Admiring a Pioneer in the FMRevolution

Posted from Kansas City, MO

In spite of the whirlwind of excitement, status updates and tweets whilst chairing the AAFP National Conference of Special Constituencies (NCSC) here in Kansas City, it was important to take a deep breath and pause to admire Dr. G. Gayle Stephens as he delivered his plenary session on the evolution of family medicine in America from counterculture to revolution. It was not solely because he is an original Family Medicine Revolutionary – it was the gumption he displayed as he reminded us that our first obligation as a physician is to give a damn. Indeed, when it comes to caring for our patients, it is compassion that enables us to deliver optimal care.  And when it comes to family medicine, we must “stop complaining and start resisting” for transformation of the health care system. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – we must stop seeing ourselves as victims of policy changes and become the Force that drives change. This is why we need a family medicine revolution in our health care system: we need a health care system that gives a damn about its patients!

Follow Dr. Stevens on Twitter (@ggstephens) and join the conversation (#AAFPNCSC).

Author: Jay Lee, MD, MPH

Jay W. Lee, MD, MPH, FAAFP, is Associate Medical Director of Practice Transformation at MemorialCare Medical Group and Assistant Program Director/Director of Health Policy at the Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program. He is also Speaker on the California Academy of Family Physicians' Board of Directors.

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