On December 28, 2012 Dr. Vanessa Noboa was critically injured after the ATV she was riding in Cabo, Mexico flipped over and pinned her head under the wheel. Noboa was an IAFP member and a Maternal Child Health Fellow and Faculty Development Fellow at PCC Wellness Center in Oak Park.  Colleagues say that she was a natural born leader who is very passionate about providing education and care to underserved communities.   We are very sorry to report that Dr. Noboa passed away on Saturday June 1 at the age of 30.

IAFP Co-sponsors CBHC Summer Celebration

Tuesday, June 18 from 5:30-7:30pm Reza's Restaurant 432 W. Ontario Ave. Chicago, IL

Tickets $50 - register today!

IAFP is proud to join the Campaign for Better Health Care in celebrating the progress made through the Affordable Care Act as we head towards further implementation in 2014. Special guests:  State Representatives Robyn Gabel and Sara Feigenholtz

Deadline June 28 for Tickets for the Annual Foundation White Sox game!

The 7^th Annual Home Runs for Healthy Families White Sox game for the IAFP's Foundation is July 24^th vs. the Detroit Tigers.  IAFP members and their friends and family can purchase LOWER BOX seats for $35 each (which is less than face value) and $15 of each ticket goes directly to support the Foundation. Link to the order form and reserve your tickets today!

Call for 2013 Resolutions

Have a great idea or a problem that needs an Academy solution?  The IAFP Task Force on Resolutions begins meeting July 9 to discuss resolutions for the AAFP Congress.  Please send resolutions to Gordana Krkic at gkrkic@iafp.com.  If you need help developing a resolution, you can find tips on the AAFP web site here. Resolutions for the Illinois Chapter Annual Meeting may also be submitted.  

Call for Board and Officer Nominations

The Leadership Development Task Force is seeking nominations for the IAFP board of directors in 2013-2014. Please send a cover email indicating willingness to serve, a resume and answers to the following questions:

 1.     Identify areas where you have skills, experience or interest (such as finance, public relations, health information technology, CME, GME, and/or government relations).2.     Describe how you can help IAFP further its mission. Please submit your letter of intention and your CV to IAFP Executive Vice President Vincent D. Keenan, CAE at vkeenan@iafp.com by Friday, August 2. We have three board slots for the class of 2015 (three-year term) and we are seeking a New Physician board member (less than seven years in practice) for a two-year term.  Nominations will also be accepted for the positions of 2^nd Vice President, 1^st Vice President, President-elect, and one Alternate Delegate and one Delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates (two-year terms). Questions? Contact David Hagan, MD, chair of the Leadership Development Task Force at djhmd80@yahoo.com or IAFP Executive Vice President Vince Keenan vkeenan@iafp.com.  

Link to May-June Issue of Illinois

Download the issue now.

IAFP Lunch & Learn for June

The Savvy Marketer's Approach to Building a Top-Notch Medical Practice Marketing Plan

Presented by: Sole Prete, Senior Associate, Health Directions, LLC.

Thursday, June 27, 2013, 12:00-1:00pm CST

Looking for a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute analysis of the crucial importance of patient satisfaction and effective marketing to the survival of the private medical practice? This program includes extensive references to proven, readily employable techniques to strengthen patient satisfaction and loyalty and help any practice advance its market penetration. This program will discuss why patient satisfaction has become so important operationally, professionally, and financially.

Key participant takeaways include:

* Proven ways to assess and enhance patient satisfaction

* How to address and correct problems

* Elements of a successful marketing plan which incorporate the use of electronic media

Register Online  

AAFP CME Webinar on Asthma Care

Monday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m. CDT

Presented by Len Fromer, MD, FAAFP and Christopher Webber, MD, 

"The Patient Journey: Implementing Excellence in Asthma Care". 

The webinar is designed to provide primary care physicians with simple solutions that can be incorporated into their practices immediately to improve asthma patient care. Participants will learn practical ways to improve patient care by creating motivated, engaged and informed patients. The webinar will also explore concepts that can improve patient activation, the quality of the patient-physician relationship, and creating a practice culture that supports improvement in asthma management. 

Registration is required

Diabetes is Primary Conference

June 22 in Chicago 

This FREE program is sponsored by the AMA with 5.75 CME credits and an option for subsequent quality improvement project.  Learn more here or visit their website at

July Lunch & Learn: Integrated Medication Management in Primary Care

Presented by: Mark Loafman, MD, Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Thursday, July 25, 2013, 12:00-1:00pm CST

Learning Objectives:

- Articulate how integrating clinical pharmacy services into an inter-professional care team can effectively overcome systems barriers to optimal care for patients with chronic conditions, with immediate results.

 - Translate the lessons learned from teamwork and accountability which are now commonly used in acute "rescue" care and complex, advance stage service lines to achieve the same level of accountability for primary and secondary prevention and treatment "upstream".

