Drawing Lines

Who is a Family Physician? Who is a PCP? (And does that second “P” stand for “physician” or “provider”?) Who gets to say? Does it matter? Perhaps we should start with some basic qualifications: the degree of MD or DO, the satisfactory completion of an accredited residency in Family Medicine, and successfully passing the written examination of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFP, an organization distinct and independent of the AAFP). Hard to argue with those. How about going by what we do: Primary Care medicine consists of caring for patients as their first contact with the health care system, regardless of age, gender, organ system, or disease process. Also pretty straightforward. But what about hospitalists? Family physicians trained and board certified who choose to limit their practice to caring for patients in a hospital setting; are they still “real” family doctors? What about those who go into Occupational Health? Academic medicine? Exclusively caring for patients in nursing homes? Do you have to even see patients? What about administration? Wanda Filer MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and my new BFF, has come out in favor of an inclusive definition, at least regarding AAFP membership. Her position, and it’s a valid one, is that Family Physicians are under attack by enough non-Family Physicians (both inside and outside Medicine) that we should stick together. Her big te...
Source: Musings of a Dinosaur - Category: Primary Care Authors: Tags: Medical Source Type: blogs