Special constituencies tackle obstacles to good care
 A resolution suggesting a cultural competency theme in all AAFP CME programs struck a chord with Telita Crosland, M.D., of Dupont, Wash., left; Jack Chou, M.D., of Baldwin Park, Calif.; and Kim Yu, M.D., of Novi, Mich. The resolution passed after the word proficiency was substituted for competency. |
Attendees at AAFP's National Conference of Special Constituencies chipped away at the forces that erode high-quality medical care. A record 162 physicians, most of them representing constituent chapters, turned out for the NCSC April 29 - May 1. The meeting is held each year in tandem with AAFP's Annual Leadership Forum.
The five constituencies -- women physicians; minority physicians; new physicians; international medical graduates; and the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender constituency -- approved 45 resolutions that will be referred to the Board of Directors or the AAFP Congress of Delegates for further action. A sampling of NCSC's work follows.
Disparities in health care. Recognizing that minority medical students often return to underserved urban areas to practice, minority physicians sought to diminish health care disparities by increasing diversity among medical school applicants. Participants suggested avoiding the term affirmative action because some university affirmative action programs have recently come under fire. The final resolution asked the Academy to help identify lower socioeconomic status as a vital criterion in diversifying medical schools.
The minority constituency also asked the AAFP to support legislation on state and federal levels to provide tax credits for all physicians who provide medical care to underinsured and uninsured patients. The effort was seen as a way to decrease barriers to care and increase access to care for minorities and the underinsured and uninsured.
Certification. Maintenance of certification issues took center stage in the women physicians' constituency. Kim Konzak Jones, M.D., of Grand Forks, N.D. - population 1,000 - said requirements for the new Maintenance of Certification Program for Family Physicians would create real hardships for physicians in rural communities where Internet access may be slow or nonexistent. "Money is an issue; time is an issue," she said. "That's just rural America, but it's real America." The women physicians passed a resolution asking the Academy to continue discussions with the American Board of Family Practice regarding members' concerns about MC-FP cost and accessibility issues.
Call schedules. A discussion on equitable call schedules popped up in the women physicians' constituency. A rural physician said she and the one other FP at her hospital are credentialed in multiple clinical departments and are therefore asked to take call for multiple departments, creating a disproportionate call burden. Anne Montgomery, M.D., of Olympia, Wash., said she'd had similar experiences at both small and large hospitals. Ultimately, the issue was addressed by the joint constituency (a gathering of all the groups), which asked the Academy to develop a policy advocating equitable hospital admission call scheduling for FPs.
School bullying. The GLBT constituency moved to enhance AAFP's policy and position statement on violence by adding language addressing school bullying. Discussions focused on the disparity between growing awareness that bullying is a health issue among school children and the reality that many youngsters continue to endure harassment.
The resolution would put the Academy on record as recognizing the harmful effects of bullying due to socioeconomic status, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, gender, gender identity or disability. This is the only NCSC resolution referred to the Congress of Delegates.
Enhancing participation. To encourage peer participation, the IMG physicians called on the Academy to urge constituent chapters to "create a section on special constituencies incorporating all groups established at the national level."
To contact writers Leslie Champlin and Sheri Porter, e-mail lchampli@aafp.org and sporter@aafp.org.
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