Archive for the ‘AAFP News’ Category

A Message from the AAFP: Complete the 2020 Member Satisfaction Survey by April 30th

Deadline Extended!

Recently we asked you to share feedback by taking the AAFP Membership Survey. That was before the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Right now, your free time is invaluable as you work hard to keep your communities healthy. We still would like to know how we can best serve your needs, so we’ve extended the survey deadline to April 30.

If you can find 10 free minutes in the next few weeks, please share your thoughts about this past year of your membership. As always, your response is confidential.

Take the survey – AAFP Member Satisfaction Survey

We will continue to fight for you every day on Capitol Hill. We will continue to vet and provide the latest information and best practices so you can make informed decisions and educate your patients.

Thank you for your time. And thank you for all you do every day.

AAFP Foundation Offers Scholarships to National Conference

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students (National Conference) will take place Thursday-Saturday, July 30–August 1, in Kansas City, MO. Past attendees consistently rate this event as an invaluable opportunity because of the practical sessions, networking, and chance to learn more about family medicine.

The AAFP Foundation is offering 250 Family Medicine Leads Scholarships (FML Scholarships) to assist students and residents in attending National Conference. This financial assistance, valued at $600 per scholarship, helps offset expenses such as registration, travel, lodging, and meals. The application deadline is Wednesday, April 29.

Information regarding scholarship eligibility and application requirements can be found on the AAFP website. If you have specific questions about National Conference or the FML Scholarships, please contact Rachel Larsen or call 800.274.2237, ext. 6369.

Message from AAFP President: Coronavirus Resources to Prepare Your Practice and Educate Patients

AAFP members,

With the recent outbreak and significant news coverage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), your patients are likely turning to you with questions and concerns regarding their own health. The AAFP has gathered the latest information you need to ensure that your practice is prepared for COVID-19 and that your patients get evidence-based information from their trusted doctor.

The AAFP’s coronavirus page is your go-to resource that will be updated regularly with new information from the CDC and other credible sources that’s relevant for family physicians. This includes what’s currently known about:

  • Prevention
  • Infection control
  • Screening
  • Treatment
  • Pandemic preparation

Bookmark this resource and check back frequently to stay informed about this rapidly evolving public health situation.

In addition to patient concerns around coronavirus, I know many of us are still experiencing an active flu season. Thus, it is important we continue to remind our patients who haven’t gotten a flu shot that is it not too late to be vaccinated.

We will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation and will send you additional emails as appropriate.

Sincerely,

Gary LeRoy, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians

 

CTA: Visit the AAFP’s COVID-19 webpage

Attention: Student & Residents| Scholarships for AAFP National Conference

Family Medicine Leads Scholarships for National Conference

The 2020 AAFP National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students will take place July 30–August 1 in Kansas City, MO. Past attendees consistently rate this event as an invaluable opportunity because of the practical sessions, networking, and chance to learn more about family medicine.

The AAFP Foundation offers two awards to help students and residents attend National Conference and improve their leadership skills.

  1. FML Emerging Leader Institute(www.aafpfoundation.org) is a year-long leadership development program that starts immediately after National Conference. This highly competitive program accepts 30 scholars who each receive a $1,000 award to help with travel and lodging expenses. The application deadline is March 1.
  2. FML Scholarships provide 220 awards valued at $600 each. This financial assistance helps offset expenses of attending National Conference such as registration, travel, lodging, and meals. The application deadline is April 29.

Attendees are encouraged to apply for both opportunities; however, an FML Scholarship application will be considered only if an applicant is not selected for the FML Emerging Leader Institute.

If you have specific questions about National Conference or FML Scholarships, contact Rachel Larsen by email or at (800) 274-2237 ext. 6369.

If you have questions about the FML Emerging Leader Institute, contact Annette Routon by email or at (800) 274-2237 ext. 6223.”

PerformanceNavigator® Your Guide to Family Medicine Certification

Satisfy your Family Medicine Certification’s Performance Improvement and Self-Assessment activities—all in one program. Earn up to 107.75 AAFP Prescribed credits. Improve care among your patient panel with cardiometabolic conditions: diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

Register now for the AAFP’s PerformanceNavigator Workshop, March 19-21, Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, Atlanta, GA.

PerformanceNavigator blends live, expert-led instruction with group-learning activities and easy-to-use online tools relating to diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Meet all of your ABFM Performance Improvement Activities, Self-Assessment activities, and CME requirements for a three-year stage.

At this workshop, you will:

  • Improve your practice to better cardiometabolic outcomes among your at-risk patient panel.
  • Benefit from talking through solutions and challenges with fellow family physicians.
  • Participate in peer-to-peer learning, practice reflection, and address practice barriers.
  • Create an action plan to guide practice performance interventions.

Who can participate in the PerformanceNavigator Workshop?
The PerformanceNavigator Workshop: Cardiometabolic Conditions is designed for physicians who have a continuous patient panel. Physicians who work in environments where they do not see at least 20 patients regularly will not fully benefit from the course as they are unable to receive the 60 credits for the Family Medicine Certification Performance Improvement modules.

AAFP members: $1,795/Nonmembers: $1,995

Save $200 when you register by February 19.

Earn up to 107.75 AAFP Prescribed credits. Register now or call (800) 274-2237.

Member Feedback Needed: AAFP Chapter Health Equity Survey

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians need your help to improve health equity in your state.

By completing this short survey, (less than 5 minutes) you will help us better understand how to address health inequity in your communities. Our goal is to identify passionate family physicians and other “health equity champions” with whom we can develop an effective health equity plan. This short survey will ask you about you and your work, as well as your interests and expertise related to health equity.

