2014 COD Handbook

Transcription

2014 COD Handbook

Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
46th Congress of Delegates
November 16, 2014
Westin Buckhead
3391 Peachtree Rd., NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30346
The Mission of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is to promote the health
of the citizens of Georgia by advancing the specialty of Family Medicine through
education, advocacy and service to family physicians in the State of Georgia.
Membership Districts
District - 1
District - 2
District - 3
District - 4
District - 5
District - 6
District - 7
District - 8
District - 9
District - 10
District - 11
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Districts
District Directors and Alternates
The Counties Represented
in each District
District - 1
Director - Brian Deloach, MD
Alternate - Sherma Peter, MD
Baldwin; Bryan; Bulloch; Burke; Chatham;
Effingham; Evans; Glascock; Greene;
Hancock; Jefferson; Jenkins; Johnson;
Liberty; Long; McDuffie; McIntosh;
Screven; Taliaferro; Warren; Washington and
Wilkinson.
District - 2
Director - Gurinder Doad, MD
Alternate - Michael Satchell, MD
Baker; Brooks; Calhoun; Clay; Colquitt;
Crisp; Decatur; Dooly; Dougherty; Early;
Grady; Lee; Lowndes; Miller; Mitchell;
Quitman; Randolph; Seminole; Sumter;
Terrell; Thomas; Tift; Turner and Worth.
District - 3
Director - Nicole Haynes, MD
Alternate- Beverley Ann Townsend, MD
Chattahoochee; Coweta; Fayette; Harris;
Heard; Marion; Meriwether; Muscogee;
Schley; Stewart; Talbot; Taylor; Troup and
Webster.
District - 4
Director - Harold Moore, MD
Alternate Director - Sharon R. Rabinovitz, MD
DeKalb; Gwinnett; Newton; Rockdale and
Walton.
District - 5
Director - Cedrice N. Davis, MD
Alternate Director - Susan C. Schayes, MD
Carroll; Cobb; Douglas; Haralson and
Paulding.
District - 6
Director - John Vu, MD
Alternate Director - Barbara Walker, MD
Bibb; Butts; Crawford; Houston; Jasper; Jones;
Lamar; Macon; Monroe; Peach; Pike; Pulaski;
Putnam; Spalding; Twiggs and Upson.
District - 7
Director - Ken Howard, MD
Alternate Director - Denise Crawley, MD
Bartow; Catoosa; Chattooga; Dade; Floyd;
Gordon; Murray; Polk; Walker and Whitfield.
District - 8
Director - Thomas D. Fausett, MD
Alternate Director - Jairaj Goberdhan, MD
Appling; Atkinson; Bacon; Benn Hill;
Berrien; Bleckley; Brantley; Camden;
Candler; Charlton; Clinch; Coffee; Cook;
Dodge; Echols; Emanuel; Glynn; Irwin; Jeff
Davis; Lanier; Laurens; Montgomery; Pierce;
Tattnall; Telfair; Toombs; Treutlen; Wayne;
Ware; Wheeler and Wilcox.
District - 9
Director - Samuel “Le” Church, MD
Alternate Director - Carl D. McCurdy, MD
Banks; Cherokee; Dawson; Fannin; Forsyth;
Franklin; Gilmer; Habersham; Hall; Hart;
Lumpkin; Pickens; Rabun; Stephens; Towns;
Union and White.
District - 10
Director - Eric Wilson, MD
Alternate Director - Sean Lynch, DO
Barrow; Clarke; Columbia; Elbert; Jackson;
Lincoln; Madison; Morgan; Oconee;
Oglethorpe; Richmond and Wilkes.
District - 11
Director - Karla Booker, MD
Alternate Director - Adrienne D. Mims, MD
Clayton; Fulton and Henry.
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2014 Georgia Academy Congress of Delegates Roster
as of October 6, 2014
Speaker: Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
Vice Speaker: Donald Fordham, MD
District 1 Delegates
Eric Davis MD, JD
Brian M. DeLoach MD
Angela Sellers Gerguis MD
Sherma Peter MD
Thaddeus H. Riley MD
Fred S. Girton MD
Alice Aumann House MD
Eugene H. Jackson MD
Barbara A. Walker MD
Walter Steven Wilson, MD
Rhett Calhoun MD
Tracy A. Rosenbaum DO
Michael D. Satchell MD
Michael Sein DO
John S. Antalis MD
William T. Boyett MD
John Joseph Desmond MD
Leonard Daniel Reeves MD
Robert E. Sullivan MD
Melvin H. Thomas MD
Jose M. Villalon Gomez MD
William Clint Adcox MD
James R. Hagler MD
Nicole Haynes MD, MPH
Beulette Y. Hooks MD
Shabbir Motiwala MD
Shemal Scott MD
Joseph G. Surber DO
Beverley Ann Townsend MD
1st Alternate: Patrick B. Railey MD
Chandra Britt Armstrong MD
William K. Bostock DO
Linda L. Casteel MD
Kim P. Eubanks MD
Theresa Jacobs MD
Harold E. Moore MD
Jada Moore-Ruffin MD
Valens Plummer MD
Carol Pryby MD
Vera Reaves MD
Varinder K. Singh MD
Susan Thomas MD
Susan Collette Schayes, MD
Rajendra F Patel MD
Jairaj Goberdhan MD
Howard C McMahan MD
William D Nash MD
Samuel L Church MD, MPH
Marti Gibbs MD
David Albert Stone MD
Anne Berry Todd MD
Jacob Varghese MD
Jonathan Mitchell Cook DO
Jacqueline DuBose MD
Paul David Haver MD
Bruce M. LeClair MD, MPH
Thomas E. Bat MD
Dwana Marie Bush MD
David Lee Hall MD
Wayne K. Hoffman MD
Yvonne Mukosolu Maduka MD
Adrienne D. Mims MD
Terence Moraczewski MD
Brian K. Nadolne, MD
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Folashade S. Omole MD
George Rust MD
James Anthony Yost MD, MS, MBA
Resident Delegates:
Folasade Ajayi MD, MPHMorehouse FMRP
Danielle DonDiego DO-Savannah
Memorial Health FMRP
Vailoor Jairaj MD-Emory FMRP
Patrick Kindregan DO-Floyd FMRP
Stephanie Stutz DO-Houston
Medical Center FMRP
Pledge of Allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it
stands:
one Nation under God,
indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
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WestinBuckhead
Atlanta,GA
Sunday,November16,2014
SecondSessionoftheCongressofDelegates
1:00until5:30pm
BallroomA
FellowsConvocationCeremony
1:30pm
BallroomA
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Past Presidents
1948-49
1949-50
1950-51
1951-52
1952-53
1953-54
1954-55
1955-56
1956-57
1957-58
1958-59
1959-60
1960-61
1961-62
1962-63
1963-64
1964-65
1965-66
1966-67
1967-68
1968-69
1969-70
1970-71
1971-72
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77
1977-78
1978-79
1979-80
1980-81
Steven Kenyon, MD*
James B. Kay, MD*
Walter W. Daniel, MD*
Albert R. Bush, MD*
Peter Hydrick, MD*
H.L. Cheves, MD*
George H. Alexander, MD*
Walter G. Elliot, MD*
Maurice F. Arnold, MD*
Fred H. Simonton, MD*
Sage Harper, MD*
Ben K. Looper, MD*
Joseph Mercer, MD*
Charles McArthur, MD*
W. Frank McKemie, MD*
Albert L. Moms, MD*
James H. Milford, MD*
Donald W. Schmidt, MD*
Robert Mainor, MD
Robert E. Huie, MD*
Irving D. Hellenga, MD*
Thomas A. Sappington, MD*
Robert D. Walter, MD*
George E. Mixon, MD*
Ollie O. McGahee, Jr., MD*
Edwin E. Flournoy, Jr., MD
James C. Dismuke, Jr., MD*
Wells Riley, MD
H. Gordon Davis, MD
Stephen C. May, Jr., MD*
Milton I. Johnson, Jr., MD
Robert A. Pumpelly, Jr., MD*
Tommy K. Stapleton, MD*
1981-82
1982-83
1983-84
1984-85
1985-86
1986-87
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Guerrant H. Perrow, MD*
David S. Sowell, MD
John Ed Fowler, MD*
Andrew P. Morley, Jr., MD
Lanny R. Copeland, MD
Ernest J. Jones, MD
Howard Vigrass, MD
Richard A. Wherry, MD
Paul D. Forney, MD
S. Catherine Huggins, MD
D. Robert Howard, MD*
Darrell L. Dean, DO
Keith E. Ellis, MD
John S. Antalis, MD
George W. Shannon, MD
Dee Brown Russell, MD
Tanya Y. Jones, MD
William F. Bina, MD
Ralph Peeler, MD
M.J. Collier, MD
Fred S. Girton, MD
Eugene H. Jackson, MD
D. Ann Travis Honeycutt, MD
Robert B. Hash, MD
Susan C. Margletta, MD
Alice R. House, MD
Bruce M. LeClair, MD
Howard C. McMahan, MD
Leonard D. Reeves, MD
Harry S. Strothers, MD
Beulette Y. Hooks, MD
Jonathan Mitchell Cook, DO
Brian K. Nadolne, MD
* Indicates Past Presidents who are deceased
Thank you for your dedication and support of the GAFP!
Northlake Commons
3760 LaVista Road, Suite 100
Tucker, GA 30084
404-321-7445 phone | 404-321-7450 fax
www.gafp.org
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Specializing in You!
46th Annual Congress of Delegates
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Westin Buckhead
1:00 pm
Agenda and Table of Contents
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Delegates & Alternate Delegates Registration/Review Reference Committee Report ........................... Ballroom A
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Call to Order and Welcome
Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD – Speaker
Pledge of Allegiance ........................................................... Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD – Speaker
Introduction and Remarks of Honored Guest ................ Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD – Speaker
............................................................................................ AAFP Board Designee
Fellows’ Convocation Ceremony
Ballroom A
Page
Parliamentary Procedure Review and
Orientation for Delegates .................................................. Beulette Hooks, MD………………………..…..11
Omega Report .................................................................... Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD -- Speaker.................... 18
Congress of Delegates Introductions ................................ Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD – Speaker
Quorum Call ....................................................................... Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD – Speaker
Member Anniversary List .............................................................................................................................. 19
Congress of Delegates Officers........................................................................................................................ 22
45th GAFP Congress of Delegates Action Calendar ....... ............................................................................. 23
Reports (Additional oral addendums to printed reports will be given at the discretion of the Speaker)
Report of the President......................................................... Brian Nadolne, MD ............................................. 26
Report of the Chair............................................................... Jonathan Mitchell Cook, DO ............................... 28
Report of Other Officers and Directors:
Treasurer .............................................................................. Folashade Omole, MD ........................................ 35
Secretary .............................................................................. Eddie Richardson, MD ........................................ 37
Executive Vice President ..................................................... Fay Fulton, MHS ................................................. 40
GAFP Organization
......... .......................................................................... .. 41
Staff Organization
......... .......................................................................... .. 42
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Westin Buckhead
1:00 pm
Agenda and Table of Contents (Continued)
Committee Reports:
Education ............................................................................. Susana Alfonso, MD, Gurinder Doad, MD ......... 43
Legislative ............................................................................ Bruce LeClair, MD, Rick Wherry, MD ............... 48
Membership ......................................................................... Marti Gibbs, MD, James Hagler, MD ................. 52
Political Action Committee Board ...................................... J. Mitch Cook, DO, James Lemley, MD ............. 54
Practice Management/Managed Care .................................. Eric Wilson, MD, Michael Satchell, MD ............ 56
Public Health........................................................................ David Westfall, MD, Hogai Nassery, MD .......... 59
Student and Resident Recruitment ....................................... Julie Dahl-Smith, DO, Cecil Bennett, MD .......... 61
Other Reports:
AAFP Delegates................................................................... Beulette Hooks, MD, Bruce LeClair, MD ........... handout
Georgia Healthy Family Alliance ........................................ John Kludt, MD, President .................................. 63
Resident Directors ................................................................ Adeleke Adegoke, MD, Michelle Cooke, MD .... 66
Student Directors ................................................................. Shenique Anderson, Fiyin Fawole, Evan Fountain..67
Family Medicine Residency Program Reports:
Atlanta Medical Center ........................................................ George W. Brown, MD ....................................... 70
Columbus ............................................................................. John Bucholtz, DO .............................................. 71
Emory................................................................................... Teresa Liane Beck, MD, MPH ............................ 73
Gwinnett Medical Center ..................................................... Kevin E. Johnson, MD ........................................ 76
Houston Healthcare .............................................................. Gretta A. Gross, DO ............................................ 79
Medical Center of Central Georgia ...................................... Roberta J. Weintraut, MD ................................... 80
Medical College of Georgia ................................................. Paul Forney, MD ................................................. 81
Morehouse ........................................................................... Folashade Omole, MD ........................................ 83
Savannah .............................................................................. Robert Pallay, MD ............................................... 85
Southwest Georgia ............................................................... George Frederick, MD ........................................ 87
Report of the Nominating Committee .................................. Brian Nadolne, MD ............................................. 88
Resolutions:
1. 2013 Amended Immunization Requirements Resolution ................................................................................ 89
(Co-sponsored by Samuel “Le” Church, MD and Wayne Hoffman, MD)
2. Membership Attendance (submitted by Thad Riley, MD) .............................................................................. 90
3. Documentation and Access to Medical Information (submitted by Thad Riley, MD).................................... 91
4. Quantitating Increased Risk (submitted by Marc Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP) ................................................ 92
5. Medicaid Expansion (submitted by Ramon Parrish, MD) .............................................................................. 94
6. Cancellation of Electronic Prescriptions (submitted by Marc Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP) ............................. 95
7. Publication of Evidence-Based Risks (submitted by Marc Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP) ................................. 97
8. Insurance Prior Authorization\Precertification of Drugs, Treatments and Investigations............................... 98
(submitted by Marc Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP)
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Westin Buckhead
1:00 pm
Agenda and Table of Contents (Continued)
Adoption of the 2013 Minutes of the 45th GAFP Annual Congress of Delegates .................................... 103
Announcements .............................................................................................................Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
5:00 PM
Discussion and Voting on Reference Committee Report………………………………Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
Adjournment
GAFP Bylaws
......... .......................................................................... .. 110
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Delegate & Alternate Delegate Instructions
You have been elected by your colleagues to represent them at the GAFP Congress of Delegates. As a
delegate or alternate delegate you are responsible for setting the policies of the Academy for the coming
year. It is also your responsibility to:
a) Read the 2014 Delegates Handbook, paying special attention to reports with recommendations; and,
b) Talk with your colleagues about the recommendations presented.
Credentialed Delegates will vote on the recommendations presented by the Reference Committees. If
approved, these recommendations will then become policy for the Academy.
Instructions
The Credentials Committee will officially register every delegate and alternate before the opening session.
A delegate may represent his constituents on the floor of the Congress by accepting the floor in debate of
issues, discussion at Reference Committees, and, of course, in voting on all actions. "Sturgis Standard
Code of Parliamentary Procedure" shall govern the proceedings of the Congress of Delegates.
Congress of Delegates leadership are appointed by the Speaker of the Congress from among the members
of the Congress of Delegates.
The Congress will hold a Sunday session for deliberations, receipt of officer and committee reports and
action on Reference Committee recommendations as well as election of officers.
Each delegate appointed to the Congress is asked to report punctually to all meetings of that Committee.
A Reference Committee receives all matters referred to it. To receive a report or other matters simply
indicates that the Reference Committee gives attention to a matter or considers it. It does not mandate that
the Committee has taken action on that matter, except in the case of resolutions.
The Reference Committee may make a recommendation to the Congress of Delegates on each agenda item
referred to it.
A. The Reference Committee may recommend that an item be:
1. Filed - To file is a common method of disposing of a report. A report that is filed is not binding on
the Academy but is available for information and may be considered again at any time. An
expression of thanks or other commendation may be combined with a motion to file a report.
If within a report to be filed there are items on which the Reference Committee wishes to recommend
definitive action, separate consideration should be given to those items. (Since a resolution proposes
specific action, it would be inappropriate to file a resolution.)
Among the agenda items appropriate to file are those reports from a body over which the GAFP Congress
of Delegates has no jurisdiction.
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(continued)
2. Adopted - An adopted report or resolution commits the Academy to all the findings, opinions, and
recommendations contained therein. A report may be adopted as written, in part, or with exceptions or
reservations as expressed by the Reference Committee.
Adopted as Amended indicates that the agenda item exists in a form other than that originally referred
to the Reference Committee. It may have been amended by the Author during open hearings or by the
Reference Committee during executive session. The Reference Committee may amend an agenda item
during executive session either by adopting an amendment proposed during open hearings or at its own
prerogative. The Reference Committee Chairperson will indicate amendments when he presents his
report to the Congress of Delegates.
Adopted as Corrected indicates that an inadvertent error existed in the form originally referred to the
Reference Committee and that the Reference Committee has corrected that error. The Chairperson
will indicate the corrections when he/she presents his/her report to the Congress of Delegates.
Adopt a Substitute proposal indicates that the Reference Committee has extensively revised the agenda
item referred to it or has drafted a completely new proposal which it recommends in lieu of the
original(s). A substitute proposal may be particularly appropriate when several resolutions have been
submitted on the same issue. The Chairperson will read the substitute proposal when he presents his
report to the Congress of Delegates.
Postponed - (a) To Postpone Definitely indicates that the Reference Committee feels it appropriate to
defer further consideration of an agenda item. When a matter is postponed definitely, a specific time
must be designated for further consideration. A matter may be postponed definitely to another specific
meeting of the Congress of Delegates, or until specific information becomes available, or possibly
pending certain developments.
(b) To Postpone Indefinitely has the effect of permanently tabling further consideration of an agenda
matter. Once consideration of an item has been postponed indefinitely, it cannot receive further
consideration unless it is reintroduced at a later meeting of the Congress of Delegates.
3. Referred - To refer is a suggestion by the Reference Committee that further consideration should be
given to the agenda item. The Reference Committee will usually designate to whom the matter may be
appropriately referred and for what purpose the matter is being referred.
A matter may be referred without any other action being recommended by the Reference Committee.
If a follow-up report is desired, the Reference Committee may designate to whom that report should be
given and when. A matter may be referred after other action has been recommended as in a
recommendation to adopt and refer for implementation.
4. Not Adopted - To not adopt indicates that the Reference Committee does not endorse the
recommendations contained in the report or other agenda item, or the report in its entirety, and implies
that none of the recommendations contained in it will be implemented.
12
(continued)
B. A recommendation may contain more than one of the above elements, as in a report that is
recommended to be adopted as corrected and amended, and referred to the Committee on Committees
and Evaluation.
C. In stating the recommendation, special consideration should be paid to the verb(s) used to be sure the
Reference Committee's intent is clear.
1. A recommendation that a specific person(s) shall do a certain action mandates that action by the
designee(s).
2. A recommendation that a specific person(s) may do a certain action at his discretion but does
not require him to do that action.
An outline of the suggested verbatim format of the report is as follows:
"Madam Speaker, the Committee (or Reference Committee) on ........ has met and duly
considered all items of business referred to it. The Committee wishes to make the following
report:
Upon consideration of the general issue of ............., the Committee recommends that paragraph
........... on page ..... addressing this issue and assigned to us be filed as they are informational."
or
"In addressing the recommendation on page .... which states ...................., the Committee
recommends it be (adopted, referred, etc.) ......................"
or
"The Committee considered resolution No. ........ on page ..... regarding and recommends that it
be ............."
"Madam Speaker, I move the adoption of the entire report of the Committee on ........................."
The Speaker, Vice Speaker and Parliamentarian will be available during the Committee
meetings for assistance in clarifying problems with the preparation of the Committee reports.
13
Parliamentary Procedure
I. The Object of Parliamentary Procedure
The object of Parliamentary Procedure is to provide a formula or guide for conducting business
meetings. It provides a set of rules and principles for an orderly method of conducting these meetings
and for the oral debate of controversial matters. It is the means by which the will of the majority can
be determined in an orderly manner.
Parliamentary Procedure is not the technical or difficult body of principles, which some persons
believe to be. Neither is it a means by which the "tricky" individual can advance his own ends. Even
if it is occasionally abused, it is basically a defense against such persons. It provides for free and open
debates, which should assure a fair hearing for all persons. Its basic principles are flexible enough to
serve the needs of every type of meeting, and it can be used with varying degrees of formality.
II. The Basic Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
A. The Principle of Equality: Every member is the equal of every other member in the right to
introduce, debate, and vote upon business.
B. The Right of Free and Full Debate: This is a basic right, which should be curtailed only when the
group's welfare is furthered.
C. The Principle of Rule by the Majority without Tyranny to the Minority: In return for the privilege
of participation, the member agrees to abide by the decision of the majority.
D. One Question or Proposal at a Time: Although there may be several proposals pending, only one
should be "immediately pending" or in the immediate focus of attention and subject to vote.
III. Some Duties and Rights of Members of an Assembly
A. The Primary Duties
1. He/She should properly obtain the floor before speaking.
2. He/She should avoid speaking upon any matter until it has been properly brought before the assembly.
3. He/She should never interrupt another member unless the motion, which he/she is about to make,
permits it.
4. He/She should abide by the spirit, as well as by the letter of Parliamentary Procedure.
B. The Primary Rights
1. He/She has the right to offer in the proper manner any motion, which he/she may consider to be wise.
2. He/She has the right to explain or debate a motion unless the Parliamentary rules prohibit.
3. He/She has the right to call for a "point of order."
4. He/She has the right to hold the floor, when legally obtained, until he/she has finished speaking (unless
time limits prevail).
5. He/She has the right to appeal from the decision of the Chair to that of the assembly.
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Parliamentary Procedure
Proper Sequences
Voting
I.
Forms of Voting
A. Yes and No's (comparison of volumes of sound)
B. Raising of hands
C. Rising
D. Yeas and No’s (roll call)
E. Balloting
II. Place of the Chairperson in Voting
A. As a member of the assembly, he/she may vote whenever his/her vote will affect the result.
B. In case of roll call voting, his/her name is called last.
C. In case of ballot voting, he/she must vote before the polls are closed.
Proper Sequences
I.
The Usual Order of Business
A. Call to Order
B. Roll Call (if necessary)
C. Reading, Correction (if necessary), and Approval of the Minutes or the Journal
D. Reading and Acceptance of the Treasurer's Report
E. Reports of the other Officers (if necessary)
F. Reports of Standing Committees
G. Reports of Special Committees
H. Unfinished (Old) Business
I.
New Business
J.
"For the Good of Order" (if desired)
K. Adjournment
II. The Steps in a Motion
A. The Motion is Made
B. The Motion is Seconded
C. The Motion is Stated
D. The Motion is Debated
E. Debate is Stopped
F. The Motion is Put
G. The Vote is Taken
H. The Vote is Announced
Note: Between D and E, several other steps may be introduced--for instance, "to
amend," “to refer to a committee," etc.
15
Motions
The Chief Purposes of Motions
Main motion
Resolution
Consider subject informally
Amend
Division of Question
Limit or extend debate
Vote immediately
Refer to committee
Postpone definitely
Postpone temporarily
Recess
Object to consideration
Postpone indefinitely
Withdraw a motion
Question of privilege
Suspend rules
Parliamentary inquiry
Request for information
Request to ask member a question
Question of privilege
Point of order
Appeal from decision of Chair
Division of assembly
Division of question
Parliamentary inquiry
Point of order
Appeal from decision of chair
Resume consideration
Reconsider
Rescind
Renew a motion
Reconsider
Rescind
Amend by new motion
Adjourn
Recess
Present an idea for consideration and action
Improve a pending motion
Regulate or cut-off debate
Delay a decision
Suppress a proposal
Meet an emergency
Gain information on a pending motion
Question the decision of the presiding officer
Enforce rights and privileges
Consider a question again
Change an action already taken
Terminate a meeting
16
Parliamentary Procedure Motions Chart
Based on the American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
17
The Omega Report
In memory of our colleagues
John Wilson Andrews, MD ~ Savannah
Joseph Aldean Blissit, MD ~ Stockbridge
John B Brinson, Jr, MD ~ Monticello, FL
Louise E Carter, MD ~ Atlanta
James K Criner, MD ~ Suwannee
Harry Nathaniel Davis, MD ~ Canton
Paul Martin Elliott, MD ~ Jesup
William A Futch, MD ~ Hampstead, NC
Roger D Jenkins, MD ~ Jefferson
Thomas N Lumsden, MD ~ Sautee Nacoochee
James W Smith, Jr, MD ~ Manchester
“Those we love don’t go away…
they walk beside us every day.”
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Members Celebrating Anniversaries in 2014
65 Years
Henry Gordon Davis MD, FAAFP
55 Years
Edsel Lanier Harrell MD
Marcelle T. Bernard MD, FAAFP
50 Years
Milton I. Johnson, Jr, MD, FAAFP
James F. Langford MD, FAAFP
Archie Don Walden MD, FAAFP
Ferdinand Vogt Kay MD, FAAFP
45 Years
Louis J. Wilhelmi MD, FAAFP
John Gilbert Bates MD, FAAFP
Teodulo M. Llorente MD, FAAFP
40 Years
Laurin G. Smith, III, MD, FAAFP
Howard S. Yager MD, FAAFP
Elbert H. Brown MD, FAAFP
Hugh O. Hodges MD, FAAFP
William G. Caput MD
David E. Field MD, FAAFP
35 Years
Dean Scott AttawayMD
William F. Bina MD, FAAFP
Bonnie P. Malvea MD, FAAFP
Salpi Adrouny MD, FAAFP
Roberd M. Bostick MD, MPH,
FAAFP
Mark Auker Clark MD, FAAFP
Jon Paul Cox DO, FAAFP
Marc Frederique David MD,
FAAFP
Wayne K. Hoffman MD, FAAFP
Juanita Yvonne Lott MD, FAAFP
Shannon Mize MD, FAAFP
John W. Richards MD, FAAFP
Reuben S. Roberts MD, FAAFP
Oscar Prada MD, FAAFP
Earl T. Martin MD
Margot B. Cseley MD, FAAFP
Charles Wayne Dodgen MD,
FAAFP
Armando C. Santiago MD, FAAFP
Gregory Alan Eilers MD, FAAFP
James S. Harvey MD, FAAFP
Robert Lee Morgan MD, FAAFP
James Brown Polhill MD
Julian D. Sharpton MD
Richard Elgin Wood MD, FAAFP
Michael Francis Walsh MD,
FAAFP
30 Years
Peter A.Rives.MD, FAAFP
Garth S. Russo MD, FAAFP
Derrell W. Anglyn MD, FAAFP
Matthew J. Britton MD, FAAFP
George W. Brown, IV, MD
Robert T. Cook MD, FAAFP
Frank R. Don Diego MD, FAAFP
Gordon Glenn Freeman MD,
FAAFP
Jeffrey Lee Harris MD, FAAFP
Rudolf J. Hehn MD
Scott D. Henderson MD, FAAFP
Harvey Paul Le Blanc MD
Bruce M. LeClair MD, MPH,
FAAFP
Charles G. Lodge MD, FAAFP
Steven E. Reissman DO, FAAFP
Thaddeus H. Riley MD, FAAFP
George Rust MD, FAAFP
Charles R. Sanders, Jr, MD,
FAAFP
Georgia Marie Theriot MD
C. Dirk Williams MD, FAAFP
Gary S. Kinsey MD
Jeremy William Poole DO, FAAFP
Charles L. White, Jr, DO
Mallory Gwynn Smith MD
Jairam Lonkani MD, FAAFP
Lawrence William Price MD
Glenn Craig Heigerick DO
Major D. Reid MD, FAAFP
Luther J. Smith MD, FAAFP
Francoise Vercruysse-Watson MD
Henry W. Young MD, FAAFP
25 Years
Ralph Austin MD, FAAFP
Donald Lewis Griffin MD
Andrew T. Mecca MD
John Andrew Schuler MD
Morris Clayton Pulliam MD,
FAAFP
Charlene Y. Robinson MD, FAAFP
Linda B. Dolan MD, FAAFP
Daniel C. Grizzle MD, FAAFP
Michael S. Moody MD
William D. Nash MD
19
Karen Virginia Harris-Moore MD,
FAAFP
James H. Barton MD
Laurence Brooks Green MD
M. Keith Lewis MD
Judy Inez Orosz MD
Judith T. Rausch MD
Roy R. Reardon MD, FAAFP
Marilyn Washburn MD, FAAFP
Harresh B. Dulamal MD, FAAFP
Jorge E. Simmonds-Diaz MD,
FAAFP
Fred J. Duhon MD
John Bradford Mersereau MD
Douglas M. Radman MD, FAAFP
Deborah Lynn Packer MD
Stephen Ernest Rogers MD,
FAAFP
Jeffrey Rollins MD
Johnny F. Christian MD
Joseph R. Lewis, Jr MD
Richard J. Liotta DO, FAAFP
Ralph D. Marionneaux MD
Fred Reifsteck, III, MD, FAAFP
20 Years
Robyn Daniell MD
David Brewer Hogue MD
Riba C. Kelsey-Harris MD
Lan Ta Mahon DO
Glen James Dasher MD
David Charles Gaines MD
Terry W. Hansen MD
Jeffrey Allen Lamp MD
Veronica Michelle Patterson MD
Michael Sein DO, FAAFP
Vandana Setia MD
Susana A. Alfonso MD, FAAFP
Eddie Richardson MD, FAAFP
Mary Katherine Barfield MD
Linda Marie Hueseman MD
Bennie Bret Law MD
Mary Christine Moore MD, FAAFP
Christopher Eric Sward MD
Timothy O. Thomson MD
Candace F. Vaughn MD
Travis David Whitehead MD
Ernst H. Nieuwoudt MD
Sundari A. Raju MD
Christopher W. Ratchford MD
Thomas D. Fausett MD
Kirby Watson Peden MD
Henry Kevin Purvis MD
Barbara A. Walker MD
Christopher J. Apostol DO
Dorel Bidiuc MD
Shaun D. Franklin MD
Susan H. Land MD
William F. Swofford MD
Richard E. Wheeler MD
Yacoba Hudson MD
Yong S. Kim MD
Jodi Lynn Krueger MD
Tia R. Sanderlin MD
Dave A. Tomey MD
William Whitten MD
Linda M. Chin MD
Davina Hayes Dansby MD
Julie L. Johnson MD, FAAFP
Richard W. Livingston, Jr., MD,
FAAFP
Matthew W. Marchal MD
Michelle E. Mason-Woodard MD
Kerry A. Neises MD
Garland Ashley Register, Jr MD
George Bayley Royer MD
Kirby O. Smith DO
Christopher T. Wommack MD
Teresa Lianne Beck MD, FAAFP
David B. Drury MD
Kenworth F. Holness MD
Theresa Rena Jacobs MD, FAAFP
Barbara Mc Millan-Persaud MD
Kevin Andrew O'Neal MD
Russell Lee Sliker MD
Priya Deshpande MD
Sailaja K. Gadde MD
Tracey C. Wallace MD
Sam Aaron Gilbert MD
Nidhi K. Gulati MD
David Leon Hocker MD
Umamaheswa Jonnalagadda MD
15 Years
Katia M. Adams MD
Johnathan Edward Henderson MD
Joseph A. Hooper MD
Barry W. Jordan MD, FAAFP
Agnes Kovacs MD
Theresa A. Berry MD, FAAFP
Srinivas R. Bramhadevi MD, MBA,
FAAFP
Julie L. Dahl-Smith DO, FAAFP
James Larry Hornsby, Jr MD
O. Michael Obiekwe MD, FAAFP
Kironda M. Owens-Lewis MD
Elizabeth Tomson Sergile MD
James Michael Williams MD
Crystal Anne Young DO
John Michael Buchanan DO
F. Kennard Hood MD
Jeffrey Kenneth Kingsley DO,
FAAFP
Katherine May Reyes Tan MD
David T. Derrer MD
Janet Fason DO, FAAFP
R. Amadeus G. Mason MD
Bridgit Mathai Joseph MD
Bidemi Y. Olaniyi-Leyimu MD,
FAAFP
Deborah Cheaves St. Clair MD
Karl Lauri Astaphan MD
Steven Alan Durocher MD
Shemal Bloom Scott MD
Samuel “Le” Church MD, MPH
Crystal Ann Comeau MD
David L. Tate MD
Russell Thomas MD
Joseph G. Foust MD, FAAFP
20
Sharon Michael Palmer MD
Lisa Janelle Ruschak MD
Moya E. Sommerville-Kelley MD
Curtis E. Clark DO, FAAFP
William P. Fricks MD
Kirsten J. Hampton MD
Dolores J. Haviland-Foley MD
Audrey Maria Hodge MD, FAAFP
Vince B. Rosales MD
Doris Louise Wilder MD
Ray B. Bennett MD
Cecil F. Bennett MD
Amy Dawn Clemons MD
Leslie A. David MD
Daniel J. Green MD
Andrea Harner Kovacic MD
Singye Rebecca Chang MD
Whitney Stark Denton MD
Tapan Naval Kant MD
Benjamin Richard Lawless MD
Christopher L. Parman MD
Hoyland Ricks MD
Bola O. Adekore Sogade MD,
FAAFP
Stephen James P. Thomas MD
Paul West Thompson MD
Sangita Acharya-Sharma MD
Tracy Lee Edwards MD
Wayne Hodges MA, MD, PsyD,
FAAFP
Audrey Celeste Huff MD
Garey Harrill Huff, Jr, MD
Asmita Chaitanya Joshi MD
Shauna S. Kincheloe-Zaren MD
Jennifer Swisher Lynes DO
Virginia Price MD
Meenu Govil Singhal MD
Steven O. Stewart MD
Amit Bawa MD
Vernon T. Bryant MD
Bobby Anderson Crocker MD
James T. Douglas MD
Frantz E. Felix MD
Neena Desai Ghose MD
Kavita Reddy Gone MD
Kristin Mary Gore MD
Stalina Cine Gowdie MD
Benjamin R. Hess MD
Monica Angela Hoffmeister-Becerra MD
Joe Tzong-Jyh Huong DO
Kristina Nicole Johnson MD
Bobbie Vinila Kumar MD
Daryl Petersen D. McCartney MD
Ian Christopher Munger DO
Harsimrat Parmar MBBS
Jagdish H. Shukla MD
Michele Nicole Shumpert DO
Ryan James Tomlins MD
Ivorique' Orenna Turner DO
James Thomas Walker, III, DO
Marlon Chad Williamson MD, BS
Vanessa Escobar MD
Sheila Addo Kennedy MD
Patrick Jay Lynn MD
Mark Douglas Virtue MD
Quinton Wade Weldon MD
Suneetha Chekuri MD
Adriana Azar Pratt MD
Tinisha Tiffany Ransome MD
Emem Ben Udo MD
Alexis Atwater MD
Tiera Alisa Williams MD
Akita Evans MD
Jigar Mukund Patel MD
Samantha Pollock McCaskill DO
Jonathan M. Shank DO
Chelsea Nicole Glass MD
Diana Victoria Johnson MD
Kirkland B. Kolbie MD
Jessica Laine Malmad MD
Clifford Joe Tumambing MD
Cecilly Pratt MD
Arielle Handy Sullivan MD
Emily J. Walker MD
10 Years
Laurie Elizabeth Cochran MD
Vaidarbhi Naras Kolavennu MD
Feroz Ali Lalani MD
Arunasree Pothuraju MD
Susan Elaine Catalan MD
Regina Buckley Dandy DO
Chang Soo Kim MD
Michele Lynn Musto MD
James W. Parker MD
Shravantika Baimeedi Reddy MD
Nahid Sultana MD
Bassam Tomeh MD, FAAFP
Dolapo Adesola Babalola MD, FAAFP
Divina Nicole Dyer MD
Charles H. Davis, III MD
Lekeshia Williams Jarrett MD
Mikela Jennifer Swenson MD
Reden Cajumban Delgado MD
Sanjay Kanubhai Shukla MD
Melissa Sanchez Quiros MD
Gayla Darnell Gates MD
Justin Flynn Harrell MD
Michael Solomon MD
Hope J. Mitchell MD
Clement R. Anthony MD
Maria-Elizabeth Victoria Borelli MD
Gregory John Matechak MD
Paul Lance Walker DO
Michelle R. Adler MD
Jonathan Michael Davis MD
Kerwyn L. Flowers DO
Anwar Haque MD
Patricia F. Patterson MD
Jill Graham Pottinger MD
Viviana Ines Goldenberg MD
Kitefre Okitefre Oboho MD, FAAFP
Pearlie Peterson-Cornett DO
Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner MD
Pamella Petrina Charles-Pryce MD
Jonathan Tsung M. Hsu MD
Tamara Hudson Lewis MD
Scott J. Ramshur MD
5 Years
Omoniyi Yakubu Adebisi MD, MBChB
Nosheen Azam MD
21
Congress of Delegates Officers
Speaker
Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
Vice Speaker
Donald Fordham, MD
Parliamentarian
Beulette Hooks, MD
Credentials Committee
Chairperson – W. Steven Wilson, MD
Member - Sherma Peter, MD
Tellers Committee
Chairperson – J. Mitch Cook, DO
Member – Brian DeLoach, MD
Reference Committee
Co-Chair - Bruce LeClair, MD
Co-Chair - Barbara Walker, MD
Secretary - Leonard Reeves, MD
Member - Alice House, MD
Member - Harold Moore, MD
Resident Member - Patrick Kindregan, DO (Floyd FMRP)
Student Observer - Jontu Solomon (Morehouse School of Medicine)
Staff - Fay Fulton
Staff - Alesa G. McArthur
22
2013 Congress of Delegates
All items are complete.
Action Grid – As of August 2014
Resolutions
Executive Committee
Approved Action:
Item 1. Bylaws Revision by Bylaws Committee
Staff updated the new
bylaws and post online
and in GAFP leader
Resolved, that these Bylaws be accepted as the sole Bylaws of the
section of website.
GAFP at this 45th GAFP Congress of Delegates.
Item 2. Scientific Abstract Publication
(OLD)
Resolve, that the AAFP develop policy that all Peer-Reviewed
research presentation and posters that are accepted for presentation
at the National, State or local level be published, at least in abstract
form, in an AAFP journal that will permit those abstracts to be
indexed in MEDLINE.
Send to the AAFP COD
delegates and ask that
they report back to the
June BOD meeting with
their recommendation
for action – if needed.
Background: This resolution was referred to the Board from the
GAFP Congress of Delegates without a recommendation. The
Executive Committee referred it to the GAFP AAFP COD delegates for a
recommendation.
However, the AAFP COD delegates approved an alternate version of
this resolution to send to the 2014 AAFP COD.
(NEW) The GAFP AAFP COD Delegates recommended that the
Board ask the GAFP to publicize any winning posters in their
publications, and to approve the following resolution to be
sent to the AAFP Congress of Delegates:
Whereas, the Family Medicine Residency Review Committee has
established a requirement for increased scholarly activity among family
medicine residents and faculty;
And whereas, there are limited venues for publishing and presenting
these works;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Congress of Delegates encourage
the AAFP Board of Directors and the Family of Family Medicine to
explore additional venues for peer reviewed publications and posters;
And, be it further resolved that the AAFP Board of Directors be
charged with reporting back their findings to the Congress of
Delegates at the 2015 Congress of Delegates.
23
Action Taken
Completed
January 2014
The GAFP AAFP COD delegates
recommended to the Board that this
resolution not move forward to the
AAFP Congress of Delegates.
At the June Board meeting, the
Board approved to not move this
resolution forward to the AAFP
Congress of Delegates.
At the June Board meeting, the
Board did approve the following
action items:
1. See new action item to left.
2. Memo to Education and
Research Committee
requesting that the
Education and Research
Committee come up with
appropriate venues for
publishing peer reviewed
posters and presentations
presented at the GAFP
Annual Meeting and
Scientific Assembly.
Action complete.
Items 3. SI Units Resolution
Send to the AAFP COD
delegates and ask that
they draft a resolution to
support this approved
resolution and bring to
the June GAFP BOD for
approval.
(OLD)
Resolve, that the GAFP delegates to the AAFP present this
resolution to the AAFP House of Delegates 2014 for their
deliberations:
That the American Academy of Family Physicians develop policy to
commit to using the System Internationale (SI) medical units
throughout its journals, publications and clinical communication
within 5 years.
No need for BOD
approval since COD had
approved.
And the AAFP, through their AMA Delegates, present a similar
resolution to the American Medical Association, so that the
American medical community will also work toward establishing
the SI units in American medicine.
Sent to AAFP (edited for grammar):
RESOLUTION NO. *** (Georgia )
Conversion to International System of Units (SI)
Introduced by the Georgia Chapter
Referred to the Reference Committee on ***
Whereas, many medical providers and literature sources still use the
English system of units;
And Whereas, the World Health Organization and the rest of the
international medical community use the International System of
Units (SI);
And Whereas, it is desirable to harmonize United States medical
literature and practice with the rest of the world:
And Whereas, there is no current formal commitment in the United
States to make this happen;
Therefore Be it resolved, that the American Academy of Family
Physicians develop policy to commit to the International System of
Units (SI) medical units throughout its journals, publications and
clinical communication within 5 years, and;
Be it also resolved, that the AAFP ask their Delegates to the AMA
House of Delegates to present a similar resolution to the American
Medical Association, so that the medical community in the United
States can work toward establishing International System of Units
(SI) as the common medical measurement.
24
Sent to AAFP COD, Tuesday, May 27,
2014, edited for grammar by AAFP
COD delegates.
Action complete.
Item 5. Board Chair’s Report
Ask the COD to form a
working group to review
COD action: This Board Chair report passed with the following GAFP Vaccine policy as
change to the Vaccine policy:
new policy is arbitrary to
B. Immunization Requirements: The GAFP BOD acknowledged that the current Georgia law.
Have the working group
pharmacist is now part of the medical home and therefore approved
– develop if needed – a
the following:
clarifying vaccine policy
Under certain settings, the GAFP approves of Pharmacist administered
– to be sent to the GAFP
vaccines to adults, under a physician protocol, as long as 1) that
Congress of Delegates
information is sent to the patient’s primary care physician, 2) the
at their 2014 meeting.
specific vaccine is provided either under authority of prescription or
specific collaborative agreement with a LOCAL physician, and 3) the
administering pharmacist has a valid “Certificate of Achievement” *
related to vaccine administration from the American Pharmacists
Association or similar pharmacist oversight body.
* “Certificate of Achievement” is language directly from the American
Pharmacists Association in connection with their Pharmacy Based
Immunization Delivery program that includes:
· 12 hour (1.2 CEU) self-study modules with case studies and
assessment exam
· 8.0 hour (0.80 CEU) live seminar with final exam
· Hands-on assessment of intramuscular and subcutaneous injection
technique
1.Policy added to Policy Manual
12-13
At the request of the COD Speaker
and Vice-Speaker, a working group
was formed and met April 2 via
conference call. This group
developed a resolution for the 2013
COD to be co-sponsored by Drs. Le
Church and Wayne Hoffman
clarifying the vaccine policy:
Resolution: Amended Immunization
Requirements Resolution for 2014
Whereas, The GAFP BOD acknowledges
that the pharmacist is now part of the
medical home,
Resolve that, under certain settings,
the GAFP approves of Pharmacist
administered vaccines to adults, under a
physician protocol, as long as:
1) that information is sent to the
patient’s primary care physician if the
patient consents,
2) the specific vaccine is provided either
under authority of prescription or
specific collaborative agreement with a
physician located within the county of
the pharmacist’s place of registration
with the vaccination registry or a county
contiguous thereto, and
3) the administering pharmacist has a
valid certificate from the State Pharmacy
Board.
4) the pharmacist inputs the information
into GRITS (Georgia Registry for
Immunization Services) which will allow
the primary care physician/medical
home to have access to the information.
Action complete.
25
October 2014
President’s Report 2014
I would like to start my report by thanking the over 150 GAFP members who serve in leadership roles either
within the GAFP or in appointed positions throughout the state of Georgia. We are fortunate to have many
colleagues who take time away from their busy practices and families to represent family medicine and our
patients.
I created a pilot committee structure where I limited committee appointments to no more than 15 people and
also asked members to serve on only one committee. We asked committee and board members for feedback
and the board discussed this at our March and August meeting. While there were some concerns voiced about
limiting the meeting to just those on the committee, the committee members noted that their discussions were
more robust and more was accomplished. I encourage the leadership coming up through the ranks to continue
this lean leadership style. We found that more members volunteered to serve and we had more new committee
members than in the last ten years.
We also appointed some time sensitive task forces that included the legislative session, summer CME meeting
and the annual CME meeting. This extra firepower allowed members who can’t serve year round to help with
short term projects.
Serving as your President kept me hopping around the state, Kansas City, and Washington, DC. A few of the
highlights include:

