Do you always turn to Google to find out about a specific vaccine, your sudden hair loss, or anxiety symptoms? Your search result may not have all the answers, but a good family doctor will indeed have them.
A family doctor is a general physician who takes responsibility for the healthcare needs of your family. They look after each family member throughout the different stages of life. A family doctor’s primary focus is to know your family, track the health history of each member, and foster a long-term relationship of trust and care.
Not only do they diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions, but they also provide specialist referrals and conduct health screenings whenever necessary. They may suggest lifestyle adjustments to manage your health and provide emotional and mental support and guidance. Because they have a very personal understanding of your family’s healthcare needs, they have the unique position to offer holistic treatment.
Typical Roles of a Family Doctor
All family doctors specialize in a wide range of services to address the needs of an entire family. Some of the services they offer include –
- Routine check-ups
- Immunizations
- Health risk assessments
- Healthy lifestyle counselling
- Screening tests
- Treatment of common acute and chronic conditions
Some family doctors also specialize in other areas, such as public health, urgent and emergency care, and sports medicine. Doctors can also offer references to other doctors and specialists according to the patient’s needs.
Why Do You Need a Good Family Doctor?
Family medicine has an integral role in receiving continuous and direct care for the family members. Because these physicians specialize in a broad spectrum of conditions, they can cater to the most common and pressing medical needs, regardless of gender or age.
From a small bruise to a chronic illness, these doctors are committed to helping you by providing the best possible care for the entire family.
If you don’t have a family doctor to cater to your healthcare needs, it is high time you do so. Here are the top ten ways having a good family physician can be a game changer in your life –
#1 – Family Doctors Are the First Point of Contact
Whenever you have a health issue, such as flu-like symptoms, rashes, back pain, or hair fall, you can consider your family doctor to be the first point of contact for honest advice. Because they have knowledge and experience dealing with a wide range of health concerns, they will be able to address your concerns immediately.
#2 – Family Doctors Offer Preventative Healthcare
Apart from treating your current healthcare concerns, your doctor can also advise you regarding taking preventative measures by introducing lifestyle changes to get better health outcomes. You don’t have to wait until you fall sick because your doctor will ensure you don’t fall sick.
#3 – Family Doctors Know Your Health History
Because your family doctor will be treating you for years, they will have an in-depth understanding of your medical history, including all your family members. Such an understanding could be highly beneficial in identifying potential health risks.
#4 – Family Doctors Provide Individualized Treatment Plans
Based on your and your family’s healthcare history and individual needs, your family doctor can create a personalized treatment plan to manage your healthcare concerns effectively.
#5 – Family Doctors Can Treat Acute and Chronic Conditions
As discussed earlier, family doctors specialize in a wide range of conditions and healthcare concerns. Because of this reason, you can seek their assistance for acute conditions, such as joint pain, back pain, etc., and even chronic conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, etc.
#6 – Family Doctors Are There With You Through All Life Stages
When you move from one life stage to another, the transition can be difficult. From pregnancy to menopause, your family doctor will be there for guidance and assistance throughout your life and all its essential phases.
#7 – Family Doctors Can Provide the Right Specialist Referral
There will be times when you need to see a medical specialist for a specific condition. Such as addiction recovery treatment, other chronic disease etc. After your family doctor assesses your concerns, they can steer you in the right direction by referring the best specialist for your condition.
#8 – Family Doctors Are More Affordable
With a family doctor, you will be able to save a significant amount of money that would otherwise go into annual health check-ups. Because your doctor will constantly advise you on your health, you will be better informed, ultimately translating into fewer trips to the hospital. Hence, the risk of getting sick would be much lower.
#9 – Family Doctors Offer a Level of Trust and Comfort
Your family doctor will cater to your health at all times. Because of this reason, you’ll be more acquainted with them. When you get family with your doctor and have established a rapport, you won’t find yourself embarrassed about discussing sensitive conditions, including gynecologic diseases, STIs, etc. Having a close relationship with your family doctor can take away a lot of the stress that usually involves in dealing with a new doctor.
#10 – Family Doctors Are More Convenient
When you have a family doctor, you won’t have to wait in lines to seek medical assistance, and it can be a great relief because most hospital processes are time-consuming and tiring. If you have an emergency and need assistance at an odd hour, you will be able to call your doctor to get the required help, which wouldn’t otherwise be possible with an unknown doctor.
Wrapping Up
Having a good family doctor by your side can have a monumental role to play in supporting the ongoing good health of your family. With their thorough and intimate understanding of each member’s health history, family doctors are uniquely positioned to provide personalized care whenever a situation demands it.
When you find a qualified and dedicated family doctor, you are taking a step in the right direction towards keeping your family safe and healthy. Having a doctor, you can trust is important, so you must do your due diligence before committing to one doctor.
