Discover the benefits of family healthcare

When it comes to healthcare, you want your family to have the best. But it can also be difficult to squeeze appointments with different doctors into your busy schedule. One of the many benefits of accessing healthcare as a family is the convenience of having one doctor who can serve as the primary care provider for everyone.

Family medicine doctors specialize in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease for all ages, children to adult. They provide annual wellness checkups and are the first providers patients see for many different health conditions. It’s their job to help coordinate and guide you or your family members if additional care is needed.

The many pluses of family healthcare

Having one family medicine, or primary care, doctor for your family allows him or her to specialize in you. Getting to know their patients and watching children and families grow over the years helps physicians provide care for the long haul to prevent and keep tabs on chronic disease.

Families are more likely to confide in a provider that they trust. Developing a strong physician-patient relationship can help make folks more comfortable asking questions about their health and reaching out for help. Patients should know they always have someone in their corner if any health concerns come up.

Not only is it more convenient to have just one doctor for every family member, but there are a host of additional advantages.

• Family doctors build long-lasting relationships with their patients. A pediatrician typically only sees patients until they are between the ages of 18 and 21, at which point they need to find a new primary care provider. Meanwhile, a family doctor can stay with your children as they grow into adulthood. Most see patients of all ages, from infants to seniors. That means that family doctors get to know their patients and their health history, making them better able to provide the best care through each stage of their lives. Likewise, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ll always have a doctor who you know and trust to guide you and your family on your health journey.
• A one-stop family clinic can help with many different health needs. Family doctors do much more than perform yearly checkups. They can also diagnose and treat common ailments, such as sore throats, ear infections, seasonal allergies and respiratory infections. They can also help you manage chronic conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and heart disease. Family doctors are trained to treat mental and behavioral health issues. What’s more, they are often based in a one-stop medical clinic, providing additional services like X-ray imaging, minor surgical procedures, urgent care and blood tests.
• Your family doctor can refer you to the right specialists. When you have concerning symptoms and you’re not sure what type of specialist you need to see, you can start with your family doctor. He or she will examine you and order any necessary tests. Based on the results of these, your doctor will refer you to the right specialists if you need additional care. Because your family care doctor knows your health history and preferences, you can trust that he or she will send you to a specialist who will be the right fit for your needs.