Dr. Holton: We must be advocates for our patients, ourselves

In this video, Mara R. Holton, MD, discusses the importance of health policy advocacy. Holton is a urologist with AAUrology in Annapolis, Maryland and serves on the LUGPA board of directors.

Transcription:

Mara R. Holton, MD, on the importance of health policy advocacy

I think at our annual meeting, Donna Shalala gave us all a dose of medicine [by] really emphasizing that the system is not great, and it is not perfect, but it is the system that we have, and we are obliged to be advocates for our patients, our peers, our colleagues, and ourselves. And every one of us is going to engage with the health care system, both as a provider and eventually in some capacity as a patient or an advocate for patients. So we're sort of doubly obliged to be involved in these conversations. That said, I understand everyone's fatigue. It's exhausting and it's overwhelming, but traction has been gained and continues to be gained and we are making some meaningful, tangible differences. And absent these efforts, we can certainly anticipate that things will only go backwards.

This transcription has been edited for clarity.