What's New
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Effective Management Strategies for Patient-Tailored Care
Join the GAFP and Antidote for a free CME webinar on January 24th at 12:15 ET as rheumatologist Stanly Cohen, MD and family physician Louis Kuritzky, MD discuss the diagnosis and treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. From initial assessment and classification to referral and treatment, Drs. Cohen and Kuritzky will discuss ways to find the most appropriate treatment options to develop a plan for patient-tailored care. To learn more and register today at: http://antidotecme.com/RA
Please note, for every GAFP member who participates in the program, GAFP will receive an incentive back to the Academy. We thank you in advance for supporting our organization and projects.
GAFP Honors the 2011 Award Recipients
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians recognizes its members for their exemplary service to the profession of family medicine and contributions to health care by presenting the following awards.
Family Physician of the Year
James Leon Ray, MD, FAAFP, of Swainsboro, was named GAFP's 2011 Family Physician of the Year, the highest award that can be bestowed on a GAFP member. This prestigious award is given to family physicians who have been leaders in professional affairs, along with making an outstanding contribution to the profession or the community.Dr. James Leon Ray has practiced medicine in Swainsboro for more than 36 years. Dr. Ray has filled many roles in service to the community including serving as Chair of Emanuel County's Board of Health for over 30 years. Dr. Ray also served as the medical director for three nursing homes, a home health agency, and a hospice.
Dr. Ray was instrumental in the opening of the Substance Abuse Detoxification Center in Swainsboro. He recognized the need for this facility and has served as its medical director for the past 20 years.
Educator of the Year Award
Dr. Gregory Strayhorn, MD, PhD, FAAFP, of Atlanta, received the 2011 Family Medicine Educator of the Year Award.
Dr. Strayhorn served as the Chairman of Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine for seven years. Currently, he is the Research Director and a professor of Family Medicine at Morehouse. He runs the quarterly research workshop for residents and the Research Query Series. Dr. Strayhorn teaches Masters of Science in Clinical Research and Masters of Public Health students; and is a Clinical Preceptor for Family Medicine Residents.
His outstanding contributions to family medicine profession also include serving as a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, Editorial Board of the Annals of Family Medicine, and a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of the National Medical Association.
Community & Volunteer Service Award
Bidemi Olaniyi-Leyimu, MD, of Newnan, received the 2011 Georgia Family Physician Community and Volunteer Service Award. The award is given to members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support their communities; physicians who have made outstanding contributions in welfare, education, health, government or the arts.
Dr. Olaniyi-Leyimu is committed to supporting her community and provides health education in schools, nursing homes, health screenings, support groups and at wellness promotional fairs. Additionally, Dr. Olaniyi-Leyimu devotes much of her time to ongoing health education for members of the local school system, speaking with both teachers and students on ways to improve their health and has presented Tar Wars to grade schools in her community.
Family Medicine Resident of the Year Award
Jennifer Malcolm, DO, of Granger, Indiana, received the 2011 Resident of the Year Award. The award is presented to a resident member that is a leader in academic, community, and professional affairs.
Dr. Malcolm completed her residency at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta. As a family medicine resident she excelled in leadership as well as clinical abilities. She was an active member of the Residency Curriculum, Quality Assurance, and the Admission and Recruitment Committees. Her honors include being elected chief resident by her peers.
Keith Ellis, MD Award
Viktoria Nurpeisov, MD, of Atlanta, received the 2011 Keith Ellis MD Award, which recognizes a Chief Resident, from a Family Medicine Residency Program, with outstanding contributions in academic leadership and community affairs. Dr. Nurpeisov was the Chief Resident and Chair of Resident Council at Atlanta Medical Center.
Dr. Nurpeisov has completed outstanding research projects on: Teenage Pregnancy Rates in Georgia; Pickens County Health Profile, North Georgia; and Long Term Treatment with Metformin in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus II and Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Additionally, Dr. Nurpeisov is an active community volunteer with the Allen Road Mid-Rise Tenants Association, assisted living facility, sports physicals at Woodland High School, and for Special Olympics Georgia.
