Family-Oriented Care

Family practice is a medical specialty that which provides comprehensive and continuing health care for the individual and the family. It integrates the biological, behavioral, and clinical sciences into one discipline. It encompasses all ages, both sexes, all organ systems, and every disease entity. The goal is to achieve optimal physical and mental health through accessible, cost-effective care. Family-oriented care is like other medical disciplines in that it is based on best evidence. It differs in that it is responsive to the needs of patients and respectful of family, personal values, and beliefs.

Family practice is the current expression of the historical family doctor that made house calls. For thousands of years, physicians were generalists. They diagnosed and treated illness, performed surgery, and delivered babies. With the advancement in technology, many physicians chose to limit the scope of their practice. During the time of World War II, specialists began to flourish. For two decades the number of generalists decreased as specialists increased. As the public complained about fragmented health care, family-oriented care was reborn. Family practice became medicine's 20th specialty.

Medical knowledge and skill are the same as with other disciplines, but the process of family practice is what makes it different. Family physicians are the first line of entry into the medical arena. They are positioned to form a close relationship with the family. They see the family members as well beings and promote disease prevention.