Family Medicine: Coming Out of the Closet

When Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians Executive Director Gerry Stover sent out the call for delegates to the National Conference of Special Constituencies (NCSC) that I wrote about in my last post, I figured I would be the only one to apply as the Kentucky delegate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT, or LGBT) caucus. After all, there are only ten physicians and nurse practitioners in Kentucky listed on the GLMA website that serves as a guide for patients looking for providers welcoming of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender patients.

Commissioning the Periphery

I’m going to try this blogging thing again. It’s mostly for me, for processing of ideas, and admittedly, sometimes for stress management. But currently I’m revisiting my ruminations for a number of reasons sparked by the opportunity to go to the American Academy of Family Physicians’ National Conference of Special Constituencies (NCSC). The NCSC brings together AAFP members belonging to one of five “constituencies” that would not traditionally be well-represented in organizational leadership.

Opening for what comes next

The health reform battle was already ugly when I wrote my last post, and it sure didn't get any better over the subsequent months. I have to admit that I got so tired of the incessant emails begging me to write my Congressmen (yes, they're all men in this case), I started deleting them. And then it passed.

One Thing I Can Do for Health Reform

On Saturday, I tried to contribute to my local chapter by hosting a letter-writing party. No one else showed up, but I still thought I could pass on what I've written to use as inspiration or as one of many example letters out there. We may disagree on details of legislation, but we cannot abide the status quo any longer. Please get active in your advocacy, folks!

Dear Congressperson:

First of all, I do want to express my gratitude for your service to our community and your concern for responsible government. I am writing today on the topic of health care reform.

Superlative is Sometimes Less

There are three seemingly random thoughts here, but hang on. Bear with me. I think they come together at the end.

ONE

I have had numerous people ask me what it was like to be at last week's inauguration of Barack Obama, and had a very hard time knowing how to answer. It was definitely the most historic inauguration of my lifetime, and perhaps the most important I'm ever likely to see. Except I didn't really see any of it.

Still thankful...

I trust you've all seen it by now: Physicians' Foundation Survey via CNN

Horror of horrors, Half of all primary care doctors (in survey) would leave medicine! For a specialty trying to prove our mettle in the world of evidence-based medicine (and being leaders in the field in many respects), I've heard very little from the rank-and-file disputing the media coverage of this completely misleading and unscientific survey. The response rate was a whopping 4%. Not any selection bias there; of course not.

Don't Give Up

Ever since the FMEC Conference, I've felt a heavy weight on my head. I can't think about health care without feeling overwhelmed with the hugeness of trying to hold all the social determinants of health piled in our arms, wondering how to begin building a clinical and community health foundation with our hands already full and while balancing on the tiny point of band-aid high-tech medicine that is currently, precariously, keeping most of us alive for 70 years or so.

Tonight, though, I read my first clinical blog from September, and was reminded of another patient.