State Chapters Convene and Collaborate
11/24/2008 With a common goal--to influence health care policy at the state level--FPs, constituent chapter leaders, executives and AAFP staff gathered at the AAFP's State Legislative Conference in St. Louis, Nov. 14-15. Participants explored emerging issues and shared best practices pertaining to policies that impact family physicians, including workforce recruitment and retention. Aligning their efforts, the state chapters continue to advocate on behalf of family medicine and build solutions from the ground up.•"Conference Underscores Need for More Primary Care Physicians"-AAFP News Now
Contributions Bolster Family Medicine's Position
11/17/2008 Elevating the presence and pull of the specialty, FamMedPAC's disbursements supported 115 congressional candidates in contested races this election cycle--from both parties--who have voting records that support family medicine's issues. Of those candidates, 104 won their races. With many of these legislators in leadership roles or serving on key committees, FamMedPAC's influence has put the AAFP in an even stronger position to work with the new Congress.• "FamMedPAC Reaches New Fund-raising Heights"-AAFP News Now
Resource for Achieving CME Goals
11/11/2008 Mailed last month to members and also available online for quick access, the AAFP CME Catalog 2009 (32-page PDF file. About PDFs) is your comprehensive guide to planning your CME for next year. A streamlined personal learning plan page helps you set your objectives, identify your learning style preferences and chart your course to meet your CME objectives. The catalog includes a full schedule of course offerings along with new learning opportunities such as Learning Link and clinical course e-mail discussion lists.An Enhanced FPM
11/03/2008 Continuing to focus on what you need to make your practice the best it can be, Family Practice Management (FPM) has expanded its offerings. On Nov. 6, a new "digital FPM"--an electronic replica of the print journal-- will be sent to members' e-mail boxes. Among other things, the digital edition has hyperlink capabilities that should enrich your reading experience. In addition, the FPM Web site will be enhanced with thought-provoking and useful blogs from FPs and the FPM staff.Templates Ease the Process
11/01/2008 As the AAFP keeps tabs on persistent issues with health plans that impede your ability to care for patients, a few have come to the forefront recently. In response, we've created new letter templates for our members that should simplify the process of communicating these issues to health plans. Among other things, the letters address fair payment for immunizations, group visits and mental health services. Easy to download from our Web site, these templates were designed to help you make your practice less about the process, and more about the patients.• "Note to Physicians: Take Issues Directly to Health Plans"-AAFP News Now
Essential Guide for E-Prescribing
10/27/2008 Leading the way in the growing trend of e-prescribing, the AAFP's Center for Health Information Technology collaborated with CMS to create a practical guide to e-prescribing. "A Clinician's Guide to Electronic Prescribing" (42-page PDF; About PDFs) is available online and free to download. The guide is designed to help physicians understand the benefits, anticipate and overcome the challenges and master the technology of e-prescribing. As an integral component of the patient-centered medical home, e-prescribing is becoming more essential everyday.•Download New Electronic Prescribing Guide-AAFP News Now
Continuing to Collaborate for Change
10/20/2008 Major employers, consumer groups, policymakers and primary care advocates, including the AAFP, joined forces at the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative in Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, for a one-day summit. Stakeholders shared best practices and the successes of various patient-centered medical home (PCMH) pilot projects. A survey (7-page PDF file. About PDFs), released in conjunction with the summit, found that support for both presidential candidates' health care plans surges when the PCMH model is added to the plans. The evidence mounts and pushes us to continue to advocate for adoption of the patient-centered medical home.Saving FPs Valuable Time
10/13/2008 The business of running a medical practice is time consuming. To help you and your staff save time when shopping for goods and services for your practice, we compiled the AAFP Buyer's Guide. Whether you are shopping for medical or office equipment, financial services, software or staffing help, this one-stop online resource simplifies your search and helps you cut through the clutter of the Internet to find the products you need- quickly and conveniently.Carrying Family Medicine's Torch
10/07/2008 AAFP President Ted Epperly, M.D. has hit the ground running championingfamily medicine's role in the quest to reform health care. In his president's address to AAFP members in San Diego, Epperly laid out a blueprint for transforming the health care system and called on FPs to "push as we have never pushed before" for change. In an interview discussing ideas for health care reform with Kaiser's Health08 Web site, Epperly stressed that primary care should be the "solid foundation" and the patient-centered medical home the "building block" for reform.