Patient Centered Medical Home University Update
The Patient Centered Medical Home University (PCMH U) met in November for their fourth of five face-to-face meetings. TransforMED presented material on maintaining momentum as a learning organization, high performing teams, and care coordination-building collaborative relationships.
Linda Shelton, of Discern Consulting, the NCQA application specialist also presented to the group. She shared that 75 percent of the 26 practices enrolled in the PCMH U will be submitting their NCQA PCMH Recognition application before the end of the year. The majority of the others plan to submit their application in the first quarter of 2012. Nearly all are applying for the Level 3 (highest) recognition. Different from previous meetings, there was a panel of current PCMH U members – thank you to Drs. Mitch Cook, Thad Riley, Michael Manning and Frank Don Diego! The panel discussion was noted by the attendees as the highlight of the meeting. Some of the comments from the panel include, "it (transformation process) was difficult at first, all change is, but it has been well worth it; our staff is engaged and excited; our efficiency has increased." Attendees' comments included, "these meetings have been very valuable; the experience of others is so helpful; it's good to know we're in the same boat."
Many of those in attendance found this meeting to be "the best yet!"
2011 Annual Scientific Assembly Deemed a Huge Success by Attendees
November 10 -12, 2011 marked the GAFP's 63rd Annual Scientific Assembly and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia. Hosting more than 600 family physicians and other health care professionals at the Cobb Galleria Convention Centre, the GAFP offered a myriad of CME and exhibits to attendees while offering many opportunities to network with colleagues.
With a wide variety of clinical lectures attendees were able to attain up to 22 AAFP prescribed credits on a wide variety of topics pertinent to the broad range of practice needs of our members.
New this year, the Academy offered the Translation to Practice (t2p) option, which is a two-part program developed by the AAFP that allows learners to translate what they learned in a CME activity into their practice and report back on the results. Participants in the t2p program option are eligible to earn two additional credits per CME activity. Learners were asked to complete the t2p Commitment to Change form by identifying one change they would like to implement upon return to their practice; they will receive a follow up within 30 days, and at 90 days to determine if a change has been made.
In addition to lectures, workshops, and Patient Centered Medical Home University, the GAFP offered six Self-Assessment Modules to attendees in an effort to fulfill the Maintenance of Certification, Part II – Self-Assessment and Lifelong Learning. More than 75 attendees successfully completed the modules.
Throughout the Annual Meeting, attendees had the opportunity to win several prizes by simply participating in various raffles or visiting the Exhibit Hall. Of particular note were the PAC and the Annual Foundation Raffles. The GAFP PAC raffled a brand new iPad2 (with cover) and the lucky winner was Dr. Mitzi Rubin of Marietta. The Foundation's raffle offered the winner, Dr. Andy Williamson of Dublin, the option to choose a 5-day Medical Mission to Haiti or Guatemala, or a 5 day vacation to Costa Rica. Regardless of who won the top prizes, both the GAFP PAC and GAFP Foundation were winners through your generous donations.
Overall, attendees deemed the meeting a success and offered the following comments on their post-meeting evaluations:
- Everyone was very cooperative, professional and friendly. Positive environment was kept all throughout the day and the sessions.
- Liked the case studies on Saturday morning. Wonderful to trade ideas and experiences with other family physicians.
- Quality of speakers was excellent.
- The coding workshop is always excellent. The cost of my staff attending is more than covered by the increased reimbursement from what they learn in this one presentation.
- The educational experience was outstanding as we were able to work through the various things to consider when looking at different cases.
- Great job as always. See you next year.
