NAPCRG 2012: reflections from across the pond

Abstract

The 40th annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) was held in New Orleans from 1–5 December 2012. As early-career family doctors from the UK we were keen to explore primary care research from around the world. With delegates from North America and Europe to the antipodes and Ethiopia, attending this conference far exceeded our expectations. The host city perfectly reflected the energy, diversity, and warmly receptive nature of the conference, which gave us a real feel for the enthusiasm to drive primary care forward in the US and Canada. We were impressed by the support shown by senior researchers to their junior colleagues, particularly during oral and poster presentations. The lack of pharmaceutical displays1 was welcome. The plenary sessions were inspirational. The opening plenary, ‘The Healing of America. A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care’ was given by former Washington Post journalist turned ‘healthcare expert’ TR Reid, who provided an engaging overview of healthcare systems around the world. It was fitting that he paid particular tribute to Lord Beveridge on the 70th anniversary of his landmark report. The design of a country’s healthcare system is a moral decision that requires clear commitment from the whole …