North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Inc.

Great to be attending the NC Pediatric Society Annual Meeting, one of our great primary care partners. Listening to Dr. Betsy Tilson, NC State Health Director, provide an update from NC DHHS

AAFP Pres. Dr. Steven P. Furr recently spoke to MedPage Today about the rise in prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage plans, stating "We know that if 90% of prior authorization requests are approved, then these programs are not targeted efforts to ensure appropriate utilization. Instead, they are arbitrary, unnecessary paperwork burdens that, at best, slow down access to care and increase burnout, and at worst completely deny access to care." Thanks for your advocacy for the family physicians of NC and the nation.

Prior Authorizations on the Rise in Medicare Advantage, Report Finds Increase corresponds to a climb in Medicare Advantage enrollment

We’re thrilled to feature Dr. Victoria Boggiano for the August NCAFP Member Spotlight! Dr. Boggiano works as a family physician in Chapel Hill and teaches in the Family Medicine Department and at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine.
“I always knew I wanted to do Family Medicine,” she says. "And then, in my very first month of medical school, I got to link up with a researcher who was also a family physician. Then I was set to become part of the national Family Medicine world.” Learn more about Dr. Boggiano, her path to practicing in Family Medicine, and how she enjoys teaching students at UNC!
https://www.ncafp.com/ncafp-member-spotlight-victoria-boggiano-md-mph

Thanks to the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians for hosting Southeast Family Medicine Forum this year. Your colleagues from North Carolina had a great time learning and networking with family physicians from our region.

During the AAFP 2024 National Conference, the Family Medicine Interest Group at the UNC School of Medicine received the Program of Excellence Award for their demonstrated commitment to Family Medicine.
The FMIG prepares medical students for Family Medicine, they said: "“It has helped me gain exposure to the many stages of Family Medicine,” says Julia Wood, “since we’ve gotten to work a lot with the UNC residency program and with our Family Medicine faculty. There’s always someone at a different stage willing to share their experiences and answer questions. That really helps us lean into pursuing Family Medicine.”
Read more! www.ncafp.com/news/family-medicine-interest-group-unc-medical-students-excellence-award-aafp

AAFP Board Member Dr. Karen Smith presenting at the Annual Southeast Family Medicine Forum providing an update from AAFP. Thanks to the Mississippi Chapter for hosting a great meeting.

The August 2024 issue of Medical Professionals Charlotte selected NCAFP member Dr. Cherie Salisbury as its featured physician! In her wide-ranging interview, Dr. Salisbury spoke about her patient care, her professional mission, her path to Family Medicine, and even her family’s many rescue animals (which include a greyhound, a cat, and a rat). “It dawned on me that I loved the human body and found it so fascinating," she said. "I wanted to be a doctor.”
And she has done just that: Dr. Salisbury works at Novant Health Primary Care NoDa, after she and her family moved from Alabama to live closer to her parents. “Though I came to Novant out of necessity to find a job when moving to North Carolina, it has been such a blessing to work here,” she says. “It had given me a new life in practicing medicine. I really love the patients that I have met here, enjoy working with my colleagues, and appreciate the way that I have felt valued within the Novant system.” And what she seeks to do is exactly the good patient care many of you will recognize: “I desire to be a practice known for compassion and competence. I hope that my patients will always feel like I am walking alongside them in their health journeys and that they will not feel isolated in seeking health.”

Make sure you listen to the newest episode of “The Family Doctor,” where two past presidents of the NCAFP put their heads together! Dr. Thomas White hosts Dr. Carson Rounds, a long-time leader in NC Family Medicine. Together, they discuss what it means to truly care for patients, how to withstand administrative burden, and how to keep loving the exam room every day of your practice.
Listen now:

Guest: Dr Carson Rounds - The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned. Wisdom Shared. This month the podcast welcomes Dr Carson Rounds, a Family Physician from Charlotte NC and long time leader in Family Medicine in our state. A former president of the NCAFP, Dr Rounds shares his perspectives on truly caring for patients, his love ...

