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Live from AAFP National Conference

Kudos to the 18 Illinois Family Medicine Residency programs in the exhibit hall and to all the resident and student attendees here in Kansas City this weekend!  Twitter users can follow the action using #AAFPNC.  AAFP Vice Speaker Javette Orgain, MD is tweeting @JavetteOrgainMD, too. Thanks to everyone who makes this conference such a great event!  Look for updates and more photos in the next e-News and September issue of Illinois Family Physician.

Prepare to pass your ABFM Boards with comprehensive, evidence-based live course developed by and for family physicians.

AAFP Family Medicine Board Review Express™ Live Course in Chicago (Rosemont, IL)

Attend a three-and-a-half day live course with your colleagues to review the evidence-based principles of family medicine and learn effective test-taking strategies.Register today.

As an AAFP Member, you can save big on Board Review resources from the AAFP.   IAFP staff will also be on hand with state chapter information and opportunities!

BONUS OPPORTUNITIES Stay for SAM Working Group sessions, Coronary Artery Disease on September 20 and Childhood Illness on September 21.

The Chicago Department of Public Health has declared that "Nobody quits like Chicago!" and will ramp up smoking cessation awareness that week.  Join them and help your patients quit for good.  Find resources on

www.MyTimetoQuit.com!  Chicago members can expect to get many updates in their email inboxes next week!

Check out the AAFP guest editorial by Dr. Adam Goldstein, which lays out the reasons to keep working with patients and the easy steps to get started.  Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your efforts and the medications are covered services in most health plans. 

REPEAT Proposal for a New Member Group Supporting Single-payer Coverage

Alap Shah, MD, a new family physician from Oak Park, has a strong interest in advocating for single-payer health care (or 'Improved Medicare for All'), and wishes to start a member interest group to foster this discussion within the IAFP, and ultimately the AAFP.  With the recent implementation of the ACA, and legislative discussions at all levels about its successes and failures, it's an opportune time to discuss a system that he believes will truly provide affordable, accessible, and equitable health care for all.  If you are interested, or would like to know more, please contact Dr. Shah directly at alap.pradip.shah@gmail.com.   

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

Congratulations to Illinois members earning the degree of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (FAAFP) in July.

Michael Kevin Rakotz, MD, FAAFP

Deborah L Winiger, MD, FAAFP

Tim Ott, DO of Quincy was interviewed on tape Friday Aug, 1 and live on WGEM-TV morning show on Monday Aug. 4 discussing the predicted primary care physician shortage, what can be done to avoid it and how SIU-Quincy Family Medicine Residency program trains and retains family physicians in the community. 

Family medicine collaborative event - Family Medicine Midwest 2014 - October 10-12 in Minneapolis!

 How can you contribute to the success of the event?  

Attend the event and share in the Joy of Midwest Family Medicine.  Networking and learning opportunities are everywhere, from the pre-conferences to the closing research presentation!  Information, the schedule and online registration are all available on the conference web site at www.iafp.com/fmm

Donate to the scholarship fund:

State Update

Community Health Worker bill signed, Advisory Board to form

Governor Pat Quinn signed CHW HB5412 establishing a process and role for Community Health Workers (CHW) in Illinois. The act calls for the Illinois Department of Public Health to establish and appoint the Illinois Community Health Worker Advisory Board. Membership applications for the Advisory Board are now being accepted, view the application here.

There are three possible positions that IAFP members might apply for:  physician, for a public health professional and for an employer of community health workers.  The application will be due in early September, although the State has not set a definite deadline as of this writing.

230 Q&As about the Medicaid Managed Care Rollout

HFS released their 53-page document answering 230 questions (categorized) from the HFS Webcast on the procedures for enrollment and general managed care roll-out.  The link is on the HFS care coordination webpage and answers many specific questions from providers.

Medicaid provider updates on pregnant women

Medicaid providers recently received a provider notice from HFS regarding Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility for pregnant women. This notice was intended to ensure that all providers who see pregnant women are aware of their coverage, eligibility and do not delay in seeing the patient.  

Federal Update

AAFP Summary of CMS rules for Medicare Payment 2015 Schedule

AAFP condenses hundreds of pages into this handy 12-page summary.  

AAFP launches Medicaid parity call to action on Speak Out

On July 30, Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced S. 2694, which would extend the Medicaid payment hike for two more years.  AAFP supports the bill to continue enhanced Medicaid payments and work towards a permanent solution.  Please use the simple Speak Out template letter to urge Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk to support the bill. 

Click here for full information on each of the positions listed below:

Assistant Professor (2) - SIU Quincy and Carbondale

Assistant Professor & Asst. Chair of Geriatrics Program - SIU Springfield

Private Practice - North Shore

Medical Director - Friend Family Health Center in Chicago

Central IL Opportunities through AIMS Physician Recruiting

Advocate Lutheran General Family Medicine Residency

UIC Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency

Faculty position opening

Prime Care Community Health

Multiple positions available with teaching opportunities

PCC Wellness Center

PCC has openings for physicians at their clinics on the Near West Side and in Oak Park

 Access all our FREE self-study CME that meets your needs! Log on at with www.iafp.com/education

Presented by: Kate Rowland, MD, MS, Faculty, Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency Clinical assistant professor, University of Chicago Editor-in-Chief, Priority Updates from the Research Literature

August 28, 2014, 12:00-1:00PM CST

- Briefly describe what a PURL is and where they come from

- Explain several examples of articles from the research literature and how they pertain to primary care practice

California AFP Webinar on Opioid Prescribing

California Academy of Family Physicians CO*RE ER/LA Opioid REMS :  Achieving Safe Use While Improving Patient Care live Webinar (given at four remaining times, beginning September 23):

You can visit the series landing page here to find registration links to all the webinars. 

These 90-minute webinars meet the FDA requirements for ER/LA opioid risk evaluation and mitigation strategies [REMS], and include a wide range of topics relevant to your practice and patients. The webinars include the latest evidence-based information and practical tools you will put immediately to use, and much more. Upon completion of the assessment and evaluation you will receive 1.5 AAFP Prescribed credits, and receive both the faculty slides and additional resources you can use to improve your care of patients.

SPEAKER OPPORTUNITY

FOID Mental Health Reporting

IAFP is looking for a family physician who has a presentation or would be willing to develop a presentation for our membership regarding the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Mental Health Reporting System.

If you are interested in presenting to IAFP members, please contact Sara Ortega, Education and Accreditation Manager, at sortega@iafp.com. For additional FOID information, please visit the IL Department of Human Services website.

Ten Steps Forward: Building Momentum on the Baby-Friendly Pathway in Illinois

September 11 in Springfield

This conference is intended for anyone in Illinois who is working on or interested in pursuing Baby-Friendly designation for their hospital, or who is interested in supporting Baby-Friendly in their community. Please see the flyer for more information or follow this link to go directly to the registration page:  www.tinyurl.com/TenStepsForwardIL

Thanks to funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health's We Choose Health Initiative, the registration fee for this conference is only $10, which will cover lunch and refreshments.