Congress Charts Course for 2009
09/29/2008 The AAFP Congress of Delegates worked diligently on your behalf taking action on a multitude of important issues, Sept. 15-17 in San Diego. Notably, the Congress adopted a Board recommendation to integrate the patient-centered medical home model into a new Health Care for All plan. The delegates also selected new leaders to serve on the Board of Directors and chose Lori Heim, M.D. as President-elect.• News from 2008 Annual Assembly - AAFP News Now
• Final Reference Committee Reports
• 2008-2009 Board of Directors
Sizing Up the Candidates
09/22/2008 The presidential election will likely determine the direction of the AAFP's ongoing fight for health care reform. To help you learn where the candidates stand on important health care issues, the AAFP has compiled Presidential Election 2008-- a collection of resources that includes a comparison of the presidential candidates' health care platforms, background material on family medicine's major issues, analyses, news coverage and more. As you prepare to vote in this crucial election, draw upon Presidential Election 2008 for your information needs.News and Views from Congress of Delegates
09/18/2008 Via daily online updates, AAFP News Now covered the Congress of Delegates this week in San Diego. Listen to audiocasts featuring member comments and responses to the actions of the AAFP Congress. Get the latest election results and highlights from each day in stories posted online. With AAFP News Now, you're just a click away from the news of the day.
Working For All of Us
09/10/2008 In special recognition this week of September 11th, the AAFP would like to express thanks to all the uniformed family physicians here and abroad serving on active duty, in the reserves and the National Guard. The AAFP also thanks their family physician partners, colleagues and families for supporting their service to our nation. We are grateful for and humbled by the sacrifices made every day by these committed and courageous Americans.Change Is Afoot for AAFP News Now
09/03/2008 Still "the family physician's trusted source for news," AAFP News Now continues to evolve to keep pace with technology and better meet your information needs. With the transition from a printed version of AAFP News Now to a monthly PDF roundup of news stories available online, the publication has gone completely electronic. What hasn't changed is your 24/7 online access to the news family physicians need to know.• AAFP News Now (PDF version)
• AAFP News Now (Online version)
AAFP at the National Conventions
08/25/2008 Seizing the opportunity to push health care as a priority, FamMedPAC is bringing family medicine's voice to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Visible at numerous health care events, FamMedPAC board members and AAFP board members are engaging decision-makers and advancing the AAFP's advocacy agenda. Our presence at the conventions ensures the FP's perspective will be a part of the health care reform discussions.• FamMedPAC (Members Only)
Fostering The Future
08/20/2008 Residents and students came together recently at the AAFP's National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students. The focus was global and the energy was palpable as attendees explored humanitarian efforts and health opportunities at home and abroad. Potential policies were shaped and budding leadership was elected. The learning was first-rate and hands-on. This is the future of family medicine and the future looks bright.• Residents, Students Tackle Relevant Issues - AAFP News Now
• FP Urges Wise Choices for Residents and Students - AAFP News Now
• Residents and Students Choose New Leaders - AAFP News Now
FP Response May Affect Payment
08/13/2008 The AAFP is encouraging all members to verify whether or not they were randomly selected to participate in the AMA's 2008 Physician Practice Information Survey. To date, only 33 percent of the number of family physicians required by the survey team have responded -- significantly behind responses from other specialties. Make sure the family physician's point of view is represented -- completing the survey could have far reaching implications, including physician payment.• AMA Appeals to Docs - AAFP News Now
• Check Selected Survey Participants
Patients Have a Place to Advocate
08/04/2008 It's valuable to have patients as allies as the AAFP continues to advocate for fair payment and health care reform. For this reason, we've created a Web site for your patients to learn more about the AAFP's advocacy issues. Family Health Advocate (www.familyhealthadvocate.org) is designed to inform, engage, motivate and make it easy for patients to become advocates for health care issues that affect them and family physicians alike.• Family Health Advocate Web site
• Web Site Encourages Patients to Advocate - AAFP News Now
Fostering The Future
08/04/2008 Creating a vision for the future, residents and students came together recently atthe AAFP's National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students. The focus was global and the energy was palpable as attendees explored humanitarian efforts and health opportunities at home and abroad. Potential policies were shaped and budding leadership was elected. The learning was first-rate and hands-on. This is the future of family medicine and the future looks bright.
