These disrupters and others are changing the landscape of primary medicine today. As the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) meets for their 13th annual Scientific Assembly this week (Sept. 24-28) in San Diego, the increasingly fragmented world of healthcare will be top of the agenda.
“Real issues, real answers, real voices” is the theme of the conference. It aims to get healthcare professionals talking and working together to confront issues facing today’s family physician.
AAFP President-elect Reid Blackwelder and motivational speaker Glenna Salsbury will discuss real issues and “how to stay on the cutting edge…without losing your balance” in Wednesday’s opening session while a panel session on Thursday will address “real answers” to practice and specialty issues, featuring John Bender of the Miramont Family Medicine in Fort Collins, Colorado; Marci Nielsen, Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, and Dr. Samuel Nussbaum, WellPoint.
AAFP Family Physician of the Year, Sally Hogshead, is the “real voice” on Friday, talking about the joys of being a family physician and her science-based research on fascination.
More than 300-solutions based companies will offer tools, resource and knowledge in the Expo Hall, a state-of-the-art marketplace filled with companies and industry experts focused on family medicine and primary care.
Physicians will have a hands-on opportunity to explore new EHR systems, ask questions of experts, and get up to date with the very latest on therapies, practice management solutions, medical equipment, nutrition, and publications.
And, of course, CME or continuing medical education is a part of AAFP physician resources to further a physician's education and continue their professional development. Assembly CME covers 13 body systems, patient-based and population-based care, and procedural skills.
Conference participants can now go beyond the traditional lecture session and create their own tracks focused on practice management, PCMH, payment, the 10 most overused tests/procedures in family medicine, and other critical issues. Other Assembly highlights include the “Hub,” a social focal point, the go-to spot for conversation, an opportunity to meet family physicians in similar practice profiles and see new family medicine research in poster presentations.
The future of Family Medicine 2.0 is still being defined as the role of the 21st century family physician responds to the challenges of an evolving health system. How will doctors move from “practice owner” to physicians as employees of larger health systems? How can they adopt to health information technology for care coordination? What are the evolving models of payment reform? Attendees at AAFP Assembly will have a voice in these concerns.
