{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/348gf0ps81/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Belinda Schoof"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/246/original/CenterForHistoryFamilyMedicine_2c_RGB.png?1773344256","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eThis item is protected by U.S. copyright and related rights. It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine.  Disclaimer:  The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. 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It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine. \u0026nbsp;Disclaimer: \u0026nbsp;The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker\u0026rsquo;s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. 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I'm the manager for the Center for the History of Family Medicine. Today, I'm speaking with Bellinda Schoof, who is the vice president over Health of the Public and Science Division for the American Academy of Family Physicians. Today, we're going to talk to her about her 23-year career here with the academy. Tell us how you came to be employed at the academy.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Yes, thank you. Thank you, Crystal. It was very interesting. I was hired in March of 1998 and I stumbled upon the academy's website and found the position that was open. There were a few different positions that I was interested in. At that time, there wasn't any way to email really anything so I had to fax my resume so I had that. Then subsequently was told that I was the first hire from the internet, the first internet hire.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Wow.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Well, that was interesting because at that point, the website was pretty limited. There was a website but nothing as robust as it is now.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Wow. Who did you interview with?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I interviewed initially with Brenda Flagler in human resources and then with Dr. Herbert Young, who was the division director for, at that time, it was the Scientific Activities Division.\n\nCrystal Bauer: You said it was 1998 when you interviewed?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Yes.\n\nCrystal Bauer: That's correct, okay. Was Dr. Young then your first supervisor as well?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Yes. He was actually my supervisor for my first 15 years.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Wow. Could you tell me a little bit about him?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Yes. He was a family physician and had been involved with the academy as a student member. I believe he was one of the first student members to the board of directors, and was also a resident representative and then became staff. He was just a wonderful individual, very impactful to family medicine and very interested in public health, family medicine, and just the population health overall.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Could you tell me a little bit about when you first came to the academy what the work environment was like and what the culture was like?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Sure. Actually, I found the welcome letter from, at that time, our EVP  Dr. Robert Graham the work environment was interesting because we pretty much did almost everything by paper. We used to have to submit any absences, and time off, and vacation with paper slips. We didnt have a centralized way to share our files or anything like that so  Everybody pretty much had  computer. There was limited availability, as far as having any kind of a network  access to files.\n\nBellinda Schoof:  was . e didn't have as many staff. We were at  building when I started, we were on Ward Parkway over on the Missouri side and the culture was very staff friendly. We  parties. We had ice cream socials all the time on the Circle Drive. The theater There was a bowling alley across the streetany times would say, \"Let's all go bowling,\" and we would go bowling. It was very family friendly, staff friendly.\n\nBellinda Schoof: I think we've continued that vein. We did a lot of work with the staff that we had everything  I was here when we went through the Y2K issue before 2000 and we were preparing  Everything had to be downloaded onto disks and stored in the cave, we referred to the cave for storage in case we lost everything. I also staffed the  The governance work was also via paper. Lots of paper and lots of physical file storage  We were at a big footprint, as far as having file cabinets.\n\nCrystal Bauer: It sounds like it. From your perspective, how is the work environment and culture changed over the years? I know obviously, we've moved buildings. We're no longer on Ward, but what else has changed?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I think the work environment, we've become so much better at just having the tools that we need to be collaborative, as well as being more up-to-date with the new systems that we have in place. Being able to have the OneDrive and all of the investments that the academy has made in our infrastructure, from the new accounting system, all of the new IT systems that have been put in place,  has made us much more nimble and able to do our work. We've been able to get rid of a lot of file cabinets and  that prohibited us from sharing  like we do now.\n\nBellinda Schoof: I think also, we're much more nimble and able to turn quickly. I think that was evident in the last year and a half in all the COVID work that we've done  working remotely. I think from the culture perspective, we've become much more business oriented. We are looking at our business processes and looking at ways to do things more efficiently and effectively, which has been a huge plus. Because I think centralizing certain functions and making sure that people are doing the right things the right way across the organization has been a good and has allowed us to be, I think, more productive.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Could you tell us a little bit about what it was like to be a woman when you first came to the academy?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Well, interestingly enough,  most of our staff were female when I started. We've become much more diverse  We have more people of color. Over the time, I think that's been very positive because having a diverse and inclusive staff and culture is extremely important.\n\nBellinda Schoof: As a woman, I think  been  and I've always enjoyed working at the academy.  