Feature Image: Delegates Drs. Chad Spain and Nikki Clark at the Utah delegation table
This year’s Congress of Delegates was held in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. With temperatures over 100 degrees outside, we huddled in the frigid conference room for two days, working to pass resolutions that will chart the course of AAFP and its chapters.
Delegates put in a lot of time working on resolutions, considering all the proposed resolutions and process changes, and traveling to Congress to vote and choose the next group of AAFP leaders. UAFP is represented very well and all our delegates are an inspiration.
In a change from previous blogs, we had each of your delegates write their own perspectives, each choosing a specific day to cover.
Enjoy their recaps.
Day 1
Nikki Clark, MD, FAAFP
Delegate
Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona, for the AAFP Congress of Delegates! As in previous years, we started the Congress with the Town Hall. This is a panel discussion of several of the AAFP leadership. Each leader had a current topic that they wanted to share about the work of the AAFP over the past year. These included four main points:
- Medicare Payment
- Currently, there is a proposed 2.8% budget cut that the AAFP is fighting.
- They fought hard to get the G2211 CPT code approved so you can be paid for the time it takes for our complex patients that we all have.
- New Membership
- Making improved resources available for members across all parts of your career.
- Helping with the transition from residency to practice.
- Decreasing the membership fees for new graduates for the first three years out of residency. $100 for first year out, $200 for the second year out and $300 for the third year out.
- Administrative Simplification and New Technology
- Continuing to work on the prior authorization issues that cause tremendous stress and lead to delay of care.
- Working on processes to use AI to IMPROVE practice (not replace us as some people feel will happen).
- Work Force
- This year, 4,595 medical students matched to family medicine (88% fill rate).
- Currently, there are almost 800! (In the state of Utah, there are 29 possible first-year spots.)
- The National Conference for medical students and residents is now named FUTURE.
- There were many thoughtful questions posed by the audience in the short meeting. Family doctors have many concerns and the AAFP is listening.
We are here to represent you and the unique issues of medicine in Utah to our AAFP national leadership. It was a great couple of days here in Phoenix despite nearly melting from the heat!
Day 2
Chad Spain, MD, FAAFP
Delegate
The first full day of Congress of Delegates (COD) is typically full of debate and discussion — this year, not so much.
2024 marks the first year of significant process change. In years past, the first day of COD has opened the floor to delegates and alternate delegates from all across our nation to discuss the state submitted resolutions. This year resolutions were posted online weeks before the COD and were only open to comments on the website, which replaced the historical norm of in-person testimony.
To be frank, I don’t think many chapters were aware of this process. Online comments just hit differently — context, personal experiences, tone, etc. are easily lost, and the volume of comments posted online didn’t seem to match previous years when comments were given in person. The online comments were then reviewed by committees, again, prior to COD, who then presented a revised resolution; these resolutions were then agreed to as a whole or extracted for individual review during day one of COD.
Confused? Well, many states seemed to be in the same position. Fortunately, we have a great CEO in Maryann Martindale, who informed our delegation of the entire process along the way, which put us in a great position to take the microphone during times of need!
Fourteen late resolutions were submitted early Monday with requests to be heard during this year’s Congress of Delegates and only two were accepted. Mississippi, please mark your calendars in order to not miss a deadline next year — j.k. we love you.
Our delegation submitted four resolutions including topics of Annual Wellness Visit reform, research into why family medicine physicians are leaving the workforce, Social Security income limit adjustments, and pharmacy pricing practices; three of the four were approved (pharmacy pricing was not but with a note that similar policy from AAFP is already in place)!
Lastly, we heard from Speaker Russell Kohl and AAFP President Steven Furr who made thought provoking comments regarding leadership, family medicine’s importance to righting the U.S. healthcare system, and the need to put an end to ongoing Medicare payment cuts.
Since my first term (2018-19 as alternate delegate), I have had the privilege of getting to know and hear from so many of Utah’s great family physicians; attending the Congress of Delegates as your delegate gives me a great sense of pride and a role that I take seriously. Listening to you and being a voice when given a platform is a winning recipe in my book, and I look forward to serving again in 2025 COD in Anaheim, California.