The AAFP National Conference is going great! Any chance to have NCAFP Foundation student trustee Andrea Augustine, Student Director Evan Morgan, Resident Director Dr. Morgan Parker, and past president Dr. Karen Smith together is a great day!

This summer, 11 students from North Carolina medical schools completed their NCAFP summer programs in western North Carolina, Concord, and other places around the state. These programs paired the medical students directly with family physicians practicing in primarily rural and underserved areas, so that students could learn about Family Medicine in those practice settings and larger communities. “Participants get to spend time learning from faculty and practicing physicians, learning with Family Medicine residents, and shadowing in various clinic settings,” says NCAFP Manager of Workforce Initiatives Perry Price. “They are fully immersed into life as a family physician and gain great insight into a rewarding career path!”
All 11 students reported that they’re now more likely to consider Family Medicine as their future specialty of choice. “This gave me a view of what Family Medicine is really like day to day,” said one student. “I can see myself being a family physician.”
Read more: https://www.ncafp.com/news/medical-students-ncafp-foundation-summer-programs-2024

Here's how medical student Taylor Ellis recounted her 2024 summer program in Boone for our summer magazine: "I discovered the endless possibilities that are available with Family Medicine: seeing patients of all ages, working in inpatient and outpatient settings, performing countless procedures, and advocating for at-risk populations in the community. I previously did not see myself practicing in a rural setting but after participating in this program, I am now very confident that I would love to apply to a rural Family Medicine residency with a smaller, community-based hospital."
Read more of what Taylor had to say: https://www.ncafp.com/news/ncafp-medical-student-program-2024-taylor-ellis

The newest episode of “The Best News in North Carolina Family Medicine” covers the launch of Tailored Plans, the CMS physician payment reforms we need, and much more! If you need to hear it for your work and patients, you’ll hear it from us.
Listen now:

Season 5 -- Episode 5 -- The Best News in NC Family Medicine for July 2024 - NCFM Today This is The Best News in North Carolina Family Medicine: the launch of Tailored Plans, the CMS physician payment reforms we need, and much more!

It helps to take stock of where we're going and what we're doing all year long. Our own Greg Griggs wrote up the entire list of NCAFP advocacy meetings around the state and the country: "This year, it seems like the meetings and general travel to advocate for Family Medicine in our state have been more extensive than ever."
Read where Greg and the rest of the NCAFP staff have been representing Family Medicine this year:

On the Road Advocating for You and Your Patients In 2024, the NCAFP meetings and general travel to advocate for Family Medicine in our state have been more extensive than ever.

Meet Dr. Shannon Roche in the July NCAFP Member Spotlight! She works as a family physician in Davidson and came into Family Medicine and North Carolina to do all she could for her patients. “I knew early on that I wanted to be a doctor,” she says. “Then when I found osteopathic medicine, I realized how much cooler it would be to treat people in a more holistic way. I’d always wanted to do Family Medicine, and then I knew I wanted to be a DO.”
In her role as a family physician at Davidson Family Medicine, Dr. Roche treats patients of all ages with an eye for their entire lifestyle “My youngest patients are newborns,” she says, “and my oldest patient will turn 107 next month. We see everybody, and I get to do a lot of preventive lifestyle medicine.”
Read more:

July Member Spotlight: Shannon Roche, DO Dr. Roche works as a family physician in Davidson and completed the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Leading Physician Well-being Certificate program in 2023.

