Advocacy built on long-term relationships can help HTM professionals stay influential as agency leaders and lawmakers change.
By Tim McGeath, advocacy counsel, TRIMEDX
As new administrations take office, legislative bodies continually change, and leaders at key regulatory agencies transition, it’s essential for organizations to maintain strong relationships to navigate the evolving legislative and regulatory landscape.
In times of transition, healthcare technology management (HTM) advocates play a vital role in ensuring open dialogue between the private sector and government continues. By leveraging established relationships and fostering new connections, advocates can effectively navigate evolving priorities to ensure alignment with both regulatory and industry goals.
Organizations should explore actionable strategies to strengthen healthcare advocacy efforts and maintain influence during times of regulatory and legislative uncertainty.
The Value of Consistent, Long-Term Engagement
Successful advocates do not simply react to proposed policies that could threaten the industry. Instead, they effectively play the long game: working to build credibility and trust over time while pushing for positive change.
Leadership and staff changes at agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Health and Human Services, can significantly reshape regulatory priorities for the HTM industry and other healthcare groups. At the same time, newly seated lawmakers and shifts in the balance of power often lead to new legislative agendas. Advocates who have positioned themselves as trusted sources of information and perspective will provide valuable insight to help shape emerging policies.
This begins with long-term relationship building. Organizations should meet with lawmakers and key staffers, agency leadership and regulators, and other influential voices even when there is no immediate issue at hand. Consider joining briefings, listening sessions, and meetings without a specific agenda. Get to know the people at the heart of an agency or office, no matter who is in a leadership position. This approach lays the groundwork for future influence. If an entity has proven its expertise and dependability, decision-makers will rely on it for meaningful input when relevant debates arise.
Establishing credibility in industry discussions creates lasting impact, regardless of who is in power.
Purpose-Driven Advocacy in HTM Matters
Strengthening relationships with policymakers requires an authentic and individual approach. Effective advocacy is not one-size-fits-all. Companies should begin by identifying the core issues that matter most to their operations and the industry at large. Clearly defining central issues and priorities will guide advocacy efforts going forward. Identifying the key players involved in specific focus areas is much easier than attempting to make general contacts throughout an agency or office, especially during times of transition.
TRIMEDX began its advocacy efforts in earnest in 2016, when the FDA questioned whether it made a difference if an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or third-party service provider repaired medical devices. Because TRIMEDX deeply understood the central issue and how it could impact third-party service providers and health systems nationwide, it became extremely involved in the discussions, meeting with stakeholders in Washington, DC, to share its perspective.
The experience underscored the importance of being prepared to engage when regulatory questions arise and laid the groundwork for ongoing relationships with legislators and federal agencies. Since then, Right to Repair (broadly defined as the ability of a medical device purchaser to determine how to maintain and service its medical equipment without unreasonable restrictions from OEMs) has become a cornerstone of TRIMEDX’s advocacy efforts. Over the past decade, the company’s leadership has worked to help regulators and lawmakers understand the real-life impact of these policies and has become a go-to resource for many state and federal decision-makers.
Recognizing the issues that matter most—and where your team can offer unique perspective—gives healthcare advocacy efforts clear focus and urgency.
The Power of Partnerships and Coalitions
During times of change, trade groups, alliances, and partnerships, as well as working closely with key customers, can help organizations speak with greater authority. If there are new, unfamiliar people in positions of power, a coalition of stakeholders within a sector—even though they are competitors—may open more doors and carry more weight than a single company.
When engaging with competitors, it’s essential for participants to thoughtfully establish areas of common interest, but alliances or coalitions help frame important issues as industry-wide concerns, not just individual interests. This helps amplify important messages and encourages policymakers to take the group’s concerns seriously.
As an entity starts to build its advocacy efforts, it should involve both direct engagement and smart partnerships. Advocates should stay engaged and invest in relationships at state and federal levels, while using trusted advisors or firms to open doors and stay informed. External firms can often help make introductions and maintain continuity during times of transition.
Regulatory and policy landscapes will always evolve, but maintaining influence depends on proactive preparation. Organizations looking to increase their involvement in shaping future policies should assess their current government relationships and take practical steps to build or strengthen them now. While leadership changes may present uncertainty and challenges, they also offer opportunities for industry leaders to drive policy discussions.
About the author: Tim McGeath is the retired General Counsel for TRIMEDX. He has served on the TRIMEDX Foundation board since 2006 and as board chair since 2014. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Hanover College, a master’s degree from Georgetown University, and a law degree from Indiana University.
