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What is family medicine? Who is a family physician?

Family medicine is a field of study dedicated to providing complete medical care to people of all ages. The specialist is often known as a family doctor or family physician. The physician offers primary care with ongoing and thorough medical attention to individuals and their families, regardless of age, gender, medical condition, or body parts. Family doctors are the only qualified medical professionals to manage most illnesses and offer complete healthcare to everyone, from newborns to the elderly.

What do family physicians do? 

Family doctors treat chronic conditions, evaluate symptoms, offer preventative care, and suggest a specialist when required. Family doctors perform routine checkups, immunizations, health risk assessments, screening tests, and healthy lifestyle counseling.

They are qualified and permitted to perform the following procedures: skin procedures, ultrasound imaging, vasectomy, spirometry, endoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, musculoskeletal injections, family planning, and pregnancy testing, among others. Family doctors work in private settings, with other physicians, in community medicine clinics and hospital settings.

What training do family physicians go through?

Family physicians undergo rigorous education and training to become licensed medical practitioners. Becoming a physician after a bachelor's degree typically takes four years of training. After medical school, family physicians must complete a three-year residency program in family medicine.

During medical school, students receive a broad-based education in basic sciences, such as physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, and medical ethics. They also receive clinical training in specialties, including internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery.

During the family medicine residency, doctors-in-training receive intensive, hands-on experience to provide optimum patient care. They work in several settings, including hospitals, clinics, and private practices, and receive inpatient and outpatient care training. They are also experts in managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes and thyroid, and senior care.

After residency training, family physicians can specialize in sports medicine, geriatrics, or palliative care. Some family physicians also obtain certification in other areas, such as Obstetrics or Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Subspecialties of family medicine

After completing their general medical study, family doctors need to have an additional certificate from the American Board of Family Medicine for the following subspecialties:

• Geriatric medicine: This subspecialty involves caring for aging adults. Geriatric specialists will have extensive knowledge and skill sets for diagnosing, treating, preventing, and rehabilitating diseases in the elderly.

• Adolescent medicine: A family doctor who specializes in adolescent medicine obtains comprehensive healthcare training in the physical, psychological, and social aspects of teenagers and their healthcare concerns and needs.

• Sports medicine: This subspecialty allows family doctors to diagnose, treat, and prevent sports—or exercise-related injuries. It also deals with the factors and conditions that may affect an athlete's health and performance. 

• Hospice and palliative medicine: This subspecialty's specialists are experts in preventing and treating the suffering caused by life-limiting illnesses. The experts collaborate to improve the patient's quality of life and meet his medical, psychological, and social needs and those of his family.

• Pain medicine: A family doctor specializing in pain medicine diagnoses and treats acute, chronic, or cancer-related pain patients.

• Sleep medicine: A sleep medicine specialist is trained to analyze and interpret extensive polysomnography(sleep study used to diagnose sleep disorders) and is well-versed in sleep cycle research and treatment. The specialist detects variables that interfere with sleep or issues caused by disruptions in the wake-sleep cycle.

Differences between internal medicine and family medicine

Family medicine differs from internal medicine in that the former focuses on diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions affecting people of all ages, from infants to old people. In contrast, internal medicine primarily focuses on disorders affecting adults. As previously stated, family medicine subspecialties include acute illness, chronic disease diagnosis and management, and preventative care. In comparison, the subspecialties of internal medicine include general medical and health needs with a particular focus on adults. 

Furthermore, internists (internal medicine experts) offer inpatient treatment. On the other hand, family doctors can provide inpatient care and services; however, they have primary training in providing outpatient treatments and referring inpatient services from specialists when necessary.

What is the difference between general practice and family medicine?

With so many specialized medical fields, it’s easy to get confused about which doctor to visit. You might know which specialist to see for heart issues or joint pain, but what if your symptoms are more general or unexplained? Should you visit a family physician or a general physician? Let’s see how their roles differ.

Family physicians provide comprehensive primary care. General practitioners, on the other hand, offer primary care without specializing in a particular field, similar to services found in urgent care or general health clinics. They diagnose and treat various conditions and can refer patients to specialists as needed. General practitioners work in urgent care centers, hospitals, and clinics, handling various health concerns, maintaining medical records, and providing services like minor suturing and wound care.

Many general practice clinics have labs and diagnostic equipment on-site to conduct medical tests. They aim to treat conditions effectively and prevent hospitalizations whenever possible.

When should you see a family physician near you? 

A family physician is a primary healthcare practitioner and your first point of contact whenever you are suffering from an illness or injury or have queries about your health and well-being. 

Here are a few reasons why you should visit a family physician:

• Chronic disease management: Family physicians can diagnose, monitor, and treat various chronic conditions, diseases, and disorders. These may include hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and even skin problems and respiratory issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
• Prescribe medication: These healthcare practitioners can also refill existing medications or prescribe new ones to manage these chronic health conditions. They often coordinate with other healthcare specialists to provide the best treatment.
• Care for injury or illness: If you or a family member are injured or unwell, a family physician in your vicinity can treat it independently. These are not chronic injuries and thus do not necessitate involvement from other healthcare specialists. Examples include sprains or fractures, cold and flu symptoms, bronchitis, pneumonia, seasonal allergies, stomach viruses, ear infections, and minor health concerns.
• Routine exams: A family physician also performs routine tests, including newborn and well-child checkups, annual physical examinations, sports physicals, and health screenings for both men and women. These screenings may include pelvic exams, such as annual pap smears for females and prostate tests for males.

