Physician Well-being
Health Equity
The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) aims to support family physicians, resident physicians and medical students across Minnesota in bridging gaps in patient care, promoting health equity and addressing racism.
The resources/tools linked from this page are a starting point for exploring health equity topics inside and outside of clinic walls.
Health Equity Lens Tool
An MAFP goal is to promote health equity and anti-racism throughout all levels of the organization. One way that is achieved is through implementing an equity lens. View and download the Equity Lens Tool, developed by the MAFP Health Equity Committee.
This tool will help MAFP staff, leadership, volunteers and members evaluate internal and external policies and decisions to ensure that they are working towards equity. Help us know what is and isn’t helpful with this tool.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers online resources for Using a Health Equity Lens.
Implicit Bias Training
The EveryONE Project by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) offers Implicit Bias Training, educating physicians and their practice teams on the impact of unconscious bias and offers resources to help reduce its negative effects on patients.
The MAFP received a grant from the AAFP to adapt this training. A workgroup of faculty from the Health Equity Committee developed the training to assist clinicians in working to mitigate their own biases, as well as to think about how racism and other systemic barriers impact patients and how individuals can help in addressing them.
Implicit bias training is available for members and their clinical teams.
Interested in bringing a training to your clinic/site? Contact us and/or visit the AAFP’s Implicit Bias Resources page to find facilitator and participant guides, training presentations and more.
Health Equity Resources
Antiracism
- Representation & Visibility Matters: Working to Strengthen Care of Native & Indigenous Communities in Family Medicine (MAFP blog)
- Addressing Racism: Resources, Advocacy & Education for Family Docs (MAFP blog)
- Center for Diversity and Health Equity (AAFP)
- AAFP Virtual Town Hall: The Public Health Crisis of Racism (event featuring MAFP past President Renée Crichlow, MD, FAAFP, and MAFP CEO Maria Huntley, CAE, MAM)
- Institutional Racism in Medicine (Minnesota Physician)
Race in medicine
- End Race-Based Medicine (MAFP resolution)
- Race in Medicine Resources (MAFP blog)
- What’s Race Got to Do With It? (MAFP blog)
- The Problem With Race-Based Medicine (TED Talk)
- How False Beliefs in Physical Racial Difference Still Live in Medicine Today (NYT Article)
Reproductive health
- We Need Family Docs With Advanced OB Training (MAFP blog)
- Cesarean Delivery in Family Medicine (AAFP paper)
- Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP)
- UnRestrict Minnesota (Abortion care campaign)
- Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (CDC)
Workforce diversity
- The Financing of Medical Education: Socioeconomic, Racial Differences (MAFP blog)
- Seeking Physician Mentors for Underrepresented Pre-med Students (MAFP blog)
- Reimagining Graduate Medical Education (MAFP blog)
- Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (University of MN student group)
- Center of American Indian and Minority Health (CAIMH, University of MN)
Health care access and disparities
- Taking Action on Single-Payer Health Care (MAFP blog)
- Health Equity Impact Assessment Needed (MAFP blog)
- Adolescent Health & Health Equity (MAFP blog)
- The C.A.R.E. Clinic: Free Clinic in Red Wing With a One-Stop Shop Model of Care (MAFP blog)
- Emily Onello, MD, Profiles Rural Medical Educators (MAFP blog)
MAFP Health Equity Committee
At the 2018 MAFP House of Delegates, a resolution titled “Health Equity” was adopted. The resolution authors emphasized the role that family physicians play in providing care for Minnesota’s diverse communities and combating inequitable health outcomes. The resolution led to the forming of the Health Equity Task Force, which evolved into a full standing committee in 2021.
The Health Equity Committee’s purpose is to bring the health equity lens to the leadership, work and members of the MAFP. The committee ensures family physicians are working towards equitable health care for their patients and communities.
Convening ideas and principles include:
- Ensure equity is centered in all MAFP policies, education and training.
- Support more persons of color (and other underrepresented groups) in active membership and leadership of the MAFP.
- Add the family physician voice—and raise up voices from the community—to the public discussion of how to promote health equity in our clinical practices, institutions and communities through appropriate collaborations and coalitions.
CME speaker guidelines (developed by the Committee):
- Avoid heteronormativity.
