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Press Room
These press releases, biographies, links, publications, and resources have been gathered from feature articles and other sources published by and about the Karen L. Smith, MD, PA Family Practice. They are intended to provide you with helpful information. Please call us to set up an appointment to discuss any questions you may have about these or any other topic.
New member of the AAFP Board of Directors
Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP, a family physician in Raeford, North Carolina, is a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The AAFP represents 133,500 physicians and medical students nationwide. As an AAFP board member, Smith advocates on behalf of family physicians and patients to inspire positive change in the US health care system. Read the full article.
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Symposium | November 21-22, 2019
Vital Directions for Health and Health Care: The North Carolina Experience In anticipation of the Presidential election and the entry of a new Administration, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) launched the Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Initiative in 2016, which convened more than 150 leading researchers, scientists, and policy makers to provide expert guidance on 19 priority issues for U.S. health policy. The resulting, publication presented a framework for achieving better health and well-being, high-value health care, and strong science and technology for the nation. As an extension of the Vital Directions for Health and Health Care initiative, we are turning our attention to the all-important state level, beginning with a symposium in North Carolina.
The symposium, “Vital Directions for Health and Healthcare: The North Carolina Experience”, will be held November 21-22, 2019 at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Durham, NC, and will provide a platform for understanding the status of health and health care at the state level within the context of the NAM Vital Directions initiative.
The panel topics are oriented around the streamlined framework resulting from the 2016 Vital Directions publication – a core set of eight strategic action priorities and essential infrastructure needs. While the focus will primarily be on state-based innovations and challenges, the initiative will also bring in national-level perspectives and insights. The symposium will be a ripe opportunity to examine state-based capacity and lessons-learned for guiding health policy, as well as synergies among institutions and organizations that could lead to a more equitable health future for all.
Register to attend the symposium in-person or via webcast. For questions, please contact the National Academy of Medicine at NAMedicine@nas.edu.
Treating opioid addiction in rural family practice
In this interview with the Business of Healthcare, Karen L. Smith MD, FAAFP discusses how she kept discovering opioid addiction in the families she serves in her independent, rural primary care practice. With growing need and few referral options, Smith began providing medication-assisted treatment. MAT uses medication, counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders and sustain recovery. Smith shares patient stories which led her to take on this challenge and the barriers a physician must overcome to provide MAT. Listen to the full interview. [32.5min]
Raeford Doctor Wins National Award
By Steve DeVane Staff writer
For Dr. Karen L. Smith, the best part of practicing medicine is taking care of people. “We come to know people,” she said. “They see us as part of the community.” Smith, who practices in Raeford, was named 2017 national Family Physician of the Year by the American Academy of Family Physicians in September. The award honors a family physician who “provides patients with compassionate, comprehensive care, and serves as a role model in his or her community and to other health professionals,” according to a statement released by the academy.
AAFP 2017 Physician of the Year
Karen Smith, M.D., of Raeford, N.C., has been named the AAFP 2017 Family Physician of the Year. The award recognizes a family physician who stands out among his or her colleagues for providing compassionate and comprehensive care, enhancing the quality of the community, and acting as a credible role model.