Preparing Legislative Testimony: Teaching through Testimony Megan Sandel MD, MPH Department of Pediatrics Boston Medical Center May 2009

Objectives Learn about how to keep legislators’ attention Learn how to be memorable during the testimony Learn how to frame your facts Learn how to follow simple protocol

Schema for Successful Advocacy

Acknowledge the Stretch

Why Prepare Testimony? Doctors can be very effective Doctors are not the usual suspects The messenger matters as much as the message itself Often you are not testifying for your own self interest but for your patients’ interests

How do you keep their attention? Less is more Written vs. oral testimony Written can be more expansive, can include citations and web links Oral testimonies must be short! Two to three double-spaced pages, at most SPEAK SLOWLY

What is important? Important to “scaffold” facts The frame will help have aspects to hang facts Provide numbers, basic epidemiology Reframe the discussion multiple times, since repetition will help re-enforce your point Use a memorable phrase like, “A penny wise…a pound foolish…”

How will you be memorable? Tell stories!!! Use patient voice, and physician voice Take-home messages Use phrases like: –If you remember nothing…. –This is the take home message…

Protocol issues Put testimony on letterhead Thank chairman/chairwoman of the committee or group Know the bill number Put in “I oppose” or “I endorse” and include the bill number in the testimony Have fun!

Prescription for Preparing Legislative Testimony Less is more, speak slowly! Have a “frame” to reinforce facts, preferably include a memorable phrase Tell a patient story- its more about people than it is about facts Repeat your “frame” again!

Resources for Preparing Legislative Testimony council.org/resources/writing_testimony. htmlhttp:// council.org/resources/writing_testimony. html psyusa/legislative.cfmhttp:// psyusa/legislative.cfm giving.htmlhttp:// giving.html