• Residents, Students Tackle Relevant Issues - AAFP News Now
• FP Urges Wise Choices for Residents and Students - AAFP News Now
• Residents and Students Choose New Leaders - AAFP News Now
Tailored Learning
07/28/2008 Providing an alternative way to learn, the AAFP has created a new multimedia CME program that assesses learners' baseline knowledge and tracks their progress through the program. That data is used to tailor future activities to bridge identified educational gaps.. LearningLink is a comprehensive series of five linked and sequential activities that delves into a specific disease or condition to help physicians improve and streamline care.• LearningLink
• LearningLink Debuts with Series on Managing Pain - AAFP News Now
New Tools for Rural FPs
07/21/2008 We understand that rural FPs, and residents and students interested in rural family medicine, have a very different and specific set of needs. In support of those needs, the AAFP launched the Rural FP Community. It is a comprehensive online resource that includes pertinent news, an e-mail discussion list and valuable information for FPs practicing in a rural setting.• Rural FP Community
• Rural FPs Now Have Online "Home" - AAFP News Now
Keeping an Eye on Medicare Law
07/16/2008 Thanks to your outstanding efforts the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 is now law. The AAFP will continue to analyze the implications of this legislation and the impact it will have on family physicians. In the meantime, we are providing newly updated information to help you fully understand the processing of claims. We will keep you abreast of any new information as it becomes available.• Update on Medicare Participation Options
• Congress Overrides Presidential Veto - AAFP News Now
• From AAFP President Jim King, M.D. - As We See It (Members Only)
Keeping You Posted on Medicare Claims
07/15/2008 The CMS processing hold expired July 15, 2008. Through our conversations with CMS the AAFP has learned that between now and when the President's veto is expected to be overridden, claims will move out of hold and into a processing queue. The AAFP will be providing updates to help you navigate the payment process as it evolves.• CMS Begins Processing Claims As Bush Vetoes Medicare Payment Bill - AAFP News Now
• Update on Medicare Participation Options
Team Effort Pays Off
07/08/2008 Through a targeted and coordinated grassroots advocacy campaign, the AAFP, its members and constituent chapters, helped persuade Congress to pass the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. Through 5,954 e-mails to Congress, 388 letters to newspapers, numerous phone calls from AAFP members and officers, and face-to-face conversations with legislators, the AAFP's message was heard loud and clear.• Passage of Medicare Bill Averts Deep Cuts in Physician Payment
• AAFP Statement on Senate's Passage of HR 6331
Public Reporting the Right Way
07/07/2008 Public reporting of physician quality data must be accurate. To that end, the AAFP recently joined other leading business, consumer, health insurance and physician groups in endorsing the Patient Charter for Physician Performance Measurement, Reporting and Tiering Programs. Under the charter, physicians may examine and correct their own data before the information goes public. Insurers must allow an outside review of their criteria and methodology, eliminating "black box" processes and creating transparency.• AAFP News Now coverage
Taking Congress to Task on Medicare Pay
06/27/2008 The AAFP has rebuked the U.S. Senate for its failure to stop a potentially devastating 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician pay that begins July 1. The cut further drives family physicians to the brink of financial insolvency, threatening access to care for elderly and disabled Americans, the Academy says in a June 27 media statement. The June issue of Family Practice Management offers comprehensive information on a physician's options regarding Medicare participation (including opting out of the Medicare program).• AAFP statement
