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AAFP’s prescription for primary care success in 2025
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By helping family physicians, the new Congress and administration would bolster health care across the nation.
What can the 119th Congress do to strengthen primary care across the United States?
A lot, and changes for the better can’t come soon enough, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
This month, Academy Board Chair Steven Furr, MD, FAAFP, sent a letter outlining at least 20 ways legislators could improve family medicine for doctors and patients. Foremost: “Recognizing the Value of Primary Care.”
“Primary care serves as the foundation of a strong health care system, involving but not limited to the provision of preventive care, chronic disease and acute care management, and continuity of care,” Furr wrote. “Recognizing its value is crucial for improving health outcomes, reducing health care costs, and enhancing patient satisfaction.”
Simply put, more preventive health care provided by family physicians leads to total lower health care costs, with fewer hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and premature deaths, Furr’s letter said.
“More resources and support are needed to ensure that our nation appropriately values primary care for what it is: the bedrock of our health care system,” Furr said.
This slideshow presents a dozen of AAFP’s recommendations under four headings. All data come the Academy, and Furr’s full letter is posted here.
