Keeping patients at the center of family medicine scholarship

Abstract

In addition to the collection of veterans' health articles, this edition of the journal contains a wide range of family medicine research reports, commentaries, clinical reviews, and scholarly observations. These articles clearly exemplify a key strength of family medicine scholarship: the focus is on our patients. Two articles look at modern care of patients with venous thromboembolic disease-the first on acute management and the second on long-term care. Two other articles explore the role of pharmacists in an interdisciplinary team. A clever use of big databases provides a thought-provoking answer about the long-term health of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Three articles give us possible glimpses into the future of family medicine, exploring a potential payment reform model, suggesting an alternative approach to cancer screening guideline development, and considering how family physicians remain relevant in the technology-laden medical world of tomorrow.