The meeting's success was based on the hard work, time, and effort of the Education and Research Committee. The 2011 Education and Research Committee members were:
R. Clark Gillett, MD (Chair)
Carl McCurdy, MD (Vice Chair)
Greg Asbury, MD
Karla Booker, MD
Mike Busman, MD
Charles Clopton, MD
Gurinder Doad, MD
Audra Ford, MD
Angie Gerguis, MD
R. Clark Gillett, Jr., MD
Theresa Jacobs, MD
Bruce LeClair, MD
James Lin, MD
Brian Nadolne, MD
Michelle Nichols, MD
Folashade Omole, MD
Leonard Reeves, MD
Thad Riley, MD
Harry Strothers, MD
Jose Ventura, MD
Kanyan Xiao, MD
Mark your calendars now for the 2011 Summer Family Medicine Weekend, which is scheduled for June 14-17, 2012 at the Omni Amelia Island in Amelia Island, Florida. To book your early reservation with the Omni Hotel please call 800-843-6664 and mention the Georgia Academy of Family Physician room block, and remember rooms sell out quickly!
Georgia Composite Medical Board- NEEDS Physician Peer Reviewers
The Georgia Composite Medical Board is in search of Physician Peer Reviewers to assist in their investigative review process. If you would like to participate in this important work, the Medical Board needs you!
To become part of the approved Peer Reviewer list, simply mail GCMB a copy of your current CV and include a letter that describes your practice, your specialty and your certifications. If you already work for GCMB as a Peer Reviewer and would like to remain on their approved list, please submit a current CV. Should you have additional questions, please contact GCMB at 404-656-3913 or by email at Medbd@dch.ga.gov.
THE ABFM MC-FP EXAMINATION IS MOVING TO APRIL IN 2012
Beginning in 2012, the ABFM MC-FP examination will be held in April instead of July.
For Diplomates: Diplomates who are in good standing and hold a currently valid, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the US or Canada are eligible to apply for and take the examination.
For Residents: Residents who are in good standing and expected to complete training on or about July 1, 2012 are eligible to take the April 2012 examination. A currently valid, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the US or Canada is not required for residents to apply for and take the April examination. Certification will be awarded when all of the criteria are met:
1. Successful performance on the ABFM MC-FP Examination.
2. The Program Director verifies that the resident has successfully met all of the ACGME program requirements.
3. The candidate obtains a currently valid, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the US or Canada.
These conditions must be met by December 31, 2012. The dates for the April 2012 MC-FP Examination are: April 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21.
Accountable Care Final Rule: Much Progress, Casts a Wide Net
By Justin Barnes, vice president with Greenway Medical Technologies and co-chair of the national Accountable Care Community of Practice (ACCoP)
Our nation's shared goal of a sustainable healthcare system of decreased costs and increased care quality through coordinated and accountable delivery took a positive, inclusionary step with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Shared Savings Final Rule.
Consider that this final structuring of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), though still built upon primary care providers and their beneficiary patients, has broadened its scope to allow provisions for specialists and nurse practitioners to become ACO members, encourages home health agencies to participate, and embraces eligible critical access hospitals, federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
It maintains minimum patient levels at 5,000 and a three-year commitment, but offers logistical and logical flexibility such as allowing providers to participate in more than one ACO when billing from more than one hospital setting.
While the lowering of the number of quality measures (from 65 to 33), the flexibility of 2012 start dates through early summer, and the relaxing of financial risk was all expected, arguably the biggest news of the day was the co-announcement of the Advanced Payment Model, done to bring much of the broader participation into the program.
With Advanced Payment, CMS is putting its own level of financial risk into the program by offering three tiers of startup funding options to healthcare organizations with limited or no inpatient facilities and annual revenue below $80 million, though the startup fees would be paid back out of future shared savings. And there is some fine print: only ACOs entering the program in April or July of 2012 can benefit, also provided there is no health plan ownership in the organization.
CMS is also funding the first two years of patient engagement surveys required of an ACO as a further incentive to participate and further its own financial and programmatic commitment.
