Political strategy 101: how to make health policy and influence political people

Many health policy decisions that affect how health care professionals care for their patients are made by the federal government or state and local governments. For most health care professionals, the policy-making process is a mystery. Health policy decisions made by elected and appointed officials in various branches of government are influenced by political factors often unfamiliar to the decision-making process of health care professionals. With some guidance on how to think critically about politics, health care professionals can influence the development, passage, and implementation of government-sponsored health policies that affect their patients. Based on insights gleaned from experience, accounts of the policy-making process, and political science literature, this article describes a process of gathering and analyzing political information that can aid physicians in developing a strategy that will help them influence the political agenda and their patients' care.