It’s happening: we’re bringing the NCAFP to you for the regional 30-Minute Hot Topics Dinner & CME Opportunity on Oct. 1! Program Chair Dr. Kelley Lawrence will lead members through an informative, delightful gathering at the Novant Health HVI Alan Dickson Conference Center.
Going to where some of our members are is almost as fun as bringing along delicious food, must-have education, and easygoing camaraderie. Register now to join us in Charlotte!
https://web.cvent.com/event/ef1f42fe-9169-4550-ada8-43b475416e74/regProcessStep1

There’s a new episode of Dr. Thomas White’s “The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared”! Past NCAFP president Dr. Tommy Newton returns to the podcast to discuss his perspectives on when and how to best retire from clinical practice, the value of mentoring younger physcians, and the opportunities which Family Medicine has in its future in North Carolina. Make sure you hear Dr. Newton’s experienced perspective:

Guest: Dr Tommy Newton - The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned. Wisdom Shared. Dr Tommy Newton of Clinton N.C. returns to the podcast this month! Listen as he and Dr Thomas White discuss Dr Newton’s professional and personal activities since he retired from clinical practice in 2021, his perspectives on when and how to retir...

Congrats to our own Dr. Karen Smith who received NC's highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, this weekend.
The award was presented by Secretary of State Elaine Marshall. NCAFP was glad to be there to bring greetings on behalf of the family docs of NC.

When we think about helping primary care, we should name the goals we want and can feasibly deliver. Here are the goals North Carolina primary care can achieve with new investment:

1. Improved health outcomes for more patients
2. Higher-quality medical care
3. A larger, better-trained workforce of future physicians
4. Lower costs for the patients and the state

They may sound too good to be true. But we’re drawing these conclusions from years of research and from the proven examples of other states who have increased their primary care investment. North Carolina can achieve these goals if we are willing to increase investment in primary care.

Our medical students are excited for their immersion experiences around the state! Shadowing family physicians in their clinics is the best way to learn the specialty. After all, training more family physicians to serve more patients is crucial for our health.
But don’t forget: training more family physicians requires greater investment in primary care. Today’s medical students won’t pursue primary care specialties if we aren’t willing to invest in supporting them. Savvy new investments in primary care will bolster their path into the exam rooms, supporting the patients they will care for at lower costs!

The June episode of “The Best News in NC Family Medicine” just went live! Tune in to hear about congressional testimony offering concerns about health care consolidation, a public health update on the status of avian influenza in NC, and much more:

Season 5 — Episode 4 — The Best News in North Carolina Family Medicine for June 2024 - NCFM Today This is The Best News in North Carolina Family Medicine: congressional testimony against health care consolidation, registration for the 2024 Winter Family Physicians Weekend, a public health update on the status of avian influenza in NC, and much...

Our Virtual Summer Symposium is underway. Thanks to all our attendees. Our President Dr. Garett Franklin kicked us off t his morning followed by comments from our meeting chair Dr. Lisa Cassidy-Vu.

Past NCAFP President Dr. Shannon Dowler is lending a hand with this Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy summer webinar series on syphilis! If you want to learn more, register at https://forms.roseliassociates.com/view.php?id=124539%27

NCAFP President Dr. Garett Franklin and NCAFP Exec. VP and CEO Greg Griggs appeared as expert sources in the Triangle Business Journal article by Connie Gentry! They described the administrative burden, student debt, and underinvested primary care that make NC Family Medicine more unwelcoming than it should be. “We’ve ended up with doctors doing paperwork instead of taking care of patients,” Greg said. “We talk about having an access problem for primary care in the state, but if we took some of this administrative burden away and invested in the right things, physicians could have access to more patients.”
But Dr. Franklin and Greg also made sure to describe the solutions that the NCAFP is currently pursuing to correct them: “We want to drive investment in primary care; address the administrative burden, paperwork and documentation that hinders doctors’ lives; and get more medical students to come into family medicine as well as keep the doctors that are there,” Dr. Franklin said.