Why is family medicine a unique specialty?

Personal patient-physician relationships are essential to family medicine. Unlike other specialties that concentrate on specific organs, diseases, or demographics, family medicine practitioners integrate various health aspects to provide holistic patient care. This comprehensive approach encompasses disease management, preventive measures, acute interventions, and more.

What factors have led to the rising demand for family physicians in the US?

The demand for family physicians in the US has grown significantly due to multiple factors. A key driver is the aging population, which requires more healthcare services, particularly in primary care. Family physicians are well-equipped to treat older adults, who often have multiple chronic conditions needing continuous management.

Another factor is the increased focus on preventive and primary care to enhance public health. Family physicians provide essential preventive services, like screenings and immunizations, while managing chronic conditions. This helps prevent more serious health issues and ultimately reduces healthcare costs.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has also boosted demand by expanding healthcare coverage, including Medicaid, leading to a rise in the number of patients seeking primary care services. Additionally, a shortage of primary healthcare providers in rural and inner-city areas, where communities are often underserved, has further increased the need for family physicians who can effectively address these healthcare gaps.

What can you expect at your first appointment with a family doctor?

You can expect a variety of things depending on the reason for visiting. Your family physician may perform the following procedures:

• Vital signs examination (blood pressure, body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing rate)
• Routine blood tests to check for issues such as excessive cholesterol or diabetes
• Abdominal examination
• Immunizations
• A head and neck examination
• Skin examination
• Men's health tests such as prostate exams, aortic aneurysm screenings, and colon exam referrals
• Women's health tests such as pap smears, osteoporosis screening, mammography referrals, and sexual health screening
• Assessing the growth of infants and children

Your doctor may also ask about your lifestyle habits, medications, mental health, and other concerns.

How do you choose a family physician?

Despite its broad scope, people often misunderstand the field of family medicine. Your family doctor must be capable of diagnosing a wide range of symptoms. Here are some pointers for selecting a family physician:

• Look for in-network doctors

Most health insurance companies in your area have negotiated reduced rates with specific hospitals and physicians. If you visit in-network family doctors, you will pay less out of pocket and avoid unexpected co-pays and fees.

• Check to see if they provide specialized care

When choosing a doctor, it is critical to consider your family's specific needs. If a family member requires specialized care, ensure the family practice you choose has someone who can provide it.

• Check the distance from your home

Many people overlook distance as a factor, but it is critical. Having your family physician logistically close by is better, especially during emergencies.

Locating the best family physician near you 

If you need a family doctor in Glendale for a routine exam, the Zocdoc app or website can help you locate the finest family physicians in just a few clicks. You may narrow down your search by symptoms, specialty, and location. When you input your search criteria, Zocdoc gives you a list of the family doctors in your vicinity.

Every doctor on the list will have a Zocdoc profile, which includes detailed information about them, such as their qualifications, accreditations, affiliations, awards, expertise, experience, licensure, and more. You can also read past patient-verified reviews and ratings to make the right choice.

Furthermore, you may determine whether providers are in-network, i.e., if they take your insurance, by entering your carrier and plan in the drop-down box at the top of the page.

If you need help finding family physicians who accept your insurance, our online patient support center is here to assist. Through Zocdoc, you can connect your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account, although you can use only one plan per appointment.

You can add secondary insurance details in the appointment notes for those with multiple insurance plans. Additionally, if your provider uses Zocdoc’s Intake forms, you can enter your secondary insurance information there as well.

Once you have shortlisted a physician, you can book an in-person or virtual appointment with the best family physicians near you. Aside from that, you may arrange an appointment on the same day, in advance, after work hours (5 p.m.), and even on weekends, depending on the provider's availability. 

Booking appointments with Zocdoc is fast, free, and secure!

Statistics of family physicians in California

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 2022 report, about 145,372 family physicians actively work in the United States. Among them, around 15,679 are working in California. Even though the number of practicing physicians increased by 21% between 2006 and 2018, outpacing population growth by 10%, many regions in California experience significant shortages of primary care providers and specialists.

According to the Robert Graham Center's 2017 report 'The State of Primary Care Physician Workforce: California,' there were approximately 72 family physicians per 100,000 persons in California compared to 76 per 100,000 in the U.S. As per their report, the family physician workforce of California in 2017 was about 47% women, which is higher than the national average of 45%. Moreover, in line with the national trends, younger family physicians were more likely to be female than older physicians. Approximately 43% of family doctors were above the age of 55 years.

Sources

WebMD

Kaiser Family Foundation

Matthews Internal Medicine

American Board of Medical Specialties

Robert Graham Center

Familydoctor.org

Advanced Medical Clinic

HealthAffairs

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.