• Family Practice Management article (Members/Paid Subscribers Only)
• AAFP News Now coverage
Conference Call Offers Help on 2008 PQRI
06/24/2008 There’s still time to participate in CMS’ Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. To help FPs get started, the AAFP and CMS will host a toll-free conference call July 1 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT at (800) 837-1935 (when prompted, enter 53531104). FPs will learn simple ways to collect and report quality data in order to qualify for a CMS cash incentive. A Q&A session will follow.AAFP News Now coverage
Driving Policy in Washington
06/16/2008 Family medicine now has a seat at the table for every significant health care discussion in Washington, thanks to FamMedPAC, the Academy’s federal political action committee. Contributions from family physicians have supercharged FamMedPAC’s growth, enabling it to contribute more than $550,000 in this election cycle to members of Congress and congressional candidates. If the pace of contributions continues, FamMedPAC will be on target to become the nation’s largest medical PAC.AAFP News Now coverage
Contribute to FamMedPAC
Help for Becoming a Medical Home
06/09/2008 Becoming a patient-centered medical home isn’t easy, but your practice can easily access a way to measure its progress: a free, online practice assessment tool called the Medical Home Implementation Quotient (MHIQ) from TransforMED, a practice redesign initiative founded by the AAFP. The MHIQ now provides resources to help practices become designated as medical homes under the Physician Practice Connections -- Patient-Centered Medical Home program of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.• TransforMED’s MHIQ
What Women Want in Health Care
06/03/2008 A new Harris poll commissioned by the AAFP found that women want better access to their primary care physicians, and they want one primary care practice to coordinate care for the entire family. Since 90 percent of women shoulder health care responsibilities for themselves and their families, knowing what women want is critical. Poll results reinforce the AAFP’s work in helping members transform to a patient-centered medical home.• AAFP News Now coverage
• Online materials about the poll
Helping at the Nexus of Need
05/26/2008 You became a family physician because you want to help improve the health of people in need, whether they’re patients you see every day or people halfway around the globe. Now, the Academy makes it easy for you to help victims of the recent earthquake in China and the cyclone in Myanmar – through a donation to help the AAFP Foundation support disaster relief in those countries.• AAFP Foundation Disaster Relief Fund
Making Family Medicine Stronger
05/19/2008 Inspiration. Knowledge. Training for chapter leaders. Policy input from AAFP's special constituency groups. These all came together May 1-3 at the Annual Leadership Forum and National Conference of Special Constituencies in Kansas City, Mo. Together, these concurrent meetings each year make the AAFP and family medicine stronger.AAFP News Now coverage
AAFP News Now podcast (scroll down to May 9 podcast)
Make Your Voice Heard
05/12/2008 Help determine the future of AAFP leadership by visiting the Web pages of candidates for AAFP offices and the Board of Directors. Read about the candidates, ask them questions and check back later for answers. Then, tell your chapter's delegates to the Congress of Delegates whom you'd want them to vote for when the Congress elects officers and directors Sept. 17 in San Diego.AAFP News Now coverage
Candidate Web page (Members Only)
Smoothing the Transition to the NPI
05/05/2008 The May 23 deadline is fast approaching for using the National Provider Identifier on all electronic Medicare transactions. In the months leading up to that deadline, family physicians have turned to AAFP's NPI resources for help in understanding and using the NPI. The AAFP also went to bat for members recently by signing on to an AMA letter urging CMS to postpone the May 23 deadline because of NPI transition difficulties.AAFP NPI resources
