Health Policy

Health Policy

Faculty Co-Chairs:
John Andazola, MD

Davena Norris, PharmD

Contacts:
Ivan de la Rosa, PhD

Rotation Experiences:
Dona Ana Wellness Institute
La Clinica de Familia
Amador Health Center
County Commissioners Meetings
Doc of the Day, Santa Fe
New Mexico Medical Society
Dona Ana County Department of Health and Human Services
Border Breakfast
Meetings with legislators

Outcome Statements:

By the end of the Health Policy Rotation, residents will demonstrate knowledge of governmental regulations surrounding healthcare in the U.S. as demonstrated by writing a letter, op-ed, or email to a legislator to advocate for change in regulations or support for existing regulations AND/OR by presenting a set of governmental regulations relevant to family medicine to their peers during didactics.
By the end of the Health Policy Rotation residents will demonstrate an understanding of the health in all policies concept by writing a letter, op-ed, or email to a legislator to advocate for or challenge a proposed policy that will have an impact on community health AND/OR writing a resolution for NMAFP or AMA (NMMS) to address health in all policies.
By the end of the Health Policy Rotation, residents will demonstrate competency in engagement in governmental advocacy on a local, state, or national level by completion of online modules listed at the end of this curriculum, volunteering for Doc of the Day, attending a county commission meeting, meeting with a healthcare staffer for a U.S. Senator or Representative in their local office, AND attending the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit (if possible).
By the end of the Health Policy Rotation, residents will demonstrate an understanding of the functions and responsibilities of their professional organizations in healthcare policy change by writing a resolution for NMAFP or AMA (NMMS) that addresses health policy AND attending an NMAFP board meeting if possible.

Weekly Schedule (suggested):

**See below the weekly schedule for links to specific virtual meetings.

Week 1

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri
AM	Meet with faculty chair of rotation (Mon or Tues)Admin time to work on readings/online modules	Admin time to work on readings/online modules	Border Breakfast (meets first Wed of the month, 7:30-8:30am)	Admin to work on readings and deliverables	Shadow administrators at DAC HHS or FQHC
PM	Clinic	Clinic	Didactics	Clinic	Clinic
Evening				Wellness Institute

Week 2

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri
AM	Meet with legislative healthcare staffers	County Commissioners Meeting (occurs 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9am)	Admin time to work on readings and deliverables	New Mexico Medical Society	Doc of the Day, Santa Fe
PM	Clinic	Clinic	Didactics	New Mexico Medical Society	Doc of the Day, Santa Fe

Week 3

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri
AM	Shadow DAC HHS or FQHC Administrator		Shadow DAC HHS or FQHC Administrator	Clinic	Admin time to work on readings or deliverables
PM	Clinic	Clinic	Didactics	Clinic	Clinic
Evening				Wellness Institute (evening)

Week 4

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri
AM	Clinic	County Commissioners Meeting (occurs 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9am)	Meet with city official OR meeting with community agency who works on health policy	Clinic	Admin time to work on readings or deliverables
PM	Admin time to work on readings and deliverables	Clinic	Didactics	Admin time to work on readings or deliverables	Clinic

Board of County Commissioners Meeting Video Stream

City Council Meeting Agenda and Video Stream

Wellness Institute Meeting (June 4, 4:30-6:30pm): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89604369109?pwd=YUdQaFRDRFNaZVRYcVk5V3NuZHRnUT09

Requirements:

ACGME
There must be a structured curriculum in which residents address population health, including the evaluation of health problems of the community.

Residents must have at least 100 hours (or one month) dedicated to health system management experiences. This curriculum should prepare residents to be active participants and leaders in their practices, their communities, and the profession of medicine.

Description of Educational Experience:
The Health Policy rotation is designed to provide an introduction to the physician’s roles and responsibilities in engaging in health care advocacy on a local, state, and federal level. This rotation is designed to help residents build skills in communicating with legislators, professional organizations, and policy leaders regarding health care issues that impact their community. This elective rotation is available in PGY3 between August and March (to coincide with legislative sessions).

Expectations:
Residents:
Residents are expected to arrive to all assigned rotation experiences on time and to dress and act in a professional manner. It is expected that while at a preceptor’s office or a community organization the resident will be respectful of the office space and personnel.

The resident is responsible for completing all assigned readings and online modules.

The resident is responsible for submitting/completing to one of the key contacts all the required deliverables for this rotation including:

1. Letter, op-ed, or email to a legislator
2. Presentation during didactics on topic of choice related to something learned
3. Resolution to the NMAFP or NMMS
4. Attend Doc of the Day
5. Attend a county commission meeting
6. Meet with healthcare staffer
7. Attend the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit in Washington DC (if possible)

Faculty:
The Faculty and Staff will supervise the residents in their continuity clinic. Key contacts (above) for the Health Policy rotation will supervise health policy related activities. At least two faculty/staff are also responsible for completing an evaluation of the resident at the end of the rotation.

Call:
There is no call specific to this rotation.

Patient Care
Goal
Residents must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. Residents are expected to:

Competencies

Assess community, environmental, and family influences on the health of patients

Objectives
Upon completion of this rotation the resident will demonstrate the ability to:

Identify policy actions/activities that will influence patient care
Incorporates patient care goals in the development of health policy

Medical Knowledge
Goal
Residents must demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care. Residents are expected to:

Competencies

must demonstrate proficiency in their ability to evaluate evolving medical knowledge and incorporate it into meaningful clinical practice

Objectives
Upon completion of the rotation, residents will demonstrate:

Use medical knowledge in developing policy recommendations

Practice Based Learning and Improvement
Goal
Residents must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life long learning. Residents are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to:

Competencies

Systematically analyze practice using quality improvement methods, and implement changes with the goal of practice improvement
Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients’ health problems
Identify strengths, deficiencies and limits in one’s knowledges and expertise

Objectives
Upon completion of the rotation, residents will demonstrate:

Incorporates evidence-based medicine in the development of health care policy
Actively seeks knowledge from community contacts and preceptors as as engaged, active learner to enhance knowledge and skill for policy development

System Based Practice
Goal
Residents must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care. Residents are expected to:

Competencies

Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care as appropriate
Advocate for quality patient care and optimal patient care systems

Objectives
The resident:

Use opportunity to engage with policy makers and community agency to advocate for patient care issues relevant to the practice of family medicine
Integrate discussion of cost and risk-benefit analysis into policy recommendations

Professionalism
Goal
Residents must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles. Residents are expected to demonstrate:

Competencies

Compassion, integrity, and respect for others
Accountability to patients, society, and the profession
Sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation

Objectives
The resident:

Will conduct himself/herself in a respectful manner and participate in collaborative efforts to improve patient/community health.
Will demonstrate sensitivity to the cultural, social, and other needs of identified populations.
Will consistently perform his/her tasks in a punctual, reliable and collegial manner.
Consider the impact of policy on health outcome inequities while developing policy recommendations

Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Goal
Residents must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and teaming with patients, their families, and professional associates. Residents are expected to:

Competencies

Communicate effectively with patients, families, and the public, as appropriate, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Communicate effectively with physicians, other health professionals, and health related agencies.
Work effectively as a member or leader of a health care team or other professional group

Objectives
The resident:

Will demonstrate appropriate communication skills that are sensitive to marginalized populations.
Will demonstrate appropriate interactions with peer groups, team members, community organizations/leaders, and government representatives
Completion of an op-ed, letter or email to legislator that addresses health care policy recommendations

Teaching Methods
Teaching occurs through direct observation, discussion, directed reading, and online modules. Residents will also receive feedback on deliverables from HEAT faculty.

Assessment Method (Residents)
Assessment is through direct observation, presentation evaluation, review of letter, op-ed, and/or resolution.

Assessment Method (Program Evaluation)
Rotation evaluation is by resident written evaluations.

Level of Supervision
Residents are supervised by residency faculty and community contacts through direct observation and review of written reports and presentations.

Educational Resources
Online Modules:

AAFP Congress 101

AAFP Lobbying 101

STFM Advocacy Course

Readings
Week 1

Legislative glossary

Developing “The Ask” (see FMAS Storytelling Guide and Speaking with Legislators worksheet in the Google Drive folder “Guides for Talking about Policy”)

RWJ Why We Need a Culture of Health

AMA Physician Advocacy Guide

Week 2

AAFP Social Media Video Tips

Examples of health care professionals engaged in policy efforts
SNMFMRP graduates support the Save Our Rural Health Providers Act
See additional examples in the Health Policy Rotation Teams Folder

*Review resources and choose area of focus

Week 3

IOM Unequal Treatment

*Review resources and research area of focus

Week 4

Work on Deliverables

Resources

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