we tend to be more of a flat organization, there's always not the opportunity for advancement and promotion, as would be in a larger organization.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Well, why don't you tell me a little bit about the different positions you've held at the academy over the years?\n\nBellinda Schoof: For the first 15 years, I was hired in as the scientific affairs manager and that position grew exponentially but  didn't  change the title until  scientific affairs manager and scientific activities manager. My role changed, but not necessarily the position\n\nCrystal Bauer: Okay.\n\nBellinda Schoof: My first 15 years was doing a lot of work with Dr. Young, with the commission, with our clinical guidelines, and then transitioned once Dr. Young retired.. Dan Ostergaard, who was our senior vice president retired and then Dr. Young retired so we had two key positions that were vacated. Dr. Julie Wood became our senior vice president to fill Dr. Ostergaard's position.\n\nBellinda Schoof: grateful to be the division director from 2013 onward, until my position as division director change to be vice president of Health of the Public and Science. We've had the name change of the division because we started as a Scientific Activities Division or SAD, S-A-D, to transition to Health of the Public and Science, or HOPS, over the years.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Sounds like a better acronym. I like HOPS.\n\nBellinda Schoof: I agree.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Well, thinking back over the years, could you tell me a little bit about projects that you remember working on and maybe some of your more memorable projects?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Yes, absolutely. When I came on board, the academy had just begun work on developing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and using evidence-based methodologies. One of the reasons why I was hired was because  background in clinical practice guidelines and implementing them into practice from the science and research perspectiveI was also involved in  research and public health. The academy in  about 1994, '95, through some actions from the Congress of Delegates, decided that it needed to develop its own clinical practice guidelines, instead of not having a voice in that space and leaving it to some of the sub-specialty organizations.\n\nBellinda Schoof: As a result, the academy invested in external consultants, David Eddy, who is the grandfather for evidence-based medicine, and put a task force together of members to look at how the academy can  develop clinical practice guidelines. That task force then became the Commission on Clinical Policies and Research My work  at the beginning. The first guideline that the academy developed on its own was a guideline on diabetes.\n\nBellinda Schoof: That was really exciting because it was a way for me to utilize my skillset, both from the evidence, and science, and research  to  eventually looking at how do you implement guidelines into practice The second big project was family medicine research. In 1997, the academy, through the board of directors, initiated funding to support and advocat for family medicine research. They allocated almost $8 million toward that work.\n\nBellinda Schoof: We established another task force for family medicine research. That task force, had representation from several of our commission members. Then we hired additional staff he projects  from the task force. That was phenomenal because we were really able to utilize funding to spearhead, and move forward, and advance family medicine research and advocacy. We were able to fnd three Centers of Excellence for family medicine research, and that was Case Western, Michigan University. Then the third one was the University of Missouri in Columbia.\n\nBellinda Schoof: That was exciting. We followed along with those centers for  fiveseven years. We also had  Advanced Research Training program. We had 28 early career family physicians who wanted to be family medicine researchers and provide  training and mentoring for them. That whole project was just phenomenal and really began the career of many family physician researchers, academic researchers who are . The other big project that I would say that was very impactful to me and to, I think, the membership is the work that we have on health equity.\n\nBellinda Schoof: the Congress  the academy  an office on health equity  developed the EveryONE Project, and started work on  other  workforce diversitye collaborate with  Th project  is ongoing and has  benefit membersand the public.\n\nCrystal Bauer: You've had quite a bit of impactful work throughout the years, both early on and towards later on. That's wonderful. Diving in a little more, what did the AFP do in the area of evidence-based clinical policy development during your 23 years? What role did you play in this advancement?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Our evidence-based clinical guideline and policy development been my key role for 23 years. I work with our commission and our members to  a methodology how we do our guidelines developed our guideline development manual trained staff on what our methods are and how we go about doing the work was  involved in helping to craft the CMSS for guideline development. Th revised those over the years.\n\nBellinda Schoof: That's been really meaningful to me because it impacts how guidelines are developed from a national perspective. It's not unique to us, . The whole movement on guideline development and implementation really began early 2000s and continues.\n\nCrystal Bauer: How did the relationship with federal agencies, such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and with specialty societies change in your 23 years?\n\nBellinda Schoof: When I first came, I worked with AHRQ, the Agency for Health and Research and Quality.  AHCPR, the Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research. I've worked with them for  30 years. When I came to the academy,  we worked with them very closely on developing evidence-based systematic reviews, which are the basis, the foundation, that we use for our guideline development. Also, we nominated topics, and we're very closely  key questions and the development of the systematic review.\n\nBellinda Schoof: ver the years becme less engaged at that close level reduced funding They  funded through Congress.  