CME to Meet Member Needs
04/07/2008 The Academy continually reviews and refreshes its CME programs and products to meet member needs in the areas of patient care, professional development and practice improvement. Members can access AAFP CME the way they want it -- from weeklong in-depth courses to local sessions for the entire practice team, from print to online, from audio podcast to video DVD.AAFP CME Center
Educating the Media -- With Results
04/28/2008 "Doctor-Patient Plan Seems to Have Merit," trumpets an editorial in the Nashua Telegraph, an influential newspaper in the state of Senate Finance Committee member John Sununu, R-N.H. The Las Vegas Sun, in the state of committee member John Ensign, R-Nev., ran an editorial on access to doctors. In both cases, the newspaper's editors met recently with AAFP leaders and a local FP. The Academy schedules such "editorial board" meetings in key congressional districts to educate the media and their readers about critical family medicine issues.Nashua Telegraph editorial
Las Vegas Sun editorial
Transforming the Family Medicine Practice
04/23/2008 Representatives from 30 family medicine practices gathered recently to share their experiences in the National Demonstration Project of TransforMED, the practice redesign initiative affiliated with the AAFP. The project, ending May 31, has tested how practices would have to change to become patient-centered medical homes. In the coming months, TransforMED will evaluate the project and develop products and services to help physicians across the country transform their practices.•AAFP News Now coverage
•TransforMED National Demonstration Project
Taking Care of an Aging America
04/14/2008 Baby boomers are getting older -- and as they age, millions will rely on family physicians for evidence-based, top-quality senior care. Through the AAFP Foundation, the Academy has secured a three-year, $2.9 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies that will enable the Academy to move forward with innovative programs to help FPs enhance their care for aging patients.AAFP News Now coverage
The Atlantic Philanthropies
Pressuring Congress to Fix Medicare Payment
03/31/2008 AAFP leaders have met face to face with most Senate Finance Committee members or their staffs in recent weeks, advocating an 18-month positive update for Medicare physician pay and a replacement for the sustainable growth rate formula. By responding to the Academy's Speak Out alert, family doctors can galvanize congressional support for legislation introduced by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., that addresses the payment crisis.AAFP News Now coverage
Speak Out
Student Interest Jumps Higher in 2008 Match
03/24/2008 There's good news for family medicine in this year's National Resident Matching Program. More family medicine positions were offered through the Match compared with last year, the percentage of positions filled may be the highest ever, and the percentage of U.S. seniors choosing the specialty went up as well. The AAFP's student interest activities helped nurture the upswing.AAFP News Now coverage
2008 Match Summary and Analysis
'Go-To' Resource for Health Issues
03/17/2008 When they need health experts, the media know where to go: the AAFP. National and regional media interviews with Academy leaders are almost a daily occurrence. In addition, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality featured AAFP's Board chair in a video on patient-doctor communication, to appear on some 4,500 Web sites, including those of CNN and ABC News.USA Today story quoting AAFP president
AAFP News Now coverage of AHRQ video
Improving This Web Site for You
03/10/2008 The new look of the Academy's Web site not only reflects AAFP's "bold champion" brand but also brings improvements to the American Family Physician and Family Practice Management Web pages, as well as an enhanced search function.AAFP News Now coverage
Let us know what you think. (Choose "comments/suggestions" as the subject line.)
