Members of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) often ask how the Association determines which states will proceed with certification legislation. IAHCSMM’s Advocacy Committee, along with the IAHCSMM Board of Directors, determines which states will introduce legislation. Before those bodies make a determination, I provide them with information and give my recommendations on the best course of action.
First, I need a strong team of members on the ground in the state and these individuals must be willing to work with me on the issue. This means members will have to send letters to their elected officials, make phone calls, testify before legislative committees, and meet with legislators. I work to ensure these individuals are well prepared for all these activities. It is important for this to come from members within the state because, as voting constituents, it demonstrates their support in the state. Also, members with current relationships with legislators who are in leadership positions within the legislature will significantly help us advance our bill.
Second, I assess whether the surgical technologists have been successful passing legislature in a particular state. If the surgical technologists have had a difficult time in a state, then it is not wise for us to spent valuable time and money to try to introduce a bill in that state at that time. Where surgical technologists have been successful and where they have failed can be a tremendous amount of help to us.
Third, I must feel confident that the politics of the particular state will be open to our issue. Aside from relying on my own instincts on how I believe our issue may play out, I will also look at how the state voted on similar issues. Combined, that provides me with a good idea of whether we should pursue legislation in a particular state at that time.
If we need to hire a lobbyist, I will also need to know that the state chapter has money to contribute to cost of a lobbyist. There is a chance some states will not have a lobbyist; this will depend upon whether we are successful in reaching out to legislators on our own and whether the legislators we reached out to feel like they can tackle the issue successfully. This will be determined on a state-by-state basis.
Ultimately, we pick states that we believe will be the most advantageous for us to get the bill passed and signed into law.
Member participation critical to IAHCSMM’s legislative & advocacy success
Since IAHCSMM launched its International Central Service Week campaign in 2011, we have tracked the number of members who sent letters to legislators and the media during that dedicated week. For the first five years, we saw a steady increase in the number of members participating in this campaign; however, for 2016 and 2017, we experienced a steady decline in member participation. In 2017, 274 members sent letters to their elected officials and 441 sent letters to the media. We are pleased to report that in 2018, 507 members sent letters to their elected officials and 621 sent letters to the media. IAHCSMM offered five free conference registrations for members who participated in both campaigns in 2018. We are grateful to all who participated.
Each CS Week (since 2011), I send two email messages to members with two different requests:
- Send letters to the media to educate the public on the Central Service/Sterile Processing (CS/SP) profession; and
- Send letters to elected officials (state and federal) to educate legislators about the CS/SP profession.
Here is a brief synopsis of what these emails entail:
- An email arrives in your inbox asking you to send a letter to the media or legislators.
- A letter has been drafted for you, so you do not have to write the letter.
- You may or may not have to type in your address (this is to identify the specific media outlets in your area and your specific legislators).
- You type in your name and click send to submit the letter.
I ask all CS/SP professionals to make a commitment to forward the emails they receive to their family, friends, co-workers, chapter members, etc. so our numbers surpass our records to date. IAHCSMM cannot make elected officials or the public aware of what CS/SP professionals do without your help.
Have a question about IAHCSMM’s advocacy and state certification initiatives? Email Josephine Colacci at [email protected].