The Final Rule also clearly maintains and speaks to the key component of electronic health records (EHRs) as the data sharing connectivity and clinical support core of necessary health information technology. On one hand CMS understood that the still-maturing EHR adoption rates by healthcare providers nationally being fueled by meaningful use – while very encouraging with more than 114,000 eligible providers registered and more than $870 million granted so far in year one - did set an initial high bar by requiring that 50 percent of ACO participants be meaningful users by year two.
Instead, the Final Rule placed EHR adoption as its highest scoring Quality Measure, consistently rewarding increased adoption with higher sharing rates, which "signals the importance of EHR adoption in ACOs," according to the document.
The other quality measures, aligned in four domains of Care Coordination/Patient Safety (in which the EHR measure is rightly placed), Preventive Health, At Risk Population, and Patient/Caregiver Experience, continue to crossover with those of meaningful use and the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). This again promotes EHR adoption, and the Final Rule provides for Shared Saving and PQRS reporting and reward to overlap as well.
Still, there is work to do. CMS must establish national benchmarks for the majority of the quality measures and must finalize the compilation and availability of shared claims data, for example, to do so. For providers and healthcare organizations, there is much to consider. Prior to the issuance of the Final Rule, CMS announced the Pioneer Model, the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative, and the Primary Care Initiative, all offering additional routes and choices for the pursuit of incentivized care coordination. And even here too, the Final Rule allows for some dual participations as a further incentive.
And as commercial payers, employers and health plans are increasingly entering the conversation and shaping other forms of accountable care models, it is clearly time to determine your own best practice inclusion into models being discussed and planned in your region. Care coordination took a big step toward reality with the issuance of the Final Rule, and as these organizations form, providers, like patients, should not be left out.
Physician Leaders Share Strategies at Primary Care Summit
With engaging speakers and thoughtful conversation, Georgia Statewide AHEC Network's Primary Care Summit on Friday, Oct. 7, presented a look at the current state of primary care in Georgia and how to make significant changes to increase the workforce in the future. The recurring theme was finding both immediate and long term solutions for Georgians to have a healthier future.
So how are we doing in Georgia currently? Denise Kornegay, the Executive Director for the Statewide AHEC, presented the following statistics:
- Georgia has a current supply of 82 primary care docs per 100,000 versus the National Average of 100 docs per 100,000.
- 187 (40 percent) of Georgia medical school graduates went into primary care; only 47 of them matched to a primary care residency program in Georgia.
- Georgia ranks 39th in total number of residency slots and 9th in total positions.
GAFP leaders attending the meeting included the following:
- John Bucholtz, DO - Columbus
- Frank Don Diego, MD - Rome
- George Frederick, MD – Albany
- Joseph Hobbs, MD - Augusta
- Beulette Hooks, MD – Columbus
- Robert Pallay, MD - Savannah
- Leonard Reeves, MD -Rome
- Fay Brown, MHS - Tucker
Follow up from the summit will be forthcoming with ideas to be taken to policy leaders, the legislature, and other key stakeholders. The Georgia Academy will continue to follow this as one of our top priorities.
Georgia State Board of Pharmacy Rx Security Paper Q&A
Beating Diabetes…One Project at a Time
The Georgia Academy continues to be a driving force in the fight to diagnose, treat, and effectively manage diabetic patients in our State and beyond, now with two major diabetes projects.
Now in its fourth year, the GO! Diabetes project has launched and is currently accepting applications for residents, residency program faculty, and physicians in clinical practice to participate in this year's project. Since 2008, GO! Diabetes has provided a springboard for family medicine physicians and their clinical teams to achieve and maintain patient-centered practice change. GO! Diabetes takes a team approach to practice improvements with a singular goal in mind: to improve the care and outcomes of patients with diabetes.
Additionally, the GAFP along with Elsevier CME and Integrated Learning Partners will launch the T2DM Treatment Decisions: Practical Strategies for Inter-professional Teams project in November. The project, which includes live workshops during state chapter meetings; an eLearning module; and an interactive PDF monograph, was designed to offer multidisciplinary and inter-professional active and passive learning activities geared towards improving individual and team-based care performance and improve patient outcomes.
