Host a Legislator at Your Practice
Grassroots relationships between TPA members and elected officials are vital to ensuring successful advocacy efforts. Establishing this relationship can seem intimidating, but TPA’s advocacy team can aid in making this process much easier. Below are resources to help you begin this process. Please reach out to TPA’s CEO who can work with you personally to maximize your efforts.
Schedule a Visit
Hosting a legislator for a visit at your pharmacy is one of the most effective methods for establishing a relationship. A tour provides the opportunity to show how laws directly affect your pharmacy practice. Hosting a tour is also an excellent way to establish yourself as a resource in your legislator’s district.
Prior to scheduling a tour, contact TPA’s CEO at 615-256-3023 or anthony@tnpharm.org to assist you in the planning process.
Contact your legislator’s office to ask if they would be interested in a pharmacy visit and to find a date/time that works set up a visit. If you don’t know who your legislator is, visit this website.
Once the tour is scheduled, TPA staff can help you prepare for the meeting with talking points, issue briefs, and informational packets to use during the visit.
During the Pharmacy Visit
Don’t try to stage the tour. Walking through the everyday workings of a pharmacy is very informative and will give your legislator insight into what pharmacy does for their community.
Set aside some time after the tour for a sit-down discussion about issues facing pharmacy. TPA can assist you in this by providing issue briefs and any necessary background information.
Answer questions the legislator may have. If you don’t know the answer, say you’ll get back to them. This will help establish you as a resource on pharmacy issues in the district.
Follow Up
After the visit, send a “thank you” note and follow-up on any questions that arose during your time with your legislator. Offer to serve as a resource on any pharmacy issues in the future.