After careful consideration and thorough investigation, the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) Board of Directors, during their meeting on April 19, voted not to submit the member resolution “Ensure Adequate Congress of Delegates Transparency Regarding Policy Statement Updates,” to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for consideration at the 2026 Congress of Delegates – as it was confirmed as current policy.
Background
Policy Statement Review: In 1990, a five year sunset review process was created for AAFP policy statements. Most of the policy statements are referred to AAFP commissions for their review as the subjects of the statements fall in their purview. Policy recommendations are then presented to the Congress of Delegates for final action.
Article VII of the AAFP Bylaws for the Congress of Delegates states “The control and administration of the AAFP shall be vested in the Congress of Delegates, subject to the statutory authority of the Board and to those additional duties and powers specifically reserved to the Board in these Bylaws.”
In further discussion with the author, the primary “ask” was for more time to review the board reports prior to Congress of Delegates to allow time for comment. In discussion with our AAFP delegates, the board reports are posted at the time that the full slate of resolutions is presented for review. There are approximately 4-6 weeks of time that the documents are open for member comment.
In summary, the majority of AAFP policies are reviewed by the applicable commission with recommendations then submitted to the Board of Directors and Congress of Delegates for approval. If a member has additional questions, please contact OAFP Speaker Heidi Yount, MD, FAAFP.