Local Physician Leads Nation’s LargestAssociation of Osteopathic Family Physicians
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – Steven F. Rubin, DO, FACOFP dist. of Fair Lawn, New Jersey was inaugurated as President of the 25,000-member American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians on March 17, 2007 during the ACOFP Annual Convention in Kissimmee, Florida.
While acknowledging that the medical profession faces a variety of challenges, Dr. Rubin firmly believes that osteopathic family physicians can achieve and maintain successful practices.
Addressing the 2007 ACOFP Congress of Delegates, Dr. Rubin called on the ACOFP leadership and members to take a positive “It CAN Be Done” approach to the profession’s key issues, a philosophy that two-term U.S President Ronald Reagan successfully applied to economic and foreign relations challenges.
“With an “It CAN Be Done” mentality, the ACOFP Board will address how we can replace the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for Medicare payment to physicians, how we can keep Professional Liability Insurance reform on the national agenda despite an unfavorable U.S. Congress, how to demonstrate that the quality of care is measurably different from services available in a retail clinic, and how to assure that osteopathic graduates have access to quality residency programs in family medicine,” stated Dr. Rubin.
The Leader Within
Dr. Rubin encouraged ACOFP member leaders to look inside themselves to “The Leader Within” as they face the future challenges of medicine.
“You can be proud of being an osteopathic physician because our patients need us,” said Dr. Rubin. “One in seven Americans has a musculoskeletal impairment. Truly, patients need the knowledge, skills and services of osteopathic family physicians.
“No matter what you do – whether in your practice, in your community, in your local and national organizations – you can be a leader who effects change for our patients and our profession!”
Leading By Example
Dr. Rubin, ACOFP’s 54th President, maintains an active solo family practice in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He is on staff at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey and serves as the Associate Chair of the Department of Family Practice. A two-term president of the New Jersey chapter of the ACOFP, Dr. Rubin received the 2001 Physician of the Year Award from the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Rubin is a graduate of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his internship and residency training at the Kennedy Memorial Hospitals in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
He serves as the Police Physician for the State of New Jersey Police Department for more than 20 years, and in November 2005 was inducted into the New Jersey Honor Legion of the New Jersey Police Department.
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Founded in 1950, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians is the national organization of more than 25,000 practicing osteopathic family physicians and physicians-in-training. The ACOFP’s mission is to promote excellence in osteopathic family medicine through quality education, visionary leadership and responsible advocacy.
