Family Medicine

I feel that not many people understand what a family medicine doctor does.  According to the American Academy of Family Physicians  “Family medicine integrates a broad-spectrum approach to primary care with the consideration of health-impacting social determinants and community factors, while also serving as an advocate for the patient in an increasingly complex health care system. Unlike other narrowly focused specialities, family medicine includes the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences, encompassing all ages, sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity.”  The role of the family medicine physician includes but is not limited to preventive care, coordination of care, diagnosis, and disease management. Primary care involves encouraging people to make lifestyle changes that will prevent the development of diseases like diabetes, or prevent accidents.  Coordination of care is helpful for patients with complex medical problems that have to see multiple physicians and making sure that patients are following up and taking medication appropriately.   In short, Family Medicine is caring for the whole patient from the physical body, to the psyche, and their entire family in all stages of life.  A good day for me is seeing a newborn in office, caring for a middle-aged patient with depression, a sick visit for a child with cold symptoms and asthma, and a medicare well visit with an elderly patient, while completing a POLST (Physicians’ Orders for Life Sustaining Treatments) form.  It is medicine from the womb to the tomb.  I love my job.  Any thoughts on how your family medicine doctor has fulfilled a role in your life?