2014: Year of the Family Physician (Part X)
An update on the efforts to connect #2014yearfp with the national consciousness: Approximately 25 people attended our most recent Affordable Care Act (ACA) town hall. Michael Madsen of the Coffee Garden, an independent shop, hosted it and co-promoted it with Bonnie London from the local chapter of Organizing for Action and Michael Boyd of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association. The City of Sacramento will present and pass a resolution...
2014: Year of the Family Physician (Part IX)
Since 1927, Time Magazine has recognized a person, group, or entity, who or which “most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year.” Previous concept designees have included the Middle Americans, American Women, the computer and the Endangered Earth. Let us look ahead to 2014 and delineate why the family physician is the clear choice for this distinction. With further...
2014: Year of the Family Physician (Part VIII)
In mid-February, I received an e-mail from Larry Bauer, CEO for the Family Medicine Education Consortium [FMEC], Inc. FMEC focuses on improving healthcare through the advocacy and advancement of family medicine. Their members stretch from Maine to Florida and include AAFP state chapters, hospitals, primary care associations, and family medicine residencies. He wanted to collaborate regarding #2014yearfp and to take mutual inventory...
2014: Year of the Family Physician (Part VII)
So far, we have conducted two town hall hot spots discussing the Affordable Care Act [ACA]. Akin to Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, it was the worst of meetings and it was the best of meetings. The first one was held in an independent coffee shop on the outskirts of downtown Sacramento. The owner was kind enough to set aside a table for us. However, I had failed to engage him on the purpose and scope of the meeting. I distributed...
2014: Year of the Family Physician (Part VI)
by Ronald L. Fong, MD, MPH I have attached a photo of the bumper sticker we printed for #2014yearfp. Contact me and I will send you one. The sticker is designed for us to engage with others. Movement organizers speak of recruitment to advance the cause. I would rather focus on identification instead. When we identify with people, we seek to understand their background and aspirations. Recruitment marginalizes individuals to the...