Family MedicineFamily medicine (FM), formerly family practice (FP), is a medical speciality devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. The specialist is named a family physician, family doctor, or formerly family practitioner. In Europe the discipline is often referred to as general practice and a practitioner as a General Practice Doctor or GP. This name emphasises the holistic nature of this speciality, as well as its roots in the family. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and parts of the body. It is based on knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion. According to the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), the aim of family medicine is to provide personal, comprehensive, and continuing care for the individual in the context of the family and the community. The issues of values underlying this practice are usually known as primary care ethics.
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Primary CarePrimary care is the day-to-day health care given by a health care provider. Typically this provider acts as the first contact and principal point of continuing care for patients within a health care system, and coordinates other specialist care that the patient may need. Patients commonly receive primary care from professionals such as a primary care physician (general practitioner or family physician), a nurse practitioner (adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner or pediatric nurse practitioner) or a physicians assistant. Depending on the nature of the health condition, patients may then be referred to secondary or tertiary care.
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The World health organization attributes the provision of esential primary care as an integral component of an inclusive primary health care strategy. Primary care involves the widest scope of health care, including all ages of patients, patients of all socioeconomic and geographic origins, patients seeking to maintain optimal health, and patients with all manner of acute and chronic physical, mental and social health issues, including multiple chronic diseases. Consequently, a primary care practitioner must possess a wide breadth of knowledge in many areas. Continuity is a key characteristic of primary care, as patients usually prefer to consult the same practitioner for routine check-ups and preventive care, health education,and every time they require an initial consultation about a new health problem. Collaboration among providers is a desirable characteristic of primary care.
Common chronic illnesses usually treated in primary care may include for example : hypertension, angina, diabetes, asthma, COPD, depression and anxiety, back pain, arthritis or thyroid dysfunction. Primary care also includes many basic maternal and child health care services, such as family planning services and vaccinations.
In context of global population ageing, with increasing numbers of older adults at greater risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, rapidly increasing demand for primary care services is expected around the world in both developed and developing countries.
Common chronic illnesses usually treated in primary care may include for example : hypertension, angina, diabetes, asthma, COPD, depression and anxiety, back pain, arthritis or thyroid dysfunction. Primary care also includes many basic maternal and child health care services, such as family planning services and vaccinations.
In context of global population ageing, with increasing numbers of older adults at greater risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, rapidly increasing demand for primary care services is expected around the world in both developed and developing countries.