In June, I attended the Strickland Family Medicine Residency Program ribbon cutting ceremony at
Gwinnett Medical. Dr. Kevin Johnson is the founding Residency Director – and has recruited an initial
class of 6 interns – and he’ll be recruiting a full class in 2015. The program is open to both allopathic
and osteopathic medical students. The Strickland Family donated $1 million dollars for the new family
medicine residency program – the largest single donation for family medicine GME program.

In August – I attended (along with Drs. Hoffman, Hooks and LeClair and Alesa McArthur) the AAFP’s
Southeastern Forum – sponsored by the Alabama Chapter. The Southeast Forum brings 13 SE Chapters
together to share legislative and policy information – and we were also proud to announce that Dr.
Hooks will be running for AAFP Vice Speaker of the Congress of Delegates in 2015.

Your Board Secretary – Eddie Richardson, MD and I attended the Medical Association of Georgia’s
Legislative Conference in Jekyll over the summer. I was able to meet with several state legislators who
attended the event – and here about MAG’s legislative initiatives. We continue to look for ways to work
together with the entire House of Medicine.

This spring took me to Kansas City where I attended the AAFP Annual Leadership Forum along with 16
of our colleagues. We were recognized as having 100 percent of resident membership and receiving the
award for having the highest percentage increase in active membership for large chapters.
26

I was proud to be part of your delegation along with Drs. Mitch Cook and Thad Riley to attend the
AAFP Family Medicine Congressional Conference held in Washington, DC. We met with Senator
Johnny Isakson and Representatives Tom Price, and Paul Broun.

I also attended Georgia’s Primary Care Summit were we discussed strategies to reduce our primary care
physician shortage.
Appreciation
I look forward to serving you in the future. I encourage you to contact the GAFP office or me directly in 2015
as I assume my role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of how we can be of service to you.
Recommendations: None
Brian K. Nadolne, MD, FAAFP
27
September 2014
Chairman of the Board of Directors’ Report 2014
I would like to extend my thanks to approximately 200 GAFP members who have served in a leadership role during 2014.
My colleagues on the Executive Committee have met monthly and continually strive to advance our specialty and protect
our patients.
Board of Directors
The GAFP Board of Directors meets quarterly throughout the year, and this year met three times prior to the annual
meeting, on March 3, June 14 and August 24. The Board will meet during the GAFP annual meeting on Friday,
November 14.
The GAFP has a dedicated group of members serving all of you and includes the following leaders:
Alternate Director, District 4, Sharon R. Rabinovitz, MD
Chair, Mitch Cook, DO
Alternate Director, District 5, Susan C. Schayes, MD
President, Brian Nadolne, MD
Alternate Director, District 6, Barbara Walker, MD
Vice President, Mitzi Rubin, MD
Alternate Director, District 7, Denise Crawley, MD
President-Elect, Wayne Hoffman, MD
Alternate Director, District 8, Jairaj Goberdhan, MD
Secretary, Eddie Richardson, MD
Alternate Director, District 9, Carl McCurdy, MD
Treasurer, Folashade Omole, MD
Alternate Director, District 10, Sean Lynch, DO
Speaker, Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
Alternate Director, District 11, Adrienne Mims, MD
Vice Speaker, Donald Fordham, MD
Resident Director, Adegoke Adeleke, MD
Director, District 1, Brian DeLoach, MD
Resident Director, Michelle Cooke, MD
Director, District 2, Gurinder Doad, MD
Resident Alt. Director, Anthony Philip Carter, MD
Director, District 3, Nicole Haynes, MD
Resident Alt. Director, Patrick Kindregan, MD
Director, District 4, Harold Moore, MD
Student Director, Shenique Anderson
Director, District 5, Cedrice Davis, MD
Student Director, Fiyin Fawole
Director, District 6, John Vu, MD
Student Director, Evan Fountain
Director, District 7, Ken Howard, MD
Student Alt. Director, Lorien Sunhye Kim
Director, District 8, Thomas Fausett, MD
Student Alt. Director, Kara Leverette
Director, District 9, Samuel “Le” Church, MD
Student Alt. Director, Ashley Rae Martinez
Director, District 10, Eric Wilson, MD
AAFP Delegate, Beulette Hooks, MD
Director, District 11, Karla Booker, MD
AAFP Delegate, Bruce LeClair, MD, MPH
Alternate Director, District 1, Sherma Peter, MD
AAFP Alternate Delegate, Leonard Reeves, MD
Alternate Director, District 2, Michael Satchell, MD
AAFP Alternate Delegate, Harry Strothers, III, MD
Alternate Director, District 3, Beverley Townsend, MD
Committee chairs and vice-chairs also serve on the Board in a non-voting capacity:
Education and Research Committee
Membership Committee
Susana Alfonso, MD – Chair
Marti Gibbs, MD – Chair
Gurinder Doad, MD – Vice-Chair
James Hagler, MD – Vice Chair
Finance Committee
Folashade Omole, MD – Chair
Jeff Stone, MD – Vice Chair
PAC Board
Mitch Cook, DO – Chair
James Lemley, MD – Vice Chair
Legislative Committee
Bruce LeClair, MD – Co-Chair
Rick Wherry, MD – Co-Chair
Practice Management Committee
Eric Wilson, MD– Chair
Michael Satchell, MD- Vice Chair
28
Student and Resident Committee
Julie Dahl-Smith, DO – Chair
Cecil Bennett, MD – Vice Chair
Public Health Committee
David Westfall, MD - Chair
Hogai Nassery, MD – Vice Chair
Strategic Plan
The strategic plan of the GAFP is renewed once every three years. We are reaching the end of the first year of our
new strategic plan. I believe that our updated strategic plans helps to keep us focused on areas of concern to our
members, our patients and primary health care by its utilization.
The five initiatives of our strategic plan are:
1. Advocate for total patient wellness.
2. Provide resources to assist members in achieving excellence in patient care.
3. Provide educational resources for members to improve the health of the citizens of Georgia
4. Communicate member value to ensure engagement of members and recruitment of non-members.
5. Maintain a strong, sustainable Academy accountable for fulfilling the mission.
Policies of the GAFP
In addition to the GAFP Bylaws, the GAFP has a Policy Manual that is reviewed and updated every year. The
policy reviewing process is that one-third of all policies are reviewed each year on a three year rotating basis by
the Board Chair and the Congress of Delegates Speaker and Vice Speaker. The reviewed policies are taken back
to the Board for approval.
In addition, this year two policies were made by the Board during the course of the quarterly board meetings:
A. Policy – Increasing the legal age to purchase tobacco
The GAFP supports raising the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21 years of age.
B. Policy – Executive Vice President (EVP) Succession Planning Process
In the event that the executive vice president position is open, the GAFP board will be guided by the following
process to recruit a new executive vice president. It is to be noted that the Chief Operating Officer is to be fully
oriented and cross trained in the event of an immediate need for a Chief Staff Officer that the COO will be
equipped to step into that role.
1. The president will form a search committee consisting of three members of the board of directors. The search
committee will be charged with reviewing applications, rank ordering candidates, interviewing the top three
candidates, and recommending two candidates to be considered by the board of directors (or Executive
Committee in lieu of the full board)
2. The executive committee will choose an interim EVP to assume the functions of chief staff person. The interim
executive director may be a candidate for the permanent position of EVP, but that is not required. The interim
EVP will be the fiscal agent for all GAFP fiscal instruments, along with the GAFP treasurer.
29
3. The search committee may retain the services of a search firm or search consultant to assist in promoting the
opening, reviewing candidates' applications, arrange and participate in interviews. If the interim EVP is not a
candidate for the permanent EVP position, then the search firm or search consultant will work with and through
the interim EVP. If the interim EVP is a candidate, then the president will select another staff person to assist the
search firm or search consultant.
Resources to use:
• American Academy of Family Physicians, chapter services area
• American Society of Association Executives, based in DC (has annual compensation and benefits survey)
• American Association of Medical Society Executives, based in CO
4. The search process can be accomplished within 3 months from hiring a search firm or search consultant to the
board interviewing the top two candidates. It may take up to three months more for the new EVP to begin.
General Search Approach - The Search Committee’s direct involvement is highlighted in bold italics.
Phase 1
(SC) to begin identification of key skills and behaviors needed, and to approve timeline, process, and role of SC
• Search Committee meets via conference call to approve/amend EVP’s job description
• Current EVP (if applicable or Interim) posts announcements in appropriate publications and/or online sources
• Search Committee develops initial candidate interview questionnaire position profile
• Staff acknowledges letters and resumes/CVs as received [continuous]
• Staff contacts/follows-up with potential candidates and have them fill out questionnaire position [continuous]
Phase 2
• SC reviews candidate resumes and questionnaire and decides on face-to-face interviews.
• Staff confirms interview appointments.
Phase 3
• SC holds first round of candidate interviews (Saturday) and final interviews (Sunday)
• SC discusses transition issues and procedures, plans format and process for second interviews, and selects
finalists for interviews
• Finalists visits GAFP HQ and staff
• Staff conducts references and submits report to SC
• SC meets to make final recommendation
• SC presents recommendations to the Board of Directors
In addition to the policies above, the following policies came up for review and were updated in the following
manner.
30
The following policies had no revisions and will continue as stated:
Policy Date 11/14/2004 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/09) BOD GAFP Policies GAFP Patient Safety Principles Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Policies Description A. GAFP Patient Safety Principles ‐ 11/14/2004 COD That the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) will strive to improve patient safety in medical encounters. That the GAFP will work with physicians to reduce adverse events and systemic problems through the promotion of education, appropriate technologies, and process improvements. Re‐adopted as Written Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 That the GAFP will work with physicians to promote a safe and protected environment for sharing information on quality improvement activities and discussions. 11/13/2011 COD HIV Testing Re‐adopted as Written Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 That the GAFP will work with all those involved in the delivery of health care to improve patient B. That the GAFP petition the state to eliminate the requirement of written informed consent for HIV testing in Georgia in accordance with the CDC guidelines, That the GAFP inform and educate its body of practicing physicians of the changes in testing recommendations recently instituted by the CDC and encourage routine testing in reproductive aged adults, and be if further, 11/11/2007 COD Re‐Adopted as Edited (8/16/09) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD That the GAFP petition the state to require insurance coverage by all insurance, both private and C. Increase funding for family medicine and payment ‐ COD 11/11/2007, 8/16/2009 Increase funding for family medicine Continue to advocate strongly for increased funding for family medicine GME and and payment increased payment for family physicians at the state and national levels in collaboration with AAFP. Re‐Adopted as Written Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 11/13/2011 COD Re‐adopted as written 6‐14‐14 11/12/2006 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Scoliosis Screening D.
The GAFP work to eliminate routine screening for scoliosis in accordance with USPSTF guidelines. GAFP‐Strategic Planning E.
Strategic Planning 11/12/2006 COD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 2006 Board Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 Finance‐Cash Reserve Policy The GAFP complete a Strategic Plan at a minimum of every 3 years and; The implementation and the goal accomplishments of that plan be presented to the Board of Directors at each of their regularly scheduled meetings. F.
Board approved a cash reserve policy – 2006 Board of Directors The policy states: At the close of the fiscal year, all monies over 30 percent of the approved operating budget for the following year would be invested in the AAFP Risk Pooled Investments. The rest would be left in the operating and money market accounts with our financial institution. 31
These policies were edited and approved as re-written:
Policy Date 11/12/2006 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐adopted as edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 GAFP Policies Policies Description A. Actions of the COD to the GAFP Board 11/12/2006 COD COD‐Progress report to BOD The Speaker of the Congress of Delegates must present to the Board of Directors, at each regularly scheduled meeting, a progress report on the directives given to the Academy as set forth by the approved resolutions. 2007 BOD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved – 6‐14‐14 12/2/2001 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 B. Policy on AAFP Board Candidate Nominations – May 2007 GAFP Nominations of GAFP Board of Directors AAFP Board The process will require a potential candidate to fill out an application to be reviewed by the Candidate nominating committee and put before the Board, at preferably, the Summer Board meeting a year prior to the candidate running for office. 12/2/2001 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/2009) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 11/16/2003 COD Re‐Adopted as Edited (8/16/09) BOD Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 11/5/2000 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/09) BOD 11/13/2011 Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 11/7/2007 Executive Committee Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/09) BOD Updated 8‐7‐11 BOD Re‐adopted as edited 8‐24‐14 GAFP‐Fees Waiver C.
Fees for CME Meetings Waived for Board of Directors and Alternates – 12/2/2001 COD The meeting fees at CME meetings be waived for the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) Board of Directors and Alternates when there is a board meeting held in conjunction with a GAFP CME meeting. D. Establishment of the Dr. Keith Ellis Award – 12/2/2001 COD Keith Ellis, MD ‐ Establishment of On the eve of Dr. Keith Ellis’ retirement as Residency Faculty and Program Director of Memorial Health Family Medicine Residency in Savannah, a scholarship fund be developed that would be the awarded to send one (1) deserving resident per year to the GAFP Annual Meeting. Criteria for Award choosing this resident would be developed and maintained by the Membership Committee. The current policy is that the Membership Committee reviews all named GAFP awards every ten years. The awards were reviewed and nominations process updated in June 2014.
E. GAFP’s Opposition Non‐Physician Prescribing Medications – 11/16/2003 COD Legislative‐Non‐
Physician Prescribing The GAFP is committed to opposing any expansion of a scope of practice by any non‐physician when Medications we believe that it is not in the best interest of our patients. Medicaid Reimbursements
F.
Medicaid Reimbursements – 11/5/2000 COD That the GAFP support increased Medicaid reimbursements to be equal to 100% of Medicare reimbursements. Support of Grady Position Paper See below G.
Grady Position Paper ‐ 11/7/2007 Executive Committee GAFP Position on Grady Hospital and Grady Hospital Neighborhood Clinics Approved by the GAFP Executive Committee – November 7, 2007 Re‐adopted as edited August 24, 2014 32
Grady Position Paper
GAFP Position on the Grady Health System and Grady Neighborhood Health Centers
Background
There has been a great deal of awareness of the role the Grady Health System (GHS) plays in providing a primary care safety
net for the underserved of Fulton and Dekalb counties. GHS has six neighborhood health clinics that provide much needed
primary care to the community. The clinics saw more than 120,000 patient visits in 2013.
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is a 2,600 member organization of family physicians, family physician residents
in training and medical students. The GAFP is the largest single specialty devoted to primary care. The Mission of the
Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is to promote the health of the citizens of Georgia by advancing the specialty of
Family Medicine through education, advocacy and service to family physicians in the State of Georgia.
Support of Grady Training Programs
Grady, through its neighborhood clinics, provides needed primary care training for medical students and residents that could
not be found elsewhere if the clinics were shut down. The Georgia Academy asks policy makers to maintain these vital
training programs through the Grady neighborhood clinics that are currently a vital support system provided by Grady.
Importance of Neighborhood Clinics and Primary Care
Dr. George Rust of the National Center for Primary Care in a 2003 state-wide evaluation of Georgia's health care safety net
insisted, "To be counted as part of the primary health care safety net, a health center or health care professional must provide
the full range of services typically provided in a family physician's office, i.e. providing the health care for 85 - 90 percent of
the health care needs of patients from all age groups. Not only must the services be available, but they must also be
affordable, accessible, and culturally and personally acceptable. They must also be comprehensive (as opposed to categorical
public health services, such as immunization clinics or prenatal care.)"
The Georgia Department of Public Health Clinics are not structured to support patient-centered care like the Grady
Clinics. The structure of Fulton County Public Health is somewhat different than that of all of the other county health
departments (Fulton County has established a "Department of Health and Wellness" with a slightly different arrangement, as
allowed by Georgia Code). Their primary thrust is toward "population health" rather than direct patient services in a medical
home model.
Most health departments in Georgia focus on specific programs (weighted heavily toward women and children) of a
preventive nature and are not staffed or funded to provide continuity of care for acute or chronic illnesses. Therefore it is not
reasonable to expect that Public Health could "pick up the slack" if the clinics close, without a philosophical shift and an
infusion of funding and resources.
Conclusion
Limiting access to the services provided by the Grady Neighborhood Health Centers would increase the state's health cost as
more patients would be forced to seek care in hospital emergency rooms, only shifting and increasing the cost of care.
We urge those seeking solutions to Grady's financial situation to tread lightly when it comes to disconnecting Georgians from
their health care safety net.
Approved by the GAFP Executive Committee - November 7, 2007
Re-Adopted as Written- August 16, 2009 BOD
Re-adopted as edited August 7, 2011 BOD
Re-adopted as edited August 24, 2014.
33
Last, these three policies were approved by the Board to be archived in 2014:
11/5/2000 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/09) BOD Medicaid Fair Reimbursements of flu shots 11/13/2011 A.
Medicaid Fair Reimbursements of flu shots That the GAFP petition the Department of Community Health to reimburse for the cost and administration for the influenza vaccine to adult Medicaid patients. Re‐Adopted as Edited Approved by BOD 6‐14‐14 11/5/2000 COD Re‐Adopted as Written (8/16/09) BOD Preceptors Promote Family Medicine to all Medical Students Preceptors Promote Family Medicine to all Medical Students – 11/5/2000 COD The Academy encourages preceptors to positively promote family medicine to all medical students in the state. Re‐Adopted as Written Approved – 8‐7‐11 BOD 11/13/2011 BOD approved to archive 6‐14‐14 B.
Standard Template for Student Shadowing of Physicians C.
Standard Template for Student Shadowing of Physicians The GAFP Board to develop appropriate resolutions for both the Medical Association of Georgia’s House of Delegates in 2012 and the AAFP 2012 Congress of Delegates. The proposed resolution(s) will seek support from local and national partners to develop and implement a standard format to enable pre‐professional students to shadow/precept with physicians. Appreciation
I would like to thank every one of you for giving me the opportunity to serve the past 3 years as President-Elect,
President and Board Chair. I have learned a lot regarding organized medicine, leadership and advocacy for the
Academy and our patients. I look forward to continuing to serve you.
Recommendations: NONE
Jonathan Mitchell Cook, D.O., FAAFP
34
Report of the Treasurer and the Finance Committee
September 2014
GAFP’s Annual Financial Report
Under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 6104, tax exempt entities must make their tax returns to the public at
the organization’s principal office. The public is free to review the 2011, 2012 and 2013 tax filings for both the
Georgia Academy and the Foundation of the GAFP during regular business hours – Monday through Friday from
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Copied versions can be mailed for $10 per filing. For more information contact the GAFP
office at (404) 321-7445 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Changes to fund balance year ended December 31, 2013,
and compared to 2012.
Statement of Activities for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012
Temporarily
Temporarily Total for
Total for 2013
Unrestricted Restricted
Unrestricted
Restricted
2012
REVENUE &
SUPPORT
$545,298
$509,496
Membership dues
$545,298
$509,496
14,580
12,420
Contributions
14,580
12,420
297,037
776,300
404,811
Grants
1,073,337
404,811
Conferences &
meetings
326,216
326,216
316,711
316,711
60,672
56,092
Advertising
60,672
56,092
Investment earnings
(loss)
533,460
533,460
359,489
359,489
Gain on disposal of
assets
8,375
8,375
3,019
Interest & dividends 2,571
2,571
3,019
10,297
16,690
10,752
3,750
Other revenue
26,987
14,502
Total revenue &
support
1,783,926
807,570
2,591,496
1,660,370
16,170
1,676,540
Net assets released
from restrictions
733,974
EXPENSES
Program services:
Education
Membership
Advocacy
Leadership
development
Total program
General &
administrative
Total expenses
CHANGE IN NET
ASSETS
160,480
(733,974)
631,848
(631,848)
1,645,262
101,214
143,515
1,645,262
101,214
143,515
1,296,101
101,639
112,874
1,296,101
101,639
112,874
134,198
2,024,189
134,198
2,024,189
115,351
1,625,965
115,351
1,625,965
332,871
2,357,060
332,871
2,357,060
162,972
1,788,937
162,972
1,788,937
234,436
503,281
73,596
35
(615,678)
(112,397)
Net assets –
beginning of year
Net assets –
end of year
3,386,220
173,278
3,559,498
2,882,939
788,956
3,671,895
3,547,060
246,874
3,793,934
3,386,220
173,278
3,559,498
The Finance Committee met four times this year in March, June, August and September 25. We reviewed the
GAFP financial policies, we recommended a 2015 budget and reviewed the annual calculation and ensuing
transfer of funds to the long term reserves. We met with the outside auditor with Reed, Quinn and McClure and
requested that the auditor, who, among other things, assisted us with reallocating the legal defense money into a
more usable resource.
I would like to thank my committee members which include: Jeff Stone, MD (Vice Chair), and Drs. Deepali
Agarwal, Mitch Cook (ex-officio), Chip Cowart, Vivian Leung, Viktoria Nurpeisov, Susan Schayes, Beverley
Ann Townsend and Student Member Domonique Charles.
Respectfully Submitted,
Folashade Omole, MD, FAAFP
Treasurer, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
Chairman, Finance Committee
36
September 2014
Report of the Secretary of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has met four times over the course of the year. The minutes of the meetings were
approved and duly filed at the GAFP headquarters and are available for review upon request. The minutes from
the November 2014 meeting in Atlanta, GA will be approved and filed in the usual manner and will be available
after board approval in March 2014.
The financial report reflecting the 2013 audit was published in the September 4th edition of Briefly Stated and is
also be posted on the website (http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/gafp/issues/2014-09-03/4.html).
2013-2014 Executive Committee Members
Chair
Mitch Cook, DO
President
Brian Nadolne, MD
President-Elect
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Vice President
Mitzi Rubin, MD
Secretary
Eddie Richardson, MD
Treasurer
Folashade Omole, MD
Speaker
Executive Vice President
Fay Fulton (staff)
Since the last Congress of Delegates, the Executive Committee has met monthly nine times (every month that the
Board does not meet in person).
GAFP continues to have unprecedented leadership at the national level including the following members:
Cecil Bennett, MD
John Bucholtz, DO
Samuel “Le” Church, MD
Mitch Cook, DO
Michelle Cooke, MD
Angela Flanigan
Fay Fulton, MHS
Adrienne Mims, MD
James Morrow, MD
Folashade Omole, MD
Leonard Reeves, MD
Harry Strothers, MD
Rick Wherry, MD
AAFP Minority Co-Convener for the 2014 NCSC and a Special
Constituency Delegate for the 2014 Congress of Delegates
Member, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s Board
of Directors
Member, AAFP Commission on Finances
Member, AAFP Commission on Governmental Advocacy
Resident Member, AAFP AMA Delegation
Member, ASAE DELP Leadership Program
Member, Robert Graham Policy Center Advisory Board
President, American Health Quality Association
American Geriatric Society Board of Directors
CMS Commission Health Information Technology
Member, AAFP Commission on Health of the Public and Science
AAFP’s Disaster Preparedness Member Advisory Panel
2013-2014 Chair, AAFP Commission on Continuing Professional
Development
HHS/HRSA Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care
Medicine and Dentistry
Board Member, AAFP FAM MED PAC
Board Chair, COLA (Clinical Laboratory National Organization)
37
2014 Annual Leadership Forum and National Conference for Special Constituencies Representatives:
Zachariah Overby, MD
Cecil Bennett, MD
Jimi Malik, MD
Mitch Cook, DO
Brian Nadolne, MD
Leonard Reeves, MD
Chip Cowart, MD
Susan Schayes, MD
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Barbara Walker, MD
Beulette Hooks, MD
Bruce LeClair, MD
Georgia Family Physicians continue to be leaders around Georgia such as:
John Antalis, MD
Georgia Composite Medical Board
Karla Booker, MD
Georgia Maternal Mortality Committee
Frank Carter, MD
Georgia Board for Physician Workforce
Milliard J. Collier, MD
President, Georgia State Medical Association
Kelly Ann Erola, MD
Steering Committee, Georgia Pain Initiative
Joseph Hobbs, MD
President of MCG’s School of Medicine Alumni Association
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Insurance Commissioner’s Medical Advisory Task Force
Alice House, MD
Georgia Medical Directors Association Board of Directors
Warren S. Hutchings, MD
Board Chair, Georgia State Medical Association
Leonard Reeves, MD
Georgia Postpartum Support Network Advisory Board
Thad Riley, MD
Insurance Commissioner’s Medical Advisory Task Force
Harry Strothers, MD
Governor Appointed Special Advisory Commission on
Mandated Health Insurance Benefits
Linda Walden, MD
President-elect, Georgia State Medical Association
Barbara Walker, MD
Georgia Department of Public Health’s Infant Mortality Task Force
Charles White, DO
Georgia Academy members that have received awards this year includes:
Wayne Hoffman, MD – Selected to participate in the 2014 Georgia Physician Leadership Academy.
Congratulations to the 2014 recipients of the T. A. Sappington Award. This prestigious award is given to student
members who have demonstrated their commitment to family medicine by choosing to attend a Georgia Family
Medicine Residency Program. This year we recognize:

