Utah Academy of Family Physicians Celebrates National Family Medicine Week
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Sept. 30, 2024
Maryann Martindale
CEO, Utah Academy of Family Physicians
martindalemm@utahafp.org
Utah Academy of Family Physicians Celebrates National Family Medicine Week
Salt Lake City, UT — The Utah Academy of Family Physicians celebrates National Family Medicine Week and thanks the family physicians, residents, and medical students in Utah for their commitment to improving access to primary care for all. In honor of National Family Medicine Week, Governor Spencer Cox also declared September 29 – October 5, 2024 as Utah Family Medicine Week.
Utah Family Medicine Week is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of family physicians in Utah and a reminder of the urgent need for sustained investment in primary care.
“Family Physicians are the heart and soul of healthcare. They are the first point of contact and often the last point of defense. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate the vital role they play in our lives,” said Maryann Martindale, CEO of the Utah Academy of Family Physicians.
Family physicians make up most of the primary care physician workforce and closely mirror the geographic distribution of the U.S. population. Family physicians often serve in rural and underserved urban communities, treating a more diverse population of patients than any other medical specialty. As leaders in their communities, family physicians have an important role in raising awareness about health disparities, managing chronic and acute conditions, and improving health outcomes while lowering costs.
“This week and every week we celebrate the family physicians who are doing the difficult and rewarding work of improving our health care system for all,” said Jen Brull, MD, FAAFP, president, American Academy of Family Physicians. “Family physicians are teachers, coaches, connectors, and trailblazers. They create safe spaces for patients and their communities and are uniquely equipped to advocate for policies that deliver for patients and recognize the invaluable services primary care physicians provide.”
Amid a shifting health care landscape and increasing practice challenges, family physicians have continually risen to meet the health care needs of their patients and communities. That’s why it’s more important than ever for sustained investment in primary care.
In Utah, especially in our rural communities, family physicians do it all, from obstetrics to pediatrics and from adult well-care to geriatrics. Family medicine is the broadest of all specialties and it is critical that we provide support and opportunities for future family physicians.
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The Utah Academy of Family Physicians is the largest single physician specialty organization in Utah with over 1200 members including practicing family physicians, residents, and medical students. The vision of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Utah Chapter: To transform health care to achieve optimal health for everyone. The mission of the Utah Academy of Family Physicians: To improve the health of all Utahns by advocating for and serving the professional needs of family physicians.