Voting matters. Ever since medical school, I have become more and more certain that the most effective, most overlooked, and most cost-conscious way to improve the health of populations is through changing the socioeconomic milieu. I believe this matters more than costly subspecialist care (including the medicine I practice) and even more than primary care (for which I have immense respect). We can make the biggest impact on long-term health through bigger-picture interventions: addressing the economy, jobs, poverty, housing, food-insecurity; education and literacy; crime, violence, discrimination, racism, incarceration; access to health care and mental health services; even thinking of the environment. Although many of the diseases we struggle with today result directly from obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and other common conditions, I was encouraged in medical school to think even bigger than that: they result from the way our communities are structured, the unequal distribution of wealth in this country, and the ways our government does and does not support us.

Over time, I have become convinced that voting is not only essential to giving us a voice in matters directly related to health care, but also to shaping a wide range of issues that indirectly affect the health of our communities. There are few issues that will not impact your health or the health of your children or grandchildren. 

Which is to say that I am echoing the many messages that have been circulating recently: vote. Take charge of your health. When I rotated through family medicine as a student, I wrote "prescriptions" for a healthy diet or exercise regimen. These days, with my practice, I don't write many prescriptions anymore. But today's Rx is Vote. Make your voice heard.