Mission & Strategic Plan Panel

To be the voice of Family Physicians by promoting the value of the specialty of family medicine and improving health for all through advocacy, education and action.

Vision

IAFP will:

1. Exercise stewardship through fiscal and operational accountability;
2. Advocate for family physicians with the challenges they face in practice and with the needs of their patients;
3. Collaborate pro-actively to increase awareness of our advocacy
4. Improve the health care system
5. Support and strengthen family medicine's workforce
6. Promote professional development of family physicians
7. Aspire to have equitable representation of those underrepresented or under-powered in medicine. 

IAFP Strategic Plan

ABOUT FAMILY MEDICINE
Family medicine's cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focusing on integrated care. Unlike other specialties that are limited to a particular organ or disease, family medicine integrates care for patients of both genders and every age, and advocates for the patient in a complex health care system. Family physicians provide pre-natal care through end of life care and often treat generations of members of the same family.

ABOUT THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN
Family physicians are truly the foundation of our health care system. As our nation's population grows and ages, no other specialty is better prepared to meet these needs. Ninety percent of U.S. family physicians treat Medicare patients, providing their ongoing primary care and coordinating needed specialty care. Today, family physicians provide the majority of care for America's underserved rural and urban populations. In fact, family physicians are distributed more proportionally to the U.S. population than any other physician specialty. Without family physicians, rural and underserved populations, in particular, would lack access to primary care.

Because of their extensive training, family physicians are the only specialists qualified to treat most ailments and provide comprehensive health care for people of all ages - from newborns to seniors. Additionally, family physicians complete a rigorous re-certification process every seven years. AAFP members are required to complete 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years to maintain their memberships. These measures ensure that family physicians are current and comprehensive in caring for patients throughout the life spectrum.

Strategic Plan (Updated 2022)

Mission: To be the voice of Illinois Family Physicians by promoting the value of the specialty of Family Medicine in Illinois and improving health for all through advocacy, education, and professional growth. 

Vision: Family physicians thriving in a healthcare environment that enables them to provide safe, quality, equitable care for every person in Illinois. 

Goal 1. Improve the practice environment for family physicians

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Pursue legislative advocacy with a clear agenda, including the following key advocacy areas

1. Transparency of family medicine working and employment conditions and reimbursement throughout Illinois.
2. Advocacy for appropriate virtual practice options. 

• Create a repository of resources for employed physicians and those seeking employment in Illinois.
• Formulate a position on family physician collaboration with NPs/PAs and other clinicians in the primary care space.

Goal 2. Reduce administrative burden in the practice of medicine

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Pursue advocacy efforts specific to this challenge.
• Identify and pursue strategic partnerships with organizations sharing this goal.
• Develop, acquire, or inventory high quality practice management resources and tools for member use.
• Provide resources specific to pandemic recovery and practice operation support. 
• Assess member administrative burden at least annually.

Goal 3. Develop and promote high-quality continuing medical education

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Establish the practice of family medicine and high-quality patient care at the center of all continuing medical education offerings.
• Collaborate with medical groups, hospital systems, payers, family medicine groups, and primary care partners throughout Illinois to provide continuing medical education.
• Provide virtual opportunities for continuing medical education.
• Offer continuing medical education required for Illinois licensure as a member benefit.
• Provide physician leadership development within the scope of the mission of the IAFP.

Goal 4. Serve as a primary source of professional networking opportunities

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Host Member Interest Groups with clear expectations for Member Interest Group creation, funding, and ongoing engagement with the IAFP
• Create topic-specific opportunities for member engagement, such as individual member connection, online forums, time-limited task force participation, and other avenues to solicit expertise/shared interest
• Improve member perception of connection to and relevance of the IAFP. This will be accomplished through member outreach events, engagement surveys, and ad hoc task forces or committees created to specifically address membership growth and retention.

Goal 5. Achieve equitable representation across demographics within IAFP leadership and membership, as well as at IAFP events

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Identify important areas of representation.  
• Establish mechanisms for improving and sustaining diversity across opportunities within the IAFP, as well as externally facing programming or nomination/sponsorship opportunities. 
• Ensure diversity and inclusion efforts are a part of regular communications to members. 
• Implement additional opportunities for member comment and open forum for debate and discussion. 

Goal 6. Seek sustainable funding sources and mission-focused sources for non-dues revenues

To achieve this goal, the IAFP will:

• Develop a sustainable, mission-compatible plan for non-dues revenues.
• Pursue external funding opportunities which include partnerships with other organizations and businesses
• Pursue not-for-profit, federal, regional, and local grant funding

(Adopted April 2022)