Tag Archive for: #ncafp

Henderson Physician Installed as President of State Association of Family Physicians

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Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a Henderson family physician, is the new president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians.

Guthrie was installed last weekend at the association’s annual meeting in Asheville, which was attended by more than 700 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students, according to a press statement from NCAFP

She will serve a one-year term, according to information released Friday.

In her inaugural address to NCAFP members, Guthrie stressed the versatility of family physicians. “I just really love being a family physician,” she said. “There are so many roles we can play, scopes we can practice, and places we can go…. We are family physicians. We are smart enough to manage complicated patients but can still explain concepts in a way non-doctors can understand; we try to see the whole picture; and we’re nimble enough to change entire workflows when global pandemics happen so we can still care for our patients. We are unique unicorns, and we get to do the coolest things.”

Before coming to North Carolina, Guthrie was an active member of the New Hampshire Academy of Family Physicians, where she served as the resident representative to the board. She has been on the board of the NCAFP for the past seven years and this year served as the president-elect of the NCAFP Executive Committee. She enjoys giving back to the profession by teaching medical students and residents.

Guthrie completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas and attended medical school at the Drexel University College of Medicine. She completed residency training in family medicine at the New Hampshire Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency. After finishing her family medicine residency, Guthrie stayed in New Hampshire to complete the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency, where she also completed her Master’s in Public Health degree with a focus on quality improvement. She recently opened her own private practice, Sunflower Direct Primary Care in downtown Henderson to provide the kind of care she has always dreamed of. She currently serves as the chief medical officer for Maria Parham Health and medical director at Granville-Vance Public Health.

Guthrie lives in Henderson, where she enjoys music, reading, cooking and caring for her dog and chickens.

Dr. Shauna Guthrie

Guthrie Installed as President-Elect NCAFP

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A local doctor — Dr. Shauna Guthrie, a Henderson family physician — was installed as President-Elect of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) for a one-year term during the organization’s annual meeting in Asheville this weekend.

Guthrie presently is the medical director at Granville Vance Public Health, the local district health department where she also provides full scope outpatient primary care services. She is also owner of Sunflower Direct Primary Care in Henderson.

She has been on the board of the NCAFP for the past six years and this year served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the NCAFP Executive Committee.

More than 500 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students attended the NCAFP’s Annual Meeting.

This information was provided to WIZS from Henderson resident Greg Griggs, Executive Vice President of NCAFP.

Dr. Shauna Guthrie

Dr. Shauna Guthrie of Henderson NCAFP Secretary/Treasurer

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The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) installed Dr. Shauna Guthrie of Henderson as the organization’s secretary/treasurer.

According to information sent to WIZS News by NCAFP Executive Vice President Greg Griggs, who is also from Henderson, Guthrie’s term is one year, and the installation took place during the NCAFP’s virtual annual meeting.

Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP is a Henderson family physician and is presently the medical director at Granville Vance Public Health, the local health department.  She provides full scope outpatient primary care services, according to Griggs.

Griggs said, “She also contracts to provide services locally including correctional health, inpatient adult medicine, and hospice care. She previously practiced at Vance Family Medicine, a Rural Health Clinic, where she did full-spectrum family medicine, including inpatient medicine and obstetrics.”

Dr. Guthrie has served on the board of the NCAFP for the past five years.  This year she served as the at-large member of the NCAFP Executive Committee.  Griggs said in his information release, “She enjoys giving back to the profession by teaching medical students.”

Dr. Shauna Guthrie

Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a Henderson family physician, was installed as Secretary/Treasurer of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) for a one-year term during the organization’s virtual annual meeting.

More than 400 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students attended the NCAFP’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

(WIZS RADIO IN HENDERSON PRESENTS LOCAL NEWS ON THE AIR AT 8AM, 12 NOON AND 5PM M-F.  100.1 FM / 1450 AM.)

Town Talk 04/02/20: NCAFP’s Greg Griggs Discusses Coronavirus Challenges

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Greg Griggs, executive vice president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

With a membership of over 4,200 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students, the mission of the NCAFP is to advance the specialty of family medicine to improve the health of patients, families and communities in North Carolina.

In light of the current COVID-19 health crisis, the NCAFP’s communication with its members is more important than ever. “It’s certainly unprecedented times in healthcare – for the physicians as well as the patients,” said Griggs.

One of the greatest challenges physicians are facing with coronavirus, according to Griggs, is knowing who to test and when to test, especially with recommendations and testing capabilities changing almost daily.

“Initially, the protocol was to test as many people as possible,” Griggs explained. “With community spread increasing, that recommendation changed. Now, if you have mild symptoms and think you have it, you’ll be told to stay at home, not get tested and to treat it like any other virus.”

The reason for the change is two-fold: if you are not infected with COVID-19, physicians and hospitals do not want you to become exposed to the virus from others via an in-person visit; if you do have it and come in-person, you risk exposing other people who may not have it.

For those showing symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath, Griggs recommended contacting your doctor’s office for guidance, “but don’t be surprised if they say you don’t need to get tested; that’s part of the CDC and NCDHHS guidelines. It’s taking social distancing to the nth degree.”

Another challenge for patients with existing health conditions is to know when to keep doctor appointments, when to reschedule and how to get the medical help they need while minimizing their exposure risk.

Even with Governor Cooper’s Stay At Home Executive Order in place until at least April 29, NC residents are still able to visit their healthcare provider, pick up medication from a pharmacy, buy groceries and engage in other travel deemed “essential.”

The general rule of thumb for rescheduling procedures and appointments during this national shutdown is to consider the long-term health consequences. For example, many patients and physicians are rescheduling elective surgeries that are not life-threatening.

“Putting off surgeries and procedures where the health risk of postponement is minimal keeps you healthy and keeps resources available for the sickest,” Griggs stated.

What physicians are most concerned about, he said, are patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions.

“We don’t want people with chronic conditions to ignore or put off their appointments,” said Griggs. “Before being seen face-to-face, call your doctor’s office and talk about alternative methods such as telehealth virtual visits or even the possibility of being assisted in the parking lot.”

For more information on the NCAFP, please visit www.ncafp.com.

To hear the interview with Griggs in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.