Virginia Family Physician Receives Public Health Award at American Academy of Family Physicians Annual Meeting

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American Academy of Family Physicians

Oct 22, 2014, 12:27 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA, a family physician from Arlington, Virginia, was awarded the 2014 Public Health Award by the American Academy of Family Physicians at its annual meeting. The AAFP's Public Health Award recognizes individuals who have made or are making extraordinary contributions to the health of the American public.

Jarris is the executive director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, a former leader of a statewide primary care medical group, and a former Vermont Commissioner of Health. Over the course of his career, Jarris has established himself as a powerful advocate for Family Medicine.

As a family physician and a public health leader, Jarris understands the vital role that environment and policy play in the health and wellness of patients. Every day, Jarris couples his experience as a family physician with his understanding of the local, state, federal, and business sectors to help shape health policies that protect and improve America's health.

Jarris recently served on the Institute of Medicine's Board on Health Sciences Policy, and led a National Quality Forum subcommittee advising the department of Health and Human Services on Community and Population Health. He also leads the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials-supported Primary Care and Public Health Collaborative, a national initiative to reintegrate primary care and public health. The initiative involves more than 65 major medical and public health organizations and federal agencies. Its mission is to improve population health and lower health costs.

Jarris' passion for public health is not a recent development. He began his career by caring for the underserved at a rural health center in the Adirondacks of New York State. He served at a federally qualified health center, a homeless shelter for youth, and an inner city school in Vermont. He worked on issues such as childhood hunger and substance abuse, with patients whose family lives were often unstable.

He has been an active member of the AAFP since 1989. He was also a student, resident, and fellowship member from 1980 to 1988.

Jarris received his undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont, Burlington; his masters of business administration degree from the University of Washington, Seattle; and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.

Editor's Note: To arrange an interview with Dr. Jarris, please contact Kristin Pitts at (800) 274-2237, ext. 5221 [email protected].

About the American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 115,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is nearly 214 million office visits each year — nearly 74 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America's underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine's cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP's award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org.

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SOURCE American Academy of Family Physicians