Contents tagged with president's letter
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Become an ambassador of family medicine
By Kaparaboyna Ashok Kumar, M.D., F.R.C.S.
TAFP President, 2009-2010Last fall as I watched Roland Goertz, M.D., carry out his successful campaign to become AAFP’s new president-elect aided by our physician leadership and supported by our members, I was struck by something he frequently told audiences. In the midst of the concern and confusion surrounding the health care reform debate taking place on Capitol Hill, Dr. Goertz would look out at the crowd with hope and congratulate everyone for having the chance to live in interesting times. What a great perspective.
We have every reason to be optimistic about the future of family medicine. Demand for the comprehensive, attentive care we offer our patients remains strong and the recognition among policymakers of our value in the health care system has never been greater. At the state level, TAFP has become a trusted and respected resource for lawmakers as they craft legislation, and at the national level, senators and congressional representatives seek the wisdom of family physicians in their deliberations. These are indeed heady days for our organization and our specialty.
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Invest in students, residents to keep specialty strong
From the inaugural address of TAFP’s new president
By Kaparaboyna Ashok Kumar, M.D., F.R.C.S.
TAFP President, 2009-2010It is a great honor and privilege to serve as your president. I thank every one of you for placing your confidence in me and I will work sincerely and tirelessly to protect the interests of our members and patients.
As I begin my term as president, I would like to thank some very special people. I thank my family, especially my wife Elaine, for their love, understanding, patience and support, without which I would not be able to take up these responsibilities.
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Seeking a system that respects the patient-physician relationship
By Robert Youens, M.D., M.M.M.
TAFP President, 2008-2009Recently in a neighboring community to mine with practicing family physicians, a hospital, surgeons, obstetrical care, ER coverage and multiple visiting specialists, two interesting developments have occurred. First, a new clinic has opened with a $1 million grant and the backing of the local community and a citizen champion. The plan is to have it qualify as a Federally Qualified Health Center “look-alike” that will allow it to receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement at significantly higher levels than the locally practicing physicians. This clinic is able to see any patient: Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or private pay. Incidentally, the guiding force behind the clinic says they currently have a nurse practitioner and a “family practice” doctor, but he wants to get a pediatrician because his primary reason for starting the clinic is to help children.
Second, with the help of local and federal politicians, a Veterans Administration clinic is to open this summer to care for veterans in the area who need their services, thus decreasing travel distances to a more remote VA clinic. This clinic was awarded on a bid contract to a company who apparently does this in other places and is to be staffed by various ancillary personnel hired for the business as well as a general practitioner from the area.
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Managing our practices as well as our patients
By Robert Youens, M.D., M.M.M.
TAFP President, 2008-2009Hello again. This quarter’s missive is intended to provoke thought about family physicians’ position in the health care landscape of the future. My original intent was going to be to discuss little vs. big in the ideal provision of health care, making an argument that personal attention from a personal physician in a small practice environment is superior to attention from a team in a large bureaucratic institution. I’ll probably always feel this way but instead have some ideas to share about what the future may hold for our specialty and profession.
Throughout my career I have embraced the business of medicine and my fundamental belief that if we go out of business, we can’t provide care. It is also true that to manage a medical practice and achieve this outcome, someone must be in charge. It is my contention that the physician should be this someone.
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Rewards and challenges of family medicine
From the inaugural address of TAFP’s new president
By Robert Youens, M.D.
TAFP President, 2008-2009I’m a board-certified, residency-trained family physician starting my 30th year of practice in Weimar, Texas. My grandfather started practicing in my community 100 years ago and my father started 60 years ago. Sometimes I feel that I am simply a continuation of that one spirit. I love what I do. I love what our specialty does and I embrace its uniqueness. The longer I am at this business the more I realize how our particular brand of medicine is what’s best for all patients. Our holistic approach to the treatment of our patients continues to make us the best specialty on which to found a health care system. As the president of TAFP, I will continue our efforts to reinforce the truths that have been known to us and proven by repeated studies that family medicine delivers better outcomes at lower cost. We will continue to actively participate in any arena that will allow us to promote and support our proper place in the health care of our nation.
We need to be properly paid for what we do and TAFP will be there for any effort, including defining a medical home, that will get this done.
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Let’s celebrate six decades of family medicine
By Linda Siy, M.D.
TAFP President, 2007-2008Sixty years! 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, and to mark the occasion, our TAFP Foundation is promoting a “$60 for Sixty” campaign. You can become a “60” donor this year and join us in celebrating our Academy’s anniversary.
The TAFP Foundation was started a few years later in 1960 under the moniker of Education and Research Institute of General Medicine, then becoming the Family Medicine Foundation in 1974. Eventually it was renamed the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation in 1986. Its role has been to support research, students, residents and education of family physicians.
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Interim Session features healthy debate on the medical home
By Linda Siy, M.D.
TAFP President, 2007-2008Happy spring! Our 2008 Interim Session has concluded, and the weekend was a success. The C. Frank Webber Lectureship boasted record attendance this year, and the lectures were of excellent quality. The committees and commissions all met over the course of two days, and the Board of Directors meeting was held Saturday evening, March 15, with much being accomplished. The annual Student and Resident Conference is held in conjunction with Interim Session, and had 26 students and 68 residents from 17 programs attend. A lively residency and procedures fair highlighted their conference, with the opportunity to interact with other active TAFP members.
Our award-winning communications department unveiled a new advocacy video called “Doctor’s Orders,” which focuses on the importance of advocacy and getting involved with your professional organization. It can be downloaded and shown at your local chapter meetings, residency programs, student interest groups and other occasions where the encouragement to become more active and involved with family medicine’s cause is needed. I encourage you to watch the video, which can be seen through our TAFP Web site, and show it to someone else or present it to a group in your community. The more people on board, the stronger we are, and we are going to need our strength in numbers for the next legislative session in 2009!
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New opportunities abound in the new year
By Linda Siy, M.D.
TAFP President, 2007-2008Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that 2007 has come to an end, and 2008 lies ahead. Our TAFP stands ready to serve you in the new year and beyond, with a fresh set of initiatives and goals developed for the future.
Last September, we convened a strategic planning group in Austin, consisting of a broad cross section of our membership. We studied the results of the recent member survey, heard your comments and know your priorities for your TAFP. We developed a concise set of goals and expectations for our Academy to move forward over the next three to five years. With the help of TAFP staff, we focused on five different areas: operations, membership, communications, education and advocacy. It is my hope and expectation that these strategic plans will help sharpen our focus on our Academy’s mission. With new Chief Executive Officer Tom Banning and new Chief Operating Officer Kathy McCarthy at the helm, our staff is motivated and ready for action. We have already begun many of the initiatives set out during strategic planning. I’ll highlight a few of these.
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