FPs Can Influence Rape Culture by Talking About Consent
Natalie Hinchcliffe, D.O., writes that as doctors for both victims and perpetrators of rape, family physicians are uniquely positioned to influence rape culture.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170731fp-consent.html
I Bounced Back From Burnout by Setting Boundaries, Priorities
Late last year, Kimberly Becher, M.D., reached a point where she thought the only thing in life she was doing well was patient care. She had to make changes at work and home to fight off burnout.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170724fpbounceback.html
Hospital Shooting Raises Questions About Safety, Mental Health
Are physicians safe at work? Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center residency graduate Kurt Bravata, M.D., reflects on the recent shooting at his training program site.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170714fp-shooting.html
I Had to 'Unlearn' Medicine to Treat Vulnerable Patients
New physician Anita Ravi, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.H.P., relates in words and spare drawings why some of the advice she was taught to give doesn't apply to the patients she is expected to help.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170814fp-unlearning.html
How Do I Deal With a Racist Patient?
With racism a frequent topic in the news recently, we asked our new physician bloggers how racism has affected them in health care settings.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170821fp-race.html
Health Care Debates Don't Have to Be Heated
Politicians discussing health care policy could take a lesson from a couple of family physicians who recently debated the merits of the direct primary care model without resorting to insults.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170829fp-debate.html
Halting Health Studies Harms Patients, Hinders Physicians
The Trump administration recently halted a study on the health consequences of mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. It wasn't because the process had been deemed safe.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170905fp-minestudy.html
What Should We Tell Parents About Concussions, Contact Sports?
Despite an abundance of research regarding head injuries, counseling parents and young athletes about the risks of contact sports is complicated.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170913fp-concussions.html
Telemedicine Advances Outpace Common Sense Regulations
Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., writes that her clinic has implemented a novel way to use telemedicine. But for many physicians, barriers remain.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170919fp-telemedicine.html
Start by Viewing Transgender Patients as People -- Not 'Burdens'
Discrimination against transgender people is precipitated by viewing patients with dollar signs over their heads, rather than simply seeing them as people.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170803fp-transgendercare.html
How a Bill Becomes a Wall
Through words and drawings, Anita Ravi, M.D., illustrates how the Graham-Cassidy bill currently under consideration in the Senate could make health care worse.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170925fp-grahamcassidy.html
We're Thankful for …
With the holidays approaching, we asked some of our new physician bloggers what they are thankful for in their practices. Here is what they shared.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171114fp-thankful.html
In Defense of Reproductive Health Care
Starting Jan. 1, employers can refuse to provide insurance coverage for contraception. Natalie Hinchcliffe, D.O., points out that partisan arguments about birth control overlook the fact that women use these medications for many other conditions.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171117fp-contraception.html
Up in Smoke: Western Fires Pose Public Health Hazard
Melissa Hemphill, M.D., writes that the wildfires scorching the Pacific Northwest are a public health hazard, and the threat is getting worse each year.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20170929fp-fires.html
But I Already DID Refer You to an 'American' Doctor
More than one-fourth of U.S. physicians were born in other countries. Kimberly Becher, M.D., examines the difficulty of getting some white patients to accept referrals to minority subspecialists.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171009fp-race.html
Do 'Disease of the Month' Campaigns Lead to Overscreening?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., questions whether disease of the month campaigns might contribute to overscreening and overdiagnosis.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171016fp-diseasemonth.html
Viral Response to #MeToo Shines Light on Need for Change
In light of the #MeToo phenomenon, we asked our new physician bloggers to share their perspectives on the pervasive nature of sexual harassment and assault in our society.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171019fp-metoo.html
Could Better Coping Skills Curb Rampant Drug Use?