Sunaina Nanchahal from Mercer University School of Medicine who will be attending Emory University
School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program.

Daniel Gordon and Mary Keith (joint nominees) from the Mercer University School of Medicine in
Savannah, both of whom will be attending Savannah’s Memorial Health Family Medicine Residency Program.

John Macon from the Morehouse School of Medicine who will attend Phoebe Putney's Family Medicine
Residency Program in Albany.
Georgia Academy members are also “in the news”:
Past GAFP President Dr. Howard McMahan of Ocilla and his wife Janet were featured in a fascinating Georgia
Health News article, "'Water lady' on front lines in campaign against arsenic in Georgia wells."
38
GAFP leaders Dr. Samuel "Le" Church of Hiawassee and Dr. Michael Satchell of Albany were both quoted in a
piece from Georgia Health News, "The Medicaid pay raise: Doctors finally got it, but soon may lose it."
An Atlanta Journal Constitution article, "Increased Medicaid pay for doctors set to end this year," included quotes
from GAFP Board members Dr. Sean Lynch of Augusta and Dr. Loy "Chip" Cowart of Statesboro.
GAFP member, Dr. Beverley Ann Townsend of Columbus, recently published an article entitled, "Tobacco Use
Remains the Single Most Preventable Cause of Disease and Death in the United States.” The article appeared in the
August 2014 issue of The Bulletin (Publication of the Muscogee County Medical Society).
Dr. Eddie Richardson was featured on "Better Morning Atlanta" discussing men’s health issues in June and
featured in Mens Book Atlanta over the summer in an article on concierge medicine.
The following GAFP members who have been selected as Atlanta Magazine’s Top Doctors: Drs. Catherine
Andrews (Acworth), Dwana Bush (Atlanta), Thomas Gearhard (Austell), Omar Jajjar (Decatur), Ralph Peeler
(Chamblee), Michael Seyfried (Atlanta), and Steven Stewart (Tucker).
Hogai Nassery, MD, co-authored an article in the March/April issue of Family Practice Management titled
"Incorporating Medical Interpretation into Your Practice." Read the article here .
GAFP member, Richard Ackerman, MD, was featured in a front page article for the Atlanta Journal Constitution
about the shortage of geriatric specialists in Georgia. Read the article on the AJC website or here.
Harry Strothers, MD, was featured in an AAFP News article "What You Need to Know to Transform Your
Practice," focusing on Patient Centered Medical Home.
Congratulations to GAFP members – Drs. Gurinder Doad and Witemba Kabange of Albany for the publication of
their article in the recent Medical Association of Georgia Journal on “Cranberry juice, Atorvastatin and Back Pain.”
GAFP Member Dr. Janis Coffin was featured in an adult immunization story on WFXG Fox 54 Augusta! Watch it
and read the story here.
Dr. Brian Nadolne, GAFP President, was quoted in a piece from Georgia Health News on the new Medicare pay
hike for doctors. Read it here.
GAFP President Dr. Brian Nadolne was quoted in a January 3rd article from the Atlanta Business Chronicle
regarding Georgia Senate Bill 141. Read the article here!
GAFP member Janis S. Coffin, DO, FAAFP published an article in the latest Medical Association of Georgia
Journal entitled, “Restrictive Covenants: Points to Ponder.”
Respectfully submitted,
Board Secretary, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
RECOMMENDATIONS: None
39
Report of the Executive Vice President
September 2014
How lucky I am to work for family physicians who always make “health primary”! It is an honor and
privilege to work for you. I am also very blessed to work alongside of some of the brightest colleagues that
keep your chapter’s momentum and moving forward.
2014 has been another stellar year for the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.
Your GAFP office is located in Tucker and our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am – 5:00
pm. Please know that we are always on the “other side” of the toll free number 800.392.3841 and we hope
you will utilize us as a member benefit.
Staff
There are currently six of us who work in your headquarters offices. Additionally, Kara Sinkule, the
Alliance’s Associate Executive Director splits her time between working from home and the Tucker office.
I would like to extend my thanks to your staff who work tirelessly and cheerfully on your behalf:
Angela Flanigan - Director of Education and Corporate Relations
Samantha Cochran – Director of Practice Enhancement
Mary Claire Leverett – Manager of Communications and Marketing
Alesa McArthur – Chief Operating Officer
Kara Sinkule – Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Deputy Executive Director
Trinquillia Tyler - Office Manager
Social Media and Communications
Your leadership approved us moving to more electronic and frequent communications and we now send out
an electronic newsletter twice a month. Our newly renovated website is updated daily.
We have continued to incorporate social media into our communications outreach to our members and other
supporters. Please take some time to visit us online:
Twitter - @GAFamilyDocs
Facebook – www.facebook.com – Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
It is been my pleasure to serve the Board and the membership. Please think of the Georgia Academy as your
professional home in the same way you give Georgians a medical home.
Sincerely,
Fay A. Fulton, MHS
Executive Vice President
40
Organization
CONGRESS
OF
DELEGATES
Nominating
Committee
Committee on
Public Health
Committee on
Finances
Committee on
Membership
Executive
Committee
Committee on
Education
&
Research
GAFP PAC
Board
Legislative
Committee
Committee
on Bylaws
Committee on
Student &
Resident
Recruitment
Committee on
Practice
Management
41
Staff Organization
EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT
Fay Fulton
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Alesa G. McArthur
ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Georgia Healthy Family
Alliance
Kara Sinkule
DIRECTOR OF PRACTICE
ENHANCEMENT
Samantha Cochran
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
and
CORPORATE RELATIONS
Angela Flanigan
OFFICE MANAGER
Trinquillia Tyler
MANAGER OF
COMMUNICATIONS &
MARKETING
Mary Claire Leverett
42
Education & Research Committee 2014 Report to the GAFP Congress of Delegates
Committee Meetings
The Education and Research Committee convened on the following dates:
February 1, 2014 – Tucker, GA (GAFP office)
June 12, 2014 – Hilton Head, SC
March 1, 2014 – Atlanta, GA
August 22, 2014 – Savannah, GA
Activity Planning
The Education and Research Committee during the past year was fundamental in the planning of the following activities.
a. Department of Transportation Workshops
b. Patient Centered Home Initiatives
c. Collaboration with state chapters, CME organizations, and medical education corporations to offer
diverse CME offerings
d. CMS Physicians Payment / Sunshine Act
e. 2013 Annual Scientific Assembly
f. 2014 Summer CME Meeting
g. 2014 Annual Scientific Assembly
h. Exhibitor Advisory Committee
Major Initiatives
DOT Workshops
In 2013 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a new program called the National Registry of
Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) which dictated that all commercial drivers be examined by a certified
medical professional by May 2014. This also meant that only medical examiners that had completed training and
successfully passed a test on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) physical qualification standards by
May 2014 would be listed on the National Registry.
In early 2014, the GAFP partnered with the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians to offer multiple DOT Medical
Examiner Training Courses in both our states. On February 27th and February 28th, the GAFP hosted more than 140
physicians and clinicians for two DOT Medical Examiner Training Courses in Atlanta. The second course was held
during the 2014 Summer CME Meeting in Hilton Head, SC and garnered more than 25 attendees. The next scheduled
course will take place in November during the Annual Scientific Assembly in Atlanta. The courses, led by Dr. Mike
Busman, offered clinical guidelines that physicians and other clinicians need to follow in order to conduct updated DOT
physicals.
The training also offered practical tips on completing the required documentation needed to certify a Commercial Motor
Vehicle (CMV) driver.
At the end of each course, faculty work with attendees to register on the National Registry System to receive their unique
identifier needed to register for the federal exam.
2014 PCMH University and the Team Approach
The GAFP Patient Centered Medical Home University launched its third class in 2014 with 11 practices. The new PCMH
University class (Red Team) is partially funded by grants from WellCare and Peach State as well as funding from the GAFP’s
long-term reserves.
The first Learning Collaborative took place in March 2014 in Atlanta, and included the practice teams of each participating
physician group; practices coaches who are assigned to help the practices transform to fully functioning medical homes; guest
43
speakers; and PCMH consultants. The second collaborative took place in August (in conjunction with the August Committee
Conclave and Board Meeting) in Savannah, GA.
To-date the 11 practices have shared success stories from their first 5 months of transformation and are now fully immersed in
the review of quality data which will improve care management and population health. In August, the practices welcomed
Dr. Donald Fordham, a graduate from the PCMH University Class of 2013, to share his experience in using his EMR to
support medical home transformation. The class also heard from Dr. Scott Eden of Maryland to share his team-based
approach to transformation. The practices will attend the third and final Learning Collaborative in November prior to the
GAFP Annual Meeting. Their learning transformation will continue with their individual practice coaching through April
2015.
Since the start of the 2014 PCMH University Class, the clinical teams have attended workshops, conference calls, one-onone consultations, and internal team meetings, all in an effort to ensure their practices are prepared to complete and submit
the application for NCQA recognition as a patient-centered medical home in 2015.
The following practices are included in the current class of PCMH University:






Affinity Practice – Dr. Cameron Nixon (Internal
Medicine) – Tifton
Emory Family Medicine – Dr. Isabell Lowell –
Dunwoody (Emory Family Medicine Residency
Program)
Family First Medical Associates – Dr. Michael
Satchell – Albany
Family Medicine Clinic – Dr. Clark Gillett –
Columbus (Columbus Family Medicine Residency
Program)
Geriatrics & Family Medicine Center – Dr. Joy
Adegbile – Columbus





