Walden’s mission is “to provide a diverse community of career professionals with
Walden’s mission is “to provide a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so that they can effect positive social change” (Walden University, n.d.). And, as many issues in healthcare are societal and persistent across different HSO types, some require advanced solutions that are larger than what can be implemented at a single organization. Healthcare laws and policies are enacted primarily to protect patients and to help them achieve the best outcomes possible. Health professionals have a responsibility to advocate to legislators for the policies that would be most beneficial, and one of the more common ways to advocate is through a professional letter. Review the HSO issues that you researched throughout this course and in other courses. Use professional association websites to further research HSO issues, advocacy efforts, and templates for letters to legislators. Select professional associations that are pertinent to your HSO, as well as the issues associated with it. Select one compelling issue that is impacting or could impact your selected HSO. Familiarize yourself with how a professional letter to a lawmaker should look and how it should be different from academic writing. Locate the lawmakers in your jurisdiction who could benefit from your expertise. If you believe it would be best to direct your letter towards state-level lawmakers rather than national ones, you can locate your state-level legislators on your state’s government website. Note: If you are an international student, you have the option of drafting your letter to a local legislator or one in the U.S. Final Project: Letter to a Legislator/Representative Draft a 1- to 2-page letter to your legislator/representative advocating for change related to a HSO issue. Keep the following in mind as you draft your letter: Introduce yourself and explain your expertise in the area. Explain the issue and why it is important. Explain how the issue impacts individual patients. Recommend action to address the issue. Explain the potential benefits of addressing the issue for the legislator. Use evidence and cite literature in your letter. Be concise, professional, and polite. Note: Although it is recommended, you are not required to send your letter.