Frontline workers are the backbone
Frontline workers are the backbone
As a healthcare professional, you are among a group of frontline workers. Frontline workers are the backbone of effective health systems. In fact, according to Frontline Health Workers Coalition (2018), “frontline workers play a critical role in providing local context for proven health solutions, and they connect with families and communities to the health system.” Successful policy advocacy and creation is often encouraged by frontline healthcare workers since they are the individuals who interact with the consumers (patients) the most. Your knowledge and perspective are vital to policy and lawmakers as a voice for healthcare consumers and for providing validation/opposition to laws and policy.
Recently the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced the “Conscience and Religious Freedom Division” of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The office’s stated goal is to “protect institutions and people who refuse to provide medical assistance based on religious objections.” As noted by HHS (2018), the office is intended to protect religious beliefs. As with most policies, there are opponents and proponents. In general, supporters advocate that the office will protect against religious discrimination while opponents believe the bill will allow for open discrimination against women and LGBTQ individuals.
