Preparing and presenting testimony. Guidelines for the health care practitioner

Whether presenting to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Health Care Reform Task Force, or as citizens presenting to a Board of Selectmen on issues affecting the Council on Aging, health providers possess a unique and valuable perspective that few policymakers or politicians have. The health practitioner's role as a direct provider of health services, advocate, educator, role model, policymaker, clinician, researcher, consultant, collaborator, administrator, and counselor [1] can be combined to influence policy and policymakers through formal testimony preparation and presentation. Presenting testimony for public hearings is an effort to influence public policy. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines which will encourage increased legislative involvement on the part of health providers. Those willing to be involved in local, regional, state, or national government activities by providing testimony may effect needed change.