Who is a Family Physician?
Family physicians (خاندانی معالج) are doctors who dispense primary care to people. They are trained to treat ailments concerning children and adults, alike. Also known as GPs (جنرل فزیشن ), family physicians are capable of dealing with miscellaneous issues around the body.
When should you see a Family Physician?
A family physician is generally a patient’s first point of contact. Any ailments, regarding different diseases around the body, are initially addressed by them. It is also necessary to visit a family physician also for health screenings as well.
Patients also need the help of family physician when they need counseling for their wellbeing. They can guide patients with regards to lifestyle changes, support groups etc.
Moreover, they also guide patients with regards to specialist care, since the healthcare system is complicated, and laypeople cannot thus navigate it with ease.
You also need to see a family physician for the management of chronic ailments like heart disease, diabetes etc. Family planning is also their domain.
What are a Family Physician’s main areas of concern?
A family physician (ماہر طب) is responsible for providing comprehensive medical care to the patients.
They are also concerned with contextualized care; medical ailments are also linked to the societal problems and issues, and thus, it is pertinent for GPs to be aware of these nuances.
Family physicians also help prevent diseases. In this endeavor, they play a role in driving awareness campaigns for holistic impact on the society. However, they also have an important role in the care of the individuals as well.
These experts also facilitate in the process of immunization and other medications that are required for the wellbeing of the patients. Conducting annual physical exams, especially in high-risk older patients, is also the domain of the family medicine specialist. They play a pivotal role in people access to healthcare facilities as well.
Since one doctor tends to treat the entire family, they have more nuanced understanding of the patient health, and thus their diagnosis is effective and accurate. Furthermore, GP also helps the patient family deal with the illness, and they thus play a more personal role in the lives of the patients
They are also involved in dispensing preventive care as well. Alongside this, family physicians are also involved in understanding the community level issues that have an impact on the psychological, behavioral, and physical health of the patients.
Family medicine specialists also carry out multiple procedures like vasectomy, endoscopy, skin procedure. They also deliver emergency care alongside catering to injuries.
What are the most common diseases overseen by Family Physicians in Pakistan?
Pakistan faces a great disease burden, perpetuated by various factors. There is dearth of knowledge amongst the masses with regards to lifestyle habits that lead to chronic ailments. The standards of hygiene are poor at best, aggravating the case of communicable diseases.
Moreover, smoking, and other vices are also prevalent in the society. Masses do not have access to resources like parks that allows for better physical and mental health.
Similarly, weak rules and policing also allow for dangerous practices like reusing of the syringes. Suffice to say, the challenges faced by family physicians are great.
While they treat a wide range of diseases, some are more common than the others. According to the research published in JPMA, following are some of the salient diseases:
|
Disease
|
Percentage of Patients Affected
|
|
Gastroenteritis
|
13%
|
|
Diseases of genito-urinary tract
|
12.6%
|
|
Injuries
|
10.9%
|
|
Diseases of the Eyes
|
9.9%
|
|
Malaria
|
6.2%
|
|
Respiratory diseases
|
5.8%
|
|
Tuberculosis
|
4.4%
|
|
Fevers
|
5.1%
|
|
Diseases of nervous system
|
2.6%
|
|
Diseases of bones, joints and muscles
|
2%
|
|
Skin diseases
|
1.8%
|
|
Diseases of the ear, nose, throat
|
1.5%
|
|
Tumors
|
1.2%
|
|
Dental diseases
|
1.1%
|
|
Other diseases
|
20.4%
|
How to become a Family Physician in Pakistan?
To become the best family physician in Lahore, (خاندانی معالج), one has to complete their M.B.B.S, after which they need to do their house job as well. They then have to start their specialization in family medicine, which is a subset of internal medicine. Successfully passing all the exams and completing training set up by CPSP, Pakistan certifies one as a qualified family physician.
What kinds of Family Physicians are there?
Family physicians deal with a wide range of issues, but some cater to more specific problems. These subspecialities include:
- Diabetologist: Managing diabetes is pertinent, as otherwise, it wreaks havoc on the body. Experts of this field facilitate in the disease management.
- OB-GYN: Obstetrics is concerned with the care of pregnancy women, and gynecology concerns with the reproductive care of women. These experts then cater to the sexual wellbeing of the women.
- Pediatrician: These experts deal with the problems pertaining to children and adolescents
What are Family Physicians called in Pakistan?
Family physicians are also referred to as:
- General Physician
- GP
- Mahir-e-Tib
- خاندانی معالج
- ماہر طب
- جنرل معالج
- جنرل فزیشن
