It’s all about character and credibility ... especially when it comes to advocacy. I was struck by this simple truth while sitting in for OOSS Washington counsel Mike Romansky during an advocacy meeting with association and industry representatives, OOSS leadership, and staff from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. My primary role was to listen and take notes.

Like the proverbial fly on the wall, I was able to observe the essence of our advocacy efforts in action. The issue — payment for intracameral drugs — was complex and nuanced and required careful balancing of surgical outcomes, costs, efficiency, and innovation. The points of view in the room were many, from ophthalmology in general to our specific focus on the surgical enterprise, and from reasoned policy development and compliance to the encouragement of industry innovation. All recognized that the stakes were significant, substantially so in the long run as we seek to bring further innovation and enhanced quality to our patients in ASCs. While the discussion continues, the process seems to be working.

This was a good example of the very complex advocacy issues we confront in representing the interests of the ophthalmic ASC community. In this case, an ophthalmic association and an industry coalition requested our involvement. In other scenarios, OOSS initiates the advocacy, particularly when it relates to payment for and regulation of surgery centers. Only occasionally do we go it alone, and even then, we check in and share information with our partners. With the leadership of Mike and our executive committee, we arrive at each advocacy position in consultation with the OOSS leadership, often involving the entire board and input from our membership.

What I observed that day, a healthy and truly effective advocacy endeavor, has played out many times during my work in education, business, and the nonprofit sector. Successful advocacy is about “keeping friends close and enemies closer.” It always involves degrees of collaboration, negotiation, and compromise. Moreover, serious parties must be:

• Credible. They are knowledgeable and experienced in representing the interests of those they serve.
• Transparent and consistent. Their point of view is clear and aligned with declared and operative values.
• Trustworthy and believable. They have proven themselves over time and embody those qualities that define character.

In less than 3 months, we meet in Washington, DC for our annual membership meeting and Perspective event. Inside the Capital Beltway, currently a cauldron of debate about the role of character in politics and governance, we will focus on our advocacy mission, featuring respected and credible voices to help us chart our future as a medical society. Mike will be there with his always essential and engaging Washington Update, and we will introduce the new OOSS Advocacy Center, designed to give OOSS members tools and guidance for involvement in local, state, and national issues. During our brief annual meeting, we’ll also introduce our new leadership team and our initiatives for 2018.

Thirty-six years ago, the OOSS articles of incorporation explicitly established the core mission of OOSS with this simple statement: “This corporation is formed for the purpose of advancing and promoting knowledge of outpatient ophthalmic surgery.”

To this day, OOSS remains the only organization dedicated exclusively to advocating on behalf of the practice of ophthalmic outpatient surgery. We are committed to do so with credibility, transparency, consistency, and character. In the words of William Fishkind, MD, chief medical editor of this magazine, “OOSS continues to perform consistently with that mission and should never be taken for granted.” ■