Enhancing community support for family practice residencies.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The self-interest of employers, insurers, and the public in maintaining a healthy workforce and containing health care costs can be tied directly to primary care. Therefore, primary care training programs have a sound basis on which to solicit financial, political, and moral support from employers, insurers, and the public. METHODS: Our residency program director invited community and business leaders interested in the supply of primary care physicians to join a newly formed advisory board. The work of the advisory board has focused on four areas: public relations, political influence, recruiting, and fund-raising and has developed creative ways to generate political and financial support for the residency. RESULTS: During the board's 3 1/2 year life span, it has influenced political decisions affecting the residency and generated more than $100,000 in support for the program. CONCLUSIONS: Soliciting local nonmedical leaders to participate on an advisory board could bring important benefits to any residency. Those community leaders who directly or indirectly benefit from a residency program should be recruited into a formal support network.