Q&A: ACP president says new campaign emphasizes importance of internal medicine

Key takeaways

• ACP’s new branding campaign aims to express the importance of internal medicine as well as the profession’s diversity.
• The campaign was informed by research that explored different perceptions of internal medicine physicians.
• The president of the ACP said he wants to “showcase the breadth of internal medicine physician roles and work settings.”

ACP has launched a branding campaign that celebrates the value of internal medicine and the diversity in the profession.

The campaign will demonstrate the impact that internal medicine physicians have in many different settings and highlight “the growing career pathways and opportunities of the profession, and their essential contributions and impact on the future of health care,” according to an ACP press release.

Specifically, ACP said the campaign aims to generate awareness that internal medicine physicians offer knowledge and expertise that others rely on in team-based care, and are “brilliant diagnosticians and connectors” who “serve in a diversity of roles and leadership throughout the broader health care sector.”

ACP President Ryan D. Mire, MD, FACP, said in the release that, in today’s “fractured, complex” and “ever-changing” health care environment, the organization is “excited to highlight the diverse roles and leadership we have at this essential time.”

Mire spoke with Healio to further discuss the campaign’s goals, what it will entail and why he believes it is so important.

Healio: What prompted the ACP to launch this campaign? What do you hope to accomplish?

Mire: American College of Physicians launched the new identity brand campaign to articulate the vital role and value of internal medicine physicians, and the breadth, depth and diversity of the internal medicine profession. One objective of the campaign is to amplify the impact that internal medicine physicians have on the U.S. health care system to the public, health care stakeholders, and to the future pipeline of the physician workforce.

Healio: The campaign will “showcase the leadership and impact of physicians.” How will it do that? What will it entail?

Mire: Internal medicine physicians are leaders in health care and involved in a variety of health care settings from the exam room to the board room. Over the coming months and throughout the fiscal year, ACP will execute this initiative in our publications and newsletters, and through digital advertising in various media outlets and social media that demonstrate the variety of career paths that can be derived from within the specialty of internal medicine.

Healio: The campaign was also informed by research that explored the perceptions of internal medicine physicians. Can you expand on that? What perceptions did you find?

Mire: The campaign was informed by research exploring perceptions of internal medicine physicians by peers and colleagues, patients and health care leaders. Internal medicine physicians are brilliant connectors, the foundation and specialists of complex adult human systems. Our knowledge and experience allow us to see the adult human body differently and connect the dots, effectively resulting in the diagnosis and management of complex medical conditions.

Healio: Why is this campaign important?

Mire: ACP believes that it is important to articulate the vital role and value of internal medicine physicians, and the breadth, depth and diversity of the internal medicine profession. The campaign builds on our existing IMProud campaign and other efforts to recognize the value of internal medicine physicians. We want to showcase the breadth of internal medicine physician roles and work settings, to distinguish and bring to life the leadership and the impact that serves as the foundation of medical excellence. Additionally, internal medicine physicians have never been more vital than demonstrating the breadth of patient care and leadership provided during the pandemic in all clinical settings.

References:

• American College of Physicians launches campaign celebrating depth and diversity of internal medicine physicians. https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/american-college-of-physicians-launches-campaign-celebrating-depth-and-diversity-of-internal. Published Aug. 15, 2022. Accessed Aug. 29, 2022.
• I.M. Proud. https://www.acponline.org/about-acp/who-we-are/im-the-foundation-of-clinical-health/im-proud. Accessed Aug. 29, 2022.