Committees

2022-23 Volunteer Applications Now Open!

Looking for a way to get more involved with your Academy?  KAFP is pleased to invite members to volunteer to serve on one of our active committees and/or new task forces listed below. Through committee/task force involvement you can provide input on Academy activities and help advance the mission of the KAFP.

  1. Review the committees and task forces description of their work below.
  2. Submit your volunteer application to be considered for an appointment.
  3. KAFP will be in touch regarding your committee appointment in the Fall.

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.