Here's How to Do It
AAPA would like to make it easy for you to host a legislator at your practice. Here's a step-by-step guide:
1. Check with your clinic administrator and supervising physician to assure that the idea meets with their approval. Discuss ideal dates and times. First thing in the morning or afternoon may work best, before things get too busy.
2. Do some homework on the legislator. You can find a bio on the state legislature Web site. If you are having trouble getting information on your legislator, contact Liz Roe on the Academy staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you find that your legislator has a particular interest that is relevant to your clinic (i.e. care for the elderly, women's health, care for recent immigrant populations), you'll want to emphasize that during the visit.
3. Contact the legislator or a member of his or her staff either by letter or phone. Congratulate them on their election or re-election, if they have just been on the ballot, and invite them to see "health care in action" at your clinic. Your message should be that you know health care is important them, and you'd like to give them the opportunity to see where health care is provided in their district and to discuss some of the challenges facing health care providers and their constituents. Make sure that they know that you are a physician assistant and that a PA bill will be considered in the upcoming session, if that is the case.
4. Confirm a date and time for their visit. Thirty minutes to an hour should be sufficient.
5. Prepare materials to give to the legislator. Fact sheets on PAs and issue briefs on a wide variety of topics are available on the AAPA Web site. Academy staff can assist you with preparing issue-specific materials. A file folder with a "Physician Assistants" label on the tab to hold the materials makes it easy for the legislator to put the information in the right place once he or she is back at the office. Make sure that your contact information or business card is included.
6. Spiff up the office and alert the staff. Consider making a "Welcome Representative/Senator _____" banner or poster for the office.
7. Consider inviting the media. First check this with the office administrator and your supervising physician. If they agree, make sure it is okay with the legislator to invite the media. If everyone agrees, contact David Ashner ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) on the AAPA staff for information on making the visit a media event.
8. Make a schedule for the visit. Here's a tentative agenda:
- 9:00 - Legislator arrives, PA-host greets the legislator, introduces staff and physicians, and introduces the legislator to patients in the waiting room
- 9:10 - Tour of office and description of population served, special interests and roles of clinic staff. Be sure to mention any areas of particular interest to the legislator (i.e. "Dr. Jones is board certified in geriatric medicine," or "Mrs. Miller is both our receptionist and our translator.")
- 9:20 - Legislator, PA, and physician (and others) convene in conference room or office to discuss health issues in district. Coffee is served. Legislator is invited to share his or her health agenda for upcoming session and discuss other issues of particular interest. The PA's role in the clinic is described by the physician-PA team. Physician discusses the importance of PA legislation (if applicable) to the legislator's constituents. (Remember that the message must be about why the PA legislation is important to the legislator.) Clinic group asks how they might help the legislator with health issues the legislator has identified.
- 9:30 - Media (if invited) arrives. Clinic staff and legislator pose for photos. (If the media does not attend, have a staff person available to take pictures.) Legislator is given opportunity to discuss health issues and the importance of the visit.
- 9:45 - Legislator is thanked by everyone for taking time from his or her busy schedule to visit. Additional photos of legislator at clinic and with staff are taken.
10. Contact your chapter's Legislative Coordinator to review the visit.
11. The next day - Check the media for any mention of the event.
12. Two days later - Send a personal note thanking the legislator for the visit and include copies of photos.