Given the rising prevalence of diabetes in the US, and in particular in the Southeast, there are many challenges observed between primary care physicians and patients. To respond to this challenge we are designing integrated learning programs for clinicians and patients to improve knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors in an effort to improve team-based care models and patient health outcomes. The purpose of the GO! Diabetes and T2DM projects is to offer integrated learning to improve care processes among inter-professional teams, and improve communications and dialoguing with patients and their families. Our goal is to enhance the medical home and improve clinician-patient relationships in an effort to overcome trust issues, offer evidence-based medical treatments, and support patient self-management best practices. We continue to strive to beat diabetes, one project at a time.
If you are interested in learning more about the GO! Diabetes project please contact Susan Reichman at sreichman@godiabetes.org or (888) 388-8215.
If you'd like sign up for the T2DM project launch (workshop) scheduled during the GAFP Annual Scientific Assembly, simply check the workshop box on the online registration page. If you have already completed your online registration and would like to add the free workshop to your schedule, please contact Angela Flanigan at aflanigan@gafp.org or (800) 392-3841.
Expand Services and Increase Income through Screening and Brief Intervention
Dr. Paul Seale, GAFP member at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, is interested in talking by phone with GAFP members in small practices (5 physicians or fewer) who are willing to offer ideas on how to design a grant proposal to expand billable office services to screen and intervene for tobacco use, prescription drug abuse, and alcohol and drug misuse.
If funded, the grant proposal (starting late 2012) would provide technical support, CME and training, and limited financial support to participating practices. Please call Dr. Seale at 478-633-5910 for more information.
GAFP Member Benefit Reminder: Keeping you Informed
As a Georgia Academy and the American Academy of Family Physicians member, you have a multitude of resource materials available for you and your patients in one location. Through this joint membership there are practice management tools, patient care information coding resources and alerts and more, that can be downloaded for your convenience to a desktop or blackberry.
Take a moment a moment and search both the GAFP www.gafp.org and AAFP www.aafp.org website to see what's available.
Of current interest on the GAFP site:
- CME Opportunities
- Legislative Advocacy
- Public Health Resources
- Members Only Services
- Practice Management Tools
We are here to serve you! Is there a specific benefit you would like us to research that we are not currently providing? Please contact Fay Brown at fbrown@gafp.org or by phone: 404-321-7445 or 1-800-392-3841.
Click here for information regarding the October 1 change for Schedule II Prescription Paper
Georgia Composite Board License Reminder
Did you remember to renew your license? Once your license expires, you must stop working—or face the possibility of a fine and disciplinary sanction for practicing without a license. Renewing as soon as you are eligible to do so (60 days prior to license expiration date) can save you weeks of lost income and hundreds of dollars in fines and additional fees, as well as the comfort of knowing you don't have to worry about renewing again for another two years. You can view and update your license online anytime at the Board's website (http://medicalboard.georgia.gov/portal/site/GCMB/), and if you are not online, you can fax your update to 404-656-9723.
GAFP Pledges to Support Save Lives Smoking Cessation Campaign
At GAFP's June Board meeting, the Board approved joining a coalition with the American Lung Association to support insurance coverage for smoking cessation for Georgia's state employees and Medicaid patients. Georgia is one of a very few states that provides no quit smoking coverage for Medicaid recipients (other than coverage for pregnant women) and provides only telephone counseling for state employees wishing to quit smoking. Quitting smoking has been shown to be the most important step a smoker can take to improve the length and quality of his or her life.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently reported a dramatic drop in acute health factors within one year of a smoker's access of a barrier-free smoking cessation benefit through Medicaid.
PCMH University Practices Begin NCQA Application Process
The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) University met for their third workshop on August 5-6. These face-to-face workshops are valuable in supporting the members– as they transform their practice to meet standards that will lead them to NCQA recognition as a PCMH.
