A hospital-backed nonprofit is seeking physicians and other medical professionals to be "ambassadors" for its political agenda, a move that critics say "weaponizes" medical professionals, The Colorado Sun reports.
The Partnership for Accountability and Transparency in Healthcare, known as PATH, is holding "ambassador training" sessions for medical professionals, which are voluntary informational sessions on advocating against a forthcoming public option plan. There is not currently public option legislation in Colorado, but the governor and state Democrats have indicated it is a legislative priority, according to the report.
The group wants healthcare professionals to help block legislation by speaking with their legislators and speaking out at public forums and in news media. "Polling shows that healthcare professionals, i.e. the people who actually treat patients, are viewed more favorably than other players in the healthcare debate," a slide from the PowerPoint deck for the training session says, according to The Colorado Sun.
Opponents say the strategy is a "new low," and even though physicians are free to participate in the legislative process, the group is taking advantage of patients' trust in providers, according to the report.
Health systems that are members of PATH include Denver-based HealthONE and Centennial, Colo.-based Centura Health, according to the report.
Another dark money group, Colorado's Health Care Future, is also launching ad campaigns in Colorado to fight public option legislation.
More articles on leadership and management:
Why CEOs should solve problems outside their organization
WSJ: Executive assistants are a dying breed
What healthcare boards can take from baseball's sign-stealing scandal