Your Future is Family Medicine Information, facts and answers to frequently asked questions about family medicine

What are the primary care specialties? Source: DA, Cherry DK. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2005 Summary. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics; No. 346, Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics

What’s a typical week in primary care? Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2004 Summary. National Center for Health Statistics

Why is primary care important?  longer life spans and fewer deaths due to heart and lung disease  fewer cases and deaths due to colon and cervical cancer  better detection of breast cancer  less ER and hospital use  better preventive care  reduced health disparities

People rely on primary care physicians to care for complex disease Source: 2002 National Health Interview Survey Condition Saw a PC physician in the last year Asthma80% Congestive Heart Failure 88% Coronary Heart Disease 88% Depression/Anxiety81% Diabetes88% Hypertension88% Multiple Sclerosis 77% Parkinson’s90%

What do family physicians do? Family physicians provide comprehensive and continuous primary care health care to:  individuals and families  women and men regardless of age or disease  infants, children and adolescents regardless of disease

Family physicians provide  Prevention & management of acute injuries and illnesses  Health promotion  Hospital care for acute medical illnesses  Chronic disease management  Maternity care  Well-child care and child development  Primary mental health care  Rehabilitation  Supportive and end-of-life care

Procedures performed by family physicians  Arterial lines  Audiometry  Casting  Central lines  Colonoscopy  Colposcopy/LEEP  EKG  Excisions of moles, nevi, cysts, warts, skin tags  Endoscopy  Intubation  Joint Injections  Paracentesis  Pap Smears  Pulmonary function testing  Punch biopsies  Skin biopsies  Spirometry  Suturing lacerations  Thoracentesis  Ultrasound imaging  Tympanometry  Vasectomy

What distinguishes family physicians from general internists? Ages and gender of patients seen by family physicians and general internists Source: National Center for Health Statistics: Chart book on Trends in the health of Americans: 2006

Percentage of Children’s Office Visits by Specialty Sources: National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, AAFP Task Force On the Care of Children, 2005

What FP attributes are valued?  Deep understanding of the whole person  Act as a partner to patients over many years  Talent for humanizing health care  A command of complexity Source: Martin JC, Avant RF, Bowman MA, et al. The Future of Family Medicine: A collaborative project of the family medicine community. Ann Fam Med Mar- Apri; 2 Suppl 1:53-32

Family physicians’ whole-person orientation and training ensures that FPs…  Consider all of the influences on a person’s health  Know and understand peoples’ limitations, problems and personal beliefs when deciding on a treatment  Are appropriate and efficient in proposing therapies and interventions  Develop rewarding relationships with patients

Family physicians have a unique influence on patients’ lives  Serving as partner with patients to maintain well- being over time  Empowering with information and guidance that are needed to maintain health over time  Providing care that includes long-term behavioral change interventions that lead to better health  Developing ongoing communication between patient and physician

Family physicians are relationship-oriented, which ensures…  Good relationships with other physicians and health care providers.  Better patient understanding of complex medical issues and improved participation in the care process.  Less expensive and better healthcare experience for patient.

Family physicians have a natural command of complexity and  Thrive on managing complex medical problems  Integrate all of the medical and personal issues facing an individual  Break down medical terms and complex medical issues to make it easier for patients to understand

How are family physicians trained?  3 years  More than 400 family medicine residencies  Community-based  Medical school-based  Military  Inner-city  Urban  Suburban  Rural  Innovative Training Models

Family medicine residency clinical curriculum Adult medicine Critical care medicine Maternity care Gynecologic care General surgery Orthopedics Emergency care Care of children Skin care Human behavior Women’s health Newborn care Continuity Patient Care – all 3 years Life- Long Learning

What’s a typical week in family medicine? Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2005 Summary. National Center for Health Statistics

A typical month of health care in the United States Source: N England Journal of Medicine 2001;344: ]:

Hospital practice of family physicians  83.2% provide inpatient care  78.8 have hospital admission privileges  22.6% do routine OB  22.8% surgical-assist  28.4% perform minor surgical procedures  38.8% delivered care in the CCU  41.1% delivered care in the ICU  44.9% deliver care in hospital ER  57.4% reported delivering newborn care Source – AAFP Facts About Family Medicine. Oct

Lifestyle of Family Physicians?  39.7 hours per week in direct patient care 1  50 hours per week in patient related activities 1  Avg. wks worked – 46.9 weeks 1  5 weeks for vacation/CME 1  Avg. Income for 2006: $161, AAFP Facts About Family Medicine Merritt Hawkins & Assoc Review of Physician and CRNA Recruiting Incentives. Oct 2007.

Where do family physicians practice? Source: Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Practice and Primary Care.

Are family physicians in demand?  The Number One most recruited specialty in 2006  The primary care specialty most in demand  35% increase in recruitment of family physicians in Merritt Hawkins & Assoc Review of Physician and CRNA Recruiting Incentives. Oct Hawkins, J. Encouraging news about family physician recruitment. Family Practice Management Apr; 12(4); 56-8.

What loan repayment options are available for family physicians?

What’s the future of family medicine?  Electronic health record (EHR)  Online appointments  Web-based patient education  E-visits

Innovations in family medicine  Group visits  Team approach to care  Systematic approach to care  Chronic disease management

Future of family medicine  Market research  Six task forces  Family medicine’s new model of care  Personal medical home  Continuous relationship  Basket of services

More about family medicine More about family medicine Family medicine department Family medicine clerkship director Your school’s FMIG Virtual FMIG at fmignet.aafp.org AAFP chapter