Primary concerns: Why more doctors are staying away from family medicine - Triangle Business Journal North Carolina’s rural communities are already 400 doctors shy of the number of primary care physicians needed, and 70 of the state’s 100 counties are classified as a “medical desert"

Register for the 2024 Winter Family Physicians Weekend! Registration for this event is now open. We’re also very excited to announce that this year’s meeting is hybrid for the very first time!
Whether you join us in person or virtually, you’ll be getting unmatched CME directly from expert guest faculty. In-person attendees can count on earning 30+ CME Credits, while Virtual Attendees will rack up just over 20 CME credits, making it a fantastic opportunity to also meet your year-end CME requirements.
The NCAFP wishes to sincerely thank Dr. Thomas White, our program chair, and Dr. Katherine Haga, our program vice chair, for their exceptional guidance and support. Thanks to their dedication, this "Family Medicine Tradition" continues to be a can't-miss NCAFP CME event! Don't miss out – register now!
https://www.ncafp.com/wfpw

Do you know why the NCAFP first formed in 1948? General practitioners in North Carolina needed clinical guidance and peer support to bring the best care to the most patients. Even before “Family Medicine” existed as a specialty, effective primary care was a must-have in North Carolina.
In 2024, we still need effective primary care to support the family physicians who care for North Carolinians. This support needs to strengthen primary care with new investment, to improve patients’ health outcomes while lowering health costs. No matter the year, primary care is the foundation of a healthy state!

We're thrilled to feature Dr. Regina Bray Brown for the NCAFP Member Spotlight! Dr. Bray Brown works as a family physician in Coats. She also serves as Program Director of the Harnett Health Family Medicine Residency program, where she oversees 12 Family Medicine residents as they develop long-term relationships with those patients.
“I always sound corny when I talk about this,” Dr. Bray Brown says, “but I really do feel like teaching is what I’m meant to do. I get to have some amazing residents who share my mission: practicing in an underserved, rural area and really integrating with the community there.” Read more:
https://www.ncafp.com/news/ncafp-member-regina-bray-brown

We’re still thinking about how Dr. Karen Smith received the Rural Leadership Award from Gov. Roy Cooper last year for her primary care leadership in rural Raeford, NC. “Her dedication to ensuring that all North Carolina residents have access to quality health care has made a significant impact on rural communities,” Gov. Cooper said at the ceremony.
Dedicated Family Medicine is what Dr. Smith has always given her patients: “We are here to serve our state, serve our friends, serve our neighbors.” But dedicated Family Medicine isn’t always what North Carolina patients enjoy. Primary care needs new investment to ensure high-quality care, longer clinic visits, and lower health costs. We’re working to bring these benefits, and Dr. Smith is as confident as we are about achieving this new investment: “We can do what we need to do in North Carolina to achieve healthy and happy communities.”

One of the best things North Carolina can give patients around the state is committed preventive care. Primary care settings do this well: patients can return to see the same physicians over time, enjoying the conversations and exams that prevent small health concerns from becoming dangerous and costly threats. It adds to their comfort and improves their health.
But do you know how this committed preventive care saves money for the patients and the state? Preventive care is more cost-effective than treating advanced diseases. Costs decrease by addressing health issues earlier than later. This benefits patients and the health care system that needs to serve them. Here’s more you should know: ncprimarycare.org

New investments in NC primary care are already underway in some places: like the UnitedHealthcare grant that supplies $100,000 to three primary care clinics for new medical scribes and assistants. So far, the three clinics have hired these key staff but also used the funding to improve their telehealth options and better reach their patients. We’re thrilled to see our partnership with UnitedHealthcare bringing more options to more North Carolinians who need it.
UHC CEO Anita Bachmann says, “By collaborating with NCAFP, we are able to launch this innovative pilot project to increase the capacity of primary care providers in rural areas by eliminating up-front financial risk to the practice.” New primary care investment can take many forms — it can help physicians, patients, and staff in many ways too!

When family physicians are given the chance, they provide comprehensive medical care for their patients! Their training prepares them to treat respiratory illness, sports injuries, diabetes, and many more areas that every patient experiences.
The best way to support all this comprehensive care is to invest in primary care directly. Primary care physicians should be able to spend more time with their patients, since their work brings the best health outcomes to our state and saves money at the same time. Here are some of the many ways primary care benefits North Carolina like nothing else can: