Need to shape public policy challenges health professionals.

Health care professionals can and should participate in the government's decision-making process process regarding health policy development. They can do so in a variety of ways ranging from writing to legislators, to supporting their professional associations' lobbying activities, to working within government through fellowship and personnel exchange programs between government and the private sector. This article describes some techniques that health care professionals can apply and some attitudes that they can develop in order to interact effectively with government and public officials.