A key role of Memorial Medical Center Volunteers is advocacy. Advocacy means to champion a cause, and for MMC Volunteers, the cause is something that affects everyone: healthcare.

Healthcare is in a state of great change and fluctuation. Hospitals face tremendous pressure to stay in business due to increasing numbers of patients, older and sicker patients, shrinking reimbursements, more charity care patients, nurse and physician shortages, mandatory staffing ratios, high cost medical technology, aging facilities, skyrocketing costs, and government regulations. More than ever before, the need for concerned citizens helping to champion the healthcare cause is necessary.

Advocacy takes many forms: contacting legislators asking them to vote pro-healthcare on specific bills and legislation, donating money to healthcare PACs, reporting on key healthcare legislation to hospital volunteers, staff, physicians and administrators, attending advocacy forums and getting involved in district and state healthcare advocacy organizations.

In Michigan, the state Auxiliary organization feels advocacy is so important, it changed its name from the Michigan Association of Hospital Auxiliaries to the Michigan Association of Healthcare Advocates. Take a few minutes to look at this informative website and information on key healthcare legislation.

For Memorial Medical Center Volunteers, there are many opportunities to serve as advocates:

• Join the Legislative Committee
• Write letters or send emails to legislators on identified healthcare legislation
• Contribute to the MHA HealthPAC

For more information or to volunteer, please contact us. Advocating for healthcare is advocating for every member of your family.