A C N P FORUM 343 The American College of Nurse Practitioners’ (ACNP’s) 13th Annual National Nurse Practitioner Summit once again proved to be a successful event, drawing more than 100 attendees to Washington, DC, to put “Policy In Action.” ACNP’s signature event, the 2006 Summit, February 17-20, 2006, was designed to feature presentations and information on current health care policy, legislation, and practice issues that are critical to advancing the nurse practitioner (NP) role. The Summit kicked off on February 17 with afternoon visits by ACNP members to the offices of their legislators. Friday evening started with a welcome reception and an opening address by Dr. William Rogers, senior medical officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Rogers discussed the recent changes to the Medicare program, and many of CMS’s new programs and initiatives from a unique “insid- er’s” perspective. Dr. Rogers also encouraged all NPs to call into the CMS Open Door meetings, “an amazing opportunity for providers to get answers to questions about Medicare issues that need to be addressed at the national level.” Sessions on Saturday began with a lively plena- ry session from Clem Bezold, PhD, “Imagining the Health Care of the Future.” Dr. Bezold, presi- dent of the Institute for Alternative Futures, high- lighted the fact that “demand for health care will grow, while funding constrains what is available” and stressed the importance of the role NPs play, including cost-efficiency, high patient satisfaction, and the prevention-oriented philosophy. Dr. Bezold suggested to attendees that NPs need to “clarify their vision for health and health care, both individually and as a community.” Saturday’s sessions featuring the ACNP Public Policy Team (PPT) and updates from the national, state, and group affiliate organizations were framed in the context of the four focus areas of ACNP’s public policy agenda: Medicare, other reimbursement issues, new legislative initiatives, and malpractice. Members of the PPT and the affiliate representatives provided valuable updates on what was happening in their areas and nationally. Sunday’s programs proved to be a departure from previous years, having attendees partici- pate in hands-on workgroups to help craft the specific action items and agenda to create the 2006 ACNP Public Policy Agenda. Through morning workgroups, a working luncheon, and an afternoon session, attendees provided invaluable insight to help create the final doc- ument that drives ACNP’s legislative activities throughout the year (see related item in this Forum). Sunday evening featured a keynote by Dr. Mary Wakefield, director and professor at the Center for Rural Health at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Wakefield’s presentation “So You Want to be an Advocate?” talked about strategies for advocacy, knowledge, resources, and actions that attendees could apply to their own interests. Dr. Wakefield provided helpful information about how to influence health policy directly, not only how to “get to the table” (gaining experience with- in the profession, building a network, making your case), but also what to do once you get to the table (do your homework, seek content experts, negotiate, and compromise). ACNP would like to thank the members of the Summit Planning Committee, particularly Summit Chair Kay Hood, for all their work making this year’s event so successful. Look for more information on the 14th Annual Summit to be held in 2007 in future issues of JNP and on the ACNP website. ACNP’S National NP Summit Puts Policy in Action

ACNP'S National NP Summit Puts Policy in Action

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The American College of Nurse Practitioners’(ACNP’s) 13th Annual National Nurse PractitionerSummit once again proved to be a successfulevent, drawing more than 100 attendees toWashington, DC, to put “Policy In Action.”ACNP’s signature event, the 2006 Summit,February 17-20, 2006, was designed to featurepresentations and information on current healthcare policy, legislation, and practice issues thatare critical to advancing the nurse practitioner(NP) role.

The Summit kicked off on February 17 withafternoon visits by ACNP members to the officesof their legislators. Friday evening started with awelcome reception and an opening address by Dr.William Rogers, senior medical officer of theCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS). Dr. Rogers discussed the recent changesto the Medicare program, and many of CMS’snew programs and initiatives from a unique “insid-er’s” perspective. Dr. Rogers also encouraged allNPs to call into the CMS Open Door meetings,“an amazing opportunity for providers to getanswers to questions about Medicare issues thatneed to be addressed at the national level.”

Sessions on Saturday began with a lively plena-ry session from Clem Bezold, PhD, “Imaginingthe Health Care of the Future.” Dr. Bezold, presi-dent of the Institute for Alternative Futures, high-lighted the fact that “demand for health care willgrow, while funding constrains what is available”and stressed the importance of the role NPs play,including cost-efficiency, high patient satisfaction,and the prevention-oriented philosophy. Dr.Bezold suggested to attendees that NPs need to“clarify their vision for health and health care, bothindividually and as a community.”

Saturday’s sessions featuring the ACNP PublicPolicy Team (PPT) and updates from the nation-al, state, and group affiliate organizations were

framed in the context of the four focus areas ofACNP’s public policy agenda: Medicare, otherreimbursement issues, new legislative initia-tives, and malpractice. Members of the PPT andthe affiliate representatives provided valuableupdates on what was happening in their areasand nationally.

Sunday’s programs proved to be a departurefrom previous years, having attendees partici-pate in hands-on workgroups to help craft thespecific action items and agenda to create the2006 ACNP Public Policy Agenda. Throughmorning workgroups, a working luncheon,and an afternoon session, attendees providedinvaluable insight to help create the final doc-ument that drives ACNP’s legislative activitiesthroughout the year (see related item in thisForum).

Sunday evening featured a keynote by Dr.Mary Wakefield, director and professor at theCenter for Rural Health at the University ofSouth Dakota. Dr. Wakefield’s presentation“So You Want to be an Advocate?” talkedabout strategies for advocacy, knowledge,resources, and actions that attendees couldapply to their own interests. Dr. Wakefieldprovided helpful information about how toinfluence health policy directly, not only howto “get to the table” (gaining experience with-in the profession, building a network, makingyour case), but also what to do once you getto the table (do your homework, seek contentexperts, negotiate, and compromise).

ACNP would like to thank the members of theSummit Planning Committee, particularlySummit Chair Kay Hood, for all their work mak-ing this year’s event so successful. Look formore information on the 14th Annual Summit tobe held in 2007 in future issues of JNP and onthe ACNP website.

ACNP’S National NP SummitPuts Policy in Action

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