ACOFP President

Do not believe that a small group of dedicated individuals cannot change history, indeed, they are the only ones who every have"
--Margaret Meade

By Ronnie B. Martin, DO, FACOFP dist.

March 25, 2008

ACOFP at the Table to Discuss National Primary Care Strategies
I spent Thursday and Friday representing the ACOFP, the AOA and Osteopathic Medicine at the National Summit on Primary Care Strategies.  Physicians and health care leaders from around the country discussed the establishment of a new medical care delivery system for our country that would be predicated around a goal of national health as well as health care.  At the center of this proposed system are the both patient and the primary care physician. 

During the meeting, a call was made for primary care physicians to accept the responsibility to be stewards of the nation’s health care, not merely providers, and for them to take actions that will advance a new social movement to reform the health care system in the United States.  The foundation of this system, as is found worldwide, is built around the dedication, knowledge and skills of family physicians and other primary care physicians. 

While the emphasis at the meeting was not on economics, there was wide recognition that any successful system must recognize and rewards the primary care physician more equitably in order to achieve the goal of advancing the health of their patients compared with the current market based system. 

Dr. Barbara Starfield presented compelling evidence documented over more than 20 years of waste, error and sub-optimal outcomes resulting from application of our current system as well as evidence of significant economic, physical and psychological damage incurred daily by not only our individual patients, but also inflected on the health and economic status of the nation. 

She presented impressive evidence of the benefits that a system based around primary care providers such as the osteopathic family physician currently provide in health care systems around the world and that are probable in the United States if our current system was reformed and restructured. 

The evidence required to support reform of our current system to one that advances preventive care, places an emphasis on health for our patients rather than merely health care and recognizes the value of and provides access to quality, timely and cost effective care utilizing primary care physicians and a medical home for our patients. This evidence is pervasive and convincing and it is up to each of us to share it with our patients and policy makers and stop singing only to the choir!

DO Matches in the “Scramble”
It is estimated that an additional 30 osteopathic students will match with family medicine in the "scramble", meaning about 550 students matched into family medicine this year.  Although a significant number, it represents approximately 20 percent of graduates from Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, a significant decline percent-wise from the past. 

We are certain that much of this increase is due to the ACOFP, the AAFP's and the AOA's promotion of the profession to the public and policy makers as well as their promotion of the medical home and respect for the services provided by family physicians, the largest number of graduates in years elected to enter family medicine this year.  At the same time record numbers of DO graduates enter family medicine, the allopathic profession had an increase in the total number entering family medicine residencies and the first increase in U.S. graduates entering the profession since 1991.  Things are looking up for family medicine, especially in light of the 6 percent increase in income for family medicine since last year.  In fact, since 2001, there has been a 21 percent increase in the average income of family medicine physicians. 

ACOFP’s Fit for Life
What a great weekend for any basketball junkie such as myself and my family.  But while you watch the tube, celebrate your brackets and your insight (who knew to pick Davidson or San Diego?) or lament what happened to your favorite team (Any Arizona, Duke or UConn fans out there?), be sure to stay active and healthy yourself.  

You may have lost a little vertical and not be able to dunk like you once could(???) but you can get up off the couch, take a walk, ride the stationary bicycle, shovel the flower garden at half time, run the vacuum or find another way to do a little exercise.  Remember, that while beer is composed of only natural products (wheat, barley, yeast and clean water), you need to plan those drinks and snacks for the coming weeks more in line with the advice you give your patients.  

It is a long tournament, and you want to be sure that you are around for the finals in San Antonio and Tampa Bay when new National Champion’s for the men and the women are crowned.

Back to Campus
Here are some highlights from the Student Association of ACOFP (SAACOFP) at the Denver Convention.

The 2007-2008 SAACOFP Chapter Awards were presented on Friday, March 14 at a special ceremony as follows:

• President's Award and $2,000 to DMU/OMC, Charleen Balcer, ACOFP Student Chapter President
• A.T. Still Award and $1,000 to KCOM, Andrew Robert Gough, ACOFP Student Chapter President
• Humanitarian Award and $1,000 to  PCSOM, Anya K. Cope, ACOFP Student Chapter President
• Communication Award and $1,000 to TOURO-NV, Anna Schuster, ACOFP Student Chapter President
• Chapter Peer Award to PCOM, Lynn Wilson, ACOFP Student Chapter President following the Student Chapter Reports on Thursday, March 13. 

Elections also were held for the 2008 - 2009 SAACOFP Executive Board Members.  Congratulations to the new national student board members:

• Andrew Robert Gough, KCOM President
• Lynn M. Wilson, PCOM, Vice President
• Stephanie Morbeck, TOURO-NV, Secretary
• Danielle Barnett, ATSU-SOMA, Parliamentarian

ACOFP’s Residency Program Directory - Revamped to be Faster and Easier to Use
The 'Guide to Selecting an Osteopathic Family Practice Residency Program', now in its second edition, helps students identify the locations, scope of training provided, salaries and benefits and contact information for more than 100 osteopathic family practice residency programs around the country. Beyond the comprehensive demographic information, it provides the rationale for pursuing osteopathic training and information on how to participate in the match process. Use the newly updated Residency Program Directory to research programs that are of interest to you. Resident Recruiter contact information is listed within each residency program profile - easy access for students looking for answers to their questions.

Make your opinions known! Send an email to me and ACOFP. Share your thoughts, make comments, and tell us what you have been doing in regards to osteopathic family medicine.

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