Adventist Health physician Raul Ayala has been installed as the new president of the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP), the largest primary care medical society in California with more than 10,000 members. Adventist photo

Adventist Health physician Raul Ayala has been installed as the new president of the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP), the largest primary care medical society in California with more than 10,000 members.

“Dr. Raul Ayala is a great champion for primary care and is committed to serving the needs of rural and underserved California communities,” said Lisa Folberg, CAFP CEO. “Dr. Ayala is an incredible leader and will bring energy and vision to CAFP’s mission to improve the health of all Californians.”

Dr. Ayala is the first CAFP president from the Central Valley area, and has been recognized as a leader in ensuring patients receive the care and support they need to live a healthy life, according to an Adventist news release.

“Dr. Ayala has spent the last ten years caring for rural patients in the Central Valley and collaborating with community partners to tackle health disparities,” says Arby Nahapetian, MD, Adventist Health’s chief clinical officer, and leader of the ambulatory physician enterprise. “He has already been transforming healthcare in this state by implementing screenings and care plans into every clinic visit including those that impact a patient’s overall well-being: food insecurity, mental health, opioids, substance use disorders, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.”

Tackling health disparities is central to Dr. Ayala’s professional and personal mission, and he believes everyone deserves access to good medical care.

As part of his mission, he has helped forge community integration through Adventist Health’s mobile care clinics. Mobile care provides the same quality care found in the clinic system and cares for the unreached and most vulnerable by traveling to communities that do not have access to medical care.

Dr. Ayala also launched a project with a local nonprofit to establish virtual care visits for those living in homeless camps.

“I have chosen ‘The Power of Community’ to be the core of my message,” says Dr. Ayala, “where we will underline the need to improve access to care, physician wellness, rural health, physician shortages, graduate medical education, and how we focus on health equity throughout our communities in need.”

Additionally, he assists in leading the graduate medical education residency programs through the Adventist Health system.

In 2020, Dr. Ayala was recognized by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health as the California Community Star in rural health care. He has also served as a board member with the CAFP since 2012.