Spring Into Action 2008 scores for family medicine  

“I think the new format for Spring Into Action (holding five one-day mini-sessions instead of one two-day session) worked well for IAFP volunteer leaders and for IAFP’s influence on the Illinois General Assembly,” stated Steven Knight, M.D., IAFP president.  “We were able to get a briefing on issues, visit with our state legislators and we had meetings with State Comptroller Dan Hynes and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director, Dr. Damon Arnold.  All of this in just one day.”  

Medicaid Payment Mess

Comptroller Hynes met with Dr. Knight and seven other IAFP members on April 10 to discuss the ongoing issues of Medicaid payment backlogs and their effect on hospitals and nursing homes, as well as physician practices.  Comptroller Hynes has been helpful in the past in getting a temporary loan of $1.1 billion in fall 2005 to pay Medicaid payment backlogs.  Unfortunately, the situation is worse now.  Medicaid payment backlogs are around $2 billion.  David J. Hagan, M.D., IAFP second vice president, explained how patient centered medical homes (see the AAFP web site at http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/membership/initiatives/pcmh.html) the type of medical practice that family physicians provide to their patients, provides better health outcomes and savings at the same time.  

Public Health

IDPH Director Arnold indicated that he would like to continue the close working relationship that IDPH has had with IAFP over many years.  Though there are many intersections between IAFP and IDPH, a few were identified in the conversation with Director Arnold.  

• Javette Orgain, M.D., IAFP president-elect, described how family physicians were significantly involved in the development of the State Health Improvement Plan, http://www.idph.state.il.us/ship/index.htm  

• Jeffrey Griesemer, IAFP student board member, related his summer externship story of serving with Dr. Randy Oliver in Metropolis, along the Ohio River and how that experience has led to him choose UI Peoria Methodist where he begins his family medicine training in July.  IDPH helps to fund the summer externship that has over 800 alumni since 1990, 69% of whom are in primary care, 32% in family medicine.

• Dennon Davis, M.D., IAFP board member, is the medical director for the Bi-County Health Department of Franklin-Williamson Counties.  He described the public health issues that these two southern Illinois counties face.

House Calls

Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago), House Deputy Majority Leader, clearly understood the concept of patient-centered medical home.  He described his involvement in the development and ongoing support for Lawndale Christian Health Center (http://www.lawndale.org/ ) and how founder, Dr. Art Jones, made house calls to Rep. Turner’s ailing father.   

If you couldn’t make it to any of the four Spring into Action events in 2008, we hope you’ll make time to join us in 2009.  Thanks to all the IAFP members and leaders for their time and efforts in representing the Academy and family medicine. 

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