Contents tagged with texas family physician
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Bridging the quality chasm
Bridging the quality chasm
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Bridges to Excellence collaborate to recognize and reward Texas physicians
By Eduardo Sanchez, M.D.Vice President and Chief … more
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Monitoring and management of cardiovascular risk factors by primary care physicians at an academic medical center
Monitoring and management of cardiovascular risk factors by primary care physicians at an academic medical center
Cindy Ripsin, M.S., M.P.H., M.D.Associate Residency DirectorUniversity of Texas … more
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The 82nd Texas Legislature: Game on!
The 82nd Texas Legislature: Game on!
By Jonathan Nelson
The opening bell has rung and the gavel has dropped in Austin as lawmakers grapple with a massive budget shortfall, the sunset of several … more
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Texas Family Physician - Vol. 62 No. 1, Winter 2011
Go to the TFP archive
View the virtual issue
President’s Letter
Member News
2010 Year in Review
Perspective
Cover: Taking a chance on accountable careHealth system reformers hope … more
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Family medicine can flourish in accountable care
By John K. Frederick, M.D.
I’ve been at this right at 20 years now. Some things are the still the same and will never change: the importance of a smile, a touch, a listening ear to a worried or discouraged patient, or wise counsel to a parent facing the health crisis of a child. That’s the clinical stuff, and it’s still “all good.” On the business side of my medical practice, things aren’t still the same. For all sorts of reasons the business has steadily gotten worse—lower payments, longer hours, and ever more forms to complete. Yet the same national politics which have caused an erosion of private practice over the years seems now to have turned, and may now offer us a golden opportunity. The crafters of the new federal health care law put us right back in the middle of things, requiring new vertically integrated health care ACOs to be built on a foundation of primary care! As a result this is the best, most timely opportunity for family medicine doctors since the advent of our specialty! What we do in the next 24 months may well either cement our validity with the public and general medical community, or relegate us to lapdog status.
Until now we have been putting out fires, providing episodic care driven by patient demand. There are a number of lesser-trained medical folks quite capable of working at this level. Our response has been to increase visit volume, and perhaps become more accurate in our coding. But in the near future our broader skill set, our breadth of training, and our ability to see the big picture will set us apart. Chronic medical care drives most of the health care costs in our country, and we are in a perfect position to put a significant dent in those costs with the help from one of the good EHRs now on the market. The really good news is that voluminous data now exists that health systems designed and led by primary care provides for lower costs and improved patient outcomes. And the politicians now know it.
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2010: A year of innovation
By Melissa Ayala
Launching into a new decade, TAFP experienced a year full of advancements in every category, from technology to politics. 2010 was marked with hard-hitting and award-winning advocacy and communications work, high-quality CME programs, and an ever-expanding network of member resources.
Advocacy
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Annual Session 2010 Minutes in Brief
Annual Session 2010 Minutes in Brief
The Texas Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors met on Saturday, July 24, 2010, to hear reports and recommendations from TAFP’s committees, … more
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Career family doctor and rodeo man passes away
Career family doctor and rodeo man passes away
TAFP life member Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D., of Houston, died on Aug. 31 at the age of 93. “Doctor Joe,” as he was known by friends and patients, … more
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Improve diabetes care, patient education through GO! Diabetes
Improve diabetes care, patient education through GO! Diabetes
The GO! Diabetes program, an initiative of the Georgia and Oklahoma chapters of the American Academy of Family Physicians, is looking … more
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TAFP member elected board president of TMF Health Quality Institute
TAFP member elected board president of TMF Health Quality Institute
David Garza, D.O.
TAFP member David E. Garza, D.O., has been elected president of the TMF Health Quality Institute Board of … more