How to Build Relationships with Lawmakers: Lessons from ASA Advocacy Experts

Beyond patient care, anesthesiologists and other physicians perform many duties within the US healthcare system, including teaching, mentoring, leadership, and advocacy. Clinicians, with their deep expertise and wealth of experience, are uniquely positioned to guide healthcare policy in directions supported by data and best practice. Anesthesiologists seeking to improve healthcare policy alongside lawmakers can draw from the knowledge of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) advocacy experts.

ASA advocacy leaders consistently emphasize that successful policymaking begins with understanding. Many lawmakers and their staff do not have medical or scientific backgrounds, so the first responsibility of an advocate is to translate complex biomedical issues into clear, relatable information. Rather than aiming to persuade immediately, ASA experts first focus on educating legislators about how specific policies affect patient care, clinical workflows, and healthcare outcomes.

In advocacy, real-world examples are particularly powerful. When advocates explain how a proposed policy could impact a patient in the lawmaker’s district, the conversation becomes more memorable and meaningful. Supplementing discussions with concise, jargon-free briefing materials helps ensure that both legislators and staff retain key points long after the meeting ends ^1–5.

A core insight from ASA advocacy professionals is that relationships with lawmakers cannot be built in moments of urgency alone. Reaching out only when a bill is about to move forward can make advocacy feel transactional—instead, steady communication throughout the year fosters trust and familiarity. Consistent engagement can include sharing updates from your specialty, highlighting innovations in biomedical research, or offering congratulations when lawmakers take relevant committee roles or support scientific initiatives. Attending town halls, participating in advocacy days, and monitoring lawmakers’ public priorities are additional ways to stay connected and informed ^6–9.

Although elected officials cast the final votes, their staff often serve as the first point of contact and play a major role in shaping policy recommendations. ASA advocates stress the value of building rapport with these staff members, who frequently have deep expertise in health policy and can champion issues behind the scenes.

It is critical to treat staff with the same professionalism and attentiveness that would be extended to a lawmaker. Providing them with timely data, answering follow-up questions, and acknowledging their role in the process helps strengthen these essential working relationships ^6,10.

ASA experts emphasize the importance of approaching all lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation or ideology, with a consistent message centered on patient safety, scientific evidence, and access to high-quality care. A nonpartisan approach ensures that conversations remain constructive and grounded in shared goals rather than political differences. Anchoring discussions in the needs of patients not only keeps messaging clear but also resonates deeply with legislators, who are ultimately responsible for protecting the well-being of their constituents ^11–13.

Finally, what happens following a meeting is often an overlooked aspect of advocacy. ASA advocacy teams highlight the importance of prompt follow-ups, including thanking lawmakers and staff for their time, sending requested materials, and keeping them updated on developments. Recognition, whether public or private, reinforces positive engagement and encourages continued collaboration ¹⁴.

Building relationships with lawmakers is an ongoing process, but by centering communication on education, consistency, respect, and patient outcomes, physician advocates can forge meaningful partnerships that support better health policy for all.

References

1. Advocacy. https://www.asahq.org/education-and-career/asa-resident-component/advocacy.

2. Advocacy Topics. https://www.asahq.org/advocacy-and-asapac/advocacy-topics.

3. Nalley, C. Meeting the Challenges of Today: Top Advocacy Concerns. ASA Monitor 84, 45 (2020).

4. Clune, C. & O’Dwyer, B. Framing Engagement that Resonates: Organizing Advocacy for Corporate Social and Environmental Accountability. European Accounting Review 29, 851–875 (2020). DOI: 10.1080/09638180.2020.1746374

5. Jumbam, D. T. et al. To advance global surgery and anaesthesia, train more advocates. BMJ Glob Health 8, (2023). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012848

6. Sun, E. C. How Can Anesthesiologists Influence Policymaking? Reflections from a Year at the Council of Economic Advisers. Anesthesiology 134, 841–844 (2021). DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000003756

7. Yap, J., Duell, M., McAuliffe, M., Crowell, N. & Scott-Herring, M. Evaluating the Impact of an Advocacy Toolkit on Improving Political Astuteness Among CRNAs. JNAE https://doi.org/10.63524/jnae.129953 (2025) DOI:10.63524/jnae.129953.

8. Page, S. L. The Power of Advocacy. ASA Monitor 87, 23 (2023).

9. Hansen, J. Thinking Beyond Individual Meetings With Lawmakers. ASA Monitor 78, 56 (2014).

10. Newell, S. M., Deeter, K. L. & Harding, K. A. An Analysis and Review of the Use of State Legislator Clinical Site Visits to Increase Advocacy for Nurse Anesthesiologists. AANA J 90, 431–437 (2022).

11. Advocacy. American Medical Association https://www.ama-assn.org/health-care-advocacy (2025).

12. Müller, R., Rach, C. & Salloch, S. Collective forward-looking responsibility of patient advocacy organizations: conceptual and ethical analysis. BMC Med Ethics 22, 113 (2021). DOI: 10.1186/s12910-021-00680-w

13. Reviewing Models of Patient Advocacy: Current Successes and Future Directions for Applying Community Health Workers and Patient Advocates to Advance Health Equity – Andrew Simkus, Kristen Holtz, Nicole Wanty, 2024. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2023.0191?int.sj-full-text.similar-articles.1. DOI: 10.1089/heq.2023.019

14. Algoe, S. B. & Zhaoyang, R. Positive Psychology in Context: Effects of Expressing Gratitude in Ongoing Relationships Depend on Perceptions of Enactor Responsiveness. J Posit Psychol 11, 399–415 (2016). DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1117131