Racial Differences in Outcomes Demand Greater Vigilance
Black men are twice as likely as their white peers to die from a first heart attack. Ada Stewart, M.D., writes that enhanced education and prevention could change that.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170717lv-heartattack.html
Bipartisan Teaching Health Center Bill Is Vital to Workforce
Without congressional action, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program will expire Sept. 30. A newly introduced bill to extend funding has support from both sides of the aisle.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170725thcgmebill.html
Health Care Is a Right That Must Extend to Everyone
Gary LeRoy, M.D., writes that health care must be seen as a basic human right that is necessary for the preservation of dignity, social worth, health and even life.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170808lv-healthcareright.html
A New Intern's Reflections From the ICU
New resident Lauren Abdul-Majeed, M.D., M.P.H., is applying family medicine's holistic approach to patients during her ICU rotation and suggests that others should do likewise, regardless of practice setting.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170901lv-reflect.html
AAFP's NCCL Set Me on Leadership Path
Benjamin Frankie Simmons III, M.D., the new physician member of the AAFP Board of Directors, writes that his leadership path began at the National Conference of Constituency Leaders, and he encourages others to follow.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171002lv-leadership.html
A Conversation About Violence as a Public Health Crisis
Violence has become a public health crisis. Ending the ban on federal funding for research on violence involving firearms would be a good first step in addressing the problem.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171005lv-violence.html
Know Yourself, Do Your Homework to Make Perfect Match
With less than three months left before the National Resident Matching Program's rank order list deadline, Alexa Mieses, M.D., M.P.H., offers students advice on the interview process in this Leader Voices Blog post.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171128lv-matchadvice.html
Let Us Focus on Patients, Not Paperwork
The AAFP has been advocating hard for a reduction in the administrative burden that gets in the way of patient care. A new CMS initiative may be a step in the right direction.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171031lv-administrivia.html
I Bounced Back From Burnout by Setting Boundaries, Priorities
Late last year, Kimberly Becher, M.D., reached a point where she thought the only thing in life she was doing well was patient care. She had to make changes at work and home to fight off burnout.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170724fpbounceback.html
FPs Can Influence Rape Culture by Talking About Consent
Natalie Hinchcliffe, D.O., writes that as doctors for both victims and perpetrators of rape, family physicians are uniquely positioned to influence rape culture.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170731fp-consent.html
Health Care Debates Don't Have to Be Heated
Politicians discussing health care policy could take a lesson from a couple of family physicians who recently debated the merits of the direct primary care model without resorting to insults.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170829fp-debate.html
Telemedicine Advances Outpace Common Sense Regulations
Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., writes that her clinic has implemented a novel way to use telemedicine. But for many physicians, barriers remain.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170919fp-telemedicine.html
The ACA Survived. Now What?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recently survived four Senate votes regarding repeal and replacement of the health care law. In the latest In the Trenches blog post, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin reflects on how we ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170815itt-aca.html
Inaction by Congress Jeopardizes Kids' Health
Inaction by Congress has put the Children's Health Insurance Program and a handful of other vital health care programs in jeopardy. In the latest In the Trenches blog post, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin offers an update on ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171107itt-chip.html
FPs Are at Center of Birth, Death and Everything in Between
Moments after delivering one new patient into the world, Robert Raspa, M.D., delivered a cancer diagnosis to another. He reflects on the cradle-to-grave nature of family medicine.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170801lv-circleoflife.html
Family Physicians Can Make Their Mark in Many Ways
As her time on the AAFP Board ends, Board Chair Wanda Filer, M.D., M.B.A., reflects on leadership, the loss of her father and new challenges and opportunities.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170906lv-filerfarewell.html
Get a Clue: Pandemic Board Game Runs Risk of Snubbing FPs
Board game enthusiast and medical student John Heafner, M.P.H., writes that subspecialists shouldn't have a monopoly on the limelight in popular culture.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171106lv-fpmedia.html
Just the Facts: Can Patient Education Help in Obesity Crisis?
Physicians may feel like they're losing the battle against obesity. Can patient education reduce the problem?
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171120lv-patiented.html
Rural Practice Stretches Our Skills, Supports Our Families
Only 3 percent of final-year residents are interested in practicing in small towns. AAFP President-elect John Cullen, M.D., of Valdez, Alaska, makes the case for why they should.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170925lv-ruralmedicine.html
Halting Health Studies Harms Patients, Hinders Physicians
The Trump administration recently halted a study on the health consequences of mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. It wasn't because the process had been deemed safe.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170905fp-minestudy.html
What Should We Tell Parents About Concussions, Contact Sports?
Despite an abundance of research regarding head injuries, counseling parents and young athletes about the risks of contact sports is complicated.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170913fp-concussions.html
Congress Faces Tight Deadlines on Critical Issues
A handful of critical health care programs will run out of funding if Congress fails to act by the end of September.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170829itt-deadlines.html
Tax Bills Could Add to Health Care's Ills
Provisions in both the House and Senate tax bills could hold negative consequences for physicians and patients. AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin has the details in the latest In the Trenches blog post.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171121ITT_taxes.html
Eight Questions for 2018: Yes, Single Payer Is One of Them
Despite opposition to socialized, single-payer health care, nearly 120 million Americans have health care coverage through government-supported programs. With that growing number in mind, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin poses eight ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171219ITT_singlepayer.html
Everyone Should Realize FPs Are the Quarterbacks of Medicine
Family physicians are the quarterbacks of the health care team, so why do they get treated like kickers? Too many payers and policymakers still fail to appreciate the vital role FPs play in the health care system.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170911lv-meigs.html