Did you know that about one in every four physician’s office visits – some 214 million in the US alone – are made to a family doctor?
That’s because unlike medical specialists who focus on a specific ailment or injury to a particular part of the body, family medicine physicians provide a wide range of care for a variety of health conditions to patients of all ages.
Here are just some of the many healthcare needs a family medicine practitioner can help you with:
· Preventive care – A family physician can not only educate you about disease prevention and maintaining your health, but also oversee your preventive care. That includes your mental and emotional, as well as physical, needs. For example, your family doctor can suggest the best forms of exercise for your particular fitness level, provide weight control and nutritional counseling, conduct fertility testing, or show you stress relief and anger management techniques to improve your overall well-being.
· Handling common health complaints – Whether it’s treating a cold or flu, a sore throat or ear infection, your family doctor’s office is your first – and often only – stop for appropriate diagnosis and medication. Also, if you or your child require immunizations, your family doctor is the person to see.
· Diagnosis of emerging conditions – As someone familiar with your medical history, your family doctor can analyze new and unusual symptoms and recognize the development of a hidden or serious condition requiring prompt attention. For example, your family doctor is usually the first physician to examine you and screen for early signs of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. That includes ordering, performing, and interpreting tests to diagnose the condition, explain the test results to you, monitor your treatment and rehabilitation, and re-evaluate your therapy when necessary.
· Managing chronic illness – One of the responsibilities of a family physician is to provide personalized, ongoing care for chronic and degenerative conditions such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. Using diagnostic tests, they assess your rehabilitative progress to determine the most effective follow-up steps in your personal treatment plan.
· Coordinating your rehabilitation – Your family physician is the one who refers you to a specialist if your condition requires specialized care. But his or her involvement doesn’t end there. Acting as your primary care physician, your family doctor coordinates on your behalf with specialists, physical or occupational therapists, pharmacists, and any other health care providers to make sure that all of your medical needs are addressed.
That is why it is often said that “family physicians do not treat diseases; they take care of people.”
The friendly staff at Advanced Medical is committed to providing the highest quality care you need to return your family to health and keep you well. If you have any questions about our primary care services, please call our office at (561) 434-1935. To schedule an appointment, you can call us or use our secure online appointment request form.