Harper & Associates Family Medicine – Dr.
Kenneth Harper – Lithonia
Harsch & Osborne Practice – Dr. Shearin MurphyHiggs (Internal Medicine) – Fayetteville
Irwin Primary Care – Dr. Howard McMahan –
Ocilla
Mastercare Medical Center – Dr. Moiz Master
(Internal Medicine) – Jasper
Tift Regional Employee Medical Home – Drs.
Cameron Nixon and Howard McMahan – Tifton
Synergy Health – Dr. Samuel “Le” Church –
Hiawassee
In October 2014 the GAFP will host the first fully-funded PCMH University Class, and it will be the second PCMH Class
of 2014. The University class, Team White, is funded by Universal American and is open to up to ten Universal
American practices in the State. Currently, the GAFP is accepting practice applications and the vetting and selection
process has begun. The first collaborative meeting for Team White will take place in October 2014.
In July of this year the GAFP hired Samantha Cochran, an NCQA certified content expert (CCE), as the new Director of
Practice Enhancement. Samantha will work with GAFP consultants from Discern Health and Physicians for Excellence in
Medicine to execute PCMH University education, training, and facilitation.
CME Funding and Reporting Continue to Affect Change
The Committee was continually kept abreast of changing funding trends in CME and discussed how the changes factored
into the GAFP’s CME programs.
With the current economic state and industry funding dwindling each year, the Committee discussed ways to diversify the
GAFP’s funding sources for CME and continue to offer cutting-edge educational programming to members. The
Committee continues to incorporate creative ways to increase revenue to offer CME, including writing grants with
multiple educational deliverables (i.e. lectures with a performance improvement factor), collaborations with other state
chapters to secure funding to offer lectures during our respective chapter meetings, participating in small research
44
activities offered through medical education companies, and collaborating with multiple stakeholders to write grants with
multiple educational offerings.
As the organization looked for ways to offer diverse educational offerings, a major change in CME reporting came from
CMS. After several years of discussion and input from various agencies and organizations, in 2014 CMS launched the
Physicians Open Payment system (the Sunshine Act) which promotes transparency by publishing financial relationships
between the medical industry and healthcare providers (physicians and hospitals). It is noted that collaboration among
physicians, teaching hospitals, and industry manufacturers can contribute to the design and delivery of life-saving drugs
and devices, however at times the financial relationships between manufacturers, physicians, and teaching hospitals can
also introduce conflicts of interests.
Disclosure of the financial relationships between industry and healthcare providers is not intended to signify an
inappropriate relationship, and Open Payments reporting does nothing to prohibit such transactions. However, these
relationships may also influence research, education, and clinical decision-making in ways that compromise clinical
integrity and patient care and may potentially lead to increased healthcare costs.
The Sunshine Act affects CME reporting in terms of grant support and physician ownership and investments. In the final
ruling CME noted the importance of CME and that reporting requirements should not include compensation for accredited
or certified CME payments. However, in July 2014 CMS explored whether to remove this exemption from CME
offerings. A consideration that sparked heated discussion and comments from national CME stakeholders. The GAFP
submitted comments to CMS expressing our concern that the removal of the CME exemption could adversely affect the
way we offer CME activities as it creates confusion about reporting, and more unintended and unwanted consequences
than it purports to resolve.
CMS is now reviewing all submitted comments and letters, and will submit a ruling by the end of 2014 on the status of the
exemption.
The Academy will continue to follow the ever-changing reporting process and keep our members up-to-date on the
current laws and how they affect the individual and the way CME is funded.
2013 Annual Scientific Assembly
November 7-9, 2013 marked the GAFP’s 65th Annual Scientific Assembly and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia. Hosting
more than 450 family physicians and other health care professionals at the Cobb Galleria Convention Centre, the GAFP
offered up to 20 CME credit and a myriad of CME lectures; a Joint Injection and Skin Biopsy Workshop; and an article
review sessions in a small group setting.
In addition to lectures and workshops, the GAFP offered five Self-Assessment Modules to attendees in an effort to fulfill
the ABFM’s Maintenance of Certification, Part II – Self-Assessment and Lifelong Learning. More than 75 attendees
successfully completed the modules. We also offered a Part IV for Newbies workshop, which introduced the participants
to learning principles such as AIM statements, workflow, process mapping, and process improvement; principles that help
the physician navigate through and complete a METRIC module or an ABFM Part IV activity.
Committee Involvement and Working Groups
In 2014 with the new committee format that limited the number of volunteers on each committee to a total of 15, the
Education and Research Committee also formed working groups for the Summer and Annual Meetings. The working
groups were developed to expand the committee’s capacity and give GAFP members who wanted to be involved in the
planning of our educational conferences the opportunity to serve and offer their input without necessarily being on the
Committee. The groups focus on the specific conferences and are time specific. The Summer Meeting Working Group
45
was active from February – June, and the Annual Meeting Working Group has been active since May and will continue
through the Annual Meeting in November.
2014 Summer Family Medicine Weekend
The 2014 Summer CME Meeting was held at the Sonesta Resort in Hilton Head, SC, June 12-15, 2014. We offered 17
CME credits for the program and hosted 110 attendees. The program included educational topics such as COPD,
Transitioning Youth with HIV to Adult Care, Pain Management, Contract Negotiations, and JNC-8 Guidelines. We also
offered the DOT Training Class during the Summer Meeting as well as a quality improvement workshop on Cardiac Care.
In addition, more than 50 family physicians successfully navigated our 4 Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs).
2014 Annual Scientific Assembly
In 2014 the GAFP’s 2014 Annual Scientific Assembly will be offered at a new location. This year we will host the
meeting at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta Hotel, November 14-16, 2014 (Friday – Sunday). This year educational
programs will include a variety of CME lectures including a Palliative Care and Pain Management Track; a series of
lectures focused on transitioning youth to adult care; a quality improvement workshop on cardiac care; a Business
Solutions track; a journal review/small group learning workshop; a PCMH workshop for clinicians who have taken the
steps to transform their practices into Patient Centered Medical Homes; and assorted evidence-based CME. In addition,
we will offer ABFM Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs) on Care of the Vulnerable Elderly, Coronary Artery Disease,
Preventive Care, Diabetes, Well Child Care, Depression, Asthma, and Hospital Medicine.
Exhibitor Advisory Committee
An ongoing partner in the success of our Summer and Annual Meetings is the Exhibitor Advisory Committee (EAC). The
EAC is comprised of industry partners that exhibit during either (or both) the Summer or Annual Meetings and serve as
GAFP advisors for the Social and Information Hub (exhibit hall). Members of the EAC meet twice a year with GAFP
staff to discuss trends in the industry; offer suggestions to make the Hub more interactive and beneficial for both the
attendee and the exhibitor; and give GAFP staff feedback from their exhibiting colleagues that help us in our program
planning.
Without input from this group, we would not be able to offer fun, creative, and interactive activities for our attendees in
the Hub.
Summary
Thanks to our Education and Research Committee for their participation and support of the GAFP educational initiatives.
Susana Alfonso, MD - Chair
Gurinder Doad, MD – Vice Chair
Dolapo Babaloa, MD
Karla Booker, MD
Mike Busman, MD
Audra Ford, MD
R. Clark Gillett, Jr., MD
Rosalind Harrington, MD
Ari Levine (Medical Student)
Yvonne Mukosolu Maduka, MD
Carl McCurdy, MD
Yuan-Xiang Meng, MD
Michelle Nichols, MD
Charles Sow, MD
Additional thanks to our Summer and Annual Meeting Working Groups for their excellent efforts and contributions to the
planning of our educational activities.
Ken Howard, MD
Theresa Jacobs, MD
Hira Kohli, MD
Ramon Parrish, MD
Sherma Peter, MD
Susan Schayes, MD
Summer Meeting Working Group
Adegoke Adeleke, MD
Rianot Amzat, MD
Denise Crawley, MD
Wanda Gumbs, MD
Rosiland Harrington, MD
46
Ari Levine (Medical Student)
Jimi Malik, MD
Emily Marciniak, MD
Carl McCurdy, MD
Yuan-Xiang Meng, MD
Adrienne Mims, MD
Michelle Nichols, MD
Wilhelmina Prinssen, MD
Susan Schayes, MD
Harry Strothers, MD
Jose Villalon-Gomez, MD
Annual Meeting Work Group
Rianot Amzat, MD
Domonique Charles (Medical Student)
Mitch Cook, DO
Theresa Jacobs, MD
Hira Kohli, MD
The continued goal of the Education and Research Committee is to make the GAFP the “Premier Provider” of CME for
our members.
Susana Alfonso, MD
Education and Research Committee Chair
Gurinder Doad, MD
Education and Research Committee Vice Chair
47
September 2014
Annual Report of the Legislative Committee
I. Legislative Session
Final Resolution on 2014 GAFP Legislative Priorities
Medical Scholarships and Preceptors - Success
House Bill 998/Passed as Senate Bill 391
One of GAFP’s top legislative priorities was signed into law on April 15 that that creates tax deductions of
up to $10,000 for community-based faculty physicians who provide training to medical, physician assistant,
and nurse practitioner students.
Under Senate Bill 391, Georgia physicians who provide clinical training to health professions students for a
minimum of three (to a maximum of 10) rotations, and who are not compensated through any other source,
can claim a tax deduction of $1,000 per student for every 160 hours of training provided. Students must be
enrolled in a one of the state’s public or private medical/osteopathic, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner
programs.
The Georgia Statewide Area Health Education Centers Program Office is charged with creating the
certification process for Senate Bill 391. AHEC personnel will work with academic officers across the state
as well as with the Department of Revenue to develop policies and procedures to govern the program, which
is set to kick off July 1.
Anti-ACA Implementation Bill Passed – GAFP Opposed
House Bill 707/Passed as House Bill 943
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians opposed House Bill 707 and an amended version was attached
to HB 943 that will prevent state entities from serving as health insurance navigators, prohibit the state from
setting up a health insurance exchange, and limit the ability of state and local employees to advocate for the
Medicaid expansion passed through the General Assembly
Medical Marijuana – GAFP Supported House Bill 885 (Medical Marijuana for certain childhood seizure
disorders - as long as it contains the following measures to protect patient safety:
1 – It is available only as part of an Institutional Review Board-approved clinical study.
2 – There is sufficient control of the manufacture and distribution of the project by the State.
3 – Measures of safety and effectiveness are established.
Despite many last minute attempts to pass HB 885, it failed to get a vote on the Senate floor on the last day
of the legislative session. Update: Medical marijuana won’t be legalized in Georgia any time soon. But in
April, Gov. Nathan Deal outlined two plans to begin moving that way ahead of next year’s legislative
session.
The first option would involve the expanded use of clinical trials for children with epileptic disorders
through a private drug maker, GW Pharmaceuticals, and Georgia Regents University. The second would
bring a state clinical trial led by Georgia Regents using cannabis oil obtained from federal regulators in
Mississippi.
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Increase Family Medicine Residency Capitation Rates – Success! GAFP supported State Budget 2015 to
increase funds for all Georgia Board for Physician Workforce capitation grants by $333 (per resident).
Patients for Fair Compensation – Support Senate Bill 141 – This bill had several hearings but did not
pass out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Gun Carry Bill – GAFP Opposed
House Bill 875/Passed as House Bill 60
Language related to carrying guns on campus was removed in the final version.
Pharmacists Administering Vaccines – GAFP supported Senate Bill 85 to allow pharmacists, under
physician protocol, to administer adult vaccines – Passed Senate in 2013 but did not pass the House., GAFP
supports this concept as long as it’s under a protocol with a local pharmacist, excludes children, includes
utilization of the Georgia Registry for Immunization Services (GRITS), and follow up information is sent to
the patient’s primary care provider.
Licensure of Certified Lactation Consultants – GAFP Supported HB 363 to create licensing board for
board certified lactation consultants ultimately so that Medicaid would be able to pay them. This did not get
out of the House Health & Human Services Committee and died at the end of the session
Authorize Physicians to Delegate Schedule II Rxing to Physician Assistants – GAFP Opposed SB 268
that passed the Senate but died in the House Health and Human Services Committee.
Liberalizing Georgia’s Current Fireworks Law – GAFP joined the Physicians Coalition Against
Expansion of Fireworks Laws in Georgia and HB 952 and SB 229 did not pass out of their respective
committees and died at the end of the year.
Other Health Related Legislation that Passed
SB 352 – Create the Georgia Council on Lupus Education and Awareness
SR 1121 – Encourage Departments of Community Health and Public Health to collaborate and develop a
report to prevent and control diabetes
HB 899 – Impose criminal penalties for owning or operating personal care homes
SR 828 – Joint Study Committee on Emergency Relocation of Abused Adults
SR 1175 – Create Senate Study Committee to Review Medicaid Care Management Organizations (: Senator
Dean Burke, MD has invited the GAFP and other medical groups to participate in these hearings to be held
in late summer or fall.)
HB 973 – Changes to Civil Penalties for false or fraudulent Medicaid claims
HB 772 – Require drug testing for applicants for food stamps (June 2014 Update – USDA has told
Georgia it is illegal to implement law)
HB 511 – Pilot Program for State Employees Health Insurance to provide for bariatric surgery
SB 98 – Opt-Out for Federal Abortion Mandate
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SB 281 – Require that State Employees require a high deductible health care plan with a health savings
account as an option
II. Family Medicine Legislative Champion of the Year
State Senator Brandon Beach (District 21)
Senator Brandon Beach sponsored the Patients for Fair Compensation legislation during the session. He
represents District 21 which includes portions of Cherokee and Fulton counties.
Senator Beach serves as the Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee and as the Secretary of the
Transportation Committee. He is also a member of the Economic Development and Government Oversight
committees. Senator Beach currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater
North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, leading the fourth largest chamber in the metro area. Senator Beach
has played an integral role in helping North Fulton grow and prosper in his 19-plus years in Atlanta. It was
greed that Senator Beach is a visionary for his willingness to look for sweeping changes to help physicians
and our patients.
III. Follow Up and Heart Felt Thanks
It has been our pleasure to serve as your Co-Chairmen. This year, President Nadolne helped to strengthen
our advocacy efforts by creating a Legislative Session Working Group. The Working Group and the
Committee worked tirelessly and met weekly by phone during the session to discuss urgent issues. This
proved very effective in having an ongoing voice in the ever shifting political landscape at the state capitol.
The Georgia Academy continues to work with Chuck McMullen of McKenna, Long and Aldridge as our
outside Legislative Consultant and our Executive Vice President Fay Fulton continues to also serve as our
registered lobbyist at the Capitol.
IV. Deep Appreciation
Thank you to the following GAFP leaders:
Legislative Session Working Group:
Tom Bevill, MD
Janis Coffin, DO
Angela Coleman, MD
Mitch Cook, DO
Angela Gerguis, MD
Clark Gillett, MD
Harry Heiman, MD
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Kevin Johnson, MD
Thaddeus Lynn, MD
Jada Moore-Ruffin, MD
O. Michael Obiekwe, MD
Leonard Reeves, MD
Harry Strothers, MD
Barbara Walker, MD
Naheed A. Lakhani (medical student)
Ame Walker Wilder (medical student)
50
Legislative Committee Members:
Janis Coffin, DO
Mitch Cook, DO
Donny Fordham, MD
Harry Heiman, MD
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Ramon Parrish, MD
Leonard Reeves, MD
Thad Riley, MD
Mitzi Rubin, MD
George Shannon, MD
Gena Marie Mastrogianakis, MD (resident)
Christopher Smith (medical student)
Bruce L. LeClair, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair
Recommendations:
Rick Wherry, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair
None
51
Report of the Membership Committee
September 2014
The Membership Committee met three times this year and addressed ways in which to outreach
to our new-to-practice members and residents, the awards process, and offered suggestions on the
GAFP strategic plan as it relates to communicating member value. The following are the
highlights that the Committee worked on this past year:
Membership Programs:
Membership
The Georgia Academy won two awards this year at the AAFP Annual Leadership Forum (ALF):
one for first place (in the large chapter category) for the highest percent increase in active
membership and the second for 100 percent resident membership.
At the end of the annual AAFP drop date, membership was 2,791, which includes 1,546 active
members, 918 students, 159 residents, 146 Life members, and 8 supporting members.
In addition, Inactive members are reviewed annually and placed back into Active status unless
they have a hardship or are retired and just have not yet reached Life status by virtue of AAFP
membership affiliation years. Possible Life members are sent a notice in advance of the AAFP
annual membership dues so that they are aware of their new status change.
Member Recruitment
In order to engage new to practice members and residents, the Committee came up with, among
other ideas, the following: at the summer meeting, the GAFP hosted a babysitting service at the
host hotel. The service was offered at a reduced rate to both new to practice members and
residents as it is believed that those groups tend to have younger children for which the added
expense is a burden. The service was offered during CME sessions so that the members could
attend CME.
Awards:
Review of Awards Categories
The Membership Committee reviewed the awards this year and streamlined the process by which
members can nominate colleagues for awards. The hopeful outcome is that more nominees will
be put forward in 2015.
We work diligently to attract competitive and highly deserving nominees for both state and
national recognition.
52
Award Winners
This year’s winners in the GAFP awards program include:
Family Physician of the Year..................................................William Bina, MD ~ Macon
Family Medicine Educator of the Year...................................Emily Jean Herndon, MD ~ Decatur
Family Physician Community and Volunteer Services Award..... David Westfall, MD, MPH, CPE
~ Gainesville
Family Medicine Resident of the Year.....................................P.J. Lynn, MD ~ Rome, Floyd
FMRP
Keith Ellis Resident Scholarship Award...................Jennifer Burkmar, MD ~ Atlanta, Emory
FMRP
Outstanding FMIG of the Year-Morehouse School of Medicine’s Family Medicine Interest Group
Medical Association of Georgia Physician’s Award for Community Service Award winner:
David Westfall, MD, MPH, CPE ~ Gainesville
T. A. Sappington Awards
This year, there were four T. A. Sappington Award winners split among four individuals: Sunaina
Nanchahal from Mercer University School of Medicine who will be attending Emory University
School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program, Daniel Gordon and Mary Keith (joint
nominees) from the Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, both attending
Savannah’s Memorial Health Family Medicine Residency Program, and John Macon from the
Morehouse School of Medicine who will attend Phoebe Putney's Family Medicine Residency
Program in Albany.
Congratulations to all our 2014 award winners!
Acknowledgment:
The Membership Committee has worked tirelessly on your behalf and I would like to
acknowledge and thank the members who served: Vice Chair James Hagler, MD, and Drs.
Maiysha Clairborne, Angela Coleman, Denise Crawley, Thomas Fausett, Angie Gerguis, Nicole
Haynes, Beulette Hooks, Theresa Jacobs, Ivy Smith, and P. J. Lynn, along with our student
member Susie Klodnicki.
Marti Gibbs, MD
Chair, Membership Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS: None
53
September 2014
Report of the GAFP PAC Board
The PAC Board voting members for 2014 were:
GAFP Board Chair – Mitch Cook, DO
GAFP PAC Board Vice Chair – James Lemley, MD
GAFP President – Brian Nadolne, MD
COD Speaker – Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD
GAFP Board Member Representative – Howard McMahan, MD
At Large GAFP Member – Donald Fordham, MD
The PAC Board ex officio members for 2014 were:
GAFP Legislative Co-Chair – Rick Wherry, MD
GAFP Legislative Co-Chair – Bruce LeClair, MD
GAFP President Elect – Wayne Hoffman, MD
GAFP Executive Vice President – Fay Fulton
The PAC donations that have been given out since this last report October 2013 – August 2014:
State Senate
Senator Donald Balfour
Senator Dean Burke
State House
Representative Stacey Abrams
Representative Amy Carter
Representative Matt Hatchett
Representative Jan Jones
Representative Butch Parrish
Representative Ben Watson, MD (for State Senate)
Governor Nathan Deal
Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens
PAC Donation by GAFP Members
In 2013, we raised $14,580 which was more than in 2012 ($12,420). To date, the PAC has raised
$10,154 and we encourage all of the Congress of Delegates to stop by the GAFP PAC booth to
discuss our advocacy in action initiatives as well as purchase an Apple nano IPOD for a minimum
contribution to the PAC.
We thank our GAFP members who continue to strengthen our advocacy by donating to the PAC.
Through August 2014, the following members have contributed to the PAC:
54
Howard McMahan, MD
Michael Miles, MD
Adrienne Mims, MD
Harold Moore, MD
Brian Nadolne, MD
Robert Norris, MD
Folashade Omole, MD
Kevin O’Neal, MD
Christopher Parman, MD
Ramon Parrish, MD
Sherma Peter, MD
Cornell Peters, MD
Sharon Rabinovitz, MD
James L. Ray, MD
Roy Reardon, MD
Michael Satchell, MD
Susan Schayes, MD
Vandana Setia, MD
George Shannon, MD
Harry Strothers, MD
Donald Thomas, MD
Beverley Ann Townsend, MD
Merna Vera, MD
Mark Virtue, MD
Michael Walsh, MD
Richard Wherry, MD
Eric Wilson, MD
Henry Young, MD
Karla Booker, MD
William Bostock, DO
Susan Boyle, MD
James Bradstreet, MD
Bonnie Brinson, MD
John Bucholtz, DO
Kelli Carter, MD
Mitch Cook, DO
Henry Gordon Davis, MD
Charles Dodgen, MD
Yara Fattouh, MD
Tonya Fordham, DO
Jay Goberdhan, MD
James Hagler, MD
Russell Harrington, MD
Harry Heiman, MD
Jennifer Herbert, MD
Wayne Hoffman, MD
Beulette Hooks, MD
Larry Jackson, MD
John Kludt, MD
Bruce LeClair, MD
James Lemley, MD
Rebecca Loomis, MD
Steven Lucks, MD
Kendra Lynch, MD
Sean Lynch, MD
Thaddeus Lynn, MD
Mathew Marchal, MD
I encourage all members and especially those of you designated leaders of the Congress of Delegates to
take less than five minutes and open up your wallet to donate to the GAFP State PAC. You can
contribute online securely: http://www.gafp.org/pac.asp. Recommendations: None
Jonathan Mitchell Cook, DO, FAAFP
PAC Board Vice Chair
55
Report of Practice Management Committee
August 2014
The Practice Management Committee met three times this year and dealt with several issues at our meetings and
during the interim.
Meeting dates:
March 1 – Atlanta, GA
June 13 – Hilton Head, SC
August 22 – Savannah, GA
The following are some of the highlights that the Committee worked on this past year:
Patient Centered Medical Home
The Committee continues its role as a resource for GAFP members when seeking information about the Patient
Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Throughout the year, the Committee was informed of the GAFP PCMH University
and its progress, as well as other PCMH initiatives in Georgia. As of August, there are 177 NCQA PCMH practices in
Georgia.
PCMH University
The GAFP Patient Centered Medical Home University launched its third class in March 2014 with 11 practices which
included 2 practices sponsored by Piedmont Health System and 3 practices sponsored by Tift Regional Medical
Center These sponsored practices did not affect the number of spots reserved for members to participate in the class.
The following practices make up the GAFP PCMH University Class of 2014:

Affinity Practice – Dr. Cameron Nixon (Internal Medicine) – Tifton

Emory Family Medicine – Dr. Isabell Lowell - Dunwoody

Family First Medical Associates – Dr. Michael Satchell – Albany

Family Medicine Clinic – Dr. Clark Gillett – Columbus

Geriatrics & Family Medicine Center – Dr. Joy Adegbile – Columbus

Harper & Associates Family Medicine – Dr. Kenneth Harper – Lithonia

Harsch & Osborne Practice – Dr. Shearin Murphy-Higgs (Internal Medicine) – Fayetteville

Irwin Primary Care – Dr. Howard McMahan – Ocilla

Mastercare Medical Center – Dr. Moiz Master (Internal Medicine) – Jasper

Tift Regional Employee Medical Home – Drs. Cameron Nixon and Howard McMahan – Tifton

Synergy Health – Dr. Samuel “Le” Church – Hiawassee
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Five practices from the 2013 PCMH University class have received Level-3 recognition: Albany Internal Medicine of
Albany, Terry A. Cone MD of Columbus, The Family Health Center – MCCG Family Medicine Residency Program of
Macon, Urban Family Medicine, and the Medical Center of Dublin.
Most of the learning is happening at the point of care within the physicians’ practices with facilitation by PCMH
University practice coaches. There have been three collaborative meetings: March 21, August 22, and November 14.
The goal is for each practice to submit their application to NCQA for PCMH recognition by April 30, 2015. GAFP
has once again contracted with consultants Linda Shelton from Discern Consulting and Bob Addleton from
Physicians for Excellence to assist GAFP in executing PCMH University.
In October 2014, GAFP and Universal American will launch the first Medicare ACO-sponsored PCMH University.
Universal American/Collaborative Health Systems has partnered with GAFP to provide a fully-funded PCMH
University to 10 practices participating in one of nine ACOs in Georgia. The University will highlight the 33 key
quality metrics attributed to the Medical Shared Savings ACO with emphasis on CHF, COPD, and Readmissions.
The practices will work with PCMH University coaches and ACO directors to analyze and improve ACO data as part
of PCMH transformation. The Universal American PCMH University kicks off in October 2014 and runs through
December 2015.
Medicaid Parity
The Committee discussed that providers who attested on or before August 31, 2013 were eligible for the retroactive
rate increase beginning January 1, 2013. Anticipate all adjustments will be completed by March 2014. The ACA
Medicaid Parity is slated to end in December 2014. The AAFP and GAFP is lobbying for this funding to continue
past the current deadline.
Electronic RXing for Schedule IIs
The Committee noted the news from the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency that outlines the DEA’s EPCS
regulations to provide physicians with the option of writing prescriptions for controlled substances electronically.
The regulation also permits pharmacies to receive, dispense, and archive those electronic prescriptions. It was
discussed among the members of the Committee that this is regulation in addition to the existing rules. Also, it was
noted that the GAFP included the information in the July 1st newsletter.
ICD-10 Delay
The Committee discussed the new delay in the ICD-10 rollout and noted that the GAFP will continue to offer
education on ICD-10 prior to the new October 2015 release date.
United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Announcement
The Committee discussed United Healthcare’s decision to terminate physicians from their Medicare Advantage plans
in 2014. The Committee noted that the concern is that patients will not have the opportunity to connect with a new
primary care physician prior to the September 2014 termination. Staff explained that leadership has checked with
AAFP and this practice is happening all over the US. It was also noted that individual physicians can go through the
appeal process with United Healthcare and request a review for reconsideration.
Regulation of Cosmetic Laser Surgery Notice
The Committee noted the intent of the Georgia Medical Board to regulate cosmetic laser surgery. It was discussed
that this regulation could greatly impact members providing cosmetic laser surgery. An article on this issue was
included in the August issue of “Briefly Stated”.
Medicaid Prior Authorization for Pregnant Women
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The Committee discussed the risk related to delays in ultrasounds requiring prior authorization for some practices.
The Committee agreed that by sending these patients to specialists for an ultrasound increases health care costs. Staff
will follow up on this issue to determine the degree of impact and reasons behind the requirement.
Thank you to the members of the Practice Management Committee who gave their valuable time to help with the work of
the Committee and the GAFP: Michael Satchell, MD – Vice Chair, and Drs. Brian DeLoach, David Fieseler, Jay
Goberdhan, Thaddeus Lynn, Phil Carter, Tom Bevill, Daniel Grizzle, Cedrice Davis, Ifeoma Nnaji, and medical student
Evan Fountain.
Respectively Submitted,
Eric Wilson, MD, Chair
Recommendations: NONE
58
Report of the Public Health Committee
September 2014
The Public Health Committee met three times this year and dealt with several issues at our meetings and during the
interim.
Meeting dates:
March 1, 2014 – Atlanta, GA
June 12, 2014 – Hilton Head, SC
August 23, 2014 – Savannah, GA
The following are some of the highlights that the Committee worked on this past year:
Survey on Mental Health Resources
The Committee discussed a survey which was distributed to membership regarding behavioral health issues. The
results indicated that family physicians often have difficulty obtaining information from mental health professionals
and behavioral health resources are limited, particularly for lower-income patients. The results and some resources
provided by the psychology and psychiatry state professional associations will be shared with membership in the
GAFP newsletter.
Georgia’s Scoliosis Policy
The Committee discussed the current Georgia law requiring children between the ages of 10 and 15 to receive school
screenings for scoliosis. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend the screening for
all students, so to address the issue, Dr. Westfall reported on discussions with leadership from the Georgia Chapter of
the American Academy of Pediatrics (GA-AAP). The GA-AAP, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH),
and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) developed a compromise which would send children to their doctor
for screening, thus easing the burden on public health nurses and schools. It was not felt that the current climate was
right for requesting the legislature to repeal the law, since almost half of the states have similar laws, and there is not
a national nor statewide consensus from all of the involved stakeholders that screening is without benefit.
Resolution: Raising Tobacco Sale Age to 21
The committee reviewed a resolution by Drs. Beverley Townsend and David Westfall recommending that GAFP
support raising the tobacco sale age to 21 due to the evidence linking early use of tobacco products to addiction,
disease, and mortality. It was moved and approved by the Board as an action item.
GAFP/Department of Public Health (DPH) Contract
The Committee directed and provided valuable feedback for the GAFP contract with the Department of Public
Health. The following are highlights of the contract activities for this calendar year:
Health Care Transition Guide for Adolescents with Chronic Illness
As part of our public health contract, the GAFP is working with Public Health and the Georgia Chapter of the
American Academy of Pediatrics to develop a guide that will help general pediatricians to transition their early
adolescent patients and successfully transitioned older adolescents to adult primary care. The introduction will
provide an overview of transition, review the current state of transition, and offer resources to support health care
transition for members to use with patients and their families.
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Successful transition involves the adolescent, the family of the patient, their primary care pediatrician and their adult
health care physician; all have key roles in supporting a successful health care transition. Each also must assess their
readiness to begin the health care transition process. The Committee spent time working on the portion that would
introduce the adult health care physicians’ role/needs in the transition process.
Educational Lectures
The following Public Health related lectures were presented at a GAFP meeting or to GAFP members during the contract
year:
STD Update
Transitioning Youth with HIV to Adult Care
Transitioning Youth with Special Health Care Needs Grand Rounds at Emory, Mercer Medical Center of Central
Georgia, and Georgia Regents University
Sickle Cell Disease and the Challenges for Transitioning Youth to Adult Care at Georgia Regents University in
Augusta
Approximate 2013-2014 Contract Total: $95,600.00
Public Health Education
2014 Newsletter Articles:
Public Health Spotlight: 100 Babies Birth to Literacy Project
40th Anniversary of the WIC Program
Free CME Lunch Lecture! Transitioning Youth with Special Health Care Needs from Pediatric Care to Adult Care
Grand Rounds
Georgia WIC Departmental Formula Shortage
Georgia Academy Works with State Health Department to Address Public Health Needs
CDC Releases New Information on Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates and Testing
Adolescent Immunization Webinar
Georgia Medical Board to Regulate Cosmetic Laser Services
Georgia's Well Water Not Always as Healthy as it Tastes
GAFP Website – Public Health:
The GAFP Website contains an entire section dedicated to Public Health, which the Public Health Committee oversees. This
section includes information on Women, Infants, Children (WIC); Notifiable Disease and Emergency Preparedness; and
Other Resources and Information.
Thank you to the Public Health Committee members for their participation and continued support of GAFP
initiatives: Drs. Hogai Nassery - Vice Chair, Dereje Aboye, Shenique Anderson,
Naheed Lakhani, Jimi Malik, Harsha Menon, Jada Moore-Ruffin, Isioma Okwemabua, Sylveria Olatidoye, Sherma
Peter, Sharon Rabinovitz, Jose Villalon-Gomez, and Barbara Walker.
Respectfully Submitted for the Committee,
David N. Westfall, MD, MPH, CPE, Chair
RECOMMENDATIONS:
None
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Report of the Student and Resident Recruitment Committee
September 2014
The Student and Resident Recruitment Committee met three times this year and among the relevant topics
addressed several ways in which to reach students and residents at our meetings and other venues.
The following are the highlights that the Committee worked on this past year:
GAFP Student and Resident Web Page Redesign
The committee reviewed the existing pages as well as screen shots of the new GAFP website and discussed
potential changes after the website redesign is complete. Suggestions included reading resources and useful
apps, which could be highlighted in a blog/newsletter article, more pictures, and updated GAFP events and
news for students and residents. Additionally, the committee asked that the contact information for all
Georgia residency programs be featured more prominently on both the student and resident pages, which was
factored in to the redesign efforts.
Medical School Presentations – Managing Medical Debt
During the first few months of the year, GAFP staff and a financial industry expert visited four Georgia
Medical Schools to present information on Managing Medical Debt to their respective FMIG clubs.
Managing Medical Debt was presented at the Georgia Campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia Regents University/University of Georgia
Medical Partnership, and Emory University School of Medicine.
GAFP 2014 Annual Assembly Student Track
The Committee finalized the Student Track details for the Annual Meeting. The committee agreed to ask
three family physicians from varying background to discuss “A Day in the Life” during the student track
lunch. Also, the group decided on a joint injections workshop to enhance student interest.
Legal Defense and Education Fund for Resident Contract Review Assistance
Last year, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors approved a one-year pilot to offer
GAFP PGY3 family physician residents funding of up to $750 to assist in having their employment contracts
reviewed by a lawyer. This funding is eligible for up to 50 family physician residents who are planning on
staying and working in Georgia upon graduation. The committee regularly reviewed updates and were asked
to promote the information to interested residents. 8 GAFP resident members took advantage of the funding
opportunity, so a remaining 42 residents can still use the remaining funding.
2014 Outstanding Family Medicine Interest Group Award
The Outstanding FMIG Award will be presented this year during the Student Track on Saturday, November
16th to Morehouse School of Medicine.
Georgia Preceptor Tax Incentive Program
House Bill 998/Passed as Senate Bill 391
One of GAFP’s top legislative priorities was signed into law on April 15 that that creates tax deductions of
up to $10,000 for community-based faculty physicians who provide training to medical, physician assistant,
and nurse practitioner students.
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Under Senate Bill 391, Georgia physicians who provide clinical training to health professions students for a
minimum of three (to a maximum of 10) rotations, and who are not compensated through any other source,
can claim a tax deduction of $1,000 per student for every 160 hours of training provided. Students must be
enrolled in a one of the state’s public or private medical/osteopathic, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner
programs. The Georgia Statewide Area Health Education Centers Program Office is charged with creating
the certification process for Senate Bill 391. AHEC personnel will work with academic officers across the
state as well as with the Department of Revenue to develop policies and procedures to govern the program,
which is set to kick off July 1.
Recognition of Volunteers on behalf of the Committee
The Committee would like to acknowledge all who have advocated for family medicine to groups throughout
the state, as part of a family medicine interest group meeting.
I would like to thank my Vice Chair, Cecil Bennett, MD and the following members who have served on this
Committee: Drs. Adegoke Adeleke, Terrell Bacchus, Michelle Cooke, Jaqueline Dubose, Neena Ghose, Ken
Howard, Kevin Johnson, David Kriegel, Harry Strothers, Susan Thomas, Enem Udo, and John Vu; and
students Kara Leverette and Ame Walker Wilder.
Respectfully Submitted for the Committee by,
Julie Dahl-Smith, DO
Chair
RECOMMENDATIONS: NONE
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2014 Georgia Healthy Family Alliance
Report to the Congress of Delegates
September 20, 2014
By John R. Kludt, MD – President
On behalf of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) Board of Trustees, I am pleased to present the
following report of the Alliance’s activities over the past year for your review.
I must first express thanks to the GHFA Board of Trustees (including our corporate trustees Physicians
Alliance of America and Amedisys) for their outstanding leadership and commitment which is vital for the
Alliance to achieve its current mission of enhancing the well-being of Georgians through educational and
outreach programs that promote healthy practices consistent with the principles of family medicine.
In 2014, the Alliance Board has had three in-person meetings and one meeting via conference call for a total
of four to date this year. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) continues to maintain a single parttime employee devoted to coordinating programming, corporate funding and donor outreach.
Major goals of the Alliance:
1. Improving the health of Georgians
2. Improving the financial wellness of the Alliance
Improving the Health of Georgians:
The Community Health Grant Awards
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance began the third year of the Community Health Grant Awards in
January 2014 with a record twelve grant applications from GAFP members to support programs and
activities throughout Georgia that enhance the well-being of our communities. It is our core belief that one of
the best ways to encourage Family Medicine is to involve medical students, residents and practicing family
physicians directly in the innovative care of our local communities. The Alliance awarded eight Community
Health Grant Award applicants $32,500 in 2014. Grant awards were made to GAFP member affiliated
charitable organizations
that support GHFA program priorities including underserved populations and outreach programs that
promote healthy practices consistent with the principles of Family Medicine. 2014 GAFP Member
Community Health Grant Recipients include:
Sarah Barr, MD, Medical Student Documentation Project, Muscogee Cty, $3,000
Mitch Cook, DO, Mercy Health Center Chronic Disease Prevention, Athens $5,000
Le Church, MD, Reduction of Child Sexual Abuse- Towns/Union Cty, $2,000
Martha Crenshaw, MD, Physicians Care Clinic Diabetes Management- Dekalb Cty, $2,500
Brian DeLoach, MD, The Hearts and Hands Women’s Clinic /Statesboro, GA - $5,000
Leah Machen, Emory Medical Student, Urban Health Initiative, Atlanta, $5,000
Ashley Martinez, Harriett Tubman Student Clinic HPV Vaccinations- Atlanta , $5,000
Andrea Videlefsky, MD, Urban Family Down Syndrome Medical Home, Marietta $5,000
Current GAFP members including medical students, residents and active/ life members are eligible to apply
for first cycle grant funding before February 1, 2015. First cycle grant awards will be announced in March,
2015. Application information is also available online at www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org
Tar Wars
The Georgia Tar Wars program had another great year with more than 2,000 4th and 5th grade students from
throughout Georgia participating. Once again the Alliance worked closely with community partners to
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expand the reach of the program and received a $12,000 W. G. Raoul Foundation grant to expand the
footprint of the Tar Wars program in 2014-15 and cultivate partnerships to sustain Tar Wars in the years
ahead. Residency programs and FMIG groups throughout the state continue to be a vital part of the overall
success of the Tar Wars program by presenting the program in elementary schools in their communities.
The Alliance’s staff support person, Kara Sinkule, traveled to Washington, DC in July for the National Tar
Wars Conference with our statewide Tar Wars poster winner Mary Glen Sinkule who earned an honorable
mention in the national poster competition .While in Washington DC, Mary Glen met with U.S. Senator
Saxby Chambliss and Congressman John Lewis.
In August, the AAFP announced that it is discontinuing the National Tar Wars Conference and Poster
competition. They will, however continue to support local chapters participating in Tar Wars with minigrants which the Alliance will apply for as soon as they become available.
Improving the Financial Wellness of the Alliance
GAFP Long Term Reserves Grant
At the 2014 GAFP Summer Meeting the Alliance reported back to the GAFP Board on funds spent from the
$89,500 grant from the GAFP last Summer and updated the GAFP Board on progress made toward the
Alliance’s branding and web development over the last year. The report included the hiring of a consultant
from the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, Miranda Austin, to develop a multi-year strategic fundraising
development campaign. Miranda has provided invaluable guidance as GHFA navigates our first “Annual
Campaign" with $13,000 of our overall fundraising goal achieved to date. I am also pleased to report that we
have had 100% participation from the Alliance Board for our first ever annual campaign and a Board to
Board challenge with the GAFP resulted in $1300 in donations from GAFP Board members alone. In order
to continue this momentum into 2015, the Alliance Executive Committee has secured consulting
services through the end of this fiscal year.
Those who attended the November Annual meeting last year may also recall a Thanksgiving Table themed
Alliance booth in the exhibit hall inviting GAFP members to come to the “giving table” to learn more about
the Community Health Grant Program and Tar Wars. Marketing and web development consultant Meredith
Kelly brought that concept to life and she extended the same theme into the newly developed
www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org website which tells the story of the Alliance in a new way and offers
staff the ability to manage site content on their own.
In February of this year, the Alliance Board members and staff also received fundraising training from Pride
Philanthropy during an all day workshop at the GAFP offices where Board members learned the “art” of the
ask.
Legacy Club Members
In response to the mission of the Alliance and as a result of GHFA’s investment in a part-time staffer and
fundraising consultant, the Alliance has continued to attract Legacy Club members each year with 13 and
counting as of September 17, 2014:
Dr. Mitch Cook
Dr. Lanny and Mica Copeland
Dr. Loy and Elizabeth Cowart
Dr. Brian and Holly DeLoach
Dr. Fred and Norma Girton
Dr. Wayne Hoffman
Dr. Beulette Hooks
Dr. John and Denice Kludt
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Dr. Bruce and Sheila LeClair
Drs. Brian and Marnie Nadolne
Dr. George and Barbara Shannon
Dr. Harry and Karen Strothers
Dr. D. Ann Travis- Honeycutt
The 2014 Legacy Club Dinner will be held at the Westin Buckhead November 14, 2014 in conjunction with
the 2014 GAFP Scientific Assembly and will honor those contributing a minimum of $1,000 to the Alliance
annually. Because the current economic climate has made gift giving a challenge for so many, Legacy Club
payments can be made in installments starting at just $83.00 per month charged to a credit card.
GHFA $10,000 Draw Down Raffle
The most exciting fundraiser of 2014 is the new $10,000 Draw Down Raffle to be held during the GAFP
Scientific Assembly Welcome Reception on November 14th which will offer increased visibility to the
Alliance programming among GAFP attendees and industry partners. This grand prize is double last year’s
vacation raffle prize and ticket prices will remain the same at just $50. Alliance staff has been working all
year to enlist sponsors to donate the grand prize. Current sponsors include Pediatrix, Jackson Healthcare,
Affinity Bank, Here 2 Serve Restaurants, Physicians Alliance of America and the Georgia Hospital
Association.
In addition to the Draw Down event, we will also have an Alliance booth in the Social and Information Hub
as well as a Legacy Club event during the November GAFP annual meeting.
Growing our Success in 2015
In early 2015, we will again accept applications from GAFP members for proposals for activities that
enhance the well-being of our communities. One of our successes has been the Tar Wars program that over
the years has involved medical students, residents, residency faculty and practicing Family Physicians
working with the schools to bring tobacco education to thousands of Georgia grade schools. We hope to
build on our 2014 successes and fund similar programs statewide in 2015. We hope that the work the
Alliance does in support of the specialty of family medicine throughout Georgia will continue to grow in the
coming year making us more effective and bringing us ever closer to achieving our mission to:
“Enhance the well-being of Georgians through educational and outreach programs that promote healthy
practices consistent with the principles of family medicine.”
2014 GHFA Board of Trustees
John R. Kludt, MD, President (Term expires 2016)
Cecil Bennett, MD, Vice President (Term expires 2018)
Srinivas Bramhadevi, MD, Treasurer (Term expires 2014)
Mitzi Rubin, MD (Term expires 2014)
Loy Cowart, MD (Term expires 2015)
Fred Girton, MD (Term expires 2014)
Evelyn Lewis & Clark, MD (Term expires 2017)
Trinidad Osselyn, MD (Term expires 2018)
Resident Trustees
Jennifer Burkmar, MD (Term expires 2014)
PJ Lynn, MD (Term expires 2015)
Corporate Trustees
Mark Hall, Amedisys
Bob Chalmers, Physicians Alliance of America
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Resident Directors Report
September 2014
2014 Resident Directors and Alternates to the Board
Resident Director
Resident Director
Resident Alternate Director (Director 2015)
Resident Alternate Director
Adegoke Adeleke, MD
Michelle Cooke, MD
Anthony Phillip Carter, MD
Patrick Kindregan, DO
GAFP Resident Award Winners
GAFP Resident of the Year went to P. J. Lynn, MD for his hard work and dedication to family medicine at
the Floyd Family Medicine Residency Program. His honors and awards are impressive, including two
Distinguished Service Awards from the University of Florida. Dr. Lynn serves on GAFP’s Board of
Directors as a Resident Board Member in his second year, and is also active on the Membership Committee
this year.
The GAFP Keith Ellis Award winner for Chief/Co-Chief Resident went to Jennifer Burkmar, MD from the
Emory Family Medicine Residency Program, who is, according to her Program Director, Dr. Teresa Lianne
Beck, an outstanding resident who demonstrates exceptional interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as a
strong desire to become involved in organizations which are meaningful to her and her patients. Among her
many activities and accomplishment includes her work with the GAFP, where she is a member of the Student
and Resident Recruitment Committee as well as a trustee on the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Board.
Educational Lectures
As part of the State Public Health contract, a lecture entitled Transitioning Youth with Special Health Care
Needs was presented by Peter Scott, MD at these family medicine residency programs: Emory during their
grand rounds, Mercer Medical Center of Central Georgia, and Georgia Regents University
Legal Defense and Education Fund for Resident Contract Review Assistance
Last year, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors approved a one-year pilot to offer
GAFP PGY3 family physician residents funding of up to $750 to assist in having their employment contracts
reviewed by a lawyer. This funding is eligible for up to 50 family physician residents who are planning on
staying and working in Georgia upon graduation. The committee regularly reviewed updates and were asked
to promote the information to interested residents. 8 GAFP resident members took advantage of the funding
opportunity, so a remaining 42 residents can still use the remaining funding.
Resident Directors, Drs. Adegoke Adeleke, Michelle Cooke, Phil Carter and Patrick Kindregan
Recommendations: NONE 66
Student Directors Report
September 2014
2014 Student Directors and Alternates to the Board
Shenique Anderson – GAFP Student Director
Fiyin Fawole – GAFP Student Director
Evan Fountain – GAFP Student Director
Lorien Sunhye Kim – GAFP Student Alternate Director
Kara Leverette – GAFP Student Alternate Director
Ashley Rae Martinez – GAFP Student Alternate Director
Medical School Presentations – Managing Medical Debt
During the first few months of the year, GAFP staff and a financial industry expert visited four Georgia
Medical Schools to present information on Managing Medical Debt to their respective FMIG clubs.
Managing Medical Debt was presented at the Georgia Campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia Regents University/University of Georgia
Medical Partnership, and Emory University School of Medicine.
GAFP Student Award Winners
Four GAFP student members were awarded the prestigious T. A. Sappington Award. This prestigious award
is given to student members who have demonstrated their commitment to family medicine by choosing to
attend a Georgia Family Medicine Residency Program. This year we recognize:

