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AAFP Statement: Support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Aligning Forces for Quality” Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 05, 2008

Statement Attributable to:
James King, M.D.
President
American Academy of Family Physicians

“Family physicians are located in every county in the United States, and each day we see first hand the impact individuals and organizations can have when they work together to tackle a community’s health care needs. That’s why we support the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality initiative — an effort that is bringing all critical stakeholders together around common objectives for the ultimate goal of improved patient care.”

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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents more than 94,600 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Nearly one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 208 million office visits each year - nearly 83 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty.

In the increasingly fragmented world of health care where many medical specialties limit their practice to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family physicians are dedicated to treating the whole person across the full spectrum of ages. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians and about the specialty of family medicine, please visit aafp.org.

For more information about the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care and downloadable multi-media on family medicine and health care, visit the AAFP Media Center.

For more information about health care, health conditions, and wellness, please visit familydoctor.org.