we  have  ability to nominate the topics that we  because  always been  a strong supporter of AHRQ advocate for funding . \n\nBellinda Schoof: We have always had a strong stance to billionize AHRQ, similar to what the NIH does for their funding. \n\nBellinda Schoof: Our closest collaborators in primary care is with the American College of Physicians. We also have worked with the American Academy of Pediatrics and with ACOG, or the College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. \n\nCrystal Bauer: What products and processes were developed as part of this evolution?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I would say  processes e've learned from what we've done in the past, and our processes have improved. We've codified the work, how we do the work. We've  manual We do train members who work with on guideline panels. That's been a huge help, but we still have a lot to do because it does take specialized knowledge. It does take train not only staff who are involved in this work but also members.\n\nBellinda Schoof:  Another  with funded projects. We have about 17 funded projects that  my team is working on. That is funding from not only corporate  and industry partners, but also from federal  and foundation partners. \n\nBellinda Schoof: In essence, what our goal  is to take the policies and guidelines  we develop, and then utilize those to  develop implementation tools and quality improvement projects through funding to help our members.\n\nCrystal Bauer: What was your role in these changes?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Well, as division director, and now vice president, my role has been  providing guidance and leadership to my staff to reach the objectives that  laid out in our strategic plan. We've always had a business plan for the division and the specific goals that we  focuse The division has changed as well.  Dr. Julie Wood, who  my senior vice president,  there opportunity to look at  the structure of the division and the segments.\n\nBellinda Schoof:  We've been renamed to RSHP, which is Research, Science and Health of the Public Segment  includes HOPS as a division.  the Robert Graham Center, HealthLandscape Center for Global Health Initiatives. With some recent changes from  Martin, we just now have the new Center for Women's Health and Maternity Care  now a part of our HOPS division.\n\nBellinda Schoof: That's a new team that we're very excited the future.\n\nCrystal Bauer: How did the role of the AFP change, with regards to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as the areas of immunizations and more broadly prevention?\n\nBellinda Schoof: We've worked closely with the CDC for many, many years. We strong partnerships there and I have strong collaborations with their leadership at the CDC. We have  member representation and liaisons to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is the body that makes immunization recommendations and the annual immunization schedules for infants, children, adolescents, adults. We've worked with them for over 30 years, and that's something that our members look to us for every year when it's updated and released in February.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Other ways  we work with the CDC is on population and community health and health equity. Infectious diseases  the immunization schedules,  work around HIV, tobacco cessation, and substance use disorder. Our relationship continues to grow, and we continue to have cooperative agreements are very keen to  understand the key role of family physicians,  the first point of contact for many patients.\n\nCrystal Bauer: What programs or activities did the AFP undertake that took advantage of the development within family medicine of members involved in evidence-based medicine and research?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I would say as far as programs and activities, many of our key funded projects are as a result of our polic. Our A project, which lasted,  about eight years, and  for Americans in motion, healthy interventions utilized many of the core elements of  our guideline recommendations for healthy eating, physical activity, mental wellbeing. Other projects and research  in the National Research Network, as well as other work that is going on around the academy.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Also, our guidelines are incorporated into our CM.  part of when faculty began to develop their content and objectives, they always referenced what the academy's position is on that topic and any resources that we may have. Other programscollaboration with  practice advancement on quality measures, since quality measures should also be based in science. One of the key things that I'm proud to say that I  shared medical director position.\n\nBellinda Schoof: We share Dr. Amy Mullins as a medical directorwith DPA and  HOPS. She has a foot in the world of quality measures and quality, as well as science and our guidelines. That's been very, very fruitful and has also highlighted areas of  collaboration areas where we need to  take a closer look at  how best to utilize the work in both areas.\n\nCrystal Bauer: How did the AFP processes change over time in such areas as the relationship between health, and the public, and sciences with those parts of the AFP dealing with quality issues?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I touched a little bit on that. I think the work that we have quality and  practice advancement has really been important. We have meetings with them all the time, not only with quality measures, but with  collaboration  quality and improvement initiatives. I know the National Research Network just finished funded project called the  module for agenda setting and that was really important. Then we continue to reach out to see how we can develop resources and tools \n\nBellinda Schoof: For instance, our immunization work, one of the things that we noticed right off was that our members needed to have more information on coding so they could get paid for counseling for immunization We worked with them to develop a coding manual, kind of a coding card. Now we always reach out what  practice level tools and resources  our members needwe  work with our quality  or our practice advancement .\n\nCrystal Bauer: Changing topics just a little bit, thinking back at your 23 years at the FP, what would you say has been your greatest satisfaction?