- Use patient-/person-/community-/culture-centered language.
- Avoid using race as a proxy for biology or genetics; instead use the experience of racism when describing risk factors for disease.
- Highlight the impact(s) of systems/structures, when possible, to avoid blaming victims.
Family Medicine Obstetrics
Family physicians play an important role in access to maternity care, especially in underserved areas. Yet, recent survey data has shown that only 6.7% of practicing family doctors are performing deliveries.
We regularly hear from family physicians from across Minnesota about both the challenges and opportunities around providing obstetrical (OB) care, including the credentialing process and the need for expanded OB skills training.
A list of articles and resources to support family physicians in providing OB care follow.
From the Blog: Hear From Minnesota Family Docs on Family Medicine OB
- Family Medicine Obstetrics
Four Minnesota family physicians share about the importance of family medicine OB and the need for more support (fall 2023). - We Need Family Docs With Advanced OB Training
With the rise in maternal mortality in the U.S., advanced training in family medicine OB is needed now more than ever (fall 2021).
OB Credentialing & Privileging Self-Advocacy Guide for Family Physicians
AAFP Resources on Credentialing & Privileging:
- Hospital Privileging for Family Physicians
(provides a general overview of the credentialing and privileging process) - Privileges in Family Medicine Departments
(AAFP policy) - AAFP-ACOG Joint Statement on Cooperative Practice and Hospital Privileges
MAFP Resources on Credentialing & Privileging:
- Letter of Support
A resource letter for MAFP members to use with system administrators when seeking credentialing to provide obstetric care. Contact us if you would like the letter edited and/or directed to a specific contact.
- Powell J, Skinner C, Lavender D, Avery D, Leeper J. Obstetric care by family physicians and infant mortality in rural Alabama. J AM BOARD FAM MED. 2018;31(4):542 49. www.jabfm.org/content/jabfp/31/4/542.full.pdf
- Young RA. Maternity care services provided by family physicians in rural hospitals. J AM BOARD FAM MED. 2017;30(1):71-77. www.jabfm.org/content/30/1/71.short
- Aubrey-Bassler K, Cullen RM, Simms A, et al. Outcomes of deliveries by family physicians or obstetricians: a population-based cohort study using an instrumental variable. CMAJ. 2015;187(15):1125-1132. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4610835/
- Avery DM, Burgess K, McDonald JT, et al. Neonatal outcomes of 26,331 infants delivered by obstetrics fellowship trained family physicians and OB/Gyns. J FAM MED DIS PREV. 2015;1-3. clinmedjournals.org/articles/jfmdp/journal-of-family-medicine-and-disease-prevention-jfmdp-1-010.pdf
- Homan FF, Olson AL, Johnson DJ. A comparison of cesarean delivery outcomes for rural family physicians and obstetricians. J AM BOARD FAM MED. 2013;26(4):366-72. www.jabfm.org/content/26/4/366
- Runser LA, Short MW. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy by a family physician: a case series demonstrating health care savings. MIL MED. 2007;172(8):888-891. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17803085
- Deutchman ME, Sills D, Connor PD. Perinatal outcomes: a comparison between family physicians and obstetricians. J AM BOARD FAM PRACT. 1995;8(6):440-7. www.jabfm.org/content/jabfp/8/6/440.full.pdf
- Rodney WM, Hocutt JE Jr, Coleman WH, et al. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy by family physicians: a national multisite study of 717 procedures. J AM BOARD FAM PRACT. 1990;3(2):73-79. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2185609/
- Krikke EH, Bell NR. Relation of family physician or specialist care to obstetric interventions and outcomes in patients at low risk: a western Canadian cohort study. CMAJ. 1989;140(6):637-43. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1268753/
- Franks P, Eisinger S. Adverse perinatal outcomes: is physician specialty a risk factor?. J FAM PRACT. 1987;24(2):152-6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3806026
Know other resources that may help? Contact us.
Family Medicine OB Workgroup
In 2022, the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians created a Family Medicine OB Workgroup.
Among its goals, the workgroup aims to help medical students and family medicine residents see the possibilities for OB care in their future practices as well as to advocate for the support family physicians need to be able to practice OB.
Want to get involved in the MAFP’s advocacy efforts around family medicine OB? Contact us.