The Show-Me-State Update is your source for the latest news and information impacting the medical community. Time-sensitive information and requests related to healthcare, advocacy issues, and professional development opportunities from MAFP are included.
May 2022 – Important MAFP News & Events
Transition to Practice for FM Residents and Students
Missouri medical students and residents are invited to attend this year’s Transition to Practice conference on June 10 at Lodge at Old Kinderhook in Camdenton, MO. Topics presented include wilderness medicine, advocacy engagement, applying to residency, moonlighting scope of practice, contract negotiations, work/life balance, and more. Please encourage your residents and students to attend.
Submit a Proposal for the 30th Annual Fall Conference
2022 marks the 30th year for the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians Annual Fall Conference. Join us November 11-12, 2022 at Big Cedar Lodge for CME and networking opportunities! The Annual Business meeting will also be held in conjunction with this event.
Physicians and Healthcare Professionals are invited to submit proposals for this conference. Please submit your proposals to Bill Plank by June 1, 2022.
The conference schedule will be available later this year. Visit our website to stay up-to-date on conference information, registration, and lodging. https://www.mo-afp.org/cme-events/afc/.
The MAFP is preparing to celebrate 75 years of representing family physicians in the state. As part of our anniversary, we want to celebrate YOU! Take a few minutes to share a story about why you became a family physician, a patient that impacted you, or how you impacted a patient’s life. These stories will be compiled into the January-March 2023 issue of the Missouri Family Physician magazine.
MAFP Takes the Mental Health of our Members Seriously
Need a little help or someone to talk to? The MAFP offers our Member Assistance Program to provide counseling and referral service designed to help with your personal, job, or family problems. It is staffed by a team of qualified, licensed mental health professionals employed at Capital Region Medical Center. It is free, voluntary, and confidential.
Other News from the Show-Me-State
2022 AAFP Member Satisfaction Survey – Check Your Email for the Link
The AAFP is seeking input from members in order to provide up-to-date information, substantial support, and essential resources to help you in your day-to-day practice. The AAFP wants to provide all of that and more. Tell us what’s important to you and how we can better meet your needs as a family physician by completing the 2022 Member Satisfaction Survey. Plus, this year’s survey will take only 5 minutes to complete. All members should have received an email from the AAFP on April 27 with a link to the survey. All individual responses will be kept confidential and only reported in the aggregate. Thank you for your time and feedback.
New COPD Resources Available
Family physicians play a vital role in identifying chronic respiratory conditions. By detecting these conditions at patient care visits, family physicians have an opportunity to refer patients earlier and enable diagnosis and treatment sooner. Education about these conditions is key to early detection, which can potentially lead to better health outcomes. AAFP has developed new tools to help confirm a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and better understand their patients’ COPD symptom burden. Tools include a guide to online resources for physicians and patients, and an educational poster to help with the management of COPD while preventing exacerbations. Learn more.
ABFM Deadline Extension – June 30, 2022
The ABFM provided a deadline extension to all physicians who had a three-year certification stage ending in 2020 or 2021. The extension, implemented to ease their burden during the Covid-19 pandemic, will conclude for both groups of physicians on June 30, 2022. To learn about what provisions ABFM has offered to help physicians maintain their certification during the pandemic, visit www.theabfm.org/covid-19.
Many new resources are also available to help physicians meet their certification requirements. For a complete summary of what’s new with certification and tips to help physicians complete their current stage, review our new handout. If they have questions or need help, please refer them to the ABFM Support Center at 877-223-7437 or help@theabfm.org.
Help Improve Medicaid Access for Patients
Medicaid programs provide critical care to our most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children. Unfortunately, many physicians are unable to accept new Medicaid patients because Medicaid pays only a fraction of the rates paid by Medicare and private payers. To help alleviate this problem and improve access to care for Medicaid patients, the AAFP is advocating for legislation that would apply the Medicare payment rate floor to Medicaid primary care services, ensuring that our most vulnerable have access to the care they need and deserve. You can help these efforts by using the AAFP’s online advocacy tool to urge your members of Congress to support the Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women and Children Act (S. 1833) and the Kids Access to Primary Care Act (H.R. 1025).
Upcoming Events
- Missouri Scientific CME Series (virtual) – Musculoskeletal | May 19 | Learn more
- MAFP Transition to Practice Conference for Residents and Students | June 10 | Learn more
- MAFP Board Meeting and Strategic Planning Session | June 11-12 | Learn more
- 30th Annual Fall Conference and Annual Business Meeting | November 11-12 | Learn more
- MAFP Board Meeting | November 13 | Learn more