A record number of Americans died of drug overdoses in 2015. Venis Wilder, M.D., ponders how family physicians can help.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171030fp-coping.html
In Wake of Disaster, Family Physicians Can Help
Our nation has been hit by a recent flurry of terrifying events. Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, M.D., ponders how family physicians can help patients cope in the aftermath.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171107fp-trauma.html
Crafting a Life That's Right for Me, My Family and Patients
After the birth of twins, Beth Oller, M.D., restructured her life so she could offer the best of herself to both her family and her practice.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171127fp-selfcare.html
Rural or Urban FP, We Both Handle Gamut of Patient Issues
A rural family physician and her inner-city counterpart find that their scope of practice and the issues their patients face are more similar than they expected.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171205fp-urbanrural.html
Make Fertility Awareness Part of Family Planning Toolbox
Fertility awareness-based methods can help couples avoid or achieve pregnancy, but a misleading statistic may be impeding their use.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171212fp-familyplanning.html
Words Matter: Support Science, Evidence
Debate continues about seven words CDC officials have reportedly been told to avoid. Regardless of the list's origin, the controversy points to a need to defend science.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20171219lv-cdcwords.html
AAFP Member Survey Provides Valuable Perspective
The AAFP's annual Practice Profile Survey provides tremendous insight that drives improvements in the Academy's advocacy, education and member services.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170801ITT_Survey.html
The ACA Survived. Now What?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recently survived four Senate votes regarding repeal and replacement of the health care law. In the latest In the Trenches blog post, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin reflects on how we ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170815itt-aca.html
AAFP's eHealth Initiative Aims to Make Health IT Work for FPs
Innovations in health technology aren't likely to succeed without physician input. In the latest In the Trenches blog post, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin explains how the Academy's Alliance for eHealth Innovation is working to ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170718ehealthalliance.html
Congress Faces Tight Deadlines on Critical Issues
A handful of critical health care programs will run out of funding if Congress fails to act by the end of September.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20170829itt-deadlines.html
Eight Questions for 2018: Yes, Single Payer Is One of Them
Despite opposition to socialized, single-payer health care, nearly 120 million Americans have health care coverage through government-supported programs. With that growing number in mind, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin poses eight ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171219ITT_singlepayer.html
Inaction by Congress Jeopardizes Kids' Health
Inaction by Congress has put the Children's Health Insurance Program and a handful of other vital health care programs in jeopardy. In the latest In the Trenches blog post, AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin offers an update on ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171107itt-chip.html
Tax Bills Could Add to Health Care's Ills
Provisions in both the House and Senate tax bills could hold negative consequences for physicians and patients. AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin has the details in the latest In the Trenches blog post.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171121ITT_taxes.html
Value-based Payment? Survey Says …
The AAFP partnered with Humana to survey family physicians regarding their engagement with, and attitudes toward, value-based payment models. AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin has the details in the latest In the Trenches blog post.
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/20171205ITT_VBP.html
Racial Differences in Outcomes Demand Greater Vigilance
Black men are twice as likely as their white peers to die from a first heart attack. Ada Stewart, M.D., writes that enhanced education and prevention could change that.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170717lv-heartattack.html
Bipartisan Teaching Health Center Bill Is Vital to Workforce
Without congressional action, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program will expire Sept. 30. A newly introduced bill to extend funding has support from both sides of the aisle.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170725thcgmebill.html
FPs Are at Center of Birth, Death and Everything in Between
Moments after delivering one new patient into the world, Robert Raspa, M.D., delivered a cancer diagnosis to another. He reflects on the cradle-to-grave nature of family medicine.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170801lv-circleoflife.html