Day 3
Katherine Caldwell, MD
Alternate Delegate
Tuesday kicked off with Congress formalities — salutations from other medical organizations, introductions of past presidents and chapter presidents, and a speech by our new president, Dr. Jennifer Brull.
We heard from six candidates for the three open board of directors positions in the first part of the day. This year, the organization employed a new process, using a nominating committee to identify a diverse group of candidates who may not have been selected as potential leaders with the previous system, which mostly involved state chapters taking the lead on promoting candidates, and was usually quite expensive for the chapters. This is a real positive for those of us in smaller chapters who have great leaders who would be exceptional AAFP board members, but don’t have the budget to run a costly campaign. Something to consider if you’d like to get more involved on the national level.
After an awards luncheon, we heard from the three previously vetted and very well-qualified candidates for president-elect. We discussed our thoughts on the candidates and had the evening to mull over our choices before voting the next day.
The Utah crew (including President-Elect Dr. Lynsey Drew) enjoyed dining outside at a Mexican restaurant, the record high temperatures finally becoming tolerable at the end of the day. We had fun piling into a disco-light adorned Uber and singing along to some classic hits on the way back to our hotel.
Day 4
Nick Duncan, MD
Alternate Delegate
Nerves. One of the first feelings I recall when preparing for the Congress of Delegates this year — nerves with a mix of excitement. It was my first time to participate. First foray into health policy. So many questions. What will happen with the resolutions we proposed? Will I know what to do if I have to speak up on an issue? What are the processes for each session of the Congress?
And you know what, it turned out all right. There were a lot of changes this year and we all learned together. There was a lot of discussion, apparently less than in years past, but people were able to express their views and decisions were made. And while not everyone agreed on how to address certain concerns, it was apparent that passion abounds on leading family medicine into the future. Our concerns are being discussed. Current policies that adversely affect our patients are being fought. Our need for greater support as we care for patients is the focus of the AAFP leadership.
And that is how the Congress closed: with a renewed drive to continually improve on the laurels of those who have come before to lead our great community of family physicians.
We have a new president, Dr. Jennifer Brull, from Fort Collins, Colorado, who brings much experience to the role and is ready to go to bat for family medicine. She takes the torch from the past president, Dr. Steven Furr, from Jackson, Alabama, who now transitions to board chair. Dr. Sarah Nosal from New York was selected as the new president-elect, and it was apparent from her speech that she brings a lot of passion and new ideas to the table. New members of the board were also selected: Dr. Shannon Dowler, Dr. Elizabeth Fowlie Mock, and Dr. Kathleen Mueller.
Looking back on the experience, I express gratitude to our whole delegation: Dr. Nikki Clark, Dr. Katharine Caldwell, Dr. Chad Spain, and especially Maryann Martindale who guided us through it all. Thank you all for your insight and passion. I feel like we represented Utah well with important resolutions and will continue to work to make things better for us and our patients.
The end.
Well, sort of. If you care to check out the soundtrack, there were a few songs that either came to mind or actually played during our time in Phoenix, so here you go:
You Don’t Know How It Feels — Tom Petty
The Sound of Silence — Simon and Garfunkel
Bad Medicine — Bon Jovi
Runnin’ Down a Dream — Tom Petty
Fly Like an Eagle — Steve Miller Band
Wannabe — Spice Girls
Immigrant Song — Led Zeppelin
Apologize — One Republic (A reminder to get your resolutions in on time)
Don’t Stop Believin’ — Journey
Take On Me — A-ha
Summer of ‘69 — Bryan Adams
Africa — Toto
The Gambler — Kenny Rogers
I Wanna Know What Love Is — Foreigner (Wish Juke Box Hero played too, but oh well)
UAFP members select new delegates each year for two-year terms. If you are interested, watch your email and our website in early 2025 for the nomination process.