Sunaina Nanchahal from Mercer University School of Medicine who will be attending Emory
University School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program.

Daniel Gordon and Mary Keith (joint nominees) from the Mercer University School of Medicine in
Savannah, both of whom will be attending Savannah’s Memorial Health Family Medicine Residency
Program.

John Macon from the Morehouse School of Medicine who will attend Phoebe Putney's Family
Medicine Residency Program in Albany.
Outstanding Family Medicine Interest Group Award
Every year the Georgia Academy recognizes an outstanding Georgia Medical School FMIG Club for their
work to increase interest in Family Medicine. Each applicant is judged on how the club advocates for Family
Medicine and Community Outreach to Patients; how the club operates and funds programming; and
membership involvement and retention.
For 2014, the Georgia Academy is pleased to present this $1000 award to the Morehouse School of Medicine
FMIG . The Morehouse FMIG excelled this year in their community outreach efforts. They are assisting in
the establishment of an Atlanta chapter of The Health Careers Academy, a pipeline program designed to
reach inner city high school students, and encourage them to consider careers in the health sciences.
Additionally, they participate annually in the United Way Shoebox Campaign, an initiative to provide
homeless women and children the basics for hygiene and health.
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Pathway to Med School Program
The GAFP Board of Directors voted to support the Pathway to Med School program with a donation of
$2,500. The Pathway program was developed by the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center
(SOWEGA-AHEC) to target Georgia pre-med college students who plan to pursue a medical career in
primary care and to encourage participants to return to rural and underserved areas as providers. Students
accepted into the program shadow primary care physicians, develop research projects and attend seminars
over a four week period. This year, the following ten students participated and plan to attend the GAFP
Annual Scientific Assembly to present their research posters:
Jennifer Ahweyevu
Cameron Baxter
Leah Ellis
Kendra Hogan
Robert Land
Ethan McBrayer
Chijioke Ohamadike
Morgan Smith
Lindsey Wells
Stephen Yarbrough
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southwestern University
Mercer University
University of Georgia
Valdosta State University
Mercer University
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Updates:


Mr. Fountain and Ms. Anderson attended the national AAFP Student and Resident Conference in
Kansas city this year via a First Time Attendee scholarship and travel stipend provided by the GAFP
and it was very rewarding to meet residency programs and vote on the AAFP student leadership
Mr. Fountain and Ms. Anderson also reported that they have focused their activity on attending
FMIG meetings from around the state.
Student Directors, Shenique Anderson, Fiyin Fawole, Evan Fountain, Lorien Sunhye Kim, Kara Leverette,
and Ashley Rae Martinez
69
COD Annual Report for the
Atlanta Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program
We have now graduated 17 classes, with 70% of our graduates remaining in Georgia to practice.
We had a successful match this year, filling all of our 6 positions with graduates from American medical
schools. We had 1600 applicants for those 6 positions. Our interns have started out very well and have
gotten excellent evaluations on their first 2 rotations.
Our Family Medicine Center in Morrow, Georgia, continues to do well. We increased our number of
outpatient visits last calendar year by 26% and we are on track to increase it by around 12% for 2013. We
also continue to see continuity OB patients at the Palmetto Health Clinic (an FQHC) in Palmetto.
One of our first-years residents, Michelle Cooke, has been serving as the AAFP resident representative on
the board of the AMA. Finally, all but one of our residents have passed their boards on their first attempt the
last 4 years.
We hope that interest in Family Medicine amongst American medical students will continue and the small
reverse in the multi-year decline will expand. We must all continue to promote Family Medicine to all
medical students we encounter, and show them the benefit of continuity of care, and comprehensive care, and
how this will improve the health care provided to the citizens of Georgia.
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Report of the Columbus Family Medicine Residency Program
September 12, 2014
The Family Medicine Residency at Midtown Medical Center in Columbus, Georgia respectfully submits its
2013-2014 Annual Report to the GAFP Congress of Delegates.
The Family Medicine Residency at Midtown Medical Center has a long and distinguished history of
providing physician Graduate Medical Education and patient care to the Columbus area. The three-year
Family Medicine residency program was established in 1972. Prior to that date, primary care physicians were
trained as general practitioners with a two-year residency after medical school. Over the past sixty years
Midtown Medical Center has been instrumental in supplying general practitioners and family physicians who
served the needs of Georgia and particularly the Columbus area. The Medical Education program also
sponsors a Transitional Year internship in which medical student graduates receive a traditional internship on
their way to specialty training such as anesthesia or radiology. These two programs have trained over six
hundred physicians who are scattered around the state of Georgia and the southeastern United States. In our
immediate area, there are approximately seventy physicians who practice within a thirty-mile radius of
Columbus who can claim all or part of their training at Midtown Medical Center.
An important part of our Medical Education mission is providing quality medical care to the underserved.
Under the guidance of full-time attending physicians, our Family Medicine and Transitional Year residents
provide care in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics and Obstetrics and
Gynecology. The teaching services enable Midtown Medical Center to serve as a patient resource and
referral center for citizens of Georgia and east Alabama. Residents provide care at the Columbus Health
Department clinics and routinely assist on Columbus Regional’s outreach medical van. During the last year,
our teaching program saw over 35,000 outpatient visits in the Family Medicine Center, delivered hundreds of
infants and cared for thousands of hospital admissions. With training in Advanced Cardiac and Trauma Life
Support, residents help provide 24/7 care to patients referred to Midtown Medical Center’s Intensive Care
Units and Level II Trauma program.
The Family Medicine residency received a full five-year accreditation (maximum allowable) from the
American Osteopathic Association for the three-year osteopathic Family Medicine program. The Transitional
Year program is also dually certified by the AOA and ACGME and has a 10 year accreditation cycle from
the ACGME. Our Family Medicine Residency Program also received a full 10 year accreditation cycle under
the Next Accreditation System of the ACGME.
The residency program is now into full implementation of an Electronic Health Record and has transitioned
to AthenaClinicals as its second electronic health record. The residency continues to be the largest outpatient
EHR implementation in the Columbus area. Midtown Medical Center and its faculty are committed to keep
our residency program at the cutting edge of providing quality and cost effective medicine. This year our
residency is participating in the GAFP sponsored PCMH University to obtain Level 3 designation as an
NCQA patient centered medical home.
In 2012 we became an official satellite campus for Mercer University School of Medicine as a branch
campus. We are currently in our third year of this successful project. Midtown Medical Center and St.
Francis Hospital continue a successful collaboration to provide clinical experiences for 14 MS3 and 14 MS4
students. In addition to Mercer, our clinical faculty holds medical school appointments at the Medical
College of Georgia at GRU, Nova Southeastern University and Georgia-PCOM. While resident training is
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the primary mission of the Medical Education Department, there is extensive cooperation with Three Rivers
AHEC in the training of physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other allied health providers.
An important mission of our training program is to supply physicians to meet the needs of Georgia citizens.
The following physicians graduated in June, 2014 and are listed with their practice location:
2014 grads and practice locations:
Resident
Maresi Berry-Stoelzle, M.D.
Aliona Borton, M.D.
Michael Coulthard
Neil Desai, M.D.
Mehrdod Ehteshami, D.O.
Karen Gill, M.D.
Chuck Nwanze, M.D.
Jermal Scarbrough, D.O.
Faisel Syed, M.D.
Kathryn Margaret Syed, M.D.
Ashley Varner, M.D.
Practice or Training Location
Athens, Georgia
Manassas, Virginia
Valdosta, Georgia
Columbia, Missouri - Hospitalist Fellowship
Newman, Georgia
Grand Rapids, MI - Geriatrics Fellowship
New Orleans, LA
Minot, North Dakota-Air Force active duty
Odessa, Florida
Odessa, Florida
Columbus, GA
There are no formal recommendations for the Reference Committee. The Medical Education Department at
Midtown Medical Center appreciates the ongoing support of the Congress along with that of the membership
of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.
Sincerely,
John R. Bucholtz D.O.
Director of Medical Education
Midtown Medical Center
Columbus, Georgia
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Emory Family Medicine Residency Program
Annual Report
July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014
General
The Emory Family Medicine Residency Program (EFMRP) completed its’ 19th year of training residents. Our
program received full 10-year accreditation granted by the ACGME/RRC in October 2013.
During the 2013-2014 academic year 24 residents were in training. Eight of our residents completed the
program and went into private practice in the state of Georgia, with the exception of one graduate who accepted a
fellowship position in Geriatrics in Brooklyn, New York.
The GAFP Keith Ellis award was awarded to Dr. Jennifer Burkmar, for her outstanding leadership and
community involvement as co-chief resident. She will be recognized for this award during the GAFP Annual
Scientific Assembly this November.
The program continues to staff its family medicine service (FMS) at Emory University Hospital Midtown, which is
the sponsoring hospital for the Emory Family Medicine Residency Program. This is an excellent teaching service
with the full academic training and clinical services support of Emory Healthcare. It is also ranked nationally in the
top 3 for outstanding quality for academic medical centers.
The program’s outpatient practice is located in Dunwoody and continues to grow annually. The clinic has applied for
PCMH level III certification and plans to achieve this in the fall 2014 by incorporating state-of-the-art teaching
resources for residents, students, and faculty. Physicians see patients with laptop computers, using a fully integrated
wireless EMR. The clinic has implemented e-prescribing, a depart process which includes medication reconciliation
and patient education. Additionally, chronic disease management has been incorporated systematically to comply
with meaningful use criteria. The outpatient EMR freely communicates with all outpatient and inpatient clinical care
throughout the Emory system.
The residency program had one of its most successful recruiting seasons with the onboarding of 8 outstanding
interns, all of whom have successfully adapted to the rigorous training required of our Family Medicine residents.
We’ve added several new electives to our three-year curriculum to include Observational Medicine, Student Health,
Global Health, Emergency Medicine, Palliative Care, Pediatric Weight Loss Clinic (Strong4Life Program),
Aesthetics, Integrative Medicine, Social Medicine and a longitudinal Research Elective tailored for residents who are
interested in pursuing academic careers or careers with the Center for Disease Control.
Residents in our program were proliferative in their scholarly work during this academic year presenting posters at
state and national levels, submitting several articles for publication and obtaining grant funding from the AAFP and
GAFP for our first ever resident led clinic pilot study on the association between patient self-monitoring intervention
and improved cardiovascular health. The funding from this grant allowed residents and faculty to become involved in
community based education projects and health screenings throughout the metro-Atlanta area.
The program’s website is: http://www.fpm.emory.edu/
Faculty/ Staff Changes
The interim Chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine remains Dr. Kate Heilpern, effective since
September 1, 2011. Dr. Heilpern is also the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University
School of Medicine.
The interim Program Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program remains Dr. Teresa Lianne Beck, effective
since July 1, 2013. Dr. Beck has been a clinical faculty and Assistant Professor within the department since 1999.
The new Clinic Director for the Dunwoody Family Medicine Center is Dr. Maria Gibson.
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We have added three new full time faculty to the program.
Dr. Susy Alfonso
Dr. Izzy Lowell
Dr. Maria Gibson
The following faculty resigned from the program.
Dr. Susan Schayes
Dr. Wayne Blount
Dr. Joanne Williams
Dr. Samantha Brown-Parks
2014 graduates
Zachary Cohen, MD
Private practice, Atlanta GA
Katie Humphries, DO
Jennifer Burkmar, MD
Souzan Abdel-Samie, MD
Abi Senthivel, MD
Ricardo Rodriguez, MD Private practice, Atlanta GA
Sharmin Banu Anam, MD
Private practice , Atlanta GA
Sindhu Manubolu, MD Geriatrics Fellowship, Brooklyn NY
All 2014 graduates passed their ABFM board exams on first attempt.
Family Medicine Center
All Family Medicine residents and faculty practice in the Emory Family Medicine at Dunwoody clinic and
provide inpatient care at Emory University Hospital Midtown. The Dunwoody site offers full service family
medicine care as well as multiple procedures. We’ve expanded our clinic hours to include Saturdays, early morning
and lunch time hours for patients with busy work schedules. We offer behavioral counseling on site. The Dunwoody
clinic provides teaching and training to Family Medicine residents, medical students and PA students in Ambulatory
Care at the Emory University School of Medicine. We are piloting e-visits in order to improve access to primary care
for the expected increase in patients to the healthcare system.
The clinic has implemented a Lifestyle Clinic to help patients with chronic disease management and to assist
them with overcoming barriers to making healthier lifestyle choices. Individual consultation with Preventive Medicine
specialists and group visits are provided for patients who seek additional assistance in successful long term weight
loss.
The clinic web site is:
http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/family-medicine/index.html
Graduates
We currently have 152 graduates in practice. Approximately 70 % are practicing in Georgia.
Future Directions
We anticipate future expansion of our Dunwoody site as we strive to provide care for a larger portion of our local
population. We plan to achieve PCMH level III status by the fall of this year. Our practice now offers case
management, care coordination and reporting of quality indicators for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension
and obesity in our practice.
We plan to open an Urgent Care Center on site, offering expanded hours to include weekends and evenings. We
continue to dedicate faculty resources to teaching medical students and have become more involved with the FMIG
at Emory. We have recently hired another new faculty, who will be joining us in the fall. We are in the process of
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recruiting several others, so that we may continue to provide excellent teaching for our residents and medical
students.
Resolutions for the COD
None
Teresa Lianne Beck, MD, FAAFP
Interim Program Director
Assistant Professor
Emory Family Medicine Residency Program
Department of Family & Preventive Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
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Gwinnett Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program
Academic year 2013-14 Annual report
September 18, 2014
Accomplishments and activities:
Initial Accreditation
The ACGME’s Institutional Review Committee (IRC) reviewed and approved our institutional application late in
2013. We received initial Institutional Accreditation on 10/01/2013
Initial Accreditation was approved for both the Allopathic (ACGME) and Osteopathic (AOA) portions of our Family
Medicine Program. Osteopathic approval was received in October of 2013, which allowed entry into the Osteopathic
Match. Allopathic approval was not granted until January 2014, which prevented us from using the match for
allopathic candidates, so the program opted instead to interview and sign candidates outside the allopathic match.
The program is participating in both match programs this year
Accreditation
ACGME # of Next Site Visit Most Citations (approximate) Recent Accreditation
Internal Review AOA Sponsoring Institution 07/01/2013 N/A 3 10/01/2015 N/A 07/01/2013 10/24/2013 5 10/24/2015 N/A Family Medicine (FM) Faculty Staffing
The Family Medicine Program is fully staffed for the current level of residents, and meets both ACGME and AOA
requirements for core faculty ratios.
Grants –Funded
The GME Department and the Family Medicine Program have participated with administration and the foundation in
the writing and receipt of several grants over this past academic year. Below listing is a summary of the Grants, their
Author(s), the Agencies, and the status and dollar amount of the grant request.

Start Up grant for the development of new Osteopathic Primary Care Residency Programs, Dr. Darrow,
Georgia Physician’s Shortage Workforce Grant, Funded for FY 2014. $150,000**
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
Start Up grant for the development of new Primary Care Residency Programs, Dr. Darrow, Georgia Board of
Regents, funded for FY 2014. $380,000**

Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (CORE) Free mammography to up to 300 area women
through the Strickland Family Medicine office and the Cancer Center’s Care-o-van mobile mammography unit.
Several co-authors including Dr. Johnson and Dr. Darrow. FY 14 $50,000**

The Scott Hudgins Family Foundation Inc. To develop a simulation laboratory for Physician and Nursing
residents in an interdisciplinary model of training. Contributors, Drs. Johnson and Darrow Funded FY 14 $150,000**