Health Care Is a Right That Must Extend to Everyone
Gary LeRoy, M.D., writes that health care must be seen as a basic human right that is necessary for the preservation of dignity, social worth, health and even life.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170808lv-healthcareright.html
Drop in Number of FPs Who Deliver Babies May Create Rural Crisis
A projected shortage of obstetricians and a declining percentage of family physicians who provide maternity care could create a crisis for women in underserved areas.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170815lv-ruralob.html
Protecting Yourself From Threat of Malpractice Suits
Now that the Senate appears unlikely to take up a tort reform bill passed by the House, Javette Orgain, M.D., M.P.H., highlights information physicians should know to reduce their risks.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170818lv-liability.html
A New Intern's Reflections From the ICU
New resident Lauren Abdul-Majeed, M.D., M.P.H., is applying family medicine's holistic approach to patients during her ICU rotation and suggests that others should do likewise, regardless of practice setting.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170901lv-reflect.html
Everyone Should Realize FPs Are the Quarterbacks of Medicine
Family physicians are the quarterbacks of the health care team, so why do they get treated like kickers? Too many payers and policymakers still fail to appreciate the vital role FPs play in the health care system.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170911lv-meigs.html
Preserving National Health Service Corps Is a Must
The National Health Service Corps puts physicians in areas where they are needed most and helps physicians erase student debt. But unless Congress acts, the program will end in September.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170828lv-nhsc.html
Family Physicians Can Make Their Mark in Many Ways
As her time on the AAFP Board ends, Board Chair Wanda Filer, M.D., M.B.A., reflects on leadership, the loss of her father and new challenges and opportunities.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170906lv-filerfarewell.html
One Good Look at Vast Scope of Family Medicine, and I Was Hooked
New AAFP President Michael Munger, M.D., was working as a hospital orderly when exposure to family medicine residents changed his path.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170913lv-munger.html
Dire Situations Can Bring Out the Best in People
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Robert Raspa, M.D., reflects on the willingness of people to help others in need.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170921lv-irma.html
Rural Practice Stretches Our Skills, Supports Our Families
Only 3 percent of final-year residents are interested in practicing in small towns. AAFP President-elect John Cullen, M.D., of Valdez, Alaska, makes the case for why they should.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20170925lv-ruralmedicine.html
A Conversation About Violence as a Public Health Crisis
Violence has become a public health crisis. Ending the ban on federal funding for research on violence involving firearms would be a good first step in addressing the problem.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171005lv-violence.html
AAFP's NCCL Set Me on Leadership Path
Benjamin Frankie Simmons III, M.D., the new physician member of the AAFP Board of Directors, writes that his leadership path began at the National Conference of Constituency Leaders, and he encourages others to follow.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171002lv-leadership.html
Get a Clue: Pandemic Board Game Runs Risk of Snubbing FPs
Board game enthusiast and medical student John Heafner, M.P.H., writes that subspecialists shouldn't have a monopoly on the limelight in popular culture.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171106lv-fpmedia.html
Just the Facts: Can Patient Education Help in Obesity Crisis?
Physicians may feel like they're losing the battle against obesity. Can patient education reduce the problem?
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171120lv-patiented.html
Planning Ahead: Let's Talk About Death
Dying in America has changed with medical technology, but our comfort level in talking about it has not. Leonard Reeves, M.D, discusses helping patients plan ahead.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171013lv-end-of-life.html
Let Us Focus on Patients, Not Paperwork
The AAFP has been advocating hard for a reduction in the administrative burden that gets in the way of patient care. A new CMS initiative may be a step in the right direction.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171031lv-administrivia.html
Know Yourself, Do Your Homework to Make Perfect Match
With less than three months left before the National Resident Matching Program's rank order list deadline, Alexa Mieses, M.D., M.P.H., offers students advice on the interview process in this Leader Voices Blog post.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171128lv-matchadvice.html
