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New Model of Family Medicine |
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Communications |
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Electronic Health Records |
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Family Medicine Education |
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Life-long Learning |
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Enhancing the Science of Family Medicine |
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Quality of Care |
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Role of Family Medicine in Academic Health Centers |
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Promoting a Sufficient Family Medicine Workforce |
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Leadership and Advocacy |
Role of Family Medicine in Academic Health Centers
Departments of family medicine will individually and collectively analyze their position within the academic health center setting and will take steps to enhance their contribution to the advancement and rejuvenation of the AHC to meet the needs of the American people. A summit of policymakers and family medicine leaders in academia and private practice will be convened to review the role of and make recommendations on the Future of Family Medicine in academia.Implementation Update (January 2005): The Future of Family Medicine (FFM) project was designed to redefine family medicine for the 21st century. One of the specific tasks that resulted from the project was to conduct a summit on the role of departments of family medicine in academic health center. Some of the reasons behind this are the perception that some departments of family medicine may be in danger and the importance of departments of family medicine to student interest in family medicine.
This is considered within the context of the need for change in academic health centers as outlined in the recent Institute of Medicine report. This report suggests seven recommendations that should promote change with the AHCs. Part of family medicine ensuring its place in the academic health center is the participation in the seven recommendations. Before this can happen there is a great need to open communication with those organizations that directly relate to the status of the family medicine in the AHC. The goal of ADFM’s approach to this question is to improve communication on all levels and identify “best practices” in optimizing the position of departments of family medicine in academic health centers.
A strategic planning committee to assist ADFM in carrying out this initiative has been formed with representation from AAFP, AFMRD, NAPCRG and STFM. The first meeting of this strategic planning committee will be held on May 1, 2005.
Promoting a Sufficient Family Medicine Workforce
A comprehensive Family Medicine Career Development Program and other strategies will be implemented to recruit and train a culturally diverse family physician workforce that meets the needs of the evolving US population for integrated health care for whole people, families and communities. Departments of family medicine will continue to develop, implement, disseminate and evaluate best practices in expanding student interest in the specialty.