The Importance of Advocacy: Week of April 29th, 2022

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends, Good morning on a brisk Friday in Elkins Park. It has been another busy week on and off campus with finals, practical exams and political advocacy all happening at the same time. We continue to collect necessary items for all who have been displaced by the war as we keep Ukrainian people here and abroad in our thoughts and intentions.

Here are some items of interest:

UNIQUE INITIATIVE: Salus University and The Eye Institute (TEI) have entered into a new partnership with the State Correctional Institution (SCI) at Cambridge Springs in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, to custom-make eyeglasses for children served by the University’s Looking Out for Kids School Vision Program. Read more about this new initiative here.

FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS: The three-part series “First-Generation Students: Experiences and Advice” highlights the graduate school journeys of first-generation students at Salus University, and provides their advice for other first-generation students looking to continue their studies at the graduate level. Check out Part One here.

WALKMS PHILADELPHIA: When the opportunity to raise money for the national MS Association of America emerged, students in the Salus chapter of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) swung into action. The group organized the University’s participation in WalkMS Philadelphia. For details and to register, click here.

DEAN’S SPRINGFEST: Dean’s Winterfest, which has been on pandemic hiatus, was changed to the Dean’s Springfest for 2022. It accomplished the same goal as always — bringing the Salus community together to enjoy each other’s company. Read more about the event here.

AOA SUMMIT: Earlier this week, I participated in the American Optometric Association’s annual Federal Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC. The summit engages optometric leaders and students in legislative advocacy on key issues facing the profession. Groups are assigned to lobby on behalf of the profession legislators representing the districts in which we reside.

This year, we concentrated on four key areas:

1. Putting patients and doctors back in control of their healthcare decisions by passing the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act which combats abusive practices in the federally regulated vision and dental plan coverage markets.
2. Asking Congress to take action to stop Medicare pay cuts to optometrist and other professions.
3. Ensuring that the over 1000 optometrists working at the Department of Veterans Affairs are permitted to practice at their highest level of training and licensure to assure veterans have access to full-scope eyecare wherever they are seen.
4. Reining in abusive contact lens seller practices by regulating contact lens verification robocalls from companies that too often lead to patients receiving a different device than originally prescribed. 

 My group visited the offices of Senators Toomey and Casey, Congresswomen Dean and Congressman Evans. Our representatives were extremely supportive and sensitive to the issues we raised. Two students in my group added valuable perspectives and context to our discussions.

FINAL THOUGHTS: All of our professions are regulated through legislation, most often at the state level. The legislative process governs the scope, safety and remuneration of our professions. Engaging actively in this process is a critical part of our responsibility and commitment as professionals.

I remember juggling my schedule when I was a student to do just that. At the time, we were fighting for the right to use therapeutic drugs -- something we all take for granted today. The four issues we addressed this week are similar to those we confronted over forty years ago - all asking legislators to assure optometrists can provide the best care possible for their patients. While the names of the bills may change, attempts to erode and restrict what we’ve been taught to do for our patients are, unfortunately, perennial.

For all who wonder, “Is this worth my time? Can one person make a difference?” The answer is emphatically, “YES!” Visits, letters and calls to our representatives help them prioritize and lead on the issues for which they find strong constituent support. Our profession is so much stronger today because of the advocacy efforts that we’ve been part of at Salus.

I encourage all, especially our students, to exercise our voices -- and to make a difference, through efforts like these. It’s an important part of leading our professions, and it’s an essential contribution to a thriving democracy.

As we prepare for the weekend, please remember to “mask up” when around others, wash hands frequently and socially distance when possible. Look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike