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Dr. Thomas Huth and Dr. David Donaldson are two physicians in Indiana who recently engaged with their state medical associations to stand up and protect the vulnerable through advocacy. Learn how you can get involved locally to advocate for your patients in Indiana. You will hear how this involves the following steps:

1. Become a member of your state medical association. In the State of Indiana, this is the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA). The ISMA Annual Convention considers resolutions each fall. New resolutions must be submitted 90 days before the convention and are edited by ISMA staff to clarify points being considered. Resolutions encourage your state medical association to take a position on health policy or a piece of legislation. As a result, the resolution may call on your state organization to work to introduce new legislation on an issue.
   
2. Engage online with ISMA regarding surveys for resolutions being considered. After the online survey for a resolution is critiqued by the membership of the state medical association, the issue is assigned to a reference committee at the national convention. The reference committee will take additional information into account including the online feedback from membership and in-person testimony.
   
3. Reference committees present these resolutions at the ISMA House of Delegates (HOD). The House of Delegates includes elected ISMA county representatives, past presidents of ISMA, and the ISMA Board of Trustees (BOT). The resolution is introduced formally where additional discussion and testimony occurs from the Reference Committee.
   
4. Finally, the House of Delegates votes on formal recommendations on what action to take (to adopt a resolution, not adopt, amend, or study further). Issues that do not pertain to the state level are moved on to the ISMA delegates to the AMA which addresses national issues. At the state level, positions adopted by the HOD guide their work with government agencies and other legislators. New positions are added to the ISMA Public Policy Manual.
   
5. Recently, Hippocratic ideals regarding positions of public health policy have been embraced by members of all faith backgrounds. As a result of this collaboration, there has been more engagement on issues that impact healthcare. Listen to the podcast to find out more!
   
   *Opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are not necessarily endorsed by CMDA. CMDA is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse any political party or candidates for public office.

Listen to their CMDA Matters Podcast: https://cmda.org/podcast/cmda-matters-standing-up-for-the-vulnerable-in-indiana/