August 2000 • Volume 6 • Number 8
Research plan helps family medicine
To the editor:
I'd like to share with AAFP members a recent, tangible example of the impact of AAFP's Plan to Enhance Family Practice Research.
At the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's annual spring conference May 3-7, the directors of the three research centers funded through the AAFP's plan and the director of the AAFP Center for Policy Studies in Family Practice and Primary Care presented "Involving All Family Physicians in the Use and Generation of New Knowledge."
This plenary received a tremendously enthusiastic response and was one of the most highly rated presentations at the conference in recent years. Some members of STFM's board, among other attendees, commented that the plenary could have a palpable impact on attitudes toward research within STFM.
A transcript has been published in STFM's July/August Family Medicine, and audiotapes are available from STFM by contacting Shelly Langerock at (800) 274-2237, Ext. 5415, or recept@STFM.org.
I actually believe that the AAFP's plan has contributed to a change in the way research is being viewed in our discipline as a whole. Although this change in perspective may not be quite as tangible as some of the actual research outcomes that you may see from the plan, I believe that it may be one of the most important. Thanks to the AAFP Board of Directors for their decision to support research in our discipline and for their support of the research leaders who provided us with such a stirring plenary.
Perry Dickinson, M.D.
Chair, STFM Research Committee
DenverConservative proposes 'socialized medicine'
To the editor:
I'm a conservative, but I'm proposing "Socialized Medicine" because the confusion and destruction of health care by Medicare, Medicaid and HMOs are driving us all to desperation.
My proposal combines the principle of medical savings accounts with the annual income tax snafu. Set up a fixed annual premium, say $2,000, for each citizen, against which all medical expenses for the year are to be charged. The citizen is the one who decides which are true medical expenses. The government would pay demands for reimbursement out of the $2,000.
The $2,000 would be considered part of the income tax paid by the citizen. At year's end, any remaining balance would be paid to the patient or rolled over to next year's tax obligation. People below the level of tax obligation would be paid some or all of the unused $2,000, even though they didn't pay tax.
Expenses above the $2,000 would be covered by major medical coverage, perhaps paid by another $500 or $1,000 premium, non-recoverable by the taxpayer.
The only offensive part is federal government control -- but our medical system is already largely under that control. That would be eliminated by this proposal. The doctor-patient relationship would be restored.
Yes, this would likely cost somewhat more than at present. But Congress and the public must realize that health expenses must take a larger bite if we wish to continue having excellent medical care.
W.E. Manry Jr., M.D.
Lake Wales, Fla.
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2000 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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