Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION September 2016 25 Having learned so much prior to setting foot on Capitol Hill, I was able to have a much greater impact during my meetings because I spoke truthfully and from the heart. The actual experience was far better and more rewarding than I could have imagined. I learned the importance of having a voice and taking a stand for what you think is best for your patients. My future practice may suffer from unfair requirements set by Congress and CMS. Therefore, it is in the best interest of my patients and myself to continue to have a presence and serve as a voice for ophthalmology and all medicine. Thandeka Myeni, MD, MPH West Warwick, Rhode Island I thought that I would be a part of a large multi-specialty group when I went to see my legislators and that I might be able to squeeze in a word or two when we started talking about the issues. It turns out that because I was the only attendee from Rhode Island, I got to do all the talking. I loved having the op- portunity to shape the conversation. Oftentimes when there are more seasoned physicians present, the voices of the younger physicians get overshadowed. The other thing that was un- expected for me was the different people I ended up meeting. I was scheduled to meet with legislative assistants to Senator Whitehouse and Senator Reed. Lo and behold, I ended up meeting both senators. I also got to meet with Senator Rand Paul (a total surprise), political com- mentator Charlie Cook, and Miss Rhode Island. I had a wonderful time. I learned about the importance of making sure that our voices are heard and the needs of our patients and professions are represented. All day, every day, our elected represen- tatives are listening to the voices of different interest groups (farmers, pharmaceutical companies, insur- ance companies, etc.). If we do not take the time and effort to make sure our voices are represented, then we risk our needs, concerns, and desires becoming lost in the myriad groups that are being heard. With our silence, we take the risk that the rules that govern our profession will be decided on by 20-something- year-olds who only understand the practice of medicine theoretically but have never actually cared for a patient in their lives. When I met with the legislative director for Congressman Langevin, he seemed extremely receptive to what I was saying about the start dates of MACRA. He indicated that he understood how, logistically, it might be challenging to implement in such a short time frame. He also indicated that he had heard similar things from other groups. I appre- ciated his willingness to listen and his ability to empathize with our concerns. Edmund Tsui, MD New York I attended the AAO Mid-Year Forum and Congressional Advocacy Day in April to address legislative issues af- fecting ophthalmologists. With this in mind, I had high expectations going into the Alliance of Specialty Medicine Fly-In, but my experience far exceeded my expectations. I was able to continue building a working relationship with these lawmakers whom I had met at the Mid-Year Forum. Attending the Fly-In with ASCRS and the Alliance of Specialty Medicine emphasized the collabora- tive nature of medicine and how our specialties strive toward the com- mon goal of improving patient care. This experience has encouraged me to stay active in advocacy and con- tinue to be informed and educated in issues that will allow me to take better care of my patients. EW Editors' note: If you are a U.S. resi- dent or fellow member of ASCRS who wants to get involved in the political process and learn more about policy issues affecting ophthalmology, consider applying for a scholarship to the 2017 ASCRS•ASOA/Alliance of Specialty Medicine Legislative Fly-In. ASCRS will provide more information about the 2017 YES Legislative Fly-In Scholarship Program in the coming months. Con- tact Tami O'Brien, ASCRS manager of PAC and grassroots, at 703-591-2220 or tobrien@ascrs.org for details. Bonnie Henderson, MD, John Bell, Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA), Doug Evans, MD, and Courtney Bovee, MD Thandeka Myeni, MD, MPH, Courtney Bovee, MD, Majid Moarefi, MD, Edmund Tsui, MD, and Aakriti Garg, MD Source (all): ASCRS

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