Family physicians have been at the center of the response to COVID-19,1–2 and the pandemic has underscored what was already an urgent need for more family physicians. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates a primary care physician shortage of up to 55,200 by 2033.3
Over the past few decades, most family physicians have transitioned from private practice to employed practices.4 Throughout this transition—for a number of reasons—there has been a general reduction in scope of practice, in spite of evidence that primary care is “associated with better health outcomes, lower costs, and greater health equity.”5
To address the changing employment landscape for academic family physicians, faculty, and learners, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine has launched a new initiative to:
preserve comprehensive practice for family physicians and family medicine faculty who wish to practice broad scope
ensure that family medicine faculty—including community preceptors in non-academic settings—have sufficient time and institutional resources to teach and meet academic and accreditation requirements
improve faculty and learner well-being
transform family medicine training sites into clinical and teaching models of excellence
The initiative will be chaired by Christine Arenson, MD. “This is a critical time for family medicine,” said Dr Arenson. “We have the evidence we need that team-based family medicine, with physicians operating with a broad scope of practice, is critical to improve health and health equity while reducing the total cost of health care for our nation. And yet we also know that traditionally structured health care systems are not designed or prepared to meet this mission.”
As the chair of the initiative, Dr Arenson will work with STFM staff to convene workgroups to develop and deliver training, build connections with health systems leaders, and advocate for family medicine.
Specifically, the initiative will:
Train Family Medicine Educators and Learners on the Business of Medicine
Because most family physicians are employed by health care systems, it is important that physician training leads to an understanding of the business of medicine and how system leaders make decisions. This knowledge is fundamental to business-based solutions that incorporate the needs of medical education, family medicine, and health systems.
Make the Business Case for Investment in Primary Care/Family Medicine
There aren’t enough family physicians to meet the nation’s health care needs,3 and there is a shortage of family medicine faculty.6 Faculty are struggling with workload/administrative burden/competing priorities.7 Communications to health care system leaders will advocate for equitable resource allocation and solutions that meet the needs of family physicians and family medicine training programs.
Preserve Comprehensive Practice for Family Physicians and Family Medicine Faculty Who Wish to Practice Broad Scope
There have been concerns for decades that family medicine’s scope of practice is decreasing. There is a substantial gap “between the training and preparation family medicine residents receive and the services they deliver in practice.”8 This initiative will promote the connection between comprehensive practice and reduced burnout and define a training pathway for those who want to re-enter the family medicine workforce or who have been practicing under a limited scope
This Health Systems Initiative addresses multiple strategies and tactics in the new STFM Strategic Plan and builds on STFM’s work on the Preceptor Expansion Initiative and Protected Faculty Time Guidelines, and aligns with the collaborative efforts of the family medicine organizations to engage with health systems leaders to preserve comprehensive training and practice for family physicians, improve health outcomes, and identify and spread best practices for optimizing the role of family medicine.
- © 2020 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.
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