Stopping Teen Prescription Drug Abuse
03/03/2008 It's a serious public health problem: More than 2 million teens abused prescription drugs in 2006, and most probably obtained the drugs from the home medicine cabinet. In response, the Academy has joined a new White House public awareness campaign on the issue. AAFP's name appears on an "open letter to parents" ad that is running in newspapers nationwide.AAFP News Now coverage
Open letter to parents
The EHR Challenge
02/25/2008 Getting an electronic health record system for your practice is a daunting, expensive task. Turn to AAFP's Center for Health Information Technology for the help you need -- including online tutorials, physician product reviews, networking opportunities, an e-mail discussion list and product discounts exclusively for Academy members. AAFP also speaks out in Washington, urging financial help for family physicians who implement EHRs.• AAFP Center for Health Information Technology
• AAFP News Now coverage
Boosting Medicaid in Hard Times
02/18/2008 It's a fact: Economic downturns bring increased unemployment and more patients needing Medicaid -- but that's also when Medicaid might run out of funds. To boost the program, AAFP and 15 other groups in the Partnership for Medicaid recently called on Congress to temporarily increase the federal Medicaid matching rates for states and localities as part of the economic stimulus package.• Partnership for Medicaid letter (2-page PDF; About PDFs)
• AAFP News Now coverage
A High-Stakes Fight for Medicare Pay
02/11/2008 The Academy has launched an all-out campaign to fight the 10.6 percent Medicare physician pay cut looming in July. Medicare: Stop the Cut makes it easy for physicians and patients to warn Congress how access will suffer -- using posters, sample letters, opinion pieces for newspapers, and patient petitions to send to Congress. AAFP officers and staff will continue working tirelessly in Washington to stop the cut.Medicare: Stop the Cut
AAFP News Now coverage
Promoting the Value of the Medical Home
02/05/2008 There's no doubt: Every American needs to have an ongoing relationship with a primary care physician in a patient-centered medical home. To push this ideal to reality, the AAFP was among the first medical associations to join with major employers, health benefits companies, trade associations and other stakeholders in the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC). The collaborative aggressively advocates the patient-centered medical home concept to legislators and policy makers.• PCPCC Web site
• AAFP News Now coverage
Assessing Your Practice Made Easy
01/28/2008 There's lots of national buzz about the patient-centered medical home model -- but how closely does your practice align with that model? The Academy makes it easy to find out via the free, online assessment tool called TMED Medical Home Vitals, offered by TransforMED, a practice redesign initiative affiliated with the AAFP. Learn how your practice measures up to the medical home model.TMED Medical Home Vitals
AAFP News Now coverage
Environmental Scan Helps AAFP Chart Course for 2008
01/21/2008 It's an election year like never before, with change in the air. What does it mean for the Academy -- and for AAFP members? The 2008 Environmental Scan, with its third-party view of the health care environment, provides clues and suggestions. Armed with this information, AAFP leaders will set the course for bold action on members' behalf. Members can request a copy of the scan by e-mailing ann@aafp.org.AAFP president's message about the scan (Members Only)
Eliminating Practice Hassles
01/15/2008 There's more time for patient care and less expense and hassle when physicians complete one "universal" credentialing form that's accepted by most health care organizations. The Academy was the first medical organization to support the Universal Credentialing DataSource, operated by the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare. AAFP also co-founded the Healthcare Administrative Simplification Coalition, which supports a broad range of activities to reduce the costs of administrative complexity.• Universal Credentialing DataSource
• Healthcare Administrative Simplification Coalition
Leg Up for New-to-Practice FPs
01/07/2008 Residency grads step into uncharted territory when they begin to practice family medicine. Fortunately, the AAFP is there to help with its Experience the AAFP program. Members in their first seven years of practice get CME tools and networking opportunities at reduced cost or free, including discounted registration fees at the Scientific Assembly and board review courses.Experience the AAFP.
Helping FPs Meet Certification Requirements
12/24/2007 AAFP members gearing up for certification or recertification in 2008 can count on the Academy for the help they need. From free online Board Review Questions to Board Review Courses across the country -- from Self-Assessment Module (SAM) Working Groups to the Measuring, Evaluating and Translating Research Into Care (METRIC) practice improvement program -- information on helpful resources is just a mouse click away. Reporting earned CME credits to meet the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) requirement can be done online, too -- the Academy notifies ABFM when the requirement has been met.Maintenance of Certification/Board Review Resources
Other Publications
Advocacy
Working For You
Libby's Day (*PDF file)
Clinical
Medical Students & Residents
New to Practice
(*PDF file. About PDFs)
