Why Hospital Employees Should Make Their Voices Heard in Elections

Hospital employees play a crucial role in the health and well-being of their communities. At Missouri’s hospitals and health care systems, staff not only provide care for their patients but also advocate for them.

However, beyond the walls of the hospital, another place exists where health care workers’ voices can make a huge difference: the voting booth.

From patients struggling with high prescription costs to hospitals feeling the pressure from reduced funding streams, employees in the health care industry witness daily the results of health-related decisions made by elected officials.

“Our interactions with government are profound,” said Jon D. Doolittle, MHA President and CEO. “These interactions come through the form of regulations and laws, things that determine how and when we take care of people.”

Federal and state elected officials have a hand in shaping health care policies that directly impact hospitals, health care staff and patients.

For instance, the governor is responsible for appointments to state health agencies that partner with hospitals. The governor also proposes and ultimately sets the state’s budget, including health care funding, while the Legislature can add, amend or remove items in the governor’s spending plan.

The attorney general can influence drug prices and support or challenge health care policies in court.

State lawmakers propose and debate dozens of health care bills during their annual session. Additionally, the Missouri Legislature and regulatory bodies can impact issues such as nurse-to-patient ratios, health and safety regulations, and labor rights.

On the federal level, the president and Congress can influence national health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Veterans Health Administration.

Elected officials also influence funding for workforce programs that affect current and future employees in the health care field, as well as set priorities for public health initiatives, such as addressing the opioid crisis and funding mental health services.

Employees at Missouri’s hospitals, who are deeply familiar with the real-world consequences of policy decisions, are in a unique position to advocate for public health measures that benefit the communities they serve.

By voting for candidates and issues that align with the values of Missouri’s hospitals, health care staff can ensure they have the resources they need to continue providing high-quality care to their patients and communities.

“We are working with hospital leaders throughout the state to help them plan to make sure their staff can get out and vote and to make sure their patients who are in hospitals on Election Day have the opportunity to cast a ballot,” Doolittle said.

Voting is one of the most powerful ways that hospital workers can shape the future of health care in Missouri.

Encourage your family, friends and neighbors to vote. Make sure they have a plan to request an absentee ballot or to get to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Learn more about the general election in Missouri.