What about policy determinants of health?

According to a recent Medscape poll, U.S. physicians rank healthcare access, substance abuse and?racial disparities as the leading social issues facing the country, followed closely by gun control and climate change.

A strong majority, 85%, cited healthcare access as their most important concern, followed by substance/opioid abuse (66%), racial disparities (54%), gun control (53%) and climate change (51%),?according to a new Medscape?survey.

Nearly all the doctors surveyed say they support gun background checks, and a majority are in favor of abortion access with some restrictions by trimester.

Many sickcare stakeholders are paying attention to the social determinants of health.

Much ado has been made about?Generation Z?entering the workforce, from their sheer size to their workplace preferences and social media habits. The generation is also expected to disrupt the healthcare space –– with new demands from providers.?

According to a recent study published in?Journal of Adolescent Health,?Gen Z wants healthcare providers to address social determinants of health by asking them about housing, food security, personal safety, access to education and more. Plus, providers should follow up with referrals and information for these essential resources

But, what about the policy determinants of health that address the aforementioned concerns cited in the survey? Should these be concerns for medical education and training faculty and administrators?

1. What subjects, if any, should be included in formal education and training programs?
2. How do we address the political divisions that create a toxic discussion environment for many of these subjects?
3. What leadership and advocacy roles should doctors play?
4. Should policy leadership be a part of medical education or relegated to schools of public health or public affairs?
5. Should clinicians encourage their patients to be advocates for policy change?

During a recent webinar, David Zuckerman, president and founder of the Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN), gave several examples of ways that health systems are using their roles as large employers to make community investments and partner with other community groups to advocate for changes in policy on housing, transportation and food insecurity.

The recent Supreme Court decisions are examples.

Here is how to get involved in policy work as a medical student

Here is where to apply to do a Fulbright Fellowship as a medical student to work on an international public health policy issue.

Organizational leaders and scholars have issued calls for the medical profession to refocus its efforts on fulfilling the core tenets of professionalism. A key element of professionalism is participation in community affairs. Physicians have lower adjusted voting rates than lawyers and the general population, suggesting reduced civic participation.

An emergency room doctor in?Boston?is assembling thousands of voter registration kits for distribution at hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Later this month, students at Harvard and Yale medical schools are planning a contest to see which of the Ivy League rivals can register the most voters.

And a medical student in?Rhode Island?has launched an effort to get emergency ballots into the hands of patients who find themselves unexpectedly in the hospital around election day.

Amid the dual public health crises of Covid-19 and racism, some in the medical community are prescribing a somewhat nontraditional remedy: voting.

Changing sickcare to healthcare will happen in legislative hearing rooms, not in the doctor's examining rooms.

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs