Each year, the Academy asks its members what they think about AAFP, its work and services, and family medicine. The Board of Directors studies the results of the Member Attitude Survey for insight into members' attitudes and their perceptions of AAFP's products and services.
Members Assess AAFP, Its Activities, the Specialty
By News Staff
This year, 675 members returned usable surveys, and 86 percent of respondents said they were very satisfied or satisfied with the Academy compared with other medical organizations. Last year, 84 percent said they were very satisfied or satisfied; since 2000, members' satisfaction scores have ranged from 81 percent to 86 percent. However, this year, 44 percent of respondents said they were very satisfied with the Academy, compared with 51 percent in 2004.
An open-ended question in the survey asked, "If you are less than 'very satisfied' with the Academy, what could improve your rating?" The leading answers this year were
- take a stronger role regarding the new Maintenance of Certification Program for Family Physicians -- a program of the American Board of Family Medicine (52 respondents);
- step up efforts at promotion of family physicians to the public (37 respondents); and
- reduce dues (14 respondents).
Another open-ended question asked, "What are the three most valuable functions the AAFP performs?" The leading answers fell into the categories of
- lobbying/advocacy (260 respondents),
- CME (245 respondents),
- publishing American Family Physician (68 respondents),
- improving the image of family physicians (68 respondents),
- providing patient education materials (37 respondents), and
- providing CME record-keeping (34 respondents).
Concerning leadership, 59 percent of respondents said the Congress of Delegates was leading the Academy in the right direction, and 59 percent said the Board of Directors was leading the Academy in the right direction. A strong majority of respondents said the Academy was doing a good job representing family medicine to the public and patients (67 percent), to the rest of organized medicine (64 percent), and to the government (60 percent).
Sixty-three percent of respondents said this year that if they had it to do over, they would choose to be family physicians, consistent with 64 percent in 2004. By comparison, 71 percent of respondents in 2000 and 74 percent in 2001 said they would be family physicians again.
Concerning the statement, "I expect to make more money from my practice this year than last year," 29 percent agreed, 26 percent were neutral, and 45 percent disagreed. By comparison, in 2004, 53 percent disagreed.
Family physicians provide a better quality of care now than 10 years ago, said 76 percent, consistent with 73 percent in 2004 and consistent with responses since 2000.
This year, 91 percent of respondents said they have been kept informed of AAFP's major actions and programs, with members primarily using these sources of information: AFP (76 percent), the Academy's Web site (59 percent), and Family Practice Management (50 percent).
Sixty-three percent of respondents said this year that if they had it to do over, they would choose to be family physicians, consistent with 64 percent in 2004. By comparison, 71 percent of respondents in 2000 and 74 percent in 2001 said they would be family physicians again.
Concerning the statement, "I expect to make more money from my practice this year than last year," 29 percent agreed, 26 percent were neutral, and 45 percent disagreed. By comparison, in 2004, 53 percent disagreed.
Family physicians provide a better quality of care now than 10 years ago, said 76 percent, consistent with 73 percent in 2004 and consistent with responses since 2000.
This year, 91 percent of respondents said they have been kept informed of AAFP's major actions and programs, with members primarily using these sources of information: AFP (76 percent), the Academy's Web site (59 percent), and Family Practice Management (50 percent).
