The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians supports the nomination of Jeffrey D. Bachtel, MD, for appointment to the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on Governmental Advocacy.
An OAFP past president, Dr. Bachtel is currently our senior delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and a member of the OAFP Board of Directors. A respected leader, Dr. Bachtel has served on and chaired the Reference Committee on Organization and Finance. Known for his experience and expertise in developing operating and capital budgets as well as management of financial investments, analysis of audit reports, and refinement of policies and procedures that ensure prudent management of assets, he also served on and chaired the AAFP Commission on Organization and Finance.
In his letter of chapter support, OAFP President Ryan Kauffman, MD, stated, “Dr. Bachtel is a proven leader and a passionate advocate for family physicians at both the state and federal levels and is an ideal candidate for service on this important AAFP commission.”
Dr. Bachtel has been an active member of the OAFP’s Advocacy Commission for more than two decades. There he has served as commission vice chair and board liaison. Over the years, Dr. Bachtel has been our primary liaison with the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants (OAPA) and has been particularly helpful in negotiating difficult scope issues. In addition, he served on the physician assistant (PA) training program accreditation review committee, where he traveled across the country visiting and evaluating PA programs for their accrediting body. Dr. Bachtel’s skill and effort earned him the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants Charles L. Hudson, MD, Award. The Hudson Award honored his tireless work as the OAFP liaison to the physician assistants’ organization and the resulting passage of PA prescriptive authority legislation that meets the concerns of the physician community.
Dr. Bachtel has participated in numerous Family Medicine Congressional Conferences, served as a key contact, and once led a Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition Team of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals to lobby for Title VII and Title VIII on Capitol Hill. In fact, in recognition of his outstanding leadership, he was awarded the OAFP Torchlight Leadership Award in honor of his work as an AAFP key contact to U.S. Congressman Ralph Regula in helping secure Title VII funding for family medicine education.
Dr. Kauffman’s letter concluded, “The OAFP strongly supports Dr. Bachtel in his bid to serve as a member of the AAFP Commission on Governmental Advocacy. Dr. Bachtel is a hardworking, dedicated advocate for family medicine. We have witnessed firsthand that he is quite a force to be reckoned with when he is passionate about his cause. We know that he will serve in an exemplary fashion.”
Good luck, Dr. Bachtel!