At Home or Abroad, ALSO Training Improves Maternal Outcomes
The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics program has helped improve maternal outcomes in other countries around the globe. Carl Olden, M.D., writes that now it's time to improve U.S. outcomes.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171218lv-also.html
Tell Congress Not to Compound Student, Resident Debt Burden
The AAFP is pushing back on a provision of the House tax reform bill that would eliminate a tax deduction for interest paid on student loans.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171113lv-taxes.html
Primary Care Benefit Could Improve Outcomes, Lower Costs
The U.S. health care system focuses too much attention on caring for the sick rather than on preventing illness in the first place. Leonard Reeves, M.D., makes that case in this Leader Voices Blog post.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20171204lv-sickcare.html
Navigating Paper Walls, Digital Windows in Pandemic
Kurt Bravata, M.D., writes in this FPs on the Front Lines blog post that masks and other COVID-19 precautions have changed the way he communicates with patients in his rural practice.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200527fl-ruralcovid.html
Snorkeling or Paralysis: An FP's Strange Experience With COVID-19
Ryan Neuhofel, D.O., M.P.H., explains how the pandemic has forced him to try some unconventional things, including new approaches to personal protective equipment, in the FPs on the Front Lines blog.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200602fl-newapproaches.html
Pandemic Shows Intern the Power of Family Medicine
Jordan Hoese, M.D., M.P.H., launches the AAFP's new FPs on the Front Lines blog by writing that her intern year hasn't been what she expected, but it's teaching her the adaptability she'll need as a family physician.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200519fl-intern.html
Pandemic Is Shining a Light on Health Disparities
Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, M.D., writes in the FPs on the Front Lines blog that the pandemic is amplifying the health inequities minorities face in the United States.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200610fl-disparities.html
Lessons in Negotiation: Saving OB Training During Pandemic
When COVID-19 threatened to disrupt maternity care training at a Seattle hospital, leaders from three family medicine residency programs rallied to find a solution. Read more in this FPs on the Front Lines blog post.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200616fl-covidob.html
Care for Special Populations in Pandemic Adds Challenges
From masks and social distancing to closing group homes, Kyle Jones, M.D., writes in the FPs on the Front Lines blog that physicians caring for patients with intellectual or other developmental disabilities face added challenges with COVID-19.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200624fl-specialpopulations.html
Worth a Shot: Home Visits Keep Kids Up to Date in Pandemic
Beth Oller, M.D., writes in the FPs on the Front Lines blog that she's making home visits to pediatric patients to ensure that kids stay up to date on immunizations during the pandemic.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200630fpimmunization.html
Art of the Pivot: Redeployment as a Family Physician
Michael Hanak, M.D., writes in the FPs on the Front Lines blog that family medicine played a key role in handling a COVID-19 surge at a Chicago hospital.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200723fl-covidsurge.html
During COVID-19 Pandemic, Public Health Is Personal
In this FPs on the Front Lines blog post, Jennifer Bacani McKenney, M.D., relates the challenges of trying to protect the community she grew up in during a pandemic as a family physician and county health officer.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200730fl-publichealthpersonal.html
Palliative Care Is More Important Than Ever in Pandemic
Paul Tatum, M.D., M.S.P.H., writes in the FPs on the Front Lines blog that the pandemic has made palliative care even more challenging, but it also presents an important opportunity to serve others.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200817fl-palliativecare.html
Is Returning to Sports Irresponsible?
Family and sports medicine physician Kristina DeMatas, D.O., questions the safety of returning to sports before a safe return to school has been executed, in the FPs on the Front Lines blog.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200827fl-sports.html
Treating Older Patients in the Pandemic Age
Tina Shenouda, M.D., M.B.A., explains how a senior-focused primary care practice faces the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in the FPs on the Front Lines blog.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20200918fl-geriatrics.html
Rallying My Community to Fight COVID-19, Inequity
When faculty at the Duke University School of Medicine recognized the disproportionate toll COVID-19 was taking on North Carolina’s Hispanic population, they mobilized stakeholders to address the inequity.
