Almost 15,000 participants, including more than 5,000 family physicians, attended the 2007 AAFP Scientific Assembly October 3 through 6 in Chicago, Ill. Attendees had many activities to choose from, including attending lectures, clinical procedures workshops, exhibits, and other presentations.

Publications Exhibit

Many attendees who came by the Publications booth in the exhibit hall wanted to tell us how much they like the Academy journals (AFP, Family Practice Management [FPM], and Annals of Family Medicine, which the Academy publishes for Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.), suggest article topics, and comment on improvements or new ideas for the journals. Some mentioned that they had recently read an article that applied to one of their patients, or how they had used a photograph or an illustration to help explain a diagnosis to a patient.

More than 500 readers completed the annual editorial survey, providing important feedback on how we can improve AFP and FPM. We appreciate everyone who took the time to fill out the survey and talk to us about their favorite sections in the journals and suggestions for the future. The information collected will be used to help us continue to provide useful and relevant information to readers. Look for the survey results in an upcoming Inside AFP.

If you would like to send us your comments, you can use the reader feedback card available in the CME Quiz section of the first issue of each month or by sending an e-mail to afpedit@aafp.org.

2008 ACF – Infectious Disease: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management

The Annual Clinical Focus (ACF) is the AAFP's annual educational initiative designed to bring members the latest information on a specific topic to help them provide comprehensive patient care, including helping patients better understand and cope with their diseases or conditions. The focus for the upcoming year will be on infectious diseases, including the principles of epidemiology, prevention (immunizations and infection control), diagnosis (screening), management (medical home and registries), and current and new therapies. During the next year, look for articles in AFP related to infectious diseases that will help meet the ACF clinical objectives. For more information on the ACF program, go tohttps://www.aafp.org/acf.

New Feature in the Journal: AFP Journal Club–The Story Behind the Study

In this issue of AFP, we are introducing a column based on the popular “Journal Club Live” presentation from the Assembly. Once a month in AFP Journal Club (page 1273), the authors (Robert Dachs, MD, Schenectady, N.Y.; Andrea Darby-Stewart, MD, Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Mark Graber, MD, Iowa City, Iowa) will discuss a journal article that affects family physicians and share their opinions on the value of the study results. For more information, see the accompanying editorial (page 1282) by Jay Siwek, MD, and Mark H. Ebell, MD, MS.

The Quantum Sufficit (QS) column in AFP has been discontinued to make room for the new features. The goal of this department was to provide short bits of information from sources not usually covered in the medical literature. This column was at times amusing, and always had a light touch, but it did not provide the type of evidence-based and practical information that is a priority for AFP and its readers. It will be replaced with AFP Journal Club in the first issue of the month and Close-ups: A Patient's Perspective in the issues published on the 15th.