HR Pulse - Fall 2008 - (Page 68)

[ASHHRA ADVOCACY] Citizen Lobbyists Descend Upon the Hill By Marcia Miller Telthorster, ASHHRA Advocacy Committee Member T 68 HR Pulse Fall 2008 he ASHHRA advocacy committee arrived at the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) office in Washington, D.C. on May 5. Greeted by AHA President Richard (Rich) Umbdenstock and led by Carla Luggerio, AHA senior associate director, Federal Relations, we spent an instructive day identifying legislative issues of concern to health care human resource practitioners, discussing workforce challenges, and learning strategies for effective grassroots advocacy. We prepped for personal visits to our own legislators in an effort to continue developing those relationships once our time in Washington was over. We learned about key health care issues being discussed in Congress today. “When hospital leaders speak with one voice on issues that are significant to them, they can have a real effect on how Washington thinks.” Signiﬁcant legislative issues facing this Congress are: • “Re-Empowerment of Skilled and professional Employees and Construction and Tradeworkers” (RESPECT) Act S.969/H.R.1644 (AHA opposes) • “Nurse and Patient Safety & Protection Act of 2007” H.R.378 (AHA opposes) • “The Employee Free Choice Act” H.R.800/S.1041 (AHA opposes) • “Secret Ballot Protection Act of 2007” H.R.866/S.1312 (AHA supports). Position papers are available at http://www.ashhra. org/ashhra/advocacy/position.html. Other workforce challenges facing many of us in health care are: • Severe workforce shortages • Nursing and Allied Healthcare Education funding • Immigration to allow qualiﬁed, internationally educated nurses and allied health professionals to come to this country. To read AHA’s position paper on these workforce issues, go to: http://www.aha.org/aha/advocacy/ annual-meeting/08-issuepapers.html click on “Workforce.” This year, the ASHHRA Advocacy Committee members were asked to visit their own legislators. Personal visits to these legislators created an op- portunity for us to become resources to our personal legislators on health care issues, not just advocate for speciﬁc legislation. Michael Paruto (Region 1) visited his Rhode Island senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Patrick Kennedy. According to Paruto, “We probably did better than $1,000/hour paid lobbyists. We’re real people, not fancy ‘suits.’ The strategy of having us meet with senators and congressmen from our own home states, sharing our thoughts on these important issues, was fabulous.” Committee Chair Les Abercrombie commented that, “Members of the Advocacy Committee met with several senators and representatives. We also met with and made good progress on building relationships with the legislative aide staff in the congressional offices. Staff are the ‘go to’ persons for constituents and have the ear of their busy legislators. They have expertise in health care and HR matters and are open to hearing the views of HR professionals, especially when from their states or districts. Committee members provided them with helpful information and told staff that ASHHRA could be their ‘go to’ resource when they have a question or need to hear the health care perspective on legislation. They were most appreciative and we’ll be following up via e-mail and in person in their home district offices.” To learn more about grassroots advocacy, read the new AHA Legislative Resources booklet: http:// www.ashhra.org/ashhra/advocacy/resources.html. Use of this tool would make an excellent leadership development “read and discuss” for any health care human resources team. Luggiero believes, “When hospital leaders speak with one voice on issues that are signiﬁcant to them, they can have a real effect on how Washington thinks and on the important decisions that legislators will make that affect patients and communities.” For more ways that you can become an effective advocate, see “What You Can Do” on page 70. http://www.ashhra.org/ashhra/advocacy/position.html http://www.ashhra.org/ashhra/advocacy/position.html http://www.ashhra.org/ashhra/advocacy/resources.html http://www.ashhra.org/ashhra/advocacy/resources.html http://www.aha.org/aha/advocacy/annual-meeting/08-issuepapers.html http://www.aha.org/aha/advocacy/annual-meeting/08-issuepapers.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Fall 2008

HR Pulse - Fall 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Irma Pye Sammy’s House: Making a Difference in Austin Working Mother Magazine’s 100 Best Companies Increasing CEO Engagement Pastoral Care Retaining Scarce, Critical Talent The Engagement Dilemma Diversity Considerations…More than AAP & EEO Quashing the Workplace Bullying Bug How to Become a Strong Human Resources Partner Citizen Lobbyists Descend Upon Capitol Hill Conference Highlights Schedule at a Glance Sponsors Exhibitors Advertisers’ Index

HR Pulse - Fall 2008

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