Committees
Communications/Awards Committee
Co-Chair: Lynn Fisher, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair: Cole Gillenwater, MD
The charter of this committee is to select our physician award winners and give input and participate in providing Physician Viewpoint and Member Spotlight articles for the Kansas Family Physician.
Volunteer type: Standing committee
Time commitment: Approximately four to six hours annually
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: August – April
Governmental Advocacy Committee
Co-Chair: Chad Johanning, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair: Erin Locke, MD, MPH,
The charter of this committee is to review health care legislation during the current legislative year and help make recommendations to formulate the Academy’s position on bills and in writing/presenting testimony. The committee is involved in proposing the Academy’s legislative agenda for the year. Committee members are encouraged to volunteer in the Family Doctor of the Day program. NEW THIS YEAR! The GAC will have a policy subcommittee, focused on proactively introducing legislation, collaborating with KAFP’s lobbyist during the legislative session and writing or presenting opposing or supporting testimony at the Statehouse on important issues affecting family physicians, primary care and/or patient health. Members of the subcommittee need to be technology-savvy and able to immediately respond to discussions during the legislative session from January to May.
Volunteer type: Standing committee
Time commitment: Approximately four hours annually
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: August – May
Membership & Member Services
Co-Chair: Allen Greiner, MD
Co-Chair: Tessa Rohrberg, MD
The charter of this committee is to provide retention and growth of KAFP membership and to address member needs and issues.
Volunteer type: Standing committee
Time commitment: Approximately four to six hours annually
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: August – May
Professional Development
Co-Chair: Beth Oller, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair: Jennifer Thuener, MD
The charter of this committee is to plan each year’s annual conference and other CME offerings.
NEW THIS YEAR! The PDC will have an expert subcommittee, that will be engaged on an as-needed basis on a variety of topics. You may be asked to review CME a partner organization is offering to present to our members, craft or review policy statements or positions on public health topics or represent KAFP as an expert on topics such as maternal health, communicable disease, pediatric care or mental health. Although this is an as-needed subcommittee, you will be asked to be immediately available when called so checking your email regularly is helpful.
Volunteer type: Standing committee
Time commitment: Approximately six to 10 hours annually
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: August – November; additional hours to moderate sessions during Fam Med Forward
Governance Restructure Task Force
Chair: Chad Johanning, MD, FAAFP
The charter of this task force is to review the current board structure, committee structure, nominating and elections process, and develop recommendations to restructure the current volunteer succession process. The goal is to allow the KAFP to be more nimble in making decisions, engage a broader group of members and develop members into future board leaders of the Academy. Student and resident participation is encouraged on this task force.
Volunteer type: Project-oriented task force; ending approximately December 2022
Time commitment: Approximately seven to 10 hours annually
Meets: via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: Currently meets every four to eight weeks
Implicit Bias Training Task Force
Co-Chair: Allen Greiner, MD
Co-Chair: Colleen Loo-Gross, MD, MPH
Implicit bias has been demonstrated as pervasive among all health care providers and as having deleterious effects on patient health. However, formal medical education and training is often void of content that provides a framework for identifying and mitigating implicit biases in clinical practice. Recently, the KAFP was awarded a grant from AAFP to host implicit bias training for its members and healthcare employers in Kansas. We seek members who are well-versed in implicit bias (have an understanding of it and the impact on quality healthcare), have received implicit bias training and/or have taught implicit bias training to help develop four to six webinars on this topic , which launched during Fam Med Forward 2021 and will culminate in a panel discussion during Fam Med Forward 2022.
Volunteer type: Project-oriented workgroup; ending approximately June 2022
Time commitment: Approximately four hours
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: July – June
Rural Health Summit Task Force
Co-Chair: Jennifer Bacani McKenney, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair: Jeremy Presley, MD, FAAFP
The KAFP is one of five chapters awarded a grant through AAFP to host a Rural Health Summit this year. The AAFP initiative commits to helping improve rural health across the country and aims at influencing issues related to rural health. This workgroup will convene subject matter experts on rural health to develop a plan that takes action on addressing the most pressing issues facing their rural communities. Learn more about the initiative here. Our Rural Health Summit Workgroup will work with the Colorado chapter to define learning objectives aligned with and identify presenters for a one-day conference to take place Oct. 13-15, 2021 in Colorado Springs, CO. Covered topics will include:
- Physician recruitment and utilizing innovative and collaborative care teams
- Use of technology to provide obstetric and gynecological care
- Medicaid and the impact on hospital finances
- How to engage other specialties to support your community
- Affecting local, state and federal legislation
- The impact medical schools can have on improving patient health in rural communities
Volunteer type: Project-oriented workgroup; ending approximately December 2021
Time commitment: Approximately six to 10 hours
Meets: Via video conference/teleconference typically over the lunch hour or early evening during the week
Time frame: July-October
Finance (Inactive)
Finance Committee develops the yearly budget, reviews investments, dues, grants and insurance.
Practice Enhancement (Inactive)
This committee addresses practice transformation, scope of practice, credentialing, integration of technology into practice, improved reimbursement, ACOs, third party payer relations/issues, and payment reform.