Is Family Medicine the Center of Primary Care?

A family is the basic unit in any society and comprises members of different ages. For this reason, there is a wide scope of medical concerns that professionals need to be ready to handle when dealing with a family setting. Your family medicine San Antonio, TX provider provides comprehensive primary care for patients of all ages, thus ensuring wellness in society.

What are the functions of family medicine providers?

Caring for patients regardless of age or health condition

Age is a risk factor for most health concerns. For example, the older or younger you are the more vulnerable you are to certain diseases. As the body grows older, the immune system weakens and cannot fight off disease-causing microorganisms. Also, younger patients are susceptible to illness because their immune system is developing and thus not strong enough to handle diseases. Luckily family medicine covers a wide spectrum of diseases. Regardless of your age, a family medicine practitioner can develop an ideal treatment to enhance your wellness and that of your entire family.

Sustaining an enduring and trusting relationship

The patient-doctor relationship is a crucial factor influencing the quality of care and patient satisfaction. Family medicine is a branch of primary care that ensures patients receive help from a trusted provider. As the relationship grows stronger through frequent hospital visits, a patient can freely community their concerns to their physician without worrying about judgments.

Understanding community-level factors and social determinants of health

Physicians who provide care to patients in a family setting can analyze data to understand the over health in a community. Most families seek medical intervention from a local health provider making it easier for physicians to appreciate community-level factors that influence overall wellness.

Serving as a patient’s first contact for health concerns

Whenever there is an accident causing injury to a patient, urgent care is necessary to prevent complications. Patients can be sure to receive emergency care from their family medicine physician because they are usually the first primary care contact. For this reason, family medicine practitioners save patient lives and ensure injury management.

Navigating the health care system with patients, including specialist and hospital care coordination and follow-up

It is very rare to find a physician who has a specialty in all areas. However, this is not so much a challenge because family medicine physicians coordinate with other practitioners, especially when declining with medical issues that are beyond their knowledge and expertise. 

Using data and technology to coordinate services and enhance care

Technological advancements have brought about a convenient way for patients to interact with their physicians without necessarily attending physical visits. Telehealth is a powerful tool that leverages the internet and smart devices to allow virtual visits for patients seeking medical care from their family medicine providers. This technology is especially useful for patients receiving continuing care for example those with chronic illnesses.

There are many benefits to finding the right family medicine provider. Contact Castle Hills Family Practice if you care about the well-being of your family members and receive primary care services that will ensure a quality life for your loved ones.