extensive political experience, and our adjunct faculty are professionals working at the top level in the field.

Social networking is so important in the corporate world and even more critical in the world of politics. Maybe you can get a head start through this program. I don't have a love for politics, so I'm not interested, but perhaps you may want to learn more. Visit: http://www.gspmonline.com/

Of course, you could also pursue one of these degrees:

• Master of Health Administration (MHA)
• Master of Health Care Administration (MHA)
• Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
  
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Health Care

Of course, you could always consider these options:

• Master of Public Administration in Health Policy and Management (MPA) - I suggest NYU Wagner
  
• Master of Science in Health Policy Research (MSHP) - I suggest the University of Pennsylvania
  
• Master of Science in Health Services Research - I suggest Stanford
  
• Master of Science in Health Policy and Management - I suggest Harvard
  
• Master of Science in Health Care Management - I suggest Harvard
  

If you want to cover it all:

• Master of Science in Health Services Research, Policy and Administration (MS-HSRP&A) - you can get this degree at the University of Minnesota
  

A Career in Healthcare and Politics

If you're a physician and you love politics, then maybe you'll end up like Congressman Michael C. Burgess, MD (Texas- 26). He gave the Opening Keynote Address at the HIMSS Virtual Conference titled, "Congress’ Role in Advancing 21st Century Medicine."

Read about Dr. Burgess in my blog post about HIMSS: Congressman Michael C. Burgess at HIMSS

Harvard MS Degree in Health Care Management

The Harvard School of Public Health offers a part-time master of science degree in health care management: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/mhcm/

MS Degree in Health Care Management	Two Year Program Three Weeks per Summer Five Four-Day Weekends per Year
Part-time Master of Science Degree Program for Physician and Dentist Executives of Health Care Organizations.

Most (or maybe all) of the faculty are from the Department of Health Policy and Management. I sure miss Boston. Those were some of the best days for me. I would go back to Boston in a heartbeat.