The Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians

existsto promote and support Louisiana’s family physicians

in providing excellent health care service and leadership

The Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians (LAFP) was founded in 1948. It is designated as a 501(c)6 by the Internal Revenue Service and is a medium size chapter (401 – 1,001 Active members) of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

LAFP Capacity Analysis

The LAFP has 1,715 total members (as of March, 2015) which includes 945 Active members representing approximately 76% of the market share in Louisiana. This is an increase of 25 Active members since March, 2014.The retention rate for Active members is 94%. There are 143 Resident members which represents an increase of 6 Resident members since March, 2014. The Academy recognizes the importance of engaging first-year new physicians and offers a 50% discount to this member segment. 80% of LAFP graduating Resident members converted to Active members and remained a member a year later. The LAFP dues are $275 and were last raised in 2010 from $225.

The LAFP operating budget is $484,820 with $300,000 in reserves. The amount in reserves represents 62% of the expense budget. The Center for the American Society of Association Executives(ASAE) recommends associations retain at least 50% of the next year’s projected operating expenses budget in reserves. Membership dues account for $239,660 which is 50% of the budget. The association standard is to hold membership dues revenue to 50% - 60% of the total revenue budget. The Academy maintains a strong level of non-dues revenue.

The LAFP Board of Directors is comprised of:

-President

-President-Elect

-Immediate Past President

-Vice President

-Secretary

-Treasurer

-Speaker of the General Assembly

-Vice-Speaker of the General Assembly

-Two (2) AAFP Delegates (or Alternate Delegates)

-One (1) member (Director or Alternate Director) from each of the ten (10) geographic districts

-One (1) member (Director or Alternate Director) from the at large membership

-One (1) member from the resident membership

-One (1) member from the student membership

The Academy is led by long term, experienced Executive Vice President, Ragan LeBlanc.

The Academy structure includes five committees:

  1. Legislative & Membership
  2. Education
  3. Operations
  4. Nominations
  5. Resident & Student Leadership

Additional work is conducted by work groups which reflects the current trend in association structure.

Planning Session

The strategic planning session was held at the LAFP office on April 11, 2015. The following chapter leaders participated in the planning session:

Melvin Bourgeois, MDPresident

James Taylor, MDVice President

Chris Foret, MDSecretary

Derek Anderson, MDSpeaker/GA

James Campbell, MDAAFP Alternate Delegate

Mary Coleman, MDDirector, District 1

William Woessner, MDAlternate Director, District 1

Tobe Momah, MDAlternate Director, District 5

Richard Bridges, MDAlternate Director, District 6B

Alan Broussard, MDLafayette Residency Program

Luther Euil, MDMonroe Residency Program

Mark Dawson, MDPast President

Ragan LeBlancExecutive Vice President

LeeAnn AlbertMembership & Education Director

Clay CocoEvent & Communications Coordinator

Mary DuCoteAdministrative Assistant

The planning session was facilitated by Nancy Laughlin, CAE, American Academy of Family Physicians.

Mission Statement

The mission statement creates an internal and external image of the association which distinguishes the organization from other associations. The planning participants amended the mission statement to more closely reflect the purpose of the organization:

Mission Statement (Existing):

To promote and support Louisiana’s family physicians in providing excellent health care and to provide its members with continuing medical education opportunities.

Mission Statement (Amended):

To promote and support Louisiana’s family physicians in providing excellent health care, service and leadership.

2015 – 2018 Goals

The Board of Directors set five broad goals spanning three years. The plan will be reviewed for progress annually and used by the president-elect to set the work plan. Committee efforts will support the plan’s goals and strategies.

  1. Advocacy

Preserve and strengthen the leadership of family medicine

  1. Practice Support

Provide support to members in fulfilling their practice and career goals

  1. Education

Provide high quality education for family physicians in all practice styles

  1. Membership & Communications

Ensure relationship with members is relevant, valued and communicated

  1. Operations

Maintain a strong, sustainable Academy accountable for supporting the membership

  1. Advocacy

Preserve and strengthen the leadership of family medicine

  1. Set legislative priorities that strengthen the practice environment for family physicians related to workforce issues, payment reform, and scope of practice
  2. Partner with affiliate organizations to promote the advancement of primary care
  3. Host lobbyist meeting prior to the legislative session
  4. Educate legislators on challenges in family medicine
  5. Create and share infographics
  6. Consider providing customized communications to legislators
  7. Enhance reputation as the recognized expert on issues impacting primary care
  8. Host legislative events, e.g. White Coat Day, Legislative and Advocacy Training, and Legislative Socials
  9. Participate in AAFP State Legislative Conference
  10. Participate in AAFP Family Medicine Congressional Conference
  11. Increase PAC donations to the LAFP Political Action Committee (PAC) to $20,000
  12. Identify LAFP PAC physician champion
  1. Practice Support

Support members in fulfilling their practice and career goals

  1. Provide access to practice management resources
  2. Provide contract negotiation tools
  3. Educate members on coding
  4. Assist members in managing regulatory hurdles
  5. Explore use of member platform to share topics of interest (listservs)
  6. Expand opportunities for undergraduates, medical students, and residents to learn about trends in practice structure, work-life balance, and the support structures in family medicine
  7. Develop partnerships with affiliate organizations in an effort to identify mutual goals, e.g. LMGMA
  8. Explore core needs of practice styles
  9. Conduct focus groups at annual meeting
  1. Education

Provide high quality education for family physicians in all practice styles

  1. Offer education that attracts the maximum number of physicians and allied health providers
  2. Routinely query members about the areas of practice where they most need continuing education
  3. Include practice management education at annual meeting, e.g. sessions on contract negotiation, ICD-10, PQRS
  4. Ensure CME offerings are tailored to both employed physicians and those in independent practice, e.g. separate tracks at Annual Assembly, up-to-date Web-based, hot topic clinical CME based on needs assessments
  5. Ensure LAFP provides necessary resources to train family physicians for new federally- mandated licensing requirements, e.g. the certification examination for providers who perform physical examinations of CDL drivers
  6. Educate members on best practices of preceptors
  7. Consider providing incentives for meeting attendees to stay for General Assembly
  8. Include legislative updates
  1. Membership & Communication

Ensure relationship with members is relevant, valued and communicated

  1. Serve as the essential resource for the professional success of family physicians as leaders of the growing primary care workforce
  2. Explore additional communication tools for use during committee meetings in disseminating information to the membership
  3. Prepare and enable members for leadership opportunities within LAFPhealthcare teams, organized medicine, and their communities
  4. Explore opportunities for a leadership academy for students, residents and newphysicians.
  5. Develop outreach plan
  6. Explore family physician appearance on news stations
  7. Promote value of membership to residents in first three years
  8. Utilize residency coordinators for communication
  9. Optimize the infrastructure of LAFP in anticipation of changes in the healthcare environment
  10. Develop timeline for membership satisfaction survey
  11. Assess the value of the current General Assembly
  12. Work with students at all levels of education to enhance the primary care workforce
  13. Work with the following organizations to establish or support a new student interest group: Ochsner, Chabert, UMC-Lafayette and other hospitals
  1. Operations

Maintain a strong, sustainable Academy accountable for supporting the membership

  1. Ensure governance structure relevant
  2. Geographic representation
  3. Quorum size
  4. Board size
  5. Explore timeline of dues increase
  6. Explore alternate venues for summer meeting
  7. Explore conducting regional meetings

LAFP 2015 – 2018 Strategic Plan ReportPage 1