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Calicut MCH to vitalise family medicine in state.

-Can reduce health care costs

 

Efforts have begun to bring back the family doctor concept, a practice that was in vogue and used very effectively of the beginning of modern medicine. Calicut medical college, the first in the country offer a MD course in family medicine, is taking the initiative to draw the attention of the masses and also medical students to relevance of such a practice in our country.

Family medicine is the primary care given to an individual and family that provides continuing and comprehensive health care irrespective of age, gender and disease. Family doctors who should have a MD or DNB (diplomate of national board) are given training in both primary and secondary health care systems.

According to Dr Roshni M. a faculty of the department of family medicine in the Calicut medical College, the concept of the family doctors has relevance in the country in view of spiraling healthcare costs. The emergence of primary care provisions can to a great extent reduce healthcare costs only when more family physicians are produced.

Family doctor is a concept practiced in all the major developed countries. In UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada the whole country is divided into sectors in which every sector should have a family physician of their choice without which he cannot consult a specialist, she added.

The rapport between the doctor and patient will help to deal with 80 to 90 per cent of diseases, she said. The family doctor can recognize the signs and symptoms in a person and refer them to the respective specialist. The advent of family medicine would also help reduce the burden on specialist doctors helping them to concentrate on their major areas, she added.

 

Deccan Chronicle, the largest circulated english daily in south India. 30 October 2013.