The following statement is attributable to Larry S. Fields, M.D., President, AAFP:

"America's family physicians applaud President Bush for recognizing important national health care issues in his State of the Union Address.

"Of particular import was his unquestionable call for medical liability reform this year.

"Medical liability reform is a top priority of the AAFP, whose members include family physicians in small and large practices and in rural and urban areas. It is imperative that the President fulfills his promise for tort reform and that Senator Frist fulfills his to bring the issue to a floor vote in 2006.

"There are several states that have passed legislation regarding medical liability caps on non-economic damages (the only type of reform consistently shown to be effective). These states have seen a substantial drop in medical liability premiums and stabilization of long term rates.

"This leads to a more balanced physician-to-patient ratio which promotes better overall health. A federal initiative is necessary to ensure that medical malpractice suits are kept at a minimum and that more doctors keep their practices open.

"Many of the President's health care proposals, if addressed appropriately, will help us continue to uphold the pledge family physicians have made to provide the best care we possibly can to our patients and their families.

"We commend President Bush for accepting the responsibility of providing health care for the poor, elderly and those without insurance. We stand ready to work with the President to make this a reality.

"The Academy agrees with President Bush that health savings accounts can be an important component to broaden heath care coverage, particularly at the level of preventive services. Unfortunately, this can only be a viable option for some of our citizens.

"Tax credits and tax breaks for the uninsured or self insured are also steps in the right direction. They can be beneficial for those who continue to pay the rising costs of health care year after year. Tax incentives will further help those owners of small businesses who would otherwise not be able to offer health insurance for their employees. Once again though, tax incentives are just a small piece of a much larger puzzle. Although beneficial for certain segments of the population, they do not provide enough access to quality health care for the most vulnerable of all, those who are poor, elderly or can't afford insurance.

"We also applaud the President for his support of electronic health records. The AAFP is working to provide all our members with access to affordable EHRs. In fact, 30 percent of our members are currently using EHR technology. In support of this endeavor, we call for the passage of measures to allocate funds to increase the number of doctor's using EHRs health so that we, as family physicians, can ensure that our patients receive safe, comprehensive and quality health care.

"As the debate on health system reform moves forward, family physicians will continue to strive diligently to make sure our patients receive the care they need and deserve.

"We look forward to working with the Administration to introduce and further advance initiatives that will ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health care. This will truly make a difference in the character of our country.

"Given an adequate workforce of family physicians free to do what is right for the patient, America's Family Doctors will give this country a health care system the likes of which the world has never seen."

Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents more than 94,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Nearly one in four of all office visits are made to general and family physicians. That is 215 million office visits each year -- 59 million more than to any other medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide the majority of care for America's underserved and rural populations.

In the increasingly fragmented world of health care where many medical specialties limit their practice to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family physicians are dedicated to treating the whole person across the full spectrum of ages. Family medicine's cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

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