Emma Lundberg, CAFP Membership Coordinator, was kind enough to invite me to provide an update on #2014YearFP at the Sacramento-El Dorado County Chapter Spring Awards Dinner on June 23. I paraphrased President Woodrow Wilson in stating that #2014YearFP is an idea, an ideal and a vision. It began as an idea to raise the profile of family physicians during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. It transitioned to an ideal when medical students, family medicine residents, family physicians, and CAFP staff started posting pictures holding the #2014YearFP placard. Faces, hopes, and stories were attached to the hashtag. We came together and became family medicine strong through social media. The ideal was further advanced when our representatives joined the movement. The city of Sacramento and the counties of Sacramento and Shasta issued public proclamations declaring 2014 as the Year of the Family Physician. And, on July 7, the California Assembly passed ACR-107 recognizing 2014 as the Year of the Family Physician. Assemblymember Richard Bloom authored the resolution with input from CAFP.
The vision for #2014YearFP resides in those who believe supporting family physicians will address the health needs of our nation. I hope forty-nine states share this vision and pass similar resolutions. I invite federal legislators to embrace ownership of #2014YearFP and take it to the next level as a symbol of unity. #2014YearFP is apolitical statement of people speaking with one voice. We, the family physicians of this land, in order to form more cohesive communities, establish ongoing relationships with our patients, provide for all of those who are afflicted, promote continuity of care and public health, secure dignity and rights for whom we serve, do ordain and declare 2014 as the Year of the Family Physician.
