2011

Pharmavite, LLC, a consistent supporter of the Physicians With Heart (PWH) airlift, has donated funds to the Foundation that will allow a family medicine resident the opportunity to participate in this year’s PWH Airlift to Kyrgyzstan. The AAFP Foundation received over 20 applications and with Pharmavite’s support, the Foundation will be able to offer two scholarships this year. This year’s PWH Scholars are Drs. Maurice Lee and Karl Metzger.

This scholarship will cover all transportation and in-country expenses and will give the residents the opportunity to:

• Tour recipient hospitals;
• Share medical knowledge in a medical symposia with in-country physicians;
• Meet government officials/business leaders associated with the project;
• Participate in a special Children's Project at local orphanages; and
• Enjoy the culture and experience of being in a developing country

 Learn more about this year’s trip to Kyrgyzstan. If you like to find out how to donate and attend this year’s Reception, please contact Lori Foley, Director, Strategic Partnerships at (913)906-6221.

For the past 17 years, Welch Allyn has been a unfailing supporter of the Physicians With Heart (PWH) airlift.

In honor of the 20th mission, Welch Allyn has agreed to provide the PWH team with otoscopes, stethoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, sphygmomanometers and blood pressure cuffs for adults and children, which will be used by the PWH Delegation of family medicine physicians for training purposes, and will later be donated to hospitals and clinics in rural settings throughout Kyrgyzstan.

In addition, the International Networking Meeting and Physicians With Heart Reception that will be held during the AAFP’s Scientific Assembly will include a historical look back at the PWH trips of years past in honor of the 20th mission.

Learn more about this year’s trip to Kyrgyzstan. If you like to find out how to donate and attend this year’s Reception, please contact Lori Foley, Director, Strategic Partnerships at (913)906.6221.

On Thursday June 2, the AAFP Foundation hosted a robust dialogue at the Behavioral Economics Roundtable on Diabetes in Washington, DC. Moderated by AAFP Foundation president Dr. Rich Roberts, the event gathered over 30 prominent primary care physicians, diabetologists, behavioral economists, policymakers and diabetes stakeholders to explore applications of behavioral economics to diabetes management and care.

The Roundtable comes at a time when behavioral economics continues to gain traction in the medical and policy arenas as an important tool in the management of chronic diseases, of which diabetes is an alarmingly prevalent example. For many people who have diabetes, the simple long-term benefits of healthy behaviors are not enough to provoke changes in unhealthy present-day habits. In reality, an intricate web of social, psychological, economic and biological factors play into individuals’ health decisions.

As Roundtable participants worked to tackle these deeply complex issues, several themes emerged:

• There is no single magic bullet for diabetes care. Multiple interventions that bring about small change across several clinical and lifestyle measures might be an effective and realistic way of changing behavior gradually.
• Diabetes care, education and policy should take better account of the community and cultural contexts that condition people’s behavior and choices. Additionally, the link from medical care to active social support should be strengthened.
• A broad systems perspective might help in thinking about policy responses to the growing diabetes epidemic. The incentives that influence the behaviors of health care professionals, health care payers, policymakers and families all affect patients’ health decisions.

Please check the Foundation’s Web site in the coming weeks for a Thought Paper that will elaborate in more detail on the topics discussed at the Roundtable.

The Behavioral Economics Roundtable on Diabetes was made possible with support from Sanofi US