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines/entry/20201111fl-latin19.html
FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog
Blog updates on the issues affecting family physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
AAFP News : FPs on the Front Lines: Meeting the Challenge | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/fpsonfrontlines.html
Physician Authors Offer Prescription for Self-reflection
Kimberly Becher, M.D., went looking for answers about physician resilience -- and mortality -- and found them in three books by physicians who faced unique challenges. Read more in the latest Fresh Perspectives blog post.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180108fp-books.html
Your Family Medicine Practice Is Whatever You Make It
A new physician survey prompted our bloggers to reflect on their scope of practice and how they've tailored their work to fit the needs of their patients and their own interests.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180116fp-scope.html
New Year, New Chance to Get Fit
Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, M.D., used exercise to beat burnout in 2017. She offers seven tips to help physicians and patients keep their New Year's wellness resolutions.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180123fp-newyear.html
What a Load of Goop: Overcoming Misguided Health Advice
Gwyneth Paltrow and other celebrities are telling your patients to do weird things to their bodies. Here's how to ensure they hear you instead.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180130fp-badadvice.html
Done Right, Annual Wellness Visit Helps Patient and Practice
Kurt Bravata, M.D., examines the utility of the Medicare annual wellness visit and how to get paid properly for conducting it.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180205fp-medicareawv.html
Fox Should Pull the Plug on The Resident
The Resident, the latest TV medical drama, doesn't do physicians or patients any favors with its skewed portrayal of health care.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180212fp-badtv.html
New Year, Same Issues. Why Does Health Care Cost So Much?
We asked our new physician bloggers what issues concern them for their practices and patients in 2018. The cost of care to patients tops the list.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180102fp-newyear.html
Healing or Harassment: Is It OK to Hug a Patient?
At a time of heightened awareness about sexual harassment, we asked our new physician bloggers whether it's appropriate for physicians to hug patients.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180226fp-hugs.html
Jumping Through Hoops Wastes My Time, Worsens Outcomes
Kimberly Becher, M.D., writes that insurance denials seem to be increasingly more common -- and, unfortunately, more absurd.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180305fp-denials.html
Want to Solve Problems in Public Health? Here's How
Family physician Stewart Decker, M.D., is getting his master's degree in public health and wants you to come along for the ride. In this Fresh Perspectives blog post, he shares what he's learned so far.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180316fp-mph1.html
Amazon vs. Walmart: Can Corporate America Lower Drug Prices?
Pharmaceutical companies, payers and Congress have been unable -- or unwilling -- to drive down drug costs. Can big retailers make a difference? Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., discusses the issue in this Fresh Perspectives blog post.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180410fp-drugprices.html
Let's Start by Treating Gun Violence as Public Health Issue
Granted, harm is caused by individuals, not the objects they wield. But even so, treating gun violence as a public health issue could make our society safer.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180221fp-gunviolence.html
Two Approaches to Making Your Point With Patients
Class is back in session as M.P.H. candidate Stewart Decker, M.D., shares his insights from a course on persuasive communication.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180417fp-mph.html
Dismissing Osteopathic Manipulation Rubs Me the Wrong Way
In this Fresh Perspectives blog post, Margaux Lazarin, D.O., M.P.H., offers a rebuttal to a recent Forbes article that was critical of osteopathic manipulation.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180313fp-do.html
Acknowledging -- and Overcoming -- My Own Racial Bias
Lalita Abhyankar, M.D., M.H.S., is working on her own racial biases. In this Fresh Perspectives blog post, she questions why our medical institutions and training programs aren't doing the same.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180430fp-bias.html
Moms Need Support, Not Legislated Medicine
A bill in the California Assembly would mandate postpartum depression screening. Margaux Lazarin, D.O., M.P.H., writes that without proper support systems, the proposed legislation won't improve outcomes.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180508fp-postpartum.html
Exercise Is Medicine. Here's How I Get Patients Started
