What You Need to Know About Family Medicine

Family medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating illness in people of all ages. Family physicians are trained to diagnose and treat common diseases and injuries. Family medicine San Antonio, TX doctors at Castle Hills Family Practice provide comprehensive care for patients, including preventive health care services such as screenings and immunizations, routine care such as physical exams, and treatment of acute illnesses.

Here are the benefits of family medicine

Affordable healthcare costs: Family doctors are responsible for caring for all ages, from newborns to seniors, so they can provide greater access to affordable health services than their hospital-based counterparts. In addition to seeing more patients daily, which means lower overhead costs, they also tend to use fewer specialists at lower rates than hospital-based physicians.

Access to specialists in different fields of medicine: Most physicians and health care providers have a narrow range of expertise, which can lead to a lack of continuity in care and increased costs for the patient. Family doctors can provide comprehensive care, including medical and surgical services, psychiatric care, obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, gynecology, and more. They understand how all aspects of a patient’s health relate to each other.

A stronger relationship with patients: Family doctors have strong relationships with their patients because they spend more time with each other than other types of physicians. This allows them to develop a deeper understanding of their patient’s needs, which leads to better treatment outcomes for them and their families.

More time with one patient at a time: The average family doctor sees only one patient at a time versus seeing several patients at once, as an internist or anesthesiologist may do during an office visit. This means that there is more time spent talking with each individual about their problems and providing counseling regarding lifestyle changes that may help improve health outcomes for everyone involved in the relationship.

Help manage chronic conditions: Family physicians are more likely to manage chronic diseases than other primary care providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that one in five adults has a chronic condition that requires medication management or surgery. In addition, many families have multiple members with these conditions requiring providers’ coordination.

Can prevent disease and injury: Physicians who work in family medicine have been shown in order to avoid disease and injury by providing preventive care and treating acute cases of illness more effectively than primary care physicians without family practice training. A recent study found that family physicians were better at preventing hospitalizations for heart attacks than non-family physicians with similar levels of experience.

Focus on prevention: Family Medicine physicians are experts in managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and sleep apnea. They also have a strong interest in preventative care like immunizations and screenings for cancer, colon cancer, and early detection of breast cancer.

Bottom Line

Family physicians have a unique role in the healthcare system. They are the first point of contact for many of their patients. Castle Hills Family Practice physicians can directly connect with their patients, often lacking in other specialties. This close relationship with your patient allows you to be more informed about their health needs and more knowledgeable about what resources are available to help them.

Ivan Brandt