 - Describe the opportunities for, and approach to, achieving truly accountable care in both the patient centered medical home and the accompanying "medical neighborhood," or community of practice.

Register Online

CMS ICD-10 Webinar

June 20, 2013 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CDT

The transition to ICD-10 is required for everyone covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by October 1, 2014.

This event will allow you to learn more about:

1. Background and Impact of ICD-10 (CMS, HHS, and industry)

2. CMS ICD-10 Implementation

3. How CMS is Working with the States

4. How CMS is Partnering with Industry

5. Best Practices

6. Frequently Asked Questions

7. Resources and Contact Information

To register, go to: https://cms-icd10-centralwebinar.eventbrite.com

IOM Affordable Care Act Event

Join the Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) at its annual State of the Health of Chicago (SOHOC) on Monday, June 24 at 1:15 p.m. at the Union League Club of Chicago. Visit www.iomc.org  for the complete agenda and tickets or call (312) 663-0040. Tickets for members are $75 and non-members are $95. This year's topic is implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the greater Chicago area with keynote speaker Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. View the event flyer here

National Strategy Suicide Prevention Launch

SAMHSA is hosting a regional roll out of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention via webinar and live event at Northwestern Law School on Thursday morning, June 27.  Get more information here.

Midwest Dairy Council presents a free webinar

The Power Team: Combining Protein and Resistance Exercise for Effective Results

Thursday, June 27 from 1:00 - 2:00 ET (12:00 - 1:00 CT).

Sports dietitians Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN and Susan Kundrat, MS, RD, CSSD will discuss the state of protein intake among Americans, including current consumption patterns, recommendations for active adults, and the latest research on the powerful combination of high-quality protein and exercise. Space is limited - sign up today!

If you have a news item to share, email it to Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com.

SIU - Quincy Family Medicine was featured in a June 3 American Medical News article on preventing physician burnout.  Their system using medical assistant scribes for every patient visit drastically increases the time spent talking to patients and decreases the time spent behind a computer screen.

Chrisopher Udovich, MD is the new chief of staff at Silver Cross Hospital according to the June 5 Morris Daily Herald.

Archie Gracas, MD of Alton is featured in the June 7 Belleville News Democrat for his role in organizing a church mission trip to Minot, ND to rebuild homes damaged by flooding several years ago.

Jeff Ripperda, MD provides insight as to why men don't see the doctor often enough - and why they should - in honor of Men's Health Week in the June 9 issue of the Southern Illinoisan. 

Thomas Lee, MD is featured in a June 12 Joliet Herald News article advising parents how to prepare and pack for their kids heading to summer camps.

Ingrid Antonsen, MD has been named Christie Clinic's Physician of the Year for 2013.

Antonsen, head of the clinic's Family Medicine Department, has been a practicing physician at Christie Clinic for 18 years. The selection of Physician of the Year is determined by a vote of Christie team members.

William K. Faber, MD has joined Health Directions, a leading, national healthcare consulting firm, as Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Faber will lead the clinical initiatives for Health Directions' Population Health practice area and oversee the Health Directions Physicians Advisory Board.

Tony Miksanek, MD organized the first annual Kids Fun and Fitness Day on June 9, sponsored by the River to River Running Club and Southern Illinois Healthcare.  The IAFP's Family Health Foundation of Illinois donated Tar Wars pencils for the kids' goody bags.  Families and Community leaders from across the region participated. Check out the fantastic photos here.

Mark Rastetter, MD of Chicago was selected to receive a 2013 Pfizer Teacher Development Award based on his scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and dedication to family medicine. He is part-time faculty at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program.

Congratulations to SIU Springfield and UIC Family Medicine Interest Groups (FMIG) which have both been selected as 2013 Programs of Excellence by AAFP!  

Sign up for ILHIE Direct by June 30 for HIPPA-compliant communication

Did you know that exchanging protected health information via email and fax may not be HIPAA compliant? That's why thousands of healthcare professionals in Illinois are exchanging electronically with ILHIE Direct. The Illinois Health Information Exchange (ILHIE) is now offering ILHIE Direct at no cost through June 30, 2013. More information is available here.

2013 Assembly in San Diego | Get Connected, Up-to-date, and Inspired

Assembly is our opportunity to start family medicine's bright future. It's our time to share solutions and insight with other family physicians. And this year in San Diego promises to be the best yet. Join thousands of your colleagues for the 2013 AAFP Scientific Assembly, September 24-28, in San Diego.

See Assembly firsthand in this brief video shot onsite last year.

Take five days to learn, connect, and be inspired. Choose from 300-plus CME sessions and many other innovative ways to learn, share, and grow.

Register by August 21 to save up to $100.*                  

*This offer does not apply to Students, Residents, Inactive, or Life members.