American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Encyclopedia
The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) is a professional association and a medical specialty
college in the United States
. Its membership consists of osteopathic physicians who practice family medicine
. It is closely affiliated with the American Osteopathic Association
, and is the osteopathic equivalent of the American Academy of Family Physicians
. Much of the associations' activities involve addressing the chronic shortage of family practitioners in the United States. It is responsible for setting the standards for the inspection of osteopathic graduate medical education programs in family practice.
The organization also publishes its own peer-reviewed journal, Osteopathic Family Physician. It is designed to help osteopathic family physicians care for their patients and improve their practices, as well as to better understand the activities ACOFP is taking on their behalf. The content areas include preventive medicine, managed care
, osteopathic principles and practices, pain management, public health, medical education, and practice management.
, California. ACOFP is headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois
.
Throughout its history, the ACOFP has had three different names. When first founded, the organization was incorporated as the American College of General Practitioners in Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (ACGPOMS). In 1993, the College's name was officially changed to the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.
Specialty (medicine)
A specialty in medicine is a branch of medical science. After completing medical school, physicians or surgeons usually further their medical education in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple year residency to become a medical specialist.-History of medical specialization:To...
college in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its membership consists of osteopathic physicians who practice family medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
. It is closely affiliated with the American Osteopathic Association
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association is the representative member organization for the over 78,000 osteopathic medical physicians in the United States...
, and is the osteopathic equivalent of the American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians was founded in 1947 to promote the science and art of family medicine. It is one of the largest medical organizations in the United States, with over 100,000 members...
. Much of the associations' activities involve addressing the chronic shortage of family practitioners in the United States. It is responsible for setting the standards for the inspection of osteopathic graduate medical education programs in family practice.
The organization also publishes its own peer-reviewed journal, Osteopathic Family Physician. It is designed to help osteopathic family physicians care for their patients and improve their practices, as well as to better understand the activities ACOFP is taking on their behalf. The content areas include preventive medicine, managed care
Managed care
...intended to reduce unnecessary health care costs through a variety of mechanisms, including: economic incentives for physicians and patients to select less costly forms of care; programs for reviewing the medical necessity of specific services; increased beneficiary cost sharing; controls on...
, osteopathic principles and practices, pain management, public health, medical education, and practice management.
History
The College was founded on February 11, 1950 in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California. ACOFP is headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
.
Throughout its history, the ACOFP has had three different names. When first founded, the organization was incorporated as the American College of General Practitioners in Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (ACGPOMS). In 1993, the College's name was officially changed to the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.