Dr. Philip Salko was named president of the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians in March. A member of University Orthopedics, Salko specializes in primary care sports medicine and interventional pain management utilizing ultrasound, fluoroscopy and other noninvasive modalities. His announced goal as president was to increase the membership of the Rhode Island Academy and to strengthen the support system behind family medicine in the state.
Since taking the reins as president, Salko has secured the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University for the 27th Primary Care Conference in March of 2019 and brokered a deal with the American Academy of Family Physicians and R.I. Department of Health Board of Medical Licensure to exclude all family physicians from the biannual audit if they are members of the RIAFP/AAFP.
PBN: You noted your goals are to increase the membership of the Rhode Island Academy and to make the support system behind family medicine stronger than it currently is in Rhode Island. How do you intend to accomplish these goals?
SALKO: I want to offer improved opportunity for collaboration and community involvement. We plan an annual conference each year. Last year it was in March at the Brown Medical School. It was well-attended and I hope to make it even better this year.
We are also having more meetings where family medicine doctors can meet and also obtain [continuing medical education] credit in different arenas around the state, thus collaborating local family physicians with their surrounding communities.
PBN: You hosted RIAFP’s first quarterly meeting with guest speaker R.I. Health Insurance Commissioner Marie L. Ganim. What did you and Ganim discuss?
SALKO: I helped coordinate this but I did not attend.
PBN: Brown recognized your teaching skill with an award through its doctoring program. What was the award? What is your teaching approach?
SALKO: I was chosen as a community mentor of the year. I volunteer my time to take on many students, residents and fellows all at different levels of their training. In this case, I work with one first- or second-year medical student, teaching them the basics of physical exam skills and history taking. This is often their first exposure to the clinic setting. I help transfer their knowledge in the classroom to the real-life clinical setting.
Why were you interested in excluding family physicians from the biannual audit?
SALKO: We have a desire to simplify regulatory requirements for physicians and understand the AAFP members’ commitment to lifelong learning. We are excited for this collaboration between the AAFP and RIBML. It’s our hope that this change will give [physicians] more time to focus on what you do best –caring for your patients.
What is the biggest challenge facing family physicians in Rhode Island today?
SALKO: There are many. Here are a few: Electronic medical records, education of family medicine physicians in Rhode Island, keeping good family medical doctors in Rhode Island.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
