CMS members, staff and guests gathered on Saturday, Oct. 12, for the 2013 Regional Campaign and Grassroots Seminar, a semi-annual work session on the art of advocacy hosted by the political action committees of the Colorado Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians.

Stephanie Vance

Keynote speaker Stephanie Vance, also known as the "Advocacy Guru," presented the rules of political engagement and lobbying, drawing specific tips and examples from her more than 20 years working in D.C. She stressed the importance of grassroots involvement, strategic messaging and ensuring that each advocacy goal is SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Jim Wilson, PhD, the manager of political education programs for the AMA, spoke about fundraising as a way to influence who gets elected to office. "Even small donations add up. If you can create a culture of people getting involved - even at low levels - and you show them the results, you can make an important difference."

Attendees tested skills in small groups. From left, Richard Budensiek, DO, and Tamaan Osborne-Roberts, MD

Jeremy Lazarus, MD, immediate past president of the AMA, gave an update on federal issues and said he was "modestly optimistic" Congress will pass an SGR repeal this year. He encouraged all physicians to visit FixMedicareNow.org to add your voice to the debate and keep up the pressure.

State Sen. Irene Aguilar, MD, said we likely won't see any bold moves in the upcoming legislative session following a preliminary gubernatorial election poll and the recalls of two state senators. But as assistant majority leader, she will be in a good position to influence legislation and she told attendees to consider her to be a resource.

Read more in the November/December issue of Colorado Medicine.

A study released last week by the RAND Corporation has found that being able to provide high-quality care to their patients is the primary reason for job satisfaction among physicians, while obstacles to doing so are a key source of stress.

Sponsored by the American Medical Association and supported by several state societies around the country - including the Colorado Medical Society - the study is designed to identify the factors that influence physicians' professional satisfaction, an issue of increasing importance as health reform and other forces are altering contemporary delivery and payment models. It is the first step in the AMA's strategic initiative to enhance practice sustainability and professional satisfaction through effective care delivery and payment models.

Findings suggest that monitoring the factors contributing to physician dissatisfaction offers tangible early warning signs of deeper quality problems developing in the health care system.

Click here to read more on cms.org and to access the study.

The abuse of prescription drugs is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States and a January 2013 survey found that Colorado has the second-highest rate of prescription drug abuse in the nation. Some diversion and abuse comes after family or friends pillage medicine cabinets for excess medications.

Physicians can help prevent prescription drug abuse by encouraging their patients to appropriately dispose of expired or unwanted medications on Oct. 26, the next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) website to learn more about National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The site features a search function to help locate collection sites and drug disposal information for patients. Click here to view all Colorado sites. The event lasts from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Click here to download a fact sheet about prescription drug abuse in Colorado. Click here to download a flyer in English to post in your office and click here to download the Spanish version.

Register for a free webinar to be held Oct. 29, 6 - 7 p.m., on the health insurance exchange, Connect for Health Colorado. Part of the Colorado Medical Society's practice evolution series, attendees of the free webinar will learn what the new marketplace means to your patients and practice, who is eligible for the marketplace and what resources are available, what it means to you as an employer, and more.

Featured guests are Marcia Benshoof from Connect for Health Colorado, Andrea Levine from COPIC Financial Services and Marilyn Rissmiller from the Colorado Medical Society. Click here to register today.

Make plans to attend a town hall meeting on Nov. 20, "A Statewide Discussion on Prescription Drug Abuse Among Youth," presented by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in collaboration with the office of the governor and the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Program. The event will be held at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and will be streamed live through the Area Health Education Centers in Greeley, Grand Junction, Alamosa, Pueblo and Durango.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres. The program will run from 7 - 9 p.m. Topics include: Warning signs and symptoms, national and local solutions, new overdose prevention legislation, and personal stories from affected families.

Click here to register for the free event. Click here to register for a live streaming event. Click here to download an informational flyer.