Why Staying Engaged with Public Policy Matters for Healthcare Leaders
As healthcare and digital health rapidly evolve, staying connected to public policy is crucial. From cybersecurity regulations to artificial intelligence guidelines, legislative and regulatory shifts directly impact healthcare organizations as well as entrepreneurs at every level. By proactively monitoring public policy, healthcare leaders can help shape positive outcomes for both their businesses and the communities they serve.
The Importance of Engagement at All Levels
Public policy influences healthcare across local, state, regional, and federal levels, each carrying unique implications. By engaging at all these levels, I have experienced that healthcare leaders can contribute valuable insights that policymakers actively seek. Most of us on the front lines of healthcare, technology, and innovation possess deep domain expertise, which can inform better policy decisions. Being vocal about challenges, opportunities, and specific needs allows healthcare providers and professionals to advocate for policies that support organizations and improve patient outcomes. Whether it’s advocating for local funding, supporting state-led initiatives, supporting data interoperability, sharing patient care best practices, or even participating in national policy discussions, engagement ensures that the voices of those on the front lines are part of the decision-making process.
The Power of Staying Informed
In our complex healthcare ecosystem, staying updated on regulatory changes is essential for maintaining stability, ensuring compliance, and sustainably scaling your operations. Public policy significantly affects everything from reimbursement models to data interoperability to patient data privacy standards. For example, recent cybersecurity regulations will require hospitals over a specific size (100+ beds and CAHs) to meet new standards for data protection and incident reporting, impacting how healthcare organizations manage data security. When leaders stay informed, they can adapt more proactively, safeguarding business interests and patient information. In a fast-evolving industry, this knowledge helps organizations prepare for change rather than react to it.
Building Relationships and Making an Impact
While public policy can seem distant, building connections with policymakers and sharing insights can be more accessible than it seems. Building rapport with elected officials by sharing expertise and insights does require a little time investment, yet often yields long-term benefits for all involved, including important patient populations. Healthcare professionals, innovators, and even patients can help guide policy decisions by regularly engaging with officials, especially those in influential committee roles. For organizations in districts where officials serve as chairs or vice-chairs of germane committees, the opportunity for impact is even greater. Consistent engagement ensures that healthcare leaders’ concerns are considered in policy development, fostering a network of advocates within the government. I would also recommend leveraging associations such as HIMSS, CHIME, AHA, or AMA to optimize your connections as well as amplify your expertise.
I Promise, Policymakers are Listening
One encouraging aspect of engaging with public policy is the responsiveness of legislative and regulatory bodies. Many policymakers and agencies actively welcome input, and it’s common for public comments, testimony, and feedback to be read and considered. This commitment to transparency underscores the importance of contributing thoughtfully to policy discussions. By staying active and sharing insights, healthcare leaders help create balanced regulations that support innovation, patient safety, and operational efficiency. Regulatory processes benefit from our industry input, allowing policies to better align with the realities of healthcare operations, technology, and care innovation.
Shaping the Future of Healthcare
The complexity of today’s regulatory environment underscores the importance of proactive engagement with public policy. By staying informed, building connections with policymakers, and contributing expertise to the legislative and regulatory processes, healthcare leaders play a direct role in shaping a healthcare landscape that fosters innovation, prioritizes patient safety, and supports sustainable business growth. Engaging with public policy not only benefits policymakers but also strengthens healthcare organizations as well as innovators by ensuring their voices help guide the future of our industry!
Key Advocacy Pages Worth Checking Out:
The Growth Performance team has over 20 years of experience leading healthcare and digital health discussions, as well as policy on Capitol Hill. Key discussions like these aim to offer valuable insights that highlight the importance of staying engaged in the policy process, ensuring that healthcare leaders are not only prepared for the future but are actively shaping it. We are committed to creating transparent discussions so that we help the industry, and certainly our clients, successfully navigate the future of healthcare.