Published On: March 16, 2016206 words1.2 min readCategories: ArticleTags:

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As more than 400 advocates from across the country convene in Washington, D.C., today and tomorrow for the 8th annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, at least one advocate did some prep work with his representatives’ district offices before coming to D.C.

…a great way to make a local connection and give the legislators some concrete constituent context…

Paul Kitchens, H-E-B’s pharmacy director, wanted to make sure the staff of the district offices of members of Congress, who run the offices in the legislators’ home states, knew about his concerns before he meets with the lawmakers on Capitol Hill during NACDS’ signature advocacy event. Kitchens also coordinates meetings between his pharmacy managers and their congressman and creates a matrix of congressman, pharmacy managers, the stores they work in and what city in the lawmakers’ district the store is in. He leaves behind the matrix and a summary for the district staff of what he plans to discuss with the members of Congress when he is in D.C.

Making contact with the district office is a great way to make a local connection and give the legislators some concrete constituent context before coming to D.C. That’s covering all the advocacy bases.