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I think my greatest satisfaction has been  the members and staff  knowledge,  satisfaction, and their professional growth better processes  for guideline development, for science, for evidence-based medicine, and what that means for the specialty have grown becom strong advocates in their own space,  institutions or their own practices. \n\nBellinda Schoof: We're really seeing some change to get students interested in research, and science, and the work of the commission. To me, that's my greatest satisfaction is that we've integrated, and we've also through mentorship, not only from myself, but through many people, members, and staff, e have a vaccine science fellowship program now  16 family physician fellows, who are experts at immunizations and vaccine science. Just the growth, and professional growth, and satisfaction of  because of the work that we do.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Definitely something to be proud of. Flipping the question, what would you say your toughest decision has been that you've had to make on the job?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Oh, wow. That's a hard one. I would say the toughest decision  is letting go of things that you think  should be continued. I know our resources are limited the fiscal ability to support everything that we do is limited so we do have to focus. I think the toughest decisions are what do we have to let go in order to really be focused in other areas?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Obviously, that's hard for anyone to do because you put a lot of effort into the work that we do, but that is always a difficult decision. I think that's probably for everyone.\n\nCrystal Bauer: After your 23 years at the academy, what advice would you give to a new employee coming here?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I would say the best advice is to know that there's a huge opportunity to learn and to grow. To learn about family medicine and the disciplineearn from members about what it means to be a family physician and what their aspirations are, and how we best  meet those needs. That also is not going to happen overnight. Anytime, a new staff  on board, one of the things I always tell them is don't expect to know everything or even understand everything for at least a year to two years. Everybody looks at me like, \"I'll know everything in a month to six months.\"\n\nBellinda Schoof: But really, there are some things that are just , meaning our congress, our board meetings, our FMX meetings, our commission meetings, and one is not like the other. You learn and it takes time to learn the organization because although we are small, we do a lot of work, and it's very broad You can have a lot of knowledge in one area, but you probably aren't going to be an expert and knowledgeable in every area. Collaborate, and ask questions, and learn  the best advice I can  give.\n\nBellinda Schoof:  a lot of information and it can be overwhelming. Take the time, relax, enjoy because we have wonderful staff here and everybody is so collaborative. Also, ask questions because  have blind spots. We know what we're doing, but sometimes we don't see the obvious and it takes somebody new to say, \"Why are you doing it like that?\" Or \"Why don't you stop?\" Questions are good and I think it makes all of us better because we think through processes how we do things with a different lens.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Based on all your involvement in family medicine, what is your sense of where family medicine is going to go into the future?\n\nBellinda Schoof: My sense is family medicine has always been the foundation for care in the country and the world. A lot of the data, from not only the future of family medicine projects, but the data from Barbara Starfield, and the  our Robert Graham Center, has shown over and over again, that family medicine and primary carehen  adequately resourced, meaning we have enough family physicians in practice and they are also paid adequately,  patient outcomes are better.\n\nBellinda Schoof: We know when patients have a family physician, their health outcomes are better than when they don't because family physicians provide care across the lifespan and it's comprehensive, whole person care. They  provide care and know families  That's critically important. I think the future  premise that in order for the country to reduce costs and to have better health outcomes, it has got to focus on expanding primary care, and particularly, family medicine, and pay adequately increasing the pipeline and the training.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Crystal Bauer: What are your plans after you retire? What's are you going to do from here?\n\nBellinda Schoof: Well, I am really excited because we are  moving to South Carolina. We bought four acres and  across the road from my brother and his wife. They have a little farm  They are retired,  I'm the only one that was still working. We've got a lot of plans for travel. We're going to build a house and just enjoy a lot of the things that I really haven't had time to enjoy, just because having children and a full-time career, I've spent a lot of time focused in that area.\n\nBellinda Schoof: My goal is to just start to do things that I've always been excited to do, like gardeningI really want a good herb garden that I can take care of. The other thing I want to do is become more engaged at the community level. A lot of the work that I've done has been more focused nationally because of the academy being a national organization. I want to see what I can do to make an impact and to help at  local community level where I'll be.\n\nCrystal Bauer: Wonderful. Well, are there any last thoughts you'd like to add?\n\nBellinda Schoof: I would just say I've been so grateful for the academy and all of the people that I've worked with over the years and the members. It has been professionally stimulating, satisfying, and I feel that I've had so many wonderful experiences that I will take with me the rest of my life. I have made so many great friendships that will carry on. I just encourage everyone who works at the academy to just embrace all of that. To know that there's so many opportunities, and even if it's not specifically with the job you're in, there're opportunities to engage in numerous different ways.\n\nBellinda Schoof:  I've been a supporter of theoundation and I encourage others to do so. It's a way to really continue your legacy and to support family medicine and healthcare for all. There wonderful programs to just help people. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about.\n\nCrystal Bauer: That's right. Well, thank you for all your time you spent with us doing this interview. Of course, I want to wish you a happy retirement. Thank you so much, Bellinda.\n\nBellinda Schoof: Thank you, Crystal. I really appreciate it. Thank you.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/162026/file/294256#t=0.0,2569.32"}]}]}]}