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The
Primary
Care
Coalition
was
formed
several
years
ago
to
strengthen
the
voice
of
primary
care
in
Texas
and
to
address
several
converging
trends
threatening
patients’
access
to
high-quality
primary
health
care.
The
Honorable
Bruce
Gibson,
Chief
of
Staff
to
Lt.
Gov.
David
Dewhurst,
kicked
off
the
meeting.
Gibson,
a
former
member
of
the
Texas
House
of
Representatives,
discussed
the
importance
of
legislative
and
political
advocacy,
and
the
need
for
physicians
to
be
involved
in
the
development
of
state
health
care
policy.
According
to
Gibson,
the
Primary
Care
Coalition
has
tremendous
potential
for
legislative
influence
because
its
members
are
spread
throughout
the
state’s
political
districts
and
they
are
active
in
their
communities.
He
said
the
most
important
tools
the
coalition
has
in
wielding
that
influence
are
the
relationships
members
build
with
their
legislators
and
the
development
of
a
clear,
unified
message.
“The
more
you
can
refine
your
message,
the
greater
your
influence
becomes,”
Gibson
said.
The
following
day,
physician
leaders
identified
core
issues
for
the
primary
care
coalition.
One
theme
helped
drive
the
discussion:
“Be
visionary
—
where
will
the
health
care
system
be
in
10
years
if
the
Primary
Care
Coalition
does
not
intervene?”
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