Strickland Foundation grant in the sum of $750,000 for the development and construction of our new Family
Medicine Center. In a ceremony on June 23, 2014, it was renamed the Strickland Family Medicine Center. This is the
office setting in which all of our Family Medicine resident physicians will train, learn and see patients. Contributors
GMC Foundation, Department of GME Funded FY 13-14 $750,000
Total Grant funding $1,480,000 FY14
** indicates shared funding with other programs and GME dept.
2014 Match Results
Overall: 5 first year residents total
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100% female
60% underserved minority
60% GA Medical School Graduates
60% Osteopathic Graduates
40% Allopathic Graduates
100% with personal or family ties to GA and Area
Service
Strickland Family Medicine Center opened for business May 14, 2014 to improve access to primary care services
for patients in the Gwinnett County area. Grand Opening June 23, 2014, attended by GAFP Leadership. Continuing
to build volume and increasing procedural offerings.
Signed MOU as medical director for Georgia Gwinnett College student health services, providing on campus
collaborative care with FNP and physicians, and accepting referrals to SFMC for primary care and maternity care
services for GGC’s 9,400 students.
Signed MOU with Gwinnett-Newton-Rockdale County Health Department to provide primary care services for
patients cared for in health department TB clinic with other chronic medical conditions.
Ongoing Issues
The program has identified the following challenges for the 2014-15 Academic Year:
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Inpatient Pediatrics Rotations
Our primary challenge has been developing our required inpatient pediatrics rotation. GMC does not currently have
inpatient pediatrics and refers all admissions to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta (CHOA). After initial discussions via
email in which agreements were reached with the GME dept. at GMC and CHOA, follow up conversations over the
following months have not resulted in signed PLAs or our residency being able to fulfill our goal of a rotation at a
local CHOA hospital. We have reached out to multiple other hospitals in the region including North GA Health
Systems in Gainesville and Athens Regional/ St Mary’s in Athens without finding a partner to achieve our goal
locally. Our current solution involves partnering with Columbus Regional in Columbus which will involve more
expense to provide housing for away rotation.
Faculty
Recruitment of additional faculty to achieve required core faculty ratios when 2015-16 class arrives is ongoing. We
are strategically looking at faculty who can practice full scope family medicine.
Recruiting Residents
As a new program, we continue to work to attract the best possible candidates for our program. Since we do not have
graduation or work hour data to report, our program falls out of many filters on the ACGME site. We continue to
work on Georgia medical school recruiting efforts.
Development of SFMC Clinic Volume
We continue to work to develop patient volume for the residents at the SFMC. As with any new clinical endeavor,
we are still developing a cohesive team to support our patient centered medical home approach and acquire data to
begin application for NCQA recognition. We are also all learning a new electronic medical record system and we
continue to work towards more functional integration of our outpatient EMR, HIE, and inpatient EMR system to
improve clinical functionality.
Policy Considerations
As a new program, with young clinical operation and challenges, we have not yet encountered significant areas that
legislative action would improve the educational opportunities and patient care access for our populations beyond
those which are already being addressed on the state level. On the national level, the program strongly endorses The
Council of Academic Family Medicine policy recommendations for changes to graduate medical education funding
outlined at:
https://www.stfm.org/Portals/49/Documents/Advocacy%20Docs/TalkingPoints_NewAccountabilityRecs.pdf
Respectfully Submitted
Kevin E. Johnson, MD, FAAFP
Program Director
Gwinnett Medical Center
Family Medicine Residency Program
665 Duluth Highway Suite 501
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
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PCOM/Houston Healthcare Osteopathic Family Medicine Residency Program
2013-14 Annual Report
September 2014
The 2013-14 academic year has been one of continued change and evolution for the Houston Healthcare
Family Medicine Residency Program. This was the first full year with Gretta A Gross, DO, FACOFP serving as the
director of medical education and residency program director and most of the year was spent modifying current
scheduling/rotational opportunities in order to assure compliance with the Basic Documents set forth by the
American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the Training Standards for Osteopathic Family Medicine from the
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP).
Part of this alignment with the regulations involved ongoing review of resident work hour documentation and
adherence to the work hour regulations as well as providing adequate supervision. Current program structure has
allowed residents exposure to patient care across the temporal spectrum and enacted measures to promote patient
safety by limiting amount of time residents spend working in a fatigued state. Efforts to improve supervision of
junior residents focused on increasing amount of senior residents involved in the coverage pool and limiting times
when first year residents were covering patient care duties without access to a senior resident for immediate back up.
Faculty physicians also supervise patient care decisions both in person and via telephone consultation. Supervision
requirements advance as the resident progresses to allow more opportunities for independent decision making while
still ensuring patient safety.
As the year unfolded and the program had not received notification from the AOA regarding inspection, the
faculty decided to conduct a mid-cycle review. This presented us with the opportunity to prepare as if we were to be
inspected and allowed us to identify ongoing areas of needed improvement. Our Osteopathic Postgraduate Teaching
Institute (OPTI), PCOMMEDNet was represented at the mid-cycle review by Joanne Jones, MBA, executive director
PCOM
MEDNet. Specific recommendations to come from the mid-cycle review focused on continuing efforts to
develop rotational opportunities and elective opportunities for resident experience.
In June, the program conducted the first Annual Program Evaluation survey for both residents and faculty.
While overall the results were positive, continued concerns were raised about number of quality elective
opportunities available as well as incorporating more volunteer faculty into the lecture schedule. The faculty have
entered into the review process for the APE and will look to prioritize areas of suggested improvement and develop a
plan for implementation.
Also in June, the program celebrated its first graduation ceremony. Jovan Adams, DO, Samuel Kolleh, DO,
Sean Nelson, DO, and Oludare Ogunsola, DO represent the first graduates of the program. Dr. Kolleh has taken a
hospitalist position in North Carolina, Dr. Nelson will begin his commission in the USAF at Robins Air Force Base
here in Warner Robins, Dr. Ogunsola has accepted a sports medicine fellowship position in Florida and Dr. Adams is
considering a faculty position offer here with the program. Also at the graduation, Dr. Santanu Das was recognized
as the first Houston Healthcare Osteopathic Family Medicine Residency Educator of the Year.
With the calendar turning to July, the new first year resident class has started orientation and the program
looks to restart the training cycle for the upcoming year. This will represent the first time the program has three full
classes to total 18 residents. We look forward to the challenges this will present and continuing to provide high
quality health care to the residents of Houston County and educational experience to our trainees.
Gretta A. Gross, DO, FACOFP
Director of Medical Education/Program Director
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October 10, 2014
The Medical Center of Central Georgia/Mercer University School of Medicine Family Medicine
Residency Program 2014 Annual Report to the GAFP
The Medical Center of Central Georgia/Mercer University School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency
Program has had an eventful year.
The Family Health Center participated in the GAFP sponsored Patient Centered Medical Home University and
submitted the application and was awarded Level 3 NCQI accreditation. The 2013-14 academic year included
the completion of the fourth year of our participation in the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine in
Residency program. As one of the original programs in the country offering this program, we are proud to have
now graduated 34 residents, one faculty, and four Integrative Geriatric Fellows from this nationally recognized
award-winning program.
Our faculty grantsmanship has been challenged this year. Several grants have been submitted, however the
funding has not been fruitful. Drs. Davis-Smith and Seale continue to work on the grants for which they have
secured funding. All of the faculty have been active in scholarly activity with presentations at grand rounds as
well as international, national and regional meetings.
Implementation of the full library of the Challenger Program for Residencies, made possible by a grant from
the GAFP Foundation and generous faculty contributions, continues to be a great success. Residents utilize
this invaluable tool for Board review as well as general resourcing. Seven of our PGY 3 residents sat for Boards
during residency this year and they all passed.
We matched 8 of 8 positions in the 2014 PGY 1 class with strong candidates, most having strong ties to
Georgia. Of our eight 2014 residency graduates, 7 are in practice in Georgia and 1 is in a fellowship in Georgia.
Overall, more than 85% of our graduates are practicing in Georgia, with 70% of those serving in medically
underserved areas.
Issues facing our training program include but are not limited to the following:
 Reimbursement for Family Medicine Physicians limiting recruitment of qualified applicants
 The need for talented, committed, and passionate Residency faculty
Y. Monique Davis-Smith, MD, FAAFP
Program Director
MCCG/MUSM Family Medicine Residency
Macon, GA
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GRU/MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA
FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2013-2014
“Welcome” Dr. Julie Dahl-Smith as our new Residency Program Director beginning July 1, 2014, and Dr. Jacqueline
DuBose as Associate Residency Program Director,. Dr. Dahl-Smith served as Associate Residency Program Director
for the last six years and will continue to be Director of Medical Education (DME) for our Osteopathic Program. Both
are graduates of our residency program.
Since graduating its first class of residents in 1975, a total of 266 residents have completed their training in the Family
Medicine Residency Program. 81.2 percent of these graduates chose to remain in the Southeast, and of these, 71 percent
chose practice sites in Georgia. 71 percent of the 2014 graduates remained in Georgia.
Resident recruitment activities continue on both the local and national levels with program representatives traveling to
Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Atlanta and locally Augusta, GA. Also, national residency fairs
attended were the American Academy of Family Physicians, American and Student National Medical Association in
Kansas City. Those efforts resulted in a successful match with all eight PGY-1 positions being filled. Six filled in the
National Resident Matching Program match and two in the Osteopathic match.
The Family Medicine residency program at GRU/MCG has continued accreditation with the next scheduled visit in
2019 from the ACGME by the RRC. Our program will continue to prepare for the next site visit with implementation
of the new ACGME requirements into our curriculum. Our osteopathic residency program will be preparing for a
site visit this year (date TBA) between September 2014 and June 2015.
Continued recognition through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level II Patient Centered
Medical Home (PCMH). In accordance with the PCMH guidelines, the FMC adopted a modified multi-disciplinary
team structure. There are seven teams of attending physicians, resident physicians, mid-level providers and nurses.
Teams meet on a monthly basis to discuss patient care issues, communication or safety concerns, and anticipated crosscoverage needs.
.
Two publications were submitted this past year from residents and three residents presented at a regional/national
conference; one at STFM Conference, two at NAPCRG 41st Annual Meeting and one osteopathic resident at the
Annual ACOFP Meeting. Each PGY-3 presented at least one scholarly activity over the year. Residents were required
to provide a written bibliography, written presentation, copies of articles, and a literature review. PGY-2s provided a
Critical Appraisal of Topic (CAT) during their community medicine rotation. In addition, all residents with their
advisor presented at Journal Club.
Program goals and measures for success were instituted, refined and restructured this year in our program due to
ACGME “milestone” requirements, below is a summary:
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Our program is working to improve resident reporting and resident tracking of ACGME required procedures through
our electronic ONE45 system. The program is also exploring DASHboard opportunities for easy view and graphing of
resident required “milestone” progress.
Our program instituted Program Evaluation Committee (PEC) this year and had its first meeting May 16, 2014.
The Clinic Competency Committee (CCC) meets bi-annually (May and November) to review “milestone”
competencies on individual residents.
Implemented template for a more structured Morning Report and Noon Conference schedule to enhance attendance
and educational factors. Grand Rounds is still part of the Noon Conference Series along with Board Review.
Program curriculum was restructured this year to meet requirements.
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Our program has made a commitment to ramp-up social activities among residents so a resident has been appointed
Social Coordinator.
The program has also taken measures to ensure SAM’s modules are completed by having residents attend during a
three hour Resident Educational Conference (REC) where faculty supervise and assist in questions.
Paul D. Forney, MD
Paul D. Forney, MD
Associate Professor and Vice Chair
Director, Resident Educational Programs
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Report of the Morehouse Family Medicine Residency Program
Graduate Medicine Education 2014
The Morehouse School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program was established in 1981 and has since
graduated 150 residents and currently, 70% of them are practicing in the state of Georgia.
Six new residents entered the program on July 1, 2014:
Ayan Ahmed, MD
American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Riliwanu Aliu , MD
St. George’s University School of Medicine
Erskine Hawkins, MD
Boston University School of Medicine
Nabila Shehu, MD
Ross University School of Medicine
Anna Sikod, MD
University of Calabar College of Medical Science
William Vincent, MD
Wake Forest University
Five residents completed training on June 30, 2014:
Wallace Ajakaiye, MD
Phoebe Health Partners, Inc., Albany, Georgia
Samir Ale, MD
North Bend Medical Center, Coos Bay, Oregon
Jeffery Bouadou, MD
Barrow Medical Center, Winder, GA
Alboury Sow, MD
Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Srividya Koduru, MD
Emory University Geriatric Fellowship, Atlanta Georgia
Accomplishments:
Dr. Koduru - Poster Presentation: American Geriatric Society (AGS) National Conference May 2014
Title: Rare Presentation of Cholangitis with Reynolds Pentad
Dr. Koduru - Poster Presentation: National Medical Association Conventional and Scientific Assembly, Toronto,
Canada: July 2013: Pyogenic Liver Abscess
Dr. Ajakaiye - 1 Poster Presentation at AGS National Conference May 23014: Rare Presentation of Cholangitis
with Reynolds Pentad
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Department of Family Medicine Residency 6th Annual Resident Research Forum held June 5th, 2014 at the MSM
National Center for Primary Care:
Wallace Ajakaiye, MD: Prevalence of obesity in the CFHC East Point Adult patient population
Samir Ale, MD: A Study of In-Patient Call distribution among Family Medicine Residents at Morehouse School of
Medicine Family Medicine Program, academic years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.
Jeffery Bouadou, MD: The Obesity Paradox: A review of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.
Srividya Koduru, MD: Exercise prescription- research project
Alboury Sow MD: Web Portal: A valuable resource for the African-American minority.
New President of Morehouse School of Medicine:
As of July 1, 2014, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice became the first Female President of Morehouse School of Medicine.
Awards and Recognitions:
Jeffery Bouadou, MD, PGY 3(Graduate)
 The Morehouse Family Medicine Faculty Award: The faculty gives this award to a resident for meritorious
achievement during their residency training.
 Community Service Award: The faculty gives this award to a resident for outstanding community service.
 Ryan and Reginald Wimberly Humanism in Medicine Award – Presented each year to a resident for showing
compassion and dedication to the art of medicine.
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Samir Ale, MD, PGY 3 (Graduate)
 Resident of the Year Award: This is awarded to a resident who demonstrates leadership, clinical achievements, and
exhibits the potential to further enhance the practice of Family Medicine.
Alboury Sow, MD, PGY 3(Graduate)
 Research Award: The award is granted in recognition of a researcher's entire achievements to date to academics
whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline and
who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future.
Folasade Ajayi, MD, PGY 2
 The Director’s Award: This is given to a resident for scholastic excellence and dedication to teaching fellow residents
the art of Family Medicine
Community Service:
Family Medicine residents volunteered to give sports physicals to students at Paul D. West Middle School which is
our adopted school. And provided the annual sports physical at Booker T. Washington High School
Several FM Residents volunteered at the West End Medical Center 2014 “Back to School Immunization Fun Fest” in
Atlanta, GA where they provided dental, hearing, vision and immunization to more than 300 children.
i.
ii.
iii.
Faculty Achievement:
Our faculty developed 3 curricula that were accepted by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and Association
of Family Medicine Residency Directors Family Medicine Residency Curriculum Resource.
Kelch-Oliver K, McMillan-Persaud B, Omole F, & Plummer, V. (2014). The Basics of Human Behavior.
Thomas S, Omole F, Plummer V. Pulmonary Embolism 2014
Omole F, Babalola O, Carter-Wicker K, Sow C. STFM RCR: Diabetic Ketoacidosis. 2013
Activities:
Dr. Strothers sponsored “Residents’ Day Out” at Six Flags, Stone Mountain Park, and Bowling.
Folashade S. Omole, MD, FAAFP
Professor of Clinical Family Medicine
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and
Residency Program Director
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Report of the Savannah Family Medicine Residency Program -- 2014
September 19, 2014
This year begins the eighth year since Robert Pallay, M.D. took over the Family Medicine Residency director’s
position. The Program at Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia continues to flourish and
develop its program under his direction. As mentioned in last year’s report to the GAFP Congress of Delegates,
last year saw three of our faculty leave for the private practice world. Fortunately we have been able to hire
extremely capable and mature replacements with Carol Pryby, M.D. joining us after many years in private
practice and then as a hospitalist in central Georgia; Donna Prill, M.D. coming south after many years in private
practice and academia in New Jersey and then New York; and finally, our last addition, Bonzo Reddick, M.D.,
joining us as Associate Program Director after 9 years as faculty in a Wilmington, North Carolina Family
Medicine residency. Dr. Reddick’s addition is especially exciting in that it marks the first time in many years
that we have been able to add a faculty member who does obstetrics and with his addition and the
overwhelming support of the Memorial leadership, we are moving back into doing obstetrics locally in
Savannah in addition to what we have been doing in Hinesville for the past seven years. We are still searching
for one last additional new faculty member who does obstetrics to complement Bonzo but his addition as APD
has brought an excitement to the faculty and residents alike. Our other core faculty Drs. Lindsey Konor, Cindy
Gleit, and Cindy Carter, as well as our full time behaviorist Dr. Steve Livingston continue to grow better with
each passing year. Dr. Jackie Huntly continues to teach and grow our Integrative Medicine program, Dr. Karen
Baker continues to work with our residents with their OB and Gyne patients, and Dr. Rusty Hightower
continues to take charge of all of our geriatric curriculum both in teaching the didactic lectures as well as
precepting their nursing home experiences. Finally, we continue to be fortunate to have the ever-present Keith
Ellis, M.D. with his teaching and wisdom for our residents and our faculty. In general now, the combination
of youthful exuberance and older experience has brought a wonderful combination of teaching to our Savannah
program that the residents and students all are experiencing and are enjoying greatly. With our additions this
academic year we feel we may be reaching our group of core faculty with supportive part time additions that
will be staying for quite a few years.
We are working to recertify this January for our NCQA Level 3 PCMH certification. It’s hard to believe it’s
already been three years since we first attained the certification. Of note is that our Memorial system has
finally followed our lead and already three other primary care practices have been similarly recognized as
Level 3 NCQA PCMH practices and we expect all 12 primary care practices in the Memorial system to be
certified by March of 2015. They are all taking their lead from our office and from our residency program as
they move forward. We continue using our Epic Ambulatory EMR and are anxiously moving towards April
of 2015 when our entire system both inpatient as well as outpatient will be converted to Epic and the entire
enterprise will be on the Epic EMR system.
The various mandated changes in curriculum, work hours, and supervision continue to be a challenge for our
program as it is for all residencies around the country. Our FM inpatient team continues to be very busy but
we have established a comfortable way of providing care between our four-resident team and the night float
residents. Rather than it causing more upheaval, we have stabilized care in a way that we feel has improved
continuity and quality of education. We know it will continue to demand more work and further tweaking, but
we are comfortable that we are meeting our goals to train all of our residents in all the parts of Family Medicine
that will allow them upon graduation to seek traditional FM practice or hospitalist or solely outpatient care.
Our graduates this past June therefore fit that mold with one entering into a geriatric fellowship in Macon, two
entering hospitalist practices, and two entering traditional inpatient/outpatient family medicine practices – all
using the many areas they were trained in during their three years here in Savannah.
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We continue to spend a great deal of time with our many Mercer and other medical students and will continue
that well into the foreseeable future. The most exciting news, though, from our medical student front has been
that our first two FM-ACT students have graduated and entered our residency program this past June. Mary
Keith, M.D., and Daniel Gordon, M.D. are the first of what will be graduating students who every year will go
from being Mercer students to becoming Memorial Family Medicine residents. It has been a smooth and
exciting transition and actually has made it easier for our other four wonderful residents to have Mary and
Daniel around to help them adjust and get used to the Savannah program and experience.
Respectfully,
Robert Pallay, M.D.
Program Director and Chairman
Department of Family Medicine
Memorial University Medical Center, and
Mercer University School of Medicine,
Savannah campus
RECOMMENDATION(S): NONE
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SOUTHWEST GEORGIA FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY
PHOEBE PUTNEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
ALBANY GEORGIA
ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GAFP CONGRESS OF DELEGATES
September15, 2014
The Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency was successful in recruiting five residents for PGY 1 positions.
Recruitment and interviewing for academic year 2015 – 2016 will start September 15, 2014.
Eight residents graduated:
Drupa Desai, MD
Witemba Kabange, MD
Samantha McCaskill, DO
Ifechukwude Nwadei, MD
Shiddhi Patel, MD
David Powell, MD
Jinne’ Richards, MD
Jonathan Shank, DO
Delray Beach, FL
Albany, GA
Albany, GA
Albany, GA
Gastonia, NC
Jacksonville, FL
Albany, GA
Albany, GA
This nineteenth graduating class, will bring the total number of successfully trained Family Medicine physicians to 98,
including 69 practicing in Georgia.
All of the graduating residents have passed the American Board of Family Medicine Certification examination.
Cliff Dune, MD has recently started as a faculty member at Southwest Georgia Family Medicine residency. He is a
2007 graduate of the Southwest Georgia Family Medicine residency. He has spent the last seven years in Utah. He
and his wife and eight children have returned to Georgia and are settling down in Albany.
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital has recently received a $1,000,000 award from the Mellon Foundation (Pittsburgh, PA) to
build a medical student and allied health student housing complex on the campus of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. The
purpose is to provide safe and comfortable housing arrangements for students rotating at Phoebe Putney Memorial hospital.
The Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency is currently working with Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie,
GA to develop a rural training track for Family Medicine as part of the Southwest Georgia Medical Education and Research
Consortium. The residents in this track would spend one at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany and two years at
Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie, GA.
Respectfully,
George T. Fredrick, MD
Program Director Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency
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October 2014
Report of the Nominating Committee
As the Congress of Delegates is meeting after the installation of officers, mailed ballots were sent to
nominees earlier this month. The nominations proposed by the members of the Nominating Committee are
as follows:
*President Elect ......................................................... Dr. Mitzi Rubin of Atlanta, 2015
Vice President ......................................................... Dr. Donald Fordham of Demorest, 2015
Treasurer ................................................................. Dr. Jeff Stone of Dallas, 2015-17
**Speaker ............................................................... Dr. Loy “Chip” Cowart of Statesboro, 2015
**Vice Speaker ....................................................... Dr. Michelle Cooke of Atlanta, 2015
District 1 Director ................................................... Dr. Sherma Peter of Sylvania, 2015-17
District 6 Director ................................................... Dr. W. Steven Wilson of Warner Robins, 2015-17
District 7 Director ................................................... Dr. Denise Crawley of Rome, 2015-17
District 1 Alternate ................................................. Dr. Thomas J. Miller, Jr. of Claxton, 2015-16
District 3 Alternate ................................................. Dr. Beverley Anne Townsend of Midland, 201517
District 6 Alternate ................................................. Dr. John Vu of Griffin, 2015-17
District 7 Alternate ................................................. Dr. Catherine Michelle Strickland of Rome, 2015
AAFP Delegate ............................ .......................... Dr. Beulette Hooks of Midland, 2015-16
AAFP Alternate Delegate ............ .......................... Dr. Harry Strothers, III of East Point, 2015-16
I would like to thank the efforts of the members of the Nominating Committee. The members include: Drs.
Brian Nadolne MD (Chair), Wayne Hoffman, Bruce LeClair, Hogai Nassery and Sharon Rabinovitz. I
would also like to thank all of those who have agreed to serve as leaders next year.
In the past, Alesa McArthur, Chief Operating Officer, has been charged with delivering a one on one Board
orientation to each new Board member. However, it was noted that the new members did not always fully
understand their duties and responsibilities. Therefore, Alesa was charged with developing a detailed list of
Board duties and responsibilities for each Board position that had a higher level of specificity than before to
give nominees a better understanding of their time commitment and duties involved as a member of the
Board. This information was utilized when the new Board slate above was asked to serve.
Brian K. Nadolne, MD, FAAFP
Chair, Nominating Committee
* President Elect automatically becomes President in 2015 and Board Chair in 2016.
**Speaker and Vice Speaker nominations are for the 2015 Congress of Delegates.
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46th Annual Congress of Delegates – 2014 Resolutions
Resolutions as of 9/14/14
New Resolutions
1. 2013 Amended Immunization Requirements Resolution
Co-sponsored by Samuel “Le” Church, MD and Wayne Hoffman, MD
Whereas, The GAFP Board of Directors acknowledges that the pharmacist is now
part of the medical home,
Resolve that, under certain settings, the GAFP approves of Pharmacist
administered vaccines to adults, under a physician protocol, as long as:
1) that information is sent to the patient’s primary care physician if the
patient consents,
2) the specific vaccine is provided either under authority of prescription or specific
collaborative agreement with a physician located within the county of the
pharmacist’s place of registration with the vaccination registry or a county
contiguous thereto, and
3) the administering pharmacist has a valid certificate from the State Pharmacy
Board.
4) the pharmacist inputs the information into GRITS (Georgia Registry for
Immunization Services) which will allow the primary care physician/medical home
to have access to the information.
Staff developed background-Current Policy: Immunization Requirements –
COD 2013 (This policy was changed by the COD from the Board’s approved
policy from earlier in 2013.)
Under certain settings, the GAFP approves of Pharmacist administered
vaccines to adults, under a physician protocol, as long as 1) that information
is sent to the patient’s primary care physician, 2) the specific vaccine is
provided either under authority of prescription or specific collaborative
agreement with a LOCAL physician, and 3) the administering pharmacist has
a valid “Certificate of Achievement” * related to vaccine administration from
the American Pharmacists Association or similar pharmacist oversight body.
* “Certificate of Achievement” is language directly from the American
Pharmacists Association in connection with their Pharmacy Based
Immunization Delivery program that includes:
• 12 hour (1.2 CEU) self-study modules with case studies and assessment exam
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Recommended
Action
Action
Taken
New Resolutions
• 8.0 hour (0.80 CEU) live seminar with final exam
• Hands-on assessment of intramuscular and subcutaneous injection
technique
The GAFP leadership (including Drs. Hoffman and Church met with Mike
Chaney former Georgia DPH Vaccine Director who outlined the current
Georgia laws on vaccine administration. It was noted that the November 2013
COD policy is not in line with current vaccine law – and therefore a new
resolution was drafted for the COD’s review for 2014.
2. Member Attendance
By Thad Riley, MD
Whereas, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is a not for profit
organization formed by the Family Physicians of Georgia to promote the values of
Family Medicine and promote the health of the citizens of Georgia,
Whereas, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians board and committees
ultimately serve as the representatives of all individual Family Physician members
in Georgia,
And whereas, the goal of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians has always
been inclusive in order to get all members of our organization involved in the
organizational activities of our academy,
Resolve that, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians will allow any and all
interested members to attend all meetings of boards and committees either in
person or by telephone conference call in order to allow all family physicians in
Georgia to have the opportunity to be informed on the workings of our Academy
and educate themselves to the issues that affect us all,
Be it further resolved that, all attending members may participate in discussions
as non-voting members if not appointed to the committees or boards they are
attending.
Staff developed background: New this year, Dr. Nadolne instituted a
restructuring of our committees where the Committee membership will be held to
no more than 15. This will include one slot for a resident and a medical student.
Members not on the committee will not be invited to "sit in" and participate as they
have in the past. This "leaner" style of leadership will allow for more group
thinking and brainstorming. The expectation is that each member selected for a
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committee will have their sleeves rolled and ready to participate. President
Nadolne updated and relaxed his initial limit by allowing for more students and
residents to join the Resident and Student Recruitment Committee after a request
from S&R leadership.
Because of the smaller committee numbers - all volunteers were asked to attend
the three standard committee conclave meetings, either live or via conference call.
As a result, there was overall a higher overall attendance, including the call in
option, than in years past, as there is no overlap of committee members from one
committee to another. Also, those serving on a committee seemed to be more
engaged (and were more participatory/prepped for meetings) since they were not
pulled in several directions. There was also a higher percentage of new members
volunteering for the first time. President Nadolne also formed three working
groups that were open to all members (Legislative Session, Annual CME Meeting,
Summer CME Meeting). A small group discussion on this issue was discussed in
June and the Board’s overall comments were positive. The GAFP Board also
discussed this at the BOD leadership dinner with Bob Harris (association
consultant) who applauded the GAFP’s effort to have smaller and more workable
committee structure.
Note that if the first “Resolve” is approved – it will have to be integrated in the
GAFP Bylaws as currently the President (with the input of the Board) has the
ability to create the committee structure.
3. Documentation and Access to Medical Information
By Thad Riley, MD
Whereas, tuberculosis is one of the chronic reportable diseases that warrants close
monitoring, especially in high risk communities and prisons,
Whereas, from time to time there have been shortages of PPD testing re-agents
that force physicians to prioritize testing and limit testing,
Whereas, there is no registry of PPD testing and treatment of patients in the State
of Georgia,
Whereas, the State of Georgia has registries such as the Georgia Registry of
Immunization Transactions and the State Electronic Notification Disease
Surveillance System,
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Resolve that, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians promote legislation to
create a registry to include dates of all PPD testing and results with treatment
documentation if positive.
And, be it Further Resolved that we promote legislation that would allow
HIPPA compliant internet access by physicians to labs, testing, and treatments
done by state agencies on our patients and already documented in state registries so
as to promote comprehensive and cost effective treatment of our patients as part of
their Medical Home.
Staff Background: Staff has asked for clarification by Mike Chaney – vaccine
expert who works for GA-AAP. Mr. Chaney’s reached out to the Georgia TB
program and their response was the following: “we are only capturing what is
reportable, TB cases. TB suspects, contacts to TB cases, and LTBI in children
under 5. I don't think we have the capacity to capture all PPD testing done in the
state,” stated Rose-Marie Sales, who manages the program.
The mission of the Georgia Tuberculosis (TB) Program, which is a program
managed by the Georgia Department of Public Health, is to control transmission,
prevent illness and ensure treatment of disease due to TB. This is accomplished by
the following core strategies:
1. Identifying and treating persons who have active TB disease
2. Finding, screening and treating contacts
3. Screening high-risk populations.
The Georgia TB Program has the legal responsibility for all TB clients in Georgia
regardless of who provides the direct services. TB services are available to all who
fall within the service criteria without regard to the client's ability to pay.
Currently, statistics are available online for 2010-2012.
4: Quantitating Increased Risk
By Marc Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP
Whereas much medical information has been and is still being published about
medications, activities, lifestyle habits, medical procedures, and other medical
interventions, that are associated with "Increased Risk,"
Whereas all medical decisions require judgment on the behalf of the patient or
prescriber as to what is the risk-benefit ratio so that they can judge for themselves
or their individual patients whether the potential benefit is worth the "increased"
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risk; the benefit is equally vague and judgmental, but the default action to do
nothing, can be well estimated by most. Likewise, qualifying and
action/intervention as "high risk," is dishonest without enough information to
decide what this risk numerically is for which outcome.
And Whereas these publications and opinions almost always do not include a
qualitative assessment of the risks for the various outcomes determined to be
"increased risk" compared to the other action, such as the default decision to not do
the intervention, leading a prescriber, or patient, to be unable to actually assess the
increased risk. This flies in the face of all science, where a numerical statistic
value is not foolishly reduced to a vague, undefined adjective, "increased." For a
scientific decision to be made, the quantitative data should be published, so that
individuals can weigh the evidence themselves, rather than be encouraged to jump
to qualitative conclusions based on the absence of available quantitative data.
Resolve that, The GAFP request, lobby and introduce a resolution for the AAFP
to explore a policy of requesting Government agencies, medical institutions and
others who routinely describe a treatment/medication/intervention as "Increased
Risk" to actually publish the quantitative risk (either relative or absolute, possibly
including NNT and NNH information) .
Resolve that, the AAFP likewise lobby the AMA, FDA, and specialty societies to
publish the quantitative risk for an interventional activity with all such "Increased
RISK,"
And, be it further resolved that the AAFP recommend that FDA "Black Box
warnings", package information, and other drug information actually include the
scientific data that lead to their recommendations or warnings about that substance
or treatment.
Staff developed background: A similar resolution was submitted in 2012 and it
was not approved. This is from the 2012 COD minutes:
A. Item /External 4 - Black Box Warnings
Original Resolution:
Be it Resolved that the GAFP encourage the FDA (by mechanisms including
publications, media, lobbying governmental agencies, referral to the American
Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association) to include
printing Quantitative assessments of the published risks, including published NNT,
NNH, absolute risk, odds ratios, and published relative risks or other quantitative
scientific information, in the black box warning, or in a numbered footnote to the
black box warning.
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Reference Committee Recommendation: The reference committee recommends
that Item 4 be filed for information.
Bellinda Schooff, AAFP C-Assistant Staff Executive to the Commission on
Health of the Public and Science said: “We usually use the NNT/NNH in our
guideline work. However, the recommendations are a compilation of the
totality of evidence with a strength of recommendation. Communicating
science has always been an issue because of the spectrum of knowledge by the
general public. I'm including Dr. Jennifer Frost, our medical director, for her
thoughts as well.”
Dr. Frost said: “I am not an FDA expert, but I can give you my take on this.
The wording used in the boxed warnings are put into plain language for the
general public. The scientific evidence is available on the website. I agree
that presenting the data as NNT/NNH would help physicians to educate their
patients, but I'm not sure it's appropriate or necessary to put this on the label
or package insert.
What I'd really like to see is for the FDA to use patient centered outcomes to
determine increased risk, but that's a different issue.
I don't know if this helps at all. I am learning more about the FDA in my new
position as medical director of HOPS, so I may be more of an "expert" in the
future.”
Jennifer L. Frost│ Medical Director
Health of the Public and Science
American Academy of Family Physicians
5: Medicaid Expansion
By Ramon Parrish, MD
Whereas The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed by the
Congress of the United States and is now the law of the land. The Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act allows for expansion of the Medicaid program
to cover additional patients who live in poverty, but are above the maximum
income requirements for Medicaid. The Medicaid expansion must be approved by
the government of the several states for this expansion to take place within the
state. Diverted funds from the Medicare program are to cover the cost of Medicaid
expansion.
Whereas the financial impact of these diverted Medicare funds is significant to
rural hospitals across the state of Georgia. To date, four of these hospitals have
closed within the last year, and others may follow, thus affecting the access of
rural Georgia citizens to emergency health care.
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And Whereas the governor and legislature of Georgia have acted to not allow
expansion of Medicaid in this state. A disparity is thus created between the low
income citizens in Georgia versus those in states allowing Medicaid expansion. In
addition, taxes collected from Georgia citizens are flowing into other states to fund
their Medicaid expansion. At the same time, several of Georgia's rural hospitals
are on the break of financial disaster, which would significantly affect the public
health of rural citizens.
Resolve that, the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians make a strong stand for
the governor and the legislature to allow for funding Medicaid expansion in order
to improve the medical care of low income citizens.
Resolve that, the Georgia Academy Family Physicians make a strong stand for the
legislature to apportion funds to prevent the closing of rural hospitals in order to
maintain the state of public health in rural areas of the state.
And be it further resolved that this resolution be forwarded to the American
Academy of Family Physicians for its consideration of support.
Staff developed background: The GAFP supports Medicaid Expansion. Staff
has been attending Cover Georgia meetings as they arise, which is a pro-Medicaid
expansion coalition. The GAFP is a public member of this organization and has
taken a stance that it is in favor of Medicaid expansion in Georgia.
AAFP Policy: The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports the
position that inequities of payments to rural hospitals should be abolished, and the
AAFP will make reasonable efforts to ensure that these inequities be discontinued
to eliminate these disparities to access to quality care for all populations. (1987)
(2010 COD)
6: Cancellation of Electronic Prescriptions
By Marc S. Berger, MD, FAAFP
Whereas Electronic Prescribing (eRx) is now a well-established phenomenon, and
provides some benefits...
And Whereas there has yet to be an accepted, established METHOD of
CANCELLING an electronic prescription once it has been sent through
Cyberspace,
And Whereas failure to timely cancel a Rx electronically leads to much
confusion, including requests for unnecessary refills, confusion as to exact
medication or dose, excessive entries in patients electronic prescription lists, etc,
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And Whereas there should be a simple, standardized method developed to allow
one electronic prescription program to convey to another that an entry is out of
date, obsolete, or discontinued,
Resolve that the GAFP, through its representatives the AAFP and AMA, will
convey on them the desire to have these organizations request, work with, and
develop policy and recommendations to electronic prescribing software vendors,
the Government, and appropriate standardization groups to develop a simple,
universal method to DISCONTINUE a prescription that had previously been ePrescribed.
For example, if a patient is given a dose of antibiotics for a short term infection, if
the prescriber inactivates it in his electronic medical record, that presently does
NOT mean the pharmacy will likewise inactivate it in THEIR medical records. I
have received yearly renewal requests from some pharmacy computer systems to
renew limited time antibiotics that I prescribed 1 year ago.
Fiscal note: extremely limited to GAFP, AAFP, AMA
Minor expense to the software developers
Major benefit to transparency and simplification of medical records data
Staff developed background: None available.
7. Publication of Evidence-Based Risks
By Marc S. Berger, MD, FAAFP
Whereas many treatments and medications have risks and benefits associated with
them, and much of the evidence-based research and studies often demonstrates
increased risk for an adverse event compared to not using that treatment…
And whereas only the patient, in consultation with their physician is in the
position of making the risk/benefit judgment...
And whereas many guidelines, prescribing information, and recommendations
refer to increased risk for a specific treatment, but do not quantitate what that exact
risk actually has been determined to be,
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And whereas the specific quantified risks HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED in the
literature in order for reviewing bodies to have made recommendations based on
that evidence.
And whereas for many evidence-based recommendations the qualitative summary
may be all that is presented (such as for FDA required “Black Box Warnings”),
limiting the ability of the prescriber to make informed clinical judgments
themselves as to the risk/benefit ratio of any given intervention;
BE IT RESOLVED that the GAFP, and by likewise resolution to the AAFP,
develop policy to request that quantitative risk information (such as absolute risk,
incidence of adverse events, specific population information, NNT and NNH) be
published along with Evidence-based recommendations, so that physician and
patient together can weigh the published risks against the clinical benefits.
BE it further resolved that the AAFP, through communication with the
appropriate medical agencies, request that FDA “black box warnings” will include
the quantitative risk that lead to the warnings.
Staff Background: A similar resolution was introduced in 2012 and was filed
for information.
Black Box Warnings, Author: Marc S. Berger, M.D., C.M., FAAFP
Whereas the FDA has mandated that certain medications carry “Black Box
Warnings” to warn of increased or important risk, from their drugs…
And Whereas these warnings are usually based on scientific publications,
And Whereas readers of these warnings do not usually have access to the
original works, summaries of the works or a snapshot of information that the
warning is based on,
And Whereas the risk can be quantified by scientific means, but the mandate
warnings to NOT include quantitative data, only vague qualitative statements
about the increased risk,
And Whereas each physician is instructed to use his/her best judgment to
weight the risks and benefits…
Be it Resolved that the GAFP encourage the FDA ( by mechanisms including
publications, media, lobbying governmental agencies, referral to the
American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical
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Association) to include sucking Quantitative assessments of the published
risks, including published NNT, NNH, absolute risk, odds ratios, and
published relative risks or other quantitative scientific information, in the
black box warning, or in a numbered footnote to the black box warning.
8: Insurance Prior Authorization/ Precertification of Drugs, Treatments and
Investigations
by Marc S Berger, MD
Whereas there may be a legitimate purpose for insurers to use Pharmacy Benefit
Managers to help manage costs and monitor the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals
and treatments,
Whereas only the prescribing physician, or licensed prescriber, is in a position to
determine what is actually best for each individual patient, under the specific
circumstances,
And whereas many insurers and pharmaceutical benefit management companies
have an inherent conflict in denying the use of many appropriate drugs,
investigations, and treatments by means of formulary restriction, quantity limit,
precertification, prior authorization, or other questions of medical necessity, often
putting the physician in the role of patient advocate and the insurer or PBM in the
role of adversary,
And whereas this may create a dangerous delay in appropriate treatment, or denial
of ONGOING therapy or the most optimal treatment/medication for the patient,
And whereas it is practically impossible for a prescriber to know or have timely
and easy access to all the appropriate regulations and policies that govern the
insurance coverage of medications and treatments by the PBM or insurer,
And whereas it is a practical truth that patients will rarely purchase their treatment
for cash out of their own pocket when it has been “denied” by the insurance
company for reason of cost, policy, prior authorization, quantity limits, or lack of
precertification.
Be it resolved that the GAFP, and by similar resolution the AAFP, work to
develop policy (especially for those insurance entities that have a relationship with
the public or Academy, such as Medicaid, Medicaid HMOs contracted by state
governments, Medicare and Medicare HMOs) to create a provider/patients “Bill of
Rights” that will provided streamlining and transparency to the prior
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authorization/precertification process. This may be done by referral of this request
to the appropriate AAFP policy making body to develop a White Paper.
The GAFP, AAFP and AMA will work with insurers and PBM to create a set of
rights to streamline and standardize methods for approving for insured coverage
those medically appropriate tests, drugs, procedures and interventions.
Suggested Bill of Rights:
When a physician or prescriber will personally take the time to call the PBM
authorization line and REQUEST to speak to a Pharmacist or other person who has
the authority to approve a request for prior authorization, the insurer will honor
that request. Likewise, for an appeal, a provider to pharmacist/medical direction
discussion should be the RIGHT for the prescriber to request.
Patients who have been prior approved for a medication will have a different,
streamlined method for reauthorizing the same medication in future years. (If the
prescriber re-prescribes the same treatment in subsequent years, it will be assumed
that the treatment is still appropriate and medically necessary, and will not require
the same burden of proof for renewal of prior authorization as initially.)
For “maintenance” drugs, the PBM will communicate to the physician and patient
in advance by at least one month the need to recertify that medication once it has
been approved for a definite trial period.
That physicians will not have to re-prior authorize or otherwise certify the use of
medications during clinical titration when there is a dose change.
That insurers will not be able to automatically deny a requested medication
because there is no data in their files to show that the patient used the appropriate
prerequisite drug during the previous 6-12 months, especially if they have been on
the same drug with another insurer prior, such as when they switch insurers. It will
be assumed that if a previous insurer prior authorized the use of a medication, then
the patient will NOT have to re-demonstrate necessity by “failing” prior
prerequisite drugs.
Prescribers MAY have the option of Fax, verbal/phone or internet application for
prior authorization.
For drugs where there is a critical time involved, and a delay may prove hazardous
to the patient, a mechanism for physician to pharmacist/medical director ultrarapid approval be provided. (it should not be possible for a patient to go without an
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antibiotic or other emergency medication if there is an issue with delaying the prior
approval, such as if the initial prescription was denied at the pharmacy computer
level).
When there is no acceptable formulary alternative, the physician shall likewise
have the right to request a specific drug if they can demonstrate specific reasons,
by personal intervention with a person capable of approval of the request, even
though those may not be the PBM standard reasons for permitting a medication. If
a physician clinically prescribes a specific drug for a specific reason, they should
have the right to discuss the unusual request rather than doing through the usual
process of having their choice denied and having to then go through a stepped
appeal approach to get the best treatment approved.
Staff developed background:
Staff has asked: Steven E. Waldren, MD MS, Director, Alliance for eHealth
Innovation, with the AAFP for review and additional background information to
help discussion on this issue.
AAFP Policy
System inter-operability, the ability to share and utilize information between two
or more information systems, is critical in today’s increasingly interconnected
health care environment. Yet significant challenges continue to impede true
information reciprocity across the spectrum of care.
The AAFP understands that removing these roadblocks and eliminating isolated
data silos are essential steps toward improving care quality, safety, and efficiency.
That’s why we support ongoing efforts aimed at creating and implementing
technical standards for the secure, ubiquitous transfer of health data. We’ve also
been engaged in the equally important task of developing process policies for how
patient information is shared between providers, payers, and others.
The AAFP has:


Worked closely with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health
Information Technology to provide input as to how voluntary members of
a national electronic Health Information Exchange (HIE) should be
accredited, certified and audited for compliance with security and
transparency policies;
Offered policymakers detailed input, guidance and feedback in the area of
technical HIE protocols and standards;
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
Pushed to confirm that communication protocols established between
payers and providers fully reflect the needs of physician offices.
The issue of inter-operability represents one of the most complex challenges facing
the health care community as we pursue patient-centered health care reform. For
that reason, the AAFP will continue working to bring vendors, providers, payers,
and policymakers together behind a common vision of true inter-operability and
connected care that benefits patients and their primary care physicians.
Janelle Johnson, Staff executive with the AAFP’s Commission on Quality and
Practice states:
Cost estimates of inefficient health care claims processing, payment and
reconciliation are between $21 and $210 billion. In the physician practice, the
claims management revenue cycle consumes an unsustainable 10–14 percent
of practice revenue. The average savings per physician from automating
prior authorization would be approximately $1,742 per year.
The AAFP through involvement in the American Medical Association
workgroup is urging the pharmacy industry to step up and diffuse the
confusion associated with drug formularies and prior authorizations. There
have been some current developments related to electronic pharmacy prior
authorization. The pharmacy industry has developed standard electronic
transactions specific to drug prior authorization through the National Council
for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP). These transactions are part of the
NCPDP electronic prescribing standard and were finalized last summer; the
AMA expects the government to issue a rule in the near future that will set a
timeline for formal implementation of these transactions. The AMA has
actively participated in the development of the NCPDP electronic prior
authorization transactions to ensure that the electronic process will fit within
physicians’ workflow and minimize administrative burdens. The AMA also
testified before the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics on the
subject of pharmacy prior authorization earlier this year.
AAFP believes that it is important to develop a systematic, automated
approach to ensure that appropriate care is provided without limiting
innovation, risking financial losses, and causing increased administrative
complexity. To this end, prior authorization programs should support
automation and standardization as well as be transparent. Certainly,
appropriately designed e-prescribing systems hold promise in easing some of
the prior authorization processes and administrative time spent with drug
refills. Yet, additional improvements are still necessary.
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The AMA has collaborated with AAFP and other stakeholders to develop and
support model state legislation to implement best practices for the
standardization process across managed care plans. The American Medical
Association Advocacy Resource Center has written two pieces of model
legislation entitled, “Appropriate Use of Preauthorization Act” and
“Ensuring Transparency in Prior Authorization Act.” Copies of the model
legislation are available for chapter staff through the AAFP government
relations staff.
AAFP staff is not aware any provider/patient bill of rights initiatives similar
to what is requested in the resolved clause. The issues addressed in the
whereas clauses will only be solved through increased communication,
transparency, and accountability and a provider/patient bill of rights may go
far in meeting those needs. Lightening the administrative burden for
physicians may require automation so that formularies and necessary
approvals will be known at the point of care.
American Medical Association. “Standardization of prior authorization process for medical
services white paper.” Jun. 2011. http://sppan.aapainmanage.org/assets/standardization-priorauth-whitepaper.pdf
1
American Medical Association. “Standardization of prior authorization process for medical
services white paper.” Jun. 2011. http://sppan.aapainmanage.org/assets/standardization-priorauth-whitepaper.pdf
1
Milliman, Inc., “Electronic Transaction Savings Opportunities for Physician Practices.” Jan.
2006.
Current AAFP Policy for the following areas may be found at these links:
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/patient-formularies.html - PatientCentered Formularies
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/managed-care.html - Managed Care
Reform
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/disclosure-corporate.html - Disclosure
of Corporate Ties Affecting Formulary Choices and Drug Substitution
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/drugs-prescribing.html - Drugs,
Prescribing
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45th Annual Congress of Delegates Minutes
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Room 105 – Cobb Galleria Centre
Members Present:
District 1: Brian DeLoach, MD, Angela Gerguis, MD, Sherma Peter, MD, Speaker Thad Riley, MD, Vice Speaker
Loy “Chip” Cowart, MD; District 2: Michael Busman, MD, George Fredrick, MD, Tamara Lewis, MD, Michael
Satchell, MD; District 3: Tania Edwards, DO, Clark Gillett, MD, James Hagler, MD, Beulette Hooks, MD, Ivy
Smith, MD, Beverley Ann Townsend, MD, Deborah Travis Honeycutt, MD, Michael Walsh, MD; District 4:
William Bostock, DO, Linda Casteel, MD, John Kludt, MD, Janice Lim, MD, Harold Moore, MD, Jada MooreRuffin, MD, Ralph D. Peeler III, MD, Valens Plummer, MD, Vera Reaves, MD, Beverly Taylor, MD, Tina-Ann Kerr
Thompson, MD; District 5: Audra Ford, MD, Rajendra Patel, MD, Tammy Robinson, MD, Susan Schayes, MD;
District 6: Fred Girton, MD, Barbara Walker, MD, W. Steven Wilson, MD; District 7: John Antalis, MD, John
Joseph Desmond, MD, Kenneth Howard, MD, Leonard Reeves, MD, Robert Sullivan, MD, Randolph Sumner, MD,
Melvin Thomas, MD, Jose Villalon Gomez, MD; District 8: Tannis Sloan Alligood, MD, Thomas Fausett, MD,
Jairaj Goberdhan, MD; Howard McMahan, MD, William Nash, MD; District 9: Samuel “Le” Church, MD, Donald
Fordham, MD, Lawrence Kulish, MD, Carl McCurdy, MD, David Albert Stone, MD, Anne Berry Todd MD, Jacob
Varghese, MD, Richard Wherry, MD; District 10: Mitch Cook, DO, Joseph Hobbs, MD, Bruce LeClair, MD, Keith
Wayne Zimmerman, MD; District 11: Karla Booker, MD, Yvonne Mukosolu Maduka, MD, Yuan-Xiang Meng,
MD, Brian Nadolne, MD, Sylveria Olatidoye, MD, Folashade Omole, MD, Sharon Rabinovitz, MD, Harry Strothers,
MD, James Yost, MD; Family Medicine Residency Programs: Albany: no representative, Atlanta Medical: no
representative; Columbus: no representative; Emory: Wilhelmina Prinssen, MD; Floyd: no representative; GRU:
no representative; Morehouse: Adegoke Adeleke, MD, Wanda Gumbs, MD; Satilla: no representative; Savannah:
no representative; Southwest GA: no representative; Family Medicine Medical Schools Programs: Emory:
Ashley Martinez; GRU: no representative; Mercer: no representative; Morehouse: no representative; PCOM: no
representative.
Guests: Marc Berger, MD, GAFP Member, Wanda Filer, MD, AAFP Board of Directors
Staff Present: Fay Brown and Alesa McArthur
I.
Welcome
Speaker Thad Riley, MD called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the 45th meeting of the Congress of
Delegates. Vice Speaker Chip Cowart, MD led the delegates in the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence for
veterans.
II.
AAFP Board Update
Dr. Wanda Filer, AAFP Board member, gave the Congress an update on key activities that the American Academy of
Family Physicians is working on as well as an update on national legislation and a report on the findings of the
workgroup for Primary Care for the 21st Century.
III.
AAFP Fellow’s Convocation Ceremony
AAFP Board representative Wanda Filer, MD, assisted by GAFP leadership, awarded the designation of “Fellow” to
eligible GAFP/AAFP members: Drs. Janine Burgher-Jones, Karen Harris-Moore, Michael Obiekwe, Eddie
Richardson and Tina-Ann Kerr Thompson.
IV.
Review of Parliamentary Procedure and Introductions
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Vice Speaker Cowart gave an overview and demonstration of the procedures of the Congress of Delegates and
outlined who is allowed to vote. He announced that the selection of new officers for the Board of Directors was
conducted by a mail ballot and those nominated were sworn-in during the President’s Dinner and Awards program on
Friday night.
The new officers are:
*President Elect
Vice President
Secretary
**Speaker
**Vice Speaker
District 5 Director
District 8 Director
District 9 Director
District 1 Alternate
AAFP Delegate (2014-2015)
AAFP Alternate Delegate (2014-2015)
GHFA Board Trustee (2013-2017)
Dr. Wayne Hoffman of Atlanta
Dr. Mitzi Rubin of Marietta
Dr. Eddie Richardson of Eatonton
Dr. Chip Cowart of Statesboro
Dr. Donald Fordham of Demorest
Dr. Cedrice Davis of Marietta
Dr. Tom Fausett of Adel
Dr. Samuel “Le” Church of Hiawassee
Dr. Sherma Peter of Sylvania
Dr. Michael Satchell of Albany
Dr. Sharon Rabinovitz of Atlanta
Dr. Susan Schayes of Marietta
Dr. Barbara Walker of Macon
Dr. Jairaj Goberdhan of Adel
Dr. Carl McCurdy of Jasper
Dr. Adrienne Mims of Atlanta
Dr. Bruce LeClair of Evans
Dr. Leonard Reeves of Rome
Dr. Trinidad Osselyn of Covington
Dr. Donald Fordham of Demorest was re-nominated to the GAFP Board to serve on the GAFP PAC Board for
2014. Dr. Howard McMahan was nominated to serve as the 2014 Board Designee.
Speaker Riley asked for any late resolutions and Item 6 below was accepted. The parliamentarian, Dr. Fordham, gave
a brief review on Parliamentary procedure. The voting card system was discussed as was the role of the Tellers
Committee. Finally, Dr. Riley asked that all delegates introduce themselves.
V.
Omega Report
Vice Speaker Cowart asked all Delegates to stand for a moment of silence while the GAFP members who had died
over the past year were announced: Drs. John Robert Harrison, Roger W. Huelsnitz, C. Denton Johnson, Ferrol A.
Sams and Florentino H. Toledo.
VI.
Quorum Call
Speaker Riley inquired to the Credentials Committee Chair Michael Walsh, MD about a quorum. Dr. Walsh
confirmed that there was a quorum and there were 73 delegates present.
VII.
The COD minutes from the 44th session were presented for approval and were passed by a unanimous vote.
VIII.
The Reports of the President and the Chairperson of the Board were presented.
IX.
Resolutions
Dr. Riley announced that all 2012 resolutions have been acted on appropriately, and that the 2013 resolution items 1-5
were heard at a Joint Reference Committee meeting via conference call on Wednesday, October 30.
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Item 1 – I-1: Revision of the GAFP Bylaws (submitted by the Bylaws Committee)
Item 2 – E-1: Scientific Abstract Publication (submitted by Marc S. Berger, MD, CM)
Item 3 – E-2: System Internationale (SI) Units Resolution (submitted by Marc S. Berger, MD, CM)
Item 4 – E-3: Payment for Patient Centered Medical Home (submitted by Marc S. Berger, MD, CM)
Item 5 - Board Chair’s Report (submitted by Beulette Y. Hooks, MD)
Item 6 – Late Resolution: Phone Forum for Member Practice Management (submitted by Dr. Samuel “Le” Church)
A. Item 1: (I-1) Bylaws Revision by Bylaws Committee
WHEREAS, the Bylaws Committee met in March and made slight revisions to the Bylaws,
WHEREAS, the Bylaws Committee made further slight revisions in June based on a memo from the Executive
Committee that are now posted on the website,
And, WHEREAS, the members of the GAFP have been notified of the bylaws revisions more than 100 days from the
annual meeting of the GAFP Congress of Delegates,
Resolved, That these Bylaws be accepted as the sole Bylaws of the GAFP at this 45th GAFP Congress of Delegates.
Full bylaws proposed revisions listed separately.
Discussion: There was brief discussion from Dr. Kludt, Chair of the Bylaws Committee, who reviewed the highlights
of the 2013 bylaws revisions. He noted that the bulk of the work was on how the Congress of Delegates and Board of
Directors work together to run the business of the GAFP. In addition, the other revisions were mainly for deleting
inconsistencies within the Bylaws.
RECOMMENDATION: The reference committee recommends that Resolution I-1 be adopted with one
revision italicized below:
F. CURRENT Chapter 8, Congress of Delegates, Section 1: Subject to referendum, the control and administration of
the Academy shall be vested in a Congress of Delegates, composed of delegates to be elected as hereinafter provided.
The Congress of Delegates may, at any time, by majority vote refer and submit to the members of the Academy
defined questions affecting the policy or recommendations of this Academy which, in the opinion of the Congress of
Delegates, are of immediate practical consequence to the members of the Academy and of its Board of Directors,
officers, commissions, committees, agents and employees.
Background: This is to clear up the current confusion about the checks and balances between the Board of Directors
and Congress of Delegates.
PROPOSED REVISION Chapter 8: Section 1:
Congress of Delegates, Definition. The control and administration of the GAFP shall be vested in the Congress of
Delegates, subject to the statutory authority of the Board and to those additional duties and powers specifically
reserved to the Board in these Bylaws.
COD action: This item passed as amended.
B. Item 2: (E-1) Scientific Abstract Publication
Submitted by Marc S. Berger, MD, CM, FAAFP
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Whereas, the American Academy of Family Physicians, as well as some of the Subsidiary chapters have research
presentations, and valid Family Medicine research is presented,
And Whereas, there presently are few ways to publish this valid research, and get the information disseminated and
indexed in Medline, particularly for abstracts and poster presentations,
And Whereas, many other specialty societies publish the abstracts of ALL their accepted research presentations and
posters in their journals,
Therefore, Be it Resolved that the AAFP develop policy that all Peer-Reviewed research presentation and posters that
are accepted for presentation at the National, State or Subspecialty level (i.e., STFM) be published, at least in abstract
form, in an AAFP journal that will permit those abstracts to be indexed in MEDLINE.
Discussion: The discussion centered on both what publication would be best suited for publishing these articles and
that the task seems too broad and not specific enough. In addition, it would be difficult to dictate recommendations to
other medical societies.
RECOMMENDATION: The reference committee recommends that Resolution E-1 be adopted as revised
below:
Therefore, Be it Resolved that the AAFP develop policy that all Peer-Reviewed research presentation and
posters that are accepted for presentation at the National, State or local level be published, at least in abstract
form, in an AAFP journal that will permit those abstracts to be indexed in MEDLINE.
COD action: This resolution was referred to the Board without approval.
C. Item 3: (E-2) SI Units Resolution
Whereas, many medical providers and literature sources still use the English system of units,
And Whereas, the WHO and the rest of the world medical community use System Internationale (SI) units,
And Whereas, it is desirable to harmonize American medical literature and practice with the rest of the world,
And Whereas, there is no formal commitment to make this happen,
Therefore Be it resolved, that the GAFP delegates to the AAFP present this resolution to the AAFP House of
Delegates 2014 for their deliberations:
That the American Academy of Family Physicians develop policy to commit to using the System Internationale (SI)
medical units throughout its journals, publications and clinical communication within 5 years.
And the AAFP, through their AMA Delegates, present a similar resolution to the American Medical Association, so
that the American medical community will also work toward establishing the SI units in American medicine.
Discussion: The COD’s questions focused mainly on how this would be time consuming and might take years for a
full roll out. However, it would be advantageous for all fields of medicine to report in a consistent system of
measurement.
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RECOMMENDATION: The Reference Committee recommends that Resolution E-2 be adopted.
COD action: This resolution passed and will be sent to the GAFP AAFP delegates for the 2014 AAFP COD.
D. Item 4: (E-3) Payment for Patient Centered Medical Home
Whereas, one major insurer contracted by the State of Georgia has unilaterally implemented the Patient Centered
Medical Home (PCMH) model for primary care coordination;
And, Whereas, they have suddenly increased the responsibility, time requirement, and labor requirement with an
unfunded requirement,
And, Whereas, a key feature of the PMCH model has been neglected, that is to say the increased payment for the
Primary Care Medical Home office to perform the extra medical supervisory duty,
And, Whereas, this will have a negative and adverse effect on the patients of this HMO, but discourage providers to
accept these patients because of the extra unfunded busywork this will put on their practice,
And, Whereas, this move is solely designed to decrease specialist utilization, providing savings to the insurer and
increased profits, without fair compensation of the medical supervisory work required, which is an important step in
the PCMH model,
Therefore be it Resolved, that the GAFP reach out to the AAFP and other PCMH associations (AAP, ACP) and
together strongly express their discontent that a state funded insurer should increase burdensome overhead without fair
compensation, and request redress of the grievance from the insurer and the government.
Discussion: This policy from the Reference Committee centered on the issue that the information is incomplete and
possibly incorrect. Specifically, the insurer that the sponsor is referring to does pay more for NCQA PCMH practices.
It was noted that this resolution was submitted late and there was little time to gather additional background
information.
RECOMMENDATION: The Reference Committee recommends that Resolution E-3 not be adopted.
COD action: The recommendation was approved and therefore will not be adopted.
E. Item 5 – Board Chair’s Report
Discussion: The focus of Dr. Hooks’ remarks centered on updates of several new policies that the Board of Directors
adopted in 2013, including the following:
A. Clarifying How Policy Decisions are Made
GAFP policy is directed by both the Congress of Delegates (COD) and the Board of Directors (or by the Executive
Committee in lieu of the Board). The Executive Committee actions are subject to review by the Board at the next inperson Board meeting.
The COD routinely meets annually. The board meets at least quarterly. There may be times when issues arise that
must be dealt with in a timely manner and cannot wait for the next meeting of the COD. In those instances the board
can make decisions it believes are in the best interests of the GAFP. It would then be the Board's obligation to report
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to the COD why it deviated from current policy and justify its rationale to the COD. The Board reports to the COD in
the form of board reports to the COD. The COD has the right to accept, modify or reject the actions taken.
B. Immunization Requirements: The GAFP BOD acknowledged that the pharmacist is now part of the medical home
and therefore approved the following:
Under certain settings, the GAFP approves of Pharmacist administered vaccines to adults, under a physician protocol,
as long as that information is sent to the patient’s primary care physician.
C. Policy for Financial Assistance to GAFP Members was revised as the Legal Defense Fund had not been utilized in
several years. The Board voted to expand the fund to the Legal Defense and Education Fund, and new options for it
use have been added for 2013-2014:
The Board of Directors approved a one year pilot to offer GAFP PGY3 residents funding to review legal contracts for
potential Georgia employers. This funding would come from the previously entitled Legal Defense Fund, now the
Legal Education and Defense Fund, that currently has over $100,000 in assets.
This would be for up to 50 GAFP residents to receive no more than $750 to reimburse their legal review of an
employment contract. The GAFP residents would only be eligible if they are planning on staying and working in
Georgia.
2. The Board of Directors also approved the use of up to $10,000 of the Legal Defense and Education Fund, for 2014
education on the review of employment contracts.
And, finally, the funds will continue to be offered to utilize the fund for legal cases for members if requested.
RECOMMENDATION: The Reference Committee recommends that the 2013 Board Chair’s report be accepted as
presented, located on pages 21-23 of the COD Handbook.
COD action: This resolution passed with the following amendment:
B. Immunization Requirements: The GAFP BOD acknowledged that the pharmacist is now part of the medical home
and therefore approved the following:
Under certain settings, the GAFP approves of Pharmacist administered vaccines to adults, under a physician protocol,
as long as 1) that information is sent to the patient’s primary care physician, 2) the specific vaccine is provided either
under authority of prescription or specific collaborative agreement with a LOCAL physician, and 3) the
administering pharmacist has a valid “Certificate of Achievement” * related to vaccine administration from the
American Pharmacists Association or similar pharmacist oversight body.
* “Certificate of Achievement” is language directly from the American Pharmacists Association in connection with
their Pharmacy Based Immunization Delivery program that includes:
· 12 hour (1.2 CEU) self-study modules with case studies and assessment exam
· 8.0 hour (0.80 CEU) live seminar with final exam
· Hands-on assessment of intramuscular and subcutaneous injection technique
Late Resolution Item 6: Phone Forum for Member Practice Management
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Submitted by Samuel L. Church, MD, MPH
Background:
Many physicians, particularly in family medicine, are increasingly overwhelmed by business aspects of healthcare
delivery. While it is generally not a topic that physicians typically feel is patient centered, this could not be further
from the truth. In fact, maintaining a viable business model is critical for the survival of primary care.
In response to increasing complexity and burden of proper coding, documentation, and overall health care delivery
coordination, many physicians are 1) accepting a position a lower tier reimbursement rather than to learn new
strategies and workflows 2) accepting positions of employment and shifting those responsibilities to others, 3)
embracing new care models that emphasize a financially tiered system for patient access (concierge) and 4) retiring
and removing themselves from the environment completely.
As a result, family physicians are less well compensated in a system that has increasingly more opportunities from
revenue generation and practice stability. In addition, some physician responses actually create LESS access to
primary care services.
In large part barriers exist that make many physicians feel inadequate or ill prepared to navigate this arena. It is my
feeling the improved dialogue on this matter would nurture and support our ongoing mission of providing quality
healthcare to our patients while promoting practice viability through correct coding and practice.
Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, that
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians establish and promote a phone forum on a quarterly basis that encourages
and promotes exchange of practice management and quality care tips and principles.
Discussion: It was brought up that this is already being done, both in terms of online forums and increased webinars
and conference calls that the GAFP held in 2013.
COD action: Dr. Church withdrew this resolution after discussion.
X.
Adjournment
There being no further business for the First Session of the 45th meeting of the Congress of Delegates, the meeting was
adjourned.
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GAFP Bylaws
Table of Contents
Chapter No.
Chapter Name
Chapter 1
Name
Chapter 2
Affiliation
Chapter 3
Purposes
Chapter 4
Membership
Chapter 5
Dues & Assessments
Chapter 6
Ethics
Chapter 7
District Chapters
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Board of Directors
Chapter 10
Election of Officers
Chapter 11
Duties & Terms of Officers
Chapter 12
Committees
Chapter 13
Annual Meeting
Chapter 14
Miscellaneous
Chapter 15
Amendments to Bylaws
Chapter 16
AAFP Resolutions
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GAFP BYLAWS
CHAPTER 1
Name
This corporation, an association of family physicians, shall be known as the "Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, Inc."
CHAPTER 2
Affiliation
This organization is a constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a corporation and is possessed only of
those rights and powers conferred by said corporation on this organization. No rules, regulations or policies adopted by this
organization shall be in conflict with the rules of the American Academy of Family Physicians or the Charter issued by said
Academy to this organization.
CHAPTER 3
Purposes
SECTION 1: The purposes of this Academy are as follows:

