The American Academy of Family Physicians recently nominated Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Board member Ted Wymyslo, MD, FAAFP, for appointment to the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030. The AAFP also nominated AAFP Past President Reid B. Blackwelder, MD, FAAFP, for consideration.
Dr. Wymyslo is the immediate past director of the Ohio Department of Health (2011-14), appointed by Governor John Kasich. As director, Dr. Wymyslo established the Ohio Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (OPCPCC) in 2011 to effect statewide implementation of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) delivery model. He led the development of statewide opioid prescribing guidelines, modernized maternity and newborn nursery rules, mandated accreditation for all local health departments, and addressed the infant mortality challenge. With this combined primary care and public health experience, he has championed the need for integration of public health and primary care to improve population health.
Dr. Wymyslo currently serves as the chief medical officer of the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers with 45 federally qualified health center members serving 620,000 patients in 250 sites across the state, 126 of which are PCMH-recognized. He sits on the boards of the OAFP and the Better Health Partnership, and on the advisory board of the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has received numerous service and leadership recognition awards, including the first PCPCC Primary Care Community Leadership Award, the Ohio State Medical Association’s 2014 Physician Advocate of the Year Award, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials 2011 State Innovation Award for infant mortality efforts, the AMA Foundation Pride in the Profession Award for public service, the OAFP Torchlight Leadership Award, and, most recently, the 2015 AAFP Public Health Award.
Dr. Blackwelder serves as director of the medical student education division for the Department of Family Medicine at East Tennessee State University’s (ETSU) James H. Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City, TN, where he also is a professor of family medicine. He previously served as program director of the Kingsport Family Medicine Residency Program of ETSU and remains on faculty at the residency.
In its letter of nomination, the AAFP stated its support for the establishment of this committee and expressed confidence that Dr. Wymyslo’s and Dr. Blackwelder’s expertise will help in the development of the Healthy People 2030 objectives and ensure that these objectives are science-based and measurable.
Congratulations, Drs. Wymyslo and Blackwelder!