Health is Primary Educates, Advocates in Nationwide Tour

Family physicians can tell story after story to illustrate why primary care is the most important part of a well-designed health care system, and thanks to the three-year Health is Primary campaign that Family Medicine for America's Health (FMAHealth) launched in 2015, the rest of the country is hearing plenty of those examples.

The campaign's message is aimed at patients, payers, policymakers and purchasers. It is built around the stories of physicians who have found new ways of helping their patients by employing alternative care and payment models, successful advocacy and thoughtful partnerships. Inherent in these stories are innovations that physicians can apply in their own practices, ranging from ideas for improving small-group visits to local political tactics that may reduce smoking rates.

In panel discussions led by documentary filmmaker and reporter T.R. Reid, Health is Primary has been making the case that a strong primary care system will let family physicians deliver on the triple aim of better health, better care delivery and lower costs, all while adding to physician satisfaction. The national tour began in Seattle in March and then moved on to Raleigh, N.C.; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Denver and Detroit. The campaign will continue across the country with various events over the next two years.