Primary Care Collaborative Profile Series: I AM A PRIMARY CARE CHAMPION

Bob Phillips, MD, MSPH

Executive Director of the Center for Professionalism & Value in Health Care, American Board of Family Medicine

Why are you passionate about primary care?
I fell in love with primary care in medical school because I recognized the power of relationships in health. Figuring out what is at the heart of people’s health concerns takes time and trust, and changing unhealthy behaviors can take even longer, but primary care can accomplish both when done well. I want the next generation of primary care clinicians to understand the power of what they can accomplish if they resist making health care transactional—and how taking ownership of relationships changes us too. We also need to help policymakers—both in the government and our health system—understand the value of relationships too and not just how primary care can reduce costs but how we can improve outcomes.