Overview:

With an upcoming election, social unrest and a global pandemic - there’s a lot to get fired up about.  But what’s our role as residents? PGY2 Kate Joyce talks with Dr. Marina Del Rios, Dr. Dara Kass and Dr. Alister Martin about a program that registers patients to vote in the ED, social emergency medicine, policy and advocacy.  We’ll round things out by talking about how to get involved - without putting your career in jeopardy.

Key Points:

Social Emergency Medicine recognizes the importance of addressing the social determinants of health in the Emergency Department through direct practice, community engagement, advocacy and research.

Many of our patients have not been introduced to the political process.  For others, it may not be safe for them to go to the polls.  VotER is a nonpartisan project that allows patients to register to vote or request absentee ballots while they wait, without adding to the work burden of providers.    

Drs Del Rios, Kass and Martin lay out a few examples and suggest ways to get involved in advocacy responsibly as residents.

Without addressing issues like housing, hunger, addiction, poverty and health disparities, we will continue to play “whack a mole” in the ED with problems that we cannot treat medically.  Getting involved in upstream approaches gives providers an avenue to get at these issues.

10 tips for getting fired up without getting fired

• VOTE on November 3 and in EVERY election.

2) Hold elected officials accountable and SHOW UP to local and community events.

3) Find arenas where your position as a resident can add value to the discussion.

4) INVEST in your time as a resident - that’s why we’re here!

5) Be aware that your decisions on HOW you practice advocacy can seriously impact your career.

6) Avoid sharing ANY kind of identifying information about patients.

7) Know your institution’s rules about in-person advocacy, publications, social media, lobbying and especially talking to the press.

8) Don’t feed the trolls! Keep it classy and do your research so you know your stuff.

9) Have conversations with people outside of your silo.

10) Remember that getting involved at a LOCAL level can have the biggest impact.

Resources and References: 

• Register to vote, check your registration status, and find what’s on your ballot https://www.vote411.org/
• American College of Emergency Physicians Section on Emergency Medicine https://www.acep.org/how-we-serve/sections/social-emergency-medicine/
• The Andrew Levitt Center for Social Emergency Medicine https://www.levittcenter.org/
• Download or order your free VotER kit to start providing voter registration information in your hospital https://vot-er.org/
• National Conference of State Legislatures: Find information about same-day voter registration, early voting, or requesting absentee ballots. https://www.ncsl.org/
• Information on fellowships in social EM and population health from the EMRA Fellowship Guide https://www.emra.org/books/fellowship-guide-book/20-population-health-and-social-emergency-medicine/