Annual Session 2011 daily news wrap – Saturday

Tags: hcsm, social media, awards, annual session and scientific assembly

Saturday, July 30, 2011 4:00:00 PM

Maybe I’m biased, but Saturday is my favorite day of Annual Session! The morning started on the business side with the meeting of the TAFP Board of Directors and on the education side with the CME breakfast kicking off another full day of lectures.

The Business and Awards Lunch is where the Academy hands out top honors to outstanding family physicians and family medicine supporters. Dr. Tom Mueller of Columbus received the 2011 Family Physician of the Year Award. Glowing words from patients aside, his reflections on the important role of family physicians in caring for the community were amplified by his family’s commitment to the profession – at least five Muellers are also decorated family physicians.

During the second part of the lunch, we inducted our 2011-2012 officers. Incoming President Dr. Balkcom talked about the need to stand up for family medicine and its central role in health care.

TAFP was proud to pilot live streaming of the CME lecture, “Know Before You Sign! What to Look for in a Physician Employment Contract, Including Employment by Non-Profit Health Corporations” with Doug Kennedy, J.D. Though clearly expert on the topic, he mixed humor and helpful tips on how to make sure you as the physician are properly represented in an employment contract, especially as the system moves toward quality reporting and coordinated care through integrated organizations. This lecture and two others will be available through the TAFP website soon. And we hope to expand our live streaming capability for the Payment Reform Summit on Oct. 1 in Austin. Stay tuned!

Attendees had a blast at the signature event of Annual Session, the President’s Party, which celebrated Dr. I. L. Balkcom, IV, as he started his term. Everyone had a great view of sunset over downtown Dallas from the 38th floor of the Sheraton, and enjoyed great food (a mashed potato bar!), great music, and casino games. Through craps, roulette, blackjack, and Texas hold ’em, players earned as much as possible in the hopes of turning in winnings for raffle tickets to win an e-reader. We closed out the house and all left the party with big smiles and new stories.

For Saturday, we’re signing off. Join us tomorrow for the final day of the 2011 TAFP Annual Session & Scientific Assembly.

– kalfano

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