ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT


Capitol Connections How to develop a professional relationship with your


member of Congress BY BLAKE MCDONALD


Joe Ollayos, CASC, is the administrator of the Tri-Cities Surgery Center, LLC, in Geneva, Illinois, president of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association of Illinois and a member of the ASCAPAC board. Here, he shares his story about how he formed his relationship with US Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-R) and the ways that he and Hultgren work together to support their mutual goals and ASCs.


“I sought Representative Hultgren out after a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon, shortly after he was elected and invited him to tour my center. Some of the themes in his presentation were reducing the cost of health care, expanding consumer choice and support of small business, so the ASC space ‘resonated’ right away. He is also a supporter of the local hospital— our joint venture partner—which was a positive context.” When Hultgren toured the Tri-


Cities Surgery Center—his first of two visits—Ollayos and his team made the most of it.


“During the tour, we discussed


exactly how the pro-ASC legislation would have the effect of reducing the cost of health care, expanding consumer choice and supporting small businesses. He is very interested in programs that promote these ideals; you can see evidence of that on his web site and in his correspondence. “I also have a relationship with


his chief of staff, Katherine McGuire, whom I met at a County Medical Society ‘meet and greet.’ I invited her to tour the facility along with the congressman. I have copied her on all correspondence with the congressman so that she knows what is being said.” Ollayos maintained contact with


Hultgren through emails sent from the ASCA Take Action web page. In addition, he and other ASCA members from Illinois met with


Make the effort to contact them; then state your ASC’s ‘story’ (personal anecdotes about how your center serves patients and the community) and ‘value proposition’ (how your center positively affects the health care marketplace in your area) using ASCA material.”


— Joe Ollayos, CASC Tri-Cities Surgery Center, LLC


have on the health care system. During an office visit we made as part of the June 2014 fly-in, I got to know Ammon Simon, Hultgren’s health policy analyst. We also spent a few minutes together at the congressman’s recent Health Care Leadership Forum going over the ASC Quality & Access Act of 2013. My sense is that a recommendation from staff, e.g., Ammon, carries weight in the congressman’s decisions, so establishing relationships with staff is equally key.” In addition to ASCA’s advocacy


events, Ollayos has sought out other ways to interact with the congressman to strengthen their relationship. “I attended a health care leadership


forum he sponsored at a local community college during a congressional recess. He mentioned the possibility of forming a volunteer advisory panel, and I expressed my willingness to serve on this. As president of his state society,


Ollayos encourages his colleagues to get involved by consistently communicating with their members of Congress. “Make the effort to contact them; then state your ASC’s ‘story’ (personal anecdotes about how your center serves patients and the community) and ‘value proposition’ (how your center positively affects the health care marketplace in your area) using ASCA material.” Ollayos continues to actively


Hultgren’s Washington, DC, office staff the past three years as part of the ASCA Capitol Fly-In. “During the fly-ins we covered the same issues as the facility tours and promoted the


advantages ASCs can


engage in advocacy discussions with Hultgren and his staff about the health care advantages that his center and the ASC model provide to the congressman’s constituents and the US health care system as a whole.


To find out more about how you can build a professional relationship with your member of Congress, write Jack Coleman at jcoleman@ascassociation.org.


ASC FOCUS FEBRUARY 2015 23


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