Family medicine is a field of healthcare that focuses on the overall health of your family. It encompasses Internal Medicine, Pediatric Care, Women’s Health Care and Men’s Health Care in addition to Family Medicine. With a family medicine provider you can get immunizations, regular checkups for all members of your family and more. If you are looking for an all-inclusive way to take care of the whole family then it’s time to schedule an appointment with your local family medicine provider.
What is family medicine?
Family medicine is a medical field that covers a wide range of care, including Internal Medicine (acute and chronic), Pediatrics, Women’s Health Care and Men’s Health Care.
Family medicine is the total family healthcare provider to ensure that you are taking care of your entire family, not just yourself. Whether it’s routine checkups or immunizations for all members of your family, regular visits with a family medicine provider can help keep everyone healthy for years to come.
Doctors in the field of family medicine are trained in a wide range of disciplines and are able to address all members of your family’s health needs.
Family Medicine is not just for adults, children can also see their trusted family medicine provider throughout the course of their childhood development.
Doctors who specialize in Family Medicine have extensive training that covers internal medicine, pediatrics as well as women’s or men´s healthcare which means they meet with you when it’s time for routine checkups and will be available if an emergency arises during one visit or another.
How to find a family doctor
Doctors in the field of family medicine typically work at a hospital, local clinic or they have a private office.
To find a family doctor near you, search for physicians within your area and ask them whether they are accepting new patients of any age.
Once you identify which doctors have availability (they’re not all that busy), make an appointment with each available physician to get their opinion about what kind of family medicine is right for you and your loved ones.
Many people who see a family doctor also go back on a regular basis to other types of specialists – such as cardiologists, ophthalmologists or dermatologist – which can be conveniently located in the same medical group practice or clinic where they already established care with their trusted primary-care provider.
Family medical care for children and teens
A family doctor works with patients of all ages groups, but has special skills in caring for children and teens.
For example, pediatricians are trained to recognize common childhood illnesses such as ear infections or strep throat; they can also diagnose more serious problems like asthma or diabetes at an early age. The best way to be sure your child is getting the care he needs is by making a regular family medical appointment with a trusted provider who understands what it means to treat young bodies: from development milestones all the way through adolescence and beyond. And while some people might expect that family doctors only take on patients of any age group once they’re adults, there’s no rule against teen visits either. In fact most family medicine providers recommend coming in annually if you haven’t already seen them during high school years.
Family medical care for adults
Family medicine also includes adult health care. Adults are also susceptible to illness and injury, so routine family medical care is important for your health. Family medicine physicians can provide you with comprehensive physicals that will help identify problems early on before they develop into more serious issues like diabetes or asthma.
- Routine preventive screenings such as mammograms, colonoscopies, prostate exams, etc …
- Physical examinations including assessing vital signs
- Diagnostic tests (ex: lab work)
- Prescription medications when needed
- Preventive strategies against chronic diseases like heart disease and osteoporosis
In addition to prevention of illnesses in adults, family medicine doctors can also provide treatment of chronic conditions both acute and long term: everything from ADHD/ADD to Type II diabetes and back pain.
Family medical care for seniors
Family medicine also includes seniors who are aging. It’s important to plan for the future and your family medicine doctor can help with that too.
An annual physical exam or checkup is recommended at age 50, 55, 60, and 65. Other care for seniors includes preventive screenings, immunizations against infectious diseases such as pneumonia and shingles, prescription medications for ongoing needs like arthritis pain relief or managing high blood pressure.
A Family approach too treatment
With most doctors focusing on a specific medical field, family medicine focuses on the whole family, overall health and well-being.