Public Health
We are focused on improving the health of the public with a robust collaboration between family physicians and stakeholders.
Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity
Health starts in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities. Family physicians see the connections between health and the condition of patients’ environments every day. Where we can work to affect the social determinants of health – we do! See these resources to apply in your practice and community.
The Washington Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP) stands with our national organization, the American Academy of Family Physicians, in condemning all forms of racism, especially anti-Black racism, which is a public health crisis and one of the strongest contributors to health and social inequities. Furthermore, the WAFP calls out law enforcement violence as a public health issue disproportionately affecting Blacks and other people of color and marginalized populations. No one should live in constant fear of harm and death because of their race. Black lives and communities matter, and we recognize how racism and police violence negatively impact our members, patients, and communities.
As family physicians, we are uniquely committed to comprehensively caring for the physical and psychological well-being of individuals in the context of their families and communities. We are well aware of the long-standing and severe effects that systemic racism has caused for Blacks and other people of color over centuries, which has led to disproportionately high rates of diabetes, heart disease, infant mortality, and recently, COVID-19, among many other health conditions. Moreover, we acknowledge that as participants in the healthcare system, we have played a role in contributing to these inequities. We commit to actively working to dismantle racism and to eliminate inequities through focused advocacy, collaborations and conversations with other healthcare organizations and community partners, member education, and efforts to develop a diverse physician workforce reflective of the populations we serve.
We look forward to engaging with our members and the greater community to collectively work towards achieving our vision: Thriving family physicians, and healthy people and communities throughout Washington State.
Health Equity Town Hall Event with AAFP’s Danielle Jones – 7/28
We hope you were able to join us on 7/28 for our online Town Hall event, “Health Equity and Why It is Important for Family Physicians.”
This event opened the conversation around our current focus on anti-racism and how we as an organization can support these efforts across our state.
Our speaker was Danielle Jones, Director of Diversity and Health Equity for the AAFP. She was joined by Dr. Lillian Wu, WAFP President and other members of WAFP leadership.
Danielle brought us up to date on current AAFP policies, educational initiatives, and tools for health equity and anti-racism work in our organization, and for all of us in our practices and individual lives. She also covered the implications of this work as it specifically relates to patient care and health outcomes.
We’re honored to have had Danielle join us!
Here is a link to the recording of the event.
Please reach out to us at info@wafp.net if you’d like to get involved with our anti-racism work and planning!
Rewatch the WAFP Coffee and Discussion on impacts of COVID-19.
The EveryONE Project by the AAFP offers a collection of tools and resources to use at the point of care to tackle your patients' social determinants of health.
The Washington State Department of Health offers these resources:
Local Health Jurisdictions and Tribal Health Information
There are significant gaps in the provision of mental health care services in the US, especially related to vulnerable populations. Family physicians are well-equipped to provide mental health services and are one of the primary sources for mental health care. The following free, state-funded consultation programs can help in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health and/or substance use conditions.
- UW Psychiatry Consult Line: The Psychiatry Consultation Line (PCL) helps prescribing providers seeking clinical advice regarding adult patients (18+) with mental health and/or substance use disorders. Prescribing providers can call 877-927-7924 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Partnership Access Line (PAL): The Partnership Access Line (PAL) supports primary care providers with questions about child and adolescent mental health care. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are available to consult by calling 866-599-7257.
- PAL for Moms: Partnership Access Line (PAL) for Moms provides perinatal mental health consultation, recommendations and referrals for providers caring for pregnant or postpartum patients.. Any physician or other provider in Washington state can access the service by calling 877-725-4666 (PAL4MOM).
- Centers for Disease Control: Annual Regular Immunization Schedules for Children
- Washington State Department of Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Healthcare Providers
Finding the information you need for adolescent care can be challenging. Here, we provide resources and educational material you may need.
Latest information for family physicians on COVID-19: