The Essential Role Of A Family Practice Doctor In Society

By Jerri Perry


Family medicine is a medical specialty that offers comprehensive and continuing healthcare for individuals and families. It integrates the clinical, biological and behavioral sciences. A family practice doctor or general practitioner cares for people of all ages, both sexes and every kind of disease that people usually seek treatment for.

Primary care physicians can also help you manage chronic diseases. If you consult with these professionals often, you can stay healthy for many years. Family physicians practice in all areas that are inhabited and they therefore play an essential role in the community. Their training allows them to offer comprehensive healthcare services.

Besides diagnosing and treating diseases, general practitioners also offer preventative care that includes routine checkups, screening tests, immunization, health risk assessments and counseling on how to live healthily. They also coordinate care that other subspecialists provide. Many of these doctors also offer prenatal and post natal care and deliver babies. They help families save time by making it unnecessary for each member of a family to consult with a different physician.

If you have more than one child, you will find it easy to keep appointments if you only have to visit one physician. You also get to save time and traveling costs. When you consult with the same doctor for many years, you will not feel anxious during consultation sessions. This doctor will also keep your medical records and he or she can therefore note if a particular illness tends to run in your family.

Primary care physicians are also able to detect health problems as soon as they arise and treat them effectively before they get worse. They can provide their services in different settings including their offices, hospitals and in the homes of their patients. These professionals also continue pursuing certifications and renewing their licenses. They ensure that their practices remain current with the latest scientific and medical breakthroughs.

As you select a general practitioner, you should consider if he or she is certified by the American Board of Physician Specialties. Board certification indicates that a physician has achieved the recognized standards for skills, education, knowledge and experience and is therefore able to serve patients well in his or her medical specialty. Doctors who are Board Certified are also committed to lifelong learning. This ensures that they continue providing their patients with high quality medical care.

When selecting a primary care doctor, you should also consider if the professional can easily be reached. Find out if the working hours of the professional are convenient for you and if his or her medical staff provides excellent customer service. It is also wise to consider if the physician orders tests to be performed in order to accurately diagnose a problem and whether his or her approach to treatment is conservative or aggressive.

You should also consider the reputation of a family practice doctor before you make the decision to utilize his or her services. You can get information about good physicians from medical associations in your state, nursing associations and physician assistant associations. You can also ask your relatives and friends to refer you to a good primary care physician.




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