West Virginia Academy of Family Physicians

11/19/2025

11/18/2025

November is a time to recognize the individuals who make West Virginia’s health care system stronger from the ground up.

We’re proud to spotlight Dr. Adam Franks, Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, as part of Rural Health Leaders Month in partnership with the WV Office of Rural Health and the West Virginia Rural Health Association.

Dr. Adam Franks has shown exceptional leadership in advancing rural healthcare across West Virginia. For more than two decades, he has provided full spectrum family medicine in rural communities, delivering obstetric care, managing critical inpatients, and ensuring families have access to comprehensive care close to home. As Vice Dean for Rural Health and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, he leads initiatives that expand rural access to care through community health workers, mobile outreach, and rural residency training. Dr. Franks also founded the Rural Family Medicine Scholars Program, preparing students for careers in rural primary care and strengthening the state’s physician workforce. Through his clinical service, mentorship, and program leadership, Dr. Franks continues to transform rural health systems and improve care for West Virginia’s most underserved communities.

Through their leadership and vision, they’re helping ensure that rural communities continue to thrive—in health, in access, and in opportunity.

11/09/2025

11/07/2025

West Virginia’s rural health leaders are creating change that lasts. We’re proud to recognize Matthew A. Davis, DO, MBA, CPE, FACHE, FAAFP, FACOFP, as part of this year’s Rural Health Leaders Month celebration with the WV Office of Rural Health and the West Virginia Rural Health Association.

Dr. Davis has demonstrated exceptional leadership in strengthening the systems that sustain rural health care across West Virginia. As President and CEO of the West Virginia Academy of Family Physicians and the West Virginia Chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, while also serving full-time in WVU Medicine Emergency Departments statewide, he has modernized governance, safeguarded financial resources, and advanced advocacy to ensure rural physicians and patients continue to have access to vital care and support. He is deeply committed to developing the next generation of rural health leaders by mentoring medical students and residents to serve Appalachian communities. Through his tireless advocacy, mentorship, and service, Dr. Davis exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose, advancing both patient care and the overall vitality of rural West Virginia communities.

His work demonstrates how strong leadership can transform not only health systems but also the communities they serve.

11/03/2025

November is National Rural Health Leaders Month, and we’re proud to join the WV Office of Rural Health and the West Virginia Rural Health Association in recognizing the individuals who are improving access to care across West Virginia.

Today, we’re celebrating Joanna Bailey, MD, FAAFP. Dr. Bailey is a board-certified family physician with Tug River Health Association, where she serves the rural communities of Wyoming and McDowell counties. A respected healthcare provider and leader in rural medicine, she works to improve access to care and address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. In addition to practicing as a family medicine physician, she contributes through the West Virginia Alliance for Creative Health Solutions on research exploring how transportation barriers and water quality impact beverage choices and metabolic health. She also collaborates with the West Virginia Primary Care Association to develop programs that support uninsured and underinsured patients. Dr. Bailey serves on the advisory committee for the Logan Healthcare Foundation, reviewing grants and directing investments to the areas of rural healthcare that need them most. Her dedication and leadership continue to strengthen the health and well-being of the communities she serves.

Her leadership reflects what rural health is all about — meeting communities where they are and working together to create a healthier future for all West Virginians.

11/01/2025

Upcoming Conference
Family Medicine Foundation of WV
https://www.fmfwv.org/events/annual-conference

11/01/2025

APPLY HERE: https://form.jotform.com/252990889369178

Deadline November 5, 2025

04/26/2025

WVAFP leaders Drs Hendershot, Nichols, Chua, Galapon, Silverberg, Becker with CEO-President Matthew Davis attending AAFP Leadership Conference.

04/23/2025

Family physicians helped Gerry Stover through one of the most difficult times of his life. The retiring West Virginia and Kentucky chapter executive, who will be recognized during the AAFP’s Annual Leadership Conference, has spent decades serving the specialty.

12/19/2024

Our own Kimberly Becher, MD has an article in the Commonwealth Fund's -- click below to read it -

To recruit and retain clinicians in a competitive market, some communities make the case that rural practice can restore what’s been lost in modern medicine.

12/12/2024

Take a few minutes to do this survey -
Palmetto GBA’s Provider Outreach and Education Department would like feedback concerning upcoming education topics for 2025. There is a link below that we would like feedback on. If you could poll your members, it will be greatly appreciated.



Thank you!

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10/03/2024

Was to help ... Hurricane Helene relief efforts!