We appreciate your time and look forward to reviewing your response.

For more information contact Kevin Kovach at KKovach@aafp.org or Lauren Vorbeck at  vorbeck@aafp.org.

Congratulations to AAFP’s Newest Fellows

The GAFP conferred the degree of Fellows of the American Academy of Family Physicians to ten GAFP members during the 2019 Congress of Delegates, held in conjunction with the Annual Scientific Assembly in November.

Established in 1971, the Degree of Fellow is a special honor bestowed upon AAFP members who have distinguished themselves among their colleagues by their service to family medicine and their commitment to their professional development through medical education and research.

It is important to recognize that these ten physicians, and thousands who have come before them, have given a great deal to their communities and are dedicated to promoting excellence in health care and to the betterment of the health of the American people.  Fellows of the AAFP are champions of family medicine who help make family medicine the premier specialty in service to our communities and profession.

The GAFP proudly congratulates the following GAFP members who have joined the more than 29,000 AAFP members who have achieved this honor.

Cedrice Davis, MD, FAAFP ~ Marietta

Christina Douglass, MD, FAAFP ~ Armuchee

Jude Emokpare, MD, FAAFP ~ Columbus

Jill Moore, MD, FAAFP ~ Columbus

Nithya Natrajan, MD, FAAFP ~ Augusta

Pamela Obi, MD, FAAFP ~ Rome

Jeffrey Michael Reznik, MD, FAAFP ~ Dunwoody

James Short, MD, FAAFP ~ Atlanta

Daniel Singleton, MD, FAAFP ~ Buena Vista

Susan Thomas, MD, FAAFP ~ Snellville

The EveryONE Project™: Using the Neighborhood Navigator

The EveryONE Project™: Using the Neighborhood Navigator

By Kevin Kovach, DrPH, MSc

The Neighborhood Navigator is one of the successful tools provided through The EveryONE Project™ to help family physicians address social determinants of health (SDOHs) at the point of care.  Neighborhood Navigator is equipped to accommodate more than 100 languages and is integrated with Google Maps to offer users step-by-step directions to community resources. Family physicians and their practice teams can use this interactive tool during patient visits to connect them to social services in their area that can provide help with such needs as food, housing, transportation, employment, and legal or financial issues. Physicians also can refer patients to a patient-facing version of the tool — Neighborhood Navigator tool on familydoctor.org(navigator.familydoctor.org) — to enable them to locate services that meet their social needs on their own.

The EveryONE Project™ offers a series of training videos to walk family physicians and their practice teams through using the Neighborhood Navigator tool. Family physicians can create a practice account (Figure 1) that all staff members can use to connect patients electronically and bidirectionally with a community resource and create resource profiles that can be easily accessed.

Figure 1

In addition, through the “Support” button on the website (Figure 2), users can suggest additions or updates to the database if they are aware of new resources or updates for programs and resources. Patients can also create their own profile on Neighborhood Navigator which can be used to highlight specific programs and resources they would be using more frequently.

Figure 2

Neighborhood Navigator is a valuable resource that can help family physicians and their practice teams extend their care for patients beyond the walls of their practice by providing the next steps in care using additional community-based programs. For more information on the Neighborhood Navigator and other AAFP tools to address social determinants of health and improve health equity, visit The EveryONE Project ( https://www.aafp.org/patient-care/social-determinants-of-health/everyone-project.html).

Family Medicine Leads Scholarships for National Conference

Send your FMIG leaders to the AAFP National Conference July 25 – July 27, 2019, Kansas City, MO to sharpen their FMIG leadership skills. The AAFP will offer multiple programs for new and seasoned FMIG leaders in addition to the rest of the amazing programming and networking at the conference. Students can apply for a scholarship to attend by May 1!

If you have questions about any National Conference scholarship, email Rachel Larsen at rlarsen@aafp.org  or call (800) 274-2237, ext. 6369.

Important reminder: Medicare Payment Survey

To: GAFP Members

All active members of the AAFP received an invitation to participate in the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) survey for physician office visits (99202-99205, 99211-99215) and a new prolonged services code (99XXX). The invitation and link to the survey came from AAFP President Dr. John Cullen. The subject line of the email reads “Please Participate in Important Office Visit Survey: Deadline March 18, 2019.”  As an active member of the AAFP, please look for this email and please take the time to complete this survey.

The email also contains a staff contact should you have any difficulty completing this important survey. Please don’t hesitate to contact Angela Flanigan at aflanigan@gafp.org should you have any issues locating this email from the AAFP.

GAFP Member Leads the Formation of the AAFP’s Obstetrics Member Interest Group!

GAFP member, Zita Magloire, MD outreached to GAFP and other AAFP members to secure the needed petitioners in forming a Member Interest Group on Obstetrics!  Dr. Magloire will serve as the Chair of the OB MIG community.  Congratulations Dr. Magloire and thank you for your leadership in this key area of family medicine and securing a format for mutual discussion from around the AAFP family of family medicine.

The Obstetric (OB) Member Interest Group was formed by physicians, residents and medical students who believe that this area of our practice needed more visibility within the AAFP community. The goals of this group are to increase the number of topics specifically related to maternity care in AAFP sponsored events and publications, as well as to develop resolutions to assist family physicians with credentialing for cesareans, vaginal deliveries and other obstetrical procedures that have been challenging for family physicians to obtain in many states. The group is dynamic and seeks input of family physicians from across the country to ensure their goals and objectives remain relevant in today’s changing health care climate.

Click here to join the community today!

https://www.aafp.org/membership/involve/mig/obstetrics.html