During the August meeting, NCQA application specialist Linda Shelton met with each practice to review their practice specific survey tool. The NCQA applications from PCMH U's first class will be submitted this December. GAFP is excited as this first class steps closer to the goal of NCQA PCMH recognition!
Georgia Rural Health Association- GAFP Partner Profile
Georgia Rural Health Association (GRHA) is the oldest state rural health association in the country. Founded in 1981, this nonprofit network of healthcare providers, educators, and individuals is united in its commitment to improve the health and healthcare services of rural Georgians. GRHA understands that the rural areas in our state are unique and differ greatly from urban areas. These rural communities, and those who provide healthcare services to them, require educational programs and support tailored to their specific needs.
GRHA's mission includes promoting rural health as a distinct concern and serving as an advocate for rural health by promoting improved health status, healthcare systems, and health-related education for rural Georgians. To accomplish this mission, GRHA acts as a conduit for the exchange and distribution of information intended to improve health outcomes and preserve health services throughout rural Georgia. To go to GRHA's website and learn more click here.
GAFP Members Shine at the AAFP Annual Leadership Forum and National Conference on Special Constituencies
The GAFP sent the largest delegation from Georgia ever with 18 members participating in the May AAFP Annual Leadership Forum (ALF) and National Conference of Special Constituencies (NCSC) in Kansas City. The delegation proudly wore shamrock pins throughout the 4 day conference as a reminder of the GAFP support of Dr. George Shannon's campaign for AAFP President-Elect. Our Executive Vice President, Mrs. Fay Brown, also attended and participated on a panel discussing best practices for Chapters implementing the Patient Centered Medical Home.
Adding to the national spotlight, Karla Booker, MD was elected by the Special Constituency attendees to be the Co-Convener for the Womens' Section for the 2012 NCSC. Her other Co-Convener is Dr. Rachel Franklin of Oklahoma.
Thank you to all of the GAFP attendees who include the following:
Greg Asbury, MD – NCSC
Dolapo Babalola, MD - NCSC
Karla Booker, MD – NCSC
Srinivas Brahmadevi, MD - NCSC
Gurinder Doad, MD - NCSC
Clark Gillett, MD - ALF
Beulette Hooks, MD – ALF
Ken Howard, MD - NCSC Co-Convener of Minority Section
Bruce LeClair, MD - ALF
Leonard Reeves, MD – ALF
Thad Riley, MD - ALF
Jada Moore Ruffin, MD – NCSC Co-Convener of Minority Section
Brian Nadolne, MD - ALF
Michelle Nichols, MD - NCSC
George Shannon, MD - ALF/ NCSC
Maria "Alex" Schiffiano, MD - ALF
Harry Strothers, MD – ALF
Howard Yager, MD – ALF
Preconception Care – A Tool for Family Physicians
Preconception Care – A Tool for Family Physicians
Primary care physicians can significantly reduce the infant mortality rate in Georgia by providing specific health care measures to girls and women before they become pregnant. There are tools available for integrating preconception care into primary health care visits.
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, in collaboration with the Georgia Division of Public Health, has available a Preconception Toolkit developed by our very own, GAFP Member Dr. Anne Lang Dunlop. In 2010, every active GAFP member was mailed a copy of the toolkit to use in their office.
The toolkit includes information on:
- Screening for reproductive intentions and risk of unintended pregnancy
- Assessing for medical, obstetrical, psychosocial, environmental, and genetic/familial risks
- Documenting proper CPT codes for reimbursement of preconception care services
The Preconception Care Toolkit also includes patient education brochures, in English and Spanish, which can be photocopied for distribution. Brochure topics include "Improving Your Health" and "Pregnancy Planning-Birth Spacing," and address specific conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disorders, seizure disorders, lupus, depression, and smoking. Additionally, the toolkit contains physician resources that can be used to guide the reproductive health interview, answer common reproductive health questions, and provide E/M Codes applicable to provision of preconception care services.
New this year an additional brochure is being developed to address the importance of oral health and its relation to premature births.
This spring, GAFP members will receive an invitation to complete an online survey regarding your experience with the toolkit. Your feedback and input on the usefulness of this Preconception Care Toolkit will be very valuable for the Division of Public Health/Maternal Child Health staff as they plan future initiatives to reduce infant mortality in Georgia. For additional information contact Cathi Durham, GAFP Director of Outreach, at (800)392-3841 or by email at cdurham@gafp.org.
GAFP Project Takes the Stage at National CME Meeting
The GAFP's GO! Diabetes initiative has gained momentum over the past three years, including its 2010 expansion to include private practice physicians in the project. A testament to the popularity of this important project was its recent abstract acceptance as a part of the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education's (Alliance) national conference.
The Alliance is an international membership organization of more than 2,500 individuals devoted to designing and implementing certified continuing medical education (CME) activities for physicians, and each year organizations are requested to submit abstracts of projects they feel are important and highlight innovative ways of improving medical care.
On January 27th, the GO! Diabetes project was highlighted as one of the breakout sessions during the conference with more than 1,300 attendees. The presentation entitled, A Practice Improvement Designed to Improve Diabetic Patient Care, was developed and presented by Angela Flanigan, GAFP Director of Education; Susan Reichman, GO! Diabetes Project Director, and Amy Soto, Senior National Education Manager for Sanofi Aventis.
The lecture focused on the history of the GO! Diabetes project, the benchmarks reached over the past three years, the successes and challenges reported by participants, the funder's perspective of the project, and the documented improvement in patient care.
The information was well received by the audience of CME professionals and further highlighted the important work done by family physicians, family medicine residents, and members of the clinical team. The GAFP continues to offer the GO! Diabetes program as an ongoing practice improvement project and hopes to expand its reach in 2011.
Join the AAFP Connection- Online Communities
Ready to join the social network with family physicians? Join AAFP Connection to connect with AAFP members and share information through discussion forums.
There are two online communities that may be of interest to you:
Rural Medicine- offers an opportunity to discuss with other rural family physicians topics such as rural related research, legislative issues, training rural family physicians and life balance issues.
Clinical Procedures- which offers an opportunity to find advice, discuss treatment options, and locate CME courses based on your needs.
Make your connection today at http://www.aafp.org
GAFP Leads in "A Community Call to Action"
The GAFP, along with the Georgia Department of Community Health, will be holding several dinner meetings around the state. These discussions will focus on barriers and possible solutions to providing family planning to teens in Georgia. Dr. Melissa Kottke, Medical Director of the Grady Teen Clinic and Director of the Jane Fonda Center for Adolescent Reproductive Health, will facilitate the meetings.
The goal is to include family physicians, obstetricians, gynecologists, family planning clinic staff, faith based organizations, and others who are involved in the lives of adolescents. The next meetings will take place in Waycross on March 3rd and Albany on March 4th. Future meetings will include Columbus and DeKalb County.
For additional information, contact Cathi Durham, GAFP Director of Outreach at 800-392-3841 or cdurham@gafp.org.
Georgia Academy Adopts New Strategic Plan (2011-2013)
The GAFP Officers and the Chairs of the GAFP Committees met in August 2010 for a strategic planning retreat. Facilitated by Jan Carter (former AAFP Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing), the group spent the day reviewing the GAFP's strengths, weaknesses, and visioning for future growth. After a day of intense discussion, four goals were reviewed and accepted to be presented to the Board of Directors for review and approval.
The Executive Committee reviewed the work of the retreat participants and sent a final draft version to the Board of Directors for their approval. At the November 2010 meeting, the Board approved the following strategic plan to be implemented over the next three years:
A. Implementing a plan to foster NCQA recognized Patient Centered Medical Home Practices in Georgia.
B. Increasing the number of Georgia medical students entering Georgia Family Medicine residencies.
C. Supporting new-to-practice Georgia family physicians.
D. Helping and promoting family medicine preceptors work with medical students.
E. Encouraging family physicians currently practicing in Georgia to remain in practice in Georgia.