The promotion of the art and science of Family Medicine as a specialty;

The preservation of the right of Family Physicians in the State of Georgia to engage in the practice of the medical and
surgical procedures for which they are qualified;

The promotion of research in the discipline of Family Medicine;

The promotion of the Family Physician as an ideal medical home for patients of all ages;

The promotion of the practice of high quality, safe, and cost effective medicine;

The promotion of Family Medicine as a career choice to pre-medical and medical students;

The promotion of public health by: patient education, health promotion, patient advocacy, and community leadership in
health related affairs;

The development and provision of leadership for the specialty of Family Medicine in the State of Georgia;

The representation of Family Physicians in issues of importance to the public health and the practice of medicine to the
people and leaders of the State of Georgia;

The provision of appropriate continuing education for the Family Physician; including the provision of support and
education for the Family Physician in relation to the constantly changing medical environment;

The fostering and support of Family Medicine education in the State of Georgia; including the Education of other
physicians and health care professionals in the concept of Family Medicine.
SECTION 2: To accomplish its mission and purposes this Academy may:

Grant charters to the physicians in a district of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians in such manner as the Bylaws
may provide in order to develop a District Chapter;

Have the power to acquire, own and convey real and personal property;

Carry on research;

Make awards and give recognition for achievements in leadership and the science and practice of medicine;

Establish and issue publications;

Establish, conduct, and maintain educational courses, museums, libraries, and other institutions for post graduate study in
medicine and surgery;

To use any and all ethical and prudent means for the attainment of its objectives, which from time to time it may deem
desirable.
SECTION 3: This organization shall have no capital stock. It is not conducted for pecuniary profit and does not contemplate
pecuniary gain or profit to the members thereof.
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CHAPTER 4
Membership
SECTION 1: Eligibility. Applicants for active membership must be: (1) engaged in the practice of Family Medicine, except that
active members who interrupt their practices to pursue a fellowship or additional graduate training may remain in the active category
with the approval of the Board of Directors; or (2) engaged in the full-time teaching of Family Medicine; or (3) engaged in the
practice of emergency medicine; or (4) engaged in full-time medical administration. Family physicians are defined as physicians in
the discipline of family medicine whose training and experience qualify them to practice in the fields of medicine and surgery, with
particular emphasis on the family unit. They must be of high moral and professional character. They must have graduated from a
school of medicine or osteopathy. They must be duly licensed without current medical board orders to practice in the state in which
they practice or be a member of the uniformed services or a salaried employee of the government of the United States.
All applications for membership shall be in writing on a form of application prescribed by the Board of Directors. Election shall be
subject to approval by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, or subject to the Board’s discretion, the Committee on Membership
and Members Services. There shall be issued to each member a certificate of membership in such form as may be determined by the
American Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors, title to such certificate remaining at all times with this Academy (the
GAFP). A completed membership application, as determined by the AAFP Membership staff and GAFP staff, may be approved by
the Chair and Vice Chair of the Membership Committee. In the case of disagreement of the Chair and Vice Chair or an application
that has a discrepancy, the membership application shall be referred to the next meeting of the Board of Directors where a majority
vote will determine approval or not.
SECTION 2: Members shall be required to pay dues and/or assessments to this organization in an amount and manner as provided in
Chapter 5 of these Bylaws. Student members are exempt from payment of dues.
SECTION 3: Pursuant to the AAFP Bylaws, found on the AAFP website (www.aafp.org), all members of this organization whose
dues and assessments are paid shall be members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Therefore, the classes of
membership and the method of election shall be the same as the American Academy of Family Physicians and shall change, effective
immediately, if changed by the American Academy.
SECTION 4: Acceptance of membership in this organization shall constitute an agreement by such member to comply with Bylaws
of this organization and those of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Subject to the right of appeal to the American
Academy of Family Physicians, in a manner provided in the Bylaws of said corporation, a member accepting membership in this
organization shall recognize the Board of Directors of this organization as the sole and only judge of their right to be or remain a
member.
SECTION 5: All right, title and interest both legal and equitable of a member in and to the property of this organization shall cease
in the event of any of the following: a) the expulsion of such a member; b) the striking of their name from the roll of members; c)
their death or resignation. Membership shall be automatically terminated with loss of Georgia license to practice medicine for
disciplinary reasons, subject to appeal.
CHAPTER 5
Dues and Assessments
SECTION 1:
The dues for active members, special dues and the maximum amount of annual dues may be changed by a two-thirds (2/3)
affirmative vote of the Board of Directors. Dues for active members shall be fixed annually. Said dues shall be levied per capital
upon all the active members of the Academy.
SECTION 2: Membership dues shall be payable in conjunction with the AAFP dues schedule.
SECTION 3: Any member whose dues or assessments are unpaid at the time of any annual meeting shall be ineligible to vote or
hold office.
SECTION 4: The record of payment of dues and assessments on file of the American Academy of Family Physicians shall be final
as to the fact of payment by a member and to their right to participate in the business and proceedings of the Academy.
CHAPTER 6
Ethics
SECTION 1: The Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association, as they now or hereafter may provide, as
modified by the AAFP shall be the principles of this organization, and are hereby made a part of these Bylaws.
SECTION 2: If any member is believed to have violated the Principles of Medical Ethics or the Bylaws of this organization or of
the American Academy of Family Physicians, or to be otherwise guilty of conduct justifying censure, suspension, or expulsion from
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this organization, any member may then prefer charges against them in the form and manner herein after specified.
Such charges must be in writing and signed by the accuser(s) and must state the facts of the case with reasonable particularity.
Such charges must be filed with the Secretary and at the first meeting of the Board held after the filing of said charges the Secretary
must present said charges to the Board of Directors. The Board shall then or at any adjournment of said meeting, but not more than
thirty (30) days thereafter, consider the charges and shall either dismiss them or shall proceed as hereinafter set forth.
If the Board fails to dismiss said charges, it shall within fifteen (15) days thereafter cause a copy of the charges to be served upon the
accused by depositing in the United States mail a copy thereof, registered and addressed to the last known address of the accused.
The Board shall at the same meeting fix a time and place for hearing said charges and the accused shall be notified of the time and
place at the same time and in the same manner as provided for the serving of the charges. The time set for said hearing shall be not
less than fifteen (15) days nor more than six (6) months after services of charges.
Unless otherwise noted, the Board of Directors is the GAFP Board of Directors.
The accused may answer in writing but need not do so and failure to answer shall not be an admission of truth of the charges or a
waiver of the accused's right to hearing.
The Board shall, after having given the accuser and the accused every opportunity to be heard, including oral arguments and the
filing and consideration of any written briefs, conclude the hearing and within thirty (30) days thereafter render a decision. The
affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board present and voting shall constitute the verdict of the said Board
which such vote may exonerate, censure, suspend, or expel the accused member(s). In matters of exoneration, suspension, or
expulsion, the decision of the Board shall be expressed in a resolution which shall contain no explanation of the verdict and shall be
signed only by the chairperson of the Board of Directors and forwarded to the accused in a certified mail, or equivalent, return receipt
requested. Censure shall mean a reprimand by the chair of the Board of Directors administered to the accused in the presence of the
said Board. No member shall be suspended for more than one year, except in instances when suspension is due to lack of or loss of
licensure, in which case the suspension shall not exceed the duration of licensure suspension. At that time, the member may be
reinstated to membership upon their application and the payment of dues accrued, before or after the period of suspension. The
decision of the Board of Directors regarding censure, suspension, expulsion, exoneration, or reinstatement shall be final except as
provided hereinafter.
Any member who has been censured, suspended, or expelled may appeal such action to the American Academy of Family Physicians
pursuant to the Bylaws of said corporation.
CHAPTER 7
District Chapters:
SECTION 1: District or local chapters may be formed under the provisions of the Board of Directors, and shall be bound by the
Georgia Academy of Family Physicians bylaws.
SECTION 2: Membership in a district will be determined by the primary mailing address of said member, whether home or
professional.
SECTION 3: Officers of all district or local chapters are to be certified by the Secretary of the Georgia Academy of Family
Physicians upon their election.
SECTION 4: All complaints or grievances wherein the state organization may assist the district chapters in the proper adjudication.
CHAPTER 8
SECTION 1: Congress of Delegates, Definition. The control and administration of the GAFP shall be vested in the Congress of
Delegates, subject to the statutory authority of the Board and to those additional duties and powers specifically reserved to the Board
in these Bylaws.
SECTION 2: Each district as determined by the Board of Directors shall be entitled to elect delegates and alternate delegates to the
Congress of Delegates, who shall be elected for terms of two (2) years, provided that at the first election, each district elects one
delegate and one alternate delegate for two (2) years. Each district shall be entitled to no less than two delegates and two alternates.
The total number of delegates in the Congress of Delegates shall be up to 90. Each district shall be allotted delegates and alternate
delegates above their two delegates and two alternates as determined by the secretary on the basis of that district’s proportion of the
total paid Academy membership. Only active or active exempt members may be elected as delegates; however, in determining the
number of delegates per district all classes of members except student and resident affiliate members are counted. Such
determination shall be made by June 30th each year. The names of all delegates entitled to be seated in the Congress of Delegates
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shall be furnished to the Credentials Committee of the Congress of Delegates by the Secretary.
SECTION 3: It shall be the duty of the Secretary (role filled by the Vice-Speaker, see Chapter 11, Section 4) of the Congress to poll
by mail each district as to their choice for delegates and alternate delegates from a list submitted to them of the entire active
membership in that district. The names of those so elected shall be published by the Secretary prior to the annual meeting.
SECTION 4: The Congress of Delegates shall meet during and at the place of the annual meeting of the Academy and at such other
times and places as it may determine. Special meetings of the Congress of Delegates may be called by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative
vote of the Board of Directors, and shall be held at such time and place as may be set forth in said call, subject to the following
notice: Notice of such meetings shall be given by the Executive Director/Executive Vice President in writing at least sixty (60) days
prior to the date set for such a meeting.
SECTION 5: The Residents' component chapter shall have one (1) delegate and one (1) alternate delegate, from each family
medicine residency program to serve a one (1) year term of office.
SECTION 6: The Family Medicine Interest Group from each allopathic and osteopathic accredited medical school in the state shall
each have one delegate and one alternate delegate to the Congress of Delegates.
SECTION 7: The Congress of Delegates having at least one member from each district shall constitute a quorum at any meetings of
the Congress. The Congress may adopt such rules of procedure of the transaction of its business as it deems desirable, and shall be
the judge of the election and qualifications of its members.
SECTION 8: Resolutions offered to the Congress of Delegates must be submitted to the Executive Director/Executive Vice
President at least 45 days before the next meeting of the Congress of Delegates. Resolutions will be assigned by the Speaker to the
reference committees. At the opening session of the Congress of Delegates any member may submit resolutions in writing that are
pertinent to the objectives of the Academy or in reference to any report by any office or committee of the Academy.
At the Reference Committee hearing the proponents and opponents of resolutions shall be given reasonable opportunity to be heard.
Any member of the Academy may attend and testify at the Reference Committees.
At a later session(s) of the Congress of Delegates, during the annual meeting, the Reference Committees shall report their
recommendation on such resolutions, with any amendments or comments, to the Congress of Delegates.
The Congress of Delegates shall thereupon approve or disapprove or modify such resolution at the annual meeting, and their actions
shall be entered in the minutes.
Each delegate of the Congress shall have one (1) vote. Alternate delegates will not vote unless their associated delegate is absent. In
the event of a dispute, the Speaker will determine which alternate(s) may vote. The officers and directors, past presidents, and the
chairperson of each commission and committee of the Academy shall have the privilege of the floor in the Congress of Delegates, but
shall not have the right to vote as such except as provided in this Chapter.
CHAPTER 9
Board of Directors
Duties and Powers. The business and affairs of the GAFP shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board acting in a
manner consistent with its fiduciary duties and responsibilities. In addition to the powers and authority expressly confirmed upon it
by these Bylaws, the Board may exercise all powers and do all acts as allowed by law, subject to the powers of the Congress of
Delegates as set forth in these Bylaws.
SECTION 1: Composition of the Board. Subject to the action of the Congress of Delegates, and during the interim between the
meetings of the Congress, the control and administration of the Academy shall be vested in a Board of Directors. There will be an
Executive Committee of the Board comprised of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the
President, the Vice President, the President-Elect, and the Speaker of the Congress of Delegates. The Remaining Board members
shall be composed of one (1) elected member from each of the eleven (11) districts, two (2) resident directors, and three (3) student
directors, each with the right to vote. Additionally, there shall be elected an alternate director for each of the eleven directors,
alternate resident directors and alternate student directors referred to above. An alternate director shall assume the official duties of
the director for whom they are alternate only when the director cannot function in these duties.
SECTION 2: The Board of Directors or the Executive Committee shall meet within thirty (30) days following the annual meeting of
the Academy and such other times and places but not less than two (2) times annually or as may be determined by the written request
of five (5) voting members of the Board of the Board of Directors. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
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SECTION 3: The Chairperson of the Board, with the approval of two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors, may remove any
director or alternate director who misses two or more consecutive Board meetings or fails to show interest in the performance of the
duties assigned them. Any director removed from the Board for lack of attendance can file a written appeal outlining any extenuating
circumstances within thirty (30) days of notification to the chairperson of the Board for review. The decision of the chairperson
regarding such a written appeal is final.
SECTION 4: The Executive Committee, by majority vote of those present, shall have full authority to act for and on behalf of the
Board of Directors whenever the business of the Academy demands prompt action in the interim between meetings of the Board or
when it is impractical or impossible to convene the entire membership of the Board of Directors. Action of this committee shall be
voted on by the Board of Directors at its next meeting following.
SECTION 5: Directors and Alternate Directors. The term of office of directors/alternate directors shall be for three (3) years and
shall begin at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Congress of Delegates at which their elections occur and expire at the
conclusion of the third succeeding annual meeting, or when their successors are elected. No director shall be eligible for renomination to the Board of Directors unless at least one year has elapsed since the expiration of their previous term. Should a
vacancy occur on the Board of Directors, it shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members. Directors who have been
appointed to the Board by the Board of Directors or district chapter to fill an unexpired term and who have served for a period of less
than one (1) year shall be eligible for re-nomination to the Board notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary in this section.
SECTION 6: Resident Director. There shall be two (2) resident representatives elected by the Board of Representatives of the
resident component chapter for the GAFP and shall have full voting privileges on the GAFP Board of Directors. One resident will
serve two years and one will serve one year, with a corresponding number of alternate representatives elected annually. The resident
alternate director shall be chosen by the Board of Representatives of the resident component chapter to the GAFP. If the director’s
position becomes vacant, a resident alternate is eligible to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
SECTION 7: Student Director. Three (3) students shall be elected by the Student Member Group to hold the positions of student
directors to the GAFP Board of Directors, with full voting privileges. There will be a corresponding number of alternate
representatives elected annually. If the director’s position becomes vacant, a student alternate is eligible to serve the remainder of the
unexpired term.
SECTION 8: Delegate and Alternate Delegate to AAFP. One delegate and one alternate delegate to the Congress of Delegates of
the American Academy of Family Physicians shall be elected annually for a two (2) year term that shall be limited to two consecutive
terms with the option of serving in the same position at a later time. The delegates and alternate delegates shall be members of the
Board of Directors and the delegates have a right to vote. The alternate delegates may vote only in the absence of the delegates.
SECTION 9: Advisory Committee. All past presidents shall become an Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors and shall be
considered ex-officio members of the Board with the privilege of the floor, but without the right to vote.
SECTION 10: Family Medicine Residency Program Directors. There shall be one program director from each family medicine
residency program in the State to represent their respective programs to serve on the Board of Directors. These representatives shall
be ex-officio members of the Board with full privilege of the floor, but without the right to vote.
CHAPTER 10:
Election of Officers
SECTION 1: Definition. The officers of the Academy shall be a President, President-Elect,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Speaker of the Congress of Delegates, Vice-Speaker of
the Congress of Delegates, GAFP Delegates and Alternate delegates to the AAFP. All officers shall serve until their successors are
elected and installed. The powers, duties, terms of office and method of election of the officers shall be set forth in the Bylaws.
SECTION 2: Election of Officers. At least ninety (90) days before the annual meeting each year, the President shall appoint a
nominating committee of three or more members whose duties shall be to present nominations for the office of President-Elect, VicePresident, one Delegate and one Alternate Delegate to the Congress of Delegates of the American Academy of Family Physicians,
and such directors whose terms of office are expiring. At each third annual meeting, the nominating committee shall also present a
nomination for the offices of Secretary and of Treasurer both of whom shall be elected for a term of three (3) years, and shall serve
until their successor has been elected.
Nothing in these Bylaws shall prevent nominations from the floor of the Congress of Delegates. No officer or Board member who has
served a full term shall be eligible to succeed them, except the Secretary, Treasurer, Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the AAFP.
The election of all offices shall be by a majority vote of the members of the Congress of Delegates present and voting. When there
are three or more candidates for a single office, and no one receives a majority vote on the first ballot, a second ballot shall be taken
between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes on the first ballot. Vacancies on the Board of Directors may be
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filled by special district vote performed by the district chapter or when no such chapter exists by the President. However, such an
appointment shall terminate at the next annual meeting, at which time the nominating committee shall present a nominee for the
unexpired term, if any.
SECTION 3: The Congress of Delegates shall elect annually a Speaker and a Vice-Speaker who shall take office at the conclusion
of the annual meeting at which their elections occur, and whose terms shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual meeting or
when their respective successors are elected. In the event either of the above is a duly accredited delegate, their seat in Congress shall
be declared vacant upon the adjournment of the session at which their election occurred, and a new delegate shall be elected by their
district through a special district election performed by the district chapter or appointed by the Secretary if no district chapter exists.
SECTION 4: Election of the above officers shall be by ballot prepared by the Executive Director/Executive Vice President. The
nominee receiving the majority of votes shall be declared elected, provided however, that when the nominations have been closed
with but a single candidate having been nominated, the presiding officer shall declare that candidate elected to office.
CHAPTER 11
Duties and Terms of Officers
SECTION 1: The President shall be a member of the Board of Directors and all standing commissions and committees, and shall
preside at all meetings of the Academy. The President shall be the spokesperson of the Academy. They shall have general supervision
of the business of the Academy and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect; they shall
execute bonds, mortgage and other contracts requiring the seal of the Academy, except where required by law to be otherwise signed
and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors to some
other officer or agent of the Academy. Their term of office shall begin at the installation ceremony following the one at which their
predecessor was installed. In the event of the death or resignation of the president during the term of their office or if they shall for
any reason be unable or unqualified to serve, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of the President for the unexpired portion
of the President's term. In the event of the death, resignation or incapacity of both the President and the Vice-President, the Board of
Directors shall elect a President for the unexpired portion of the term. The President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President at
the conclusion of the annual meeting following the meeting at which their election occurred.
SECTION 2: The Vice-President shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall preside at meetings of the Academy in the
absence of the President. Their term of office shall begin at the installation ceremony during the annual meeting at which their
election occurs and expires at the installation ceremony during the next annual meeting. The Vice-President shall also serve as a
member with voting privileges on the bylaws committee and shall serve as the parliamentarian of the Board of Directors. In the
event of the death, resignation, or incapacity of the vice-president, the Board of Directors shall elect a Vice-President for the
unexpired portion of their term.
SECTION 3: The President-Elect shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall preside at meetings of the Academy in the
absence of the President and Vice-President. They shall succeed to the office of President at the expiration of the President's term as
provided in Section 1. In the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the President-Elect, the Board of Directors
shall nominate candidate(s) for that office and election of the successor to the President-Elect shall take place by vote on these
candidate(s) by the Congress of Delegates at the next ensuing meeting, as the first order of business following approval of the
minutes, provided however, that nothing herein shall be construed as preventing additional nominations for this from the floor. Such
elected President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President at the next installation ceremony.
SECTION 4: The Speaker of the Congress of Delegates shall be a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee
with the privilege to vote. The Speaker shall preside over meetings of the Congress, and shall appoint all reference and special
committees of the Congress.
The Vice Speaker shall serve as the Secretary to the Congress of Delegates and shall cause to be kept an accurate record of the
minutes and shall be a member of the Board of Directors with the privilege to vote and shall preside over all meetings of the
Congress in the absence of or when designated by the Speaker.
The Speaker and Vice Speaker shall be elected for one (1) year term of office for a maximum of three (3) years. The term shall begin
at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Congress of Delegates at which their elections occur and expire at the conclusion of the
next succeeding annual meeting, or when their successors are elected. No speaker shall be eligible for re-nomination to the Board of
Directors unless at least one year has elapsed since the expiration of their previous term. Should a vacancy occur on the Board of
Directors, it shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members. The Speaker or Vice Speaker who has been appointed to
the Board by the Board of Directors to fill an un-expired term and who has served for a period of less than one (1) year shall be
eligible for re-nomination to the Board notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary in this section.
SECTION 5: The Chair of the Board of Directors shall be the immediate past president and shall assume the office of Chairperson
at the conclusion of the annual Congress of Delegates meeting following the conclusion of their presidency. The Chairperson of the
116
Board of Directors shall preside over all meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee. In the absence of the Speaker and
Vice-Speaker, they shall preside over meetings of the Congress of Delegates.
In the event of the death or resignation of the Chair during their term of office or if they shall for any reason be unable or unqualified
to serve, the Board of Directors shall elect a new Chair to serve the unexpired portion of the term. If the Chair is unable to attend a
meeting of the Board or the Executive Committee, the President shall preside at that meeting. In their absence a temporary Chair
shall be elected by the members present for that meeting.
The Chair of the Board of Directors shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees.
SECTION 6: The Secretary shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall be elected for a term of three (3) years. The
Secretary shall cause to be kept an accurate record of the minutes of the Board of Directors, and shall serve as Secretary to this body.
The duties of Secretary, by action of the Board of Directors, may be assigned to the Executive Director/Executive Vice President.
The Secretary, assisted by the Executive Director/Executive Vice President, shall provide a summary of the activities of the Academy
including elected officers, significant actions, activities and events at the annual meeting for purposes of the GAFP archives.
SECTION 7: The Treasurer shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall be elected for a term of three (3) years. They
shall be the Chair of the Committee on Finances. They shall cause to be kept adequate and proper accounts of the properties and
funds of the Academy. The Treasurer shall cause to be deposited all monies and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the
Academy with such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. They shall disburse the funds of the Academy as
may be ordered by the Board of Directors; shall render to the Board of Directors, whenever it may request it, an account of their
transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Academy; and shall have such other powers and perform such other
duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws. The Treasurer may be required by the Board of Directors to
give a surety bond in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors, the premium thereon to be paid by the Academy. Any of
the duties of the Treasurer, by action of the Board of Directors, may be assigned to the Executive Director/Executive Vice President.
SECTION 8: The Executive Director/Executive Vice President shall be appointed for a term and stipend to be fixed by the Board of
Directors. The Executive Director/Executive Vice President, under the direction of the Board of Directors, performs such duties as
the title of the office ordinarily connotes and such duties of the Secretary and/or Treasurer as may be assigned to the Executive
Director/Executive Vice President by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director/Executive Vice President shall supervise all
other employees and agents of the Academy and have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.
The Executive Director/Executive Vice President shall not be entitled to vote. The Executive Director/Executive Vice President shall
be bonded in an amount fixed by the Board of Directors, the premium thereon to be paid by the Academy.
SECTION 9: The title of Executive Director shall be changed to Executive Vice President when, in the judgment of the Board of
Directors, tenure, expertise and credibility have been established, and the title will be conferred by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 10: The President, Vice-President, President-Elect, Speaker of the Congress of Delegates, Vice-Speaker of the Congress
of Delegates, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Delegate to the AAFP, Alternate Delegate to the AAFP, Secretary, Treasurer, or
any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office for cause by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the total voting members of
the Board of Directors. Any vacancy which should occur as a result of removal from office shall be filled in the same manner as is
otherwise provided in this Chapter.
No action may be taken to remove any person listed in the preceding paragraph from office except upon the written petition of five
(5) voting members of the Board of Directors. The petition shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Board of Directors and shall state
that cause(s) for which removal is sought. Within five (5) days of receipt of such petition, the Secretary shall cause a copy thereof to
be sent by registered mail, with return receipt requested, to each officer and member of the Board of Directors. The person whose
removal is being sought may answer the petition in writing at any time prior to the meeting of the Board of Directors but need not do
so and failure to answer shall not be an admission of truth of the charges or waiver of the right to a hearing. The petition shall be
considered and a decision rendered at the first meeting of the Board of Directors which is held no less than fifteen (15) days after the
date on which a copy of the petition was mailed to the officers and directors. The person whose removal is being sought shall be
afforded every opportunity to be heard at the board meeting at which the petition is considered and may be represented by counsel.
CHAPTER 12
Committees
SECTION 1: Standing Committees. Standing committees of the Academy shall be as follows. Committee on Membership and
Member Services; Committee on Education and Research; Committee on Bylaws; Committee on Practice Management, Committee
on Legislation, Committee on Public Health, Committee for Student and Resident Recruitment, and the Committee on Finances.
The duties of each of these committees shall be defined by the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws, each
of these committees shall be appointed and may be replaced by the President and President-Elect with the advice and consent of the
Board. The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may replace any member of any committee who fails to show
117
interest in the performance of the duties assigned them. All committee chairpersons shall make an annual report in writing to the
Board of Directors thirty (30) days in advance of the annual session for consideration at the business meeting.
SECTION 2: Special (Ad Hoc Task Force) Committees. To facilitate the work of this organization, Special Committees may be
appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Special Committees shall serve until the end of that
President’s term unless re-appointed by the new President with Board approval. The new President can only extend the committee’s
life through the end of their term. All such committees shall be designated as standing or special at the time of appointment and the
purposes, duties, duration shall then be stated.
SECTION 3: Official Publication. The Board of Directors shall appoint the Board Secretary to serve as the medical content editor
for GAFP publications.
CHAPTER 13
Annual Meeting
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, there shall be an annual meeting of the Congress of Delegates, together with
such meetings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and other commissions and committees as may be fixed by the Board
of Directors. The time and place of the annual meeting shall be designated by the Board of Directors, and announced at least sixty
(60) days before the date so fixed.
CHAPTER 14
Miscellaneous
SECTION 1: Inspection of records. The minutes of the proceedings of the Board of
Directors and of the Congress of Delegates, the membership books and books of account shall be open to inspection upon the written
demand of any member at any reasonable time for any purpose reasonably related to the member's interest as a member, and be
produced at any time when requested by the demand of one-third (1/3) of the members of the Congress of Delegates present. Such
inspection may be made by agent or attorney, and shall include the right to make extracts thereof. Demand of inspection, other than at
a meeting of the members shall be in writing to the President or Secretary of the Academy.
SECTION 2: Annual Report. The directors shall cause to be sent to the members, not later than six (6) months after the close of the
fiscal year, a balance sheet as of the closing date of that fiscal year, together with statement of the income and profits and losses for
such fiscal year, and such financial statement shall be certified by a public accountant.
SECTION 3: Seal. The Georgia Academy shall have a seal, the form and device of which shall be adopted by the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 4: Rules of Order.
Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, current edition, except when the same is in conflict with the Constitution and
Bylaws of this Academy, shall control all parliamentary proceedings of the meetings of the Congress of Delegates and the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 5: Fiscal year. The fiscal year of this organization shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of
December.
CHAPTER 15
Amendments to Bylaws.
Any five (5) or more members, the Bylaws Committee, or the Board of Directors may propose amendments to the Bylaws. Such
proposals shall be submitted to the Executive
Director/Executive Vice President at least one hundred (100) days prior to any regular or special meeting of the Congress of
Delegates, and notice shall be given by the Executive
Director/Executive Vice President to all Academy members at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting. Publication of proposed
amendments in the official publication of the Academy shall be sufficient to constitute notice thereof to the members. An affirmative
vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting shall constitute adoption. Amendments shall take effect
immediately upon adoption unless otherwise specified.
CHAPTER 16:
AAFP Resolutions.
Resolutions seeking an endorsement or support from the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians before submission to the American
Academy of Family Physicians will require a member in good standing to submit a written resolution to the Chair of the Board of
Directors a minimum of forty-five (45) days prior to a Board meeting. The resolutions require a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of
the Board to receive an endorsement of the state chapter.
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2014 COD Handbook

Transcription

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