Ninety percent of Americans don't meet recommendations for physical activity. Alex Mroszczyk-McDonald, M.D., has seen the good that exercise can do, and in this Fresh Perspectives blog post he shares ways to get more patients off the couch.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180516fp-exercise.html
Start Saving for Retirement Now
A combination of lengthy training and high debt leads many physicians to delay saving for retirement. In his final Fresh Perspectives blog post, Peter Rippey, M.D., looks at what you should be doing now rather than later.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180529fp-retirement.html
In Face of Broken Health Care System, I Choose Happiness
Kimberly Becher, M.D., writes that the health care system presents physicians with repeated betrayals of purpose, but patient relationships -- and the right mindset -- can replenish our emotional drives.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180423fp-happiness.html
Into the Woods: Top Tips for Wilderness Medicine
Wilderness medicine training can prepare you for a journey into the woods. Stewart Decker, M.D., writes in the Fresh Perspectives blog that it also can help in any situation where you have to improvise.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180605fp-wilderness.html
What I Learned as a New Physician
In her final Fresh Perspectives blog post, Beth Oller, M.D., reflects on what she has learned in her first seven years as a small, rural practice owner.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180615fp-ollerfinale.html
Managing the Vacuum of Freedom After Residency
After being told what their next steps should be for years, graduating residents now get to choose their own path. Allison Edwards, M.D., writes in this Fresh Perspectives blog post that they shouldn't panic.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180626fp-endtraining.html
Report: Med Schools Can Do More To Combat Racism
A medical student group issued a review of 10 U.S. medical schools' efforts to combat racism. Venis Wilder, M.D., writes in the Fresh Perspectives blog that the schools received passing grades -- along with an admonishment to do more.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180523fp-race.html
Outbreak Brings Patients Running for Vaccinations
As a hepatitis A outbreak in her state reaches 150 cases and counting, Kimberly Becher, M.D., wonders in this Fresh Perspectives blog post if media-induced hysteria might actually help overall vaccination rates.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180612fp-hepa.html
Why I'm Optimistic About the Future of Primary Care
In this Fresh Perspectives blog post, Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., shares lessons she has learned from the students and residents she trains, saying they give her hope for our future.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180702fp-trainees.html
Back to Work: Adjusting Bit by Bit
After taking a two-year break from daily practice to raise twins, Meshia Waleh, M.D., writes in the Fresh Perspectives blog that her next great adventure involves a new job in a new state.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180705fp-waleh.html
Employers Must Play Active Role in Burnout Prevention
For the good of patients, physicians and the bottom line, employers have to start doing more to promote physician wellness and prevent burnout, writes Lalita Abhyankar, M.D., M.H.S., in this Fresh Perspectives blog post.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180814fp-burnoutemployers.html
Opportunities, Not Incentives, Drive PCPs to Do Better
In his final Fresh Perspectives blog post, Ryan Neuhofel, D.O., M.P.H., writes that policymakers should abandon the carrot-and-stick approach to payment schemes and give physicians time to provide better care.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180720fp-opportunity.html
Game Over? WHO Decision on Gaming Disorder Raises Questions
The World Health Organization recently recognized gaming disorder as being a mental health condition. In this Fresh Perspectives blog post, Luis Garcia, M.D., looks at what that could mean for family physicians and patients.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180727fp-gaming.html
Rural Locums Provide Balance for Urban Doc
Mixing rural locum tenens shifts with her urban direct primary care practice keeps Allison Edwards, M.D., balanced and allows her to work at the full breadth of her training.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180806fp-locums.html
Drawings From Detention: Assisting Asylum Seekers
Anita Ravi, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.H.P., recently visited the nation's largest family detention center to help asylum seekers. She shares her experience in words and drawings in the Fresh Perspectives blog.
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https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180717fp-asylum.html
Letting Life Take You by Surprise Can Stave Off Burnout
Physicians have the highest suicide rate in the nation. Kurt Bravata, M.D., ponders the need to recharge our batteries and reinforce the things that drew us into health care.
AAFP News : Fresh Perspectives: New Docs in Practice | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/freshperspectives/entry/20180905fp-engage.html