PNHP Chapter Organizing “The Minnesota Experience” PNHP Annual Meeting 2011 Ann Settgast, MD & Elizabeth Frost, MD Co-chairs PNHP-MN

Getting started Co-chair concept: highly recommended! Snail mail invite to a first meeting using national PNHP list Website => Dave Howell Consider a chapter resolution as an organizing tool

Recruiting members –Loose definition of member: signer = member –Word of mouth: ask each member to sign on 5 more –Advertisements in local MN physician publications +/- business reply card –Talks to MD groups (residency noon conferences & Grand Rounds) –Tabling – ing & snail mailings to physician groups

Volunteer Speakers Group Speakers Trainings Recruit a core group so no invitation is turned down Go in pairs Use resolution and sign-in sheets at all physician events Log your events

Medical Students Critically important Lunch lectures Curriculum Student groups (ISTOP, AMSA) Interest fair Day on the Hill

Acquire physician lists Brainstorm or snail mail lists you might acquire: Specialty groups Politically active groups Campaign donor lists Workplace lists

Sample invitation Dear XXXX, I am writing to introduce you to the Minnesota chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. As you may know, PNHP is a non-profit research and education organization of over 18,000 members nationally who support single-payer health care. Our Minnesota chapter was founded in 2007 and is vibrant and growing. Federal efforts toward meaningful healthcare reform are stalled. Fortunately, Minnesota has a viable state single-payer movement. Although the state legislative climate is currently unfavorable, the Minnesota Health Act authored by Senator John Marty is a state single- payer bill which holds great promise over the next several years. It has significant legislative and public support. This, in the context of a pro-single payer administration, bodes well for Minnesota's position as a state where single-payer can actually happen. Our Minnesota chapter has over 600 physician and provider signatures on its resolution supporting HR676 (the federal equivalent of our Minnesota bill) and the Minnesota Health Act. A list of your colleagues who have already signed the resolution is available at These signatures are influential in showing legislators and the public the support among Minnesota physicians for a single payer solution to the nation's ever-growing health care crisis. Please consider signing on. This can be done in 2 quick steps: 1. Go to the Minnesota PHNP website 2. Select the link "Read and sign our resolution now" You need not join PNHP or make a contribution to be a signer. Your contact info, if you choose to provide it, will not be shared, but will enable you to receive our chapter updates (average 1-2 s per month). The PNHP website has a link to the text of Minnesota's bill as well as other single payer resources. If you are not interested in signing the resolution at this time, but would like more information, please reply and let us know you would like to be added to our chapter list. Thank you for your help in making high-quality healthcare affordable and available to ALL patients. Sincerely, XXXX

Data Collection & List Keep membership database in Google Documents or Excel Consider asking national office to send your chapter s (we limit to 1-2 per month) rather than gmail like we do!

Chapter Structure Steering committee –~ 10 members (1 treasurer, 1 secretary) –Two year commitment –Attend chapter & SC meetings regularly –Be available by for quick decision-making –Rotating student slot Chapter meetings ~ 4 per year

Event Planning Bring in an outside expert; this always generates interest Examples: Dr. William Hsiao, T.R. Reid, Dr. David Himmelstein Use PNHP-national connections Don’t be shy about letting folks know you are a physician

PNHP interns Highly recommended Medical student provides perfect link 50% of time devoted to education Other jobs: –Acquiring speaking invitations –Survey members –Surveys/Studies

Establish yourselves as experts Seize opportunities to respond to questions & inaccurate statements using evidence Develop a relationship with media Follow-up all meetings with thank-you notes – insert evidence in these*

Fundraising One end-of-the-year letter Yearly ‘Summer Celebration’ with another single payer group Dues from the National Office Our budget: about $6,000 per year

Miscellaneous Tools Business Cards Paid high school student to manage database (organize by district) Paid consultant (to organize our day-on- the-hill)

Things we could do better Delegate more to steering committee Have a dedicated media contact member NOT use g-